Chanting to Mauli Ola: Hawaiian Cultural Arts, Wellbeing, and Climate Resilience on Molokai

How can Native Hawaiian art and cultural practices, such as chanting oli, intersect with environmental sciences to address climate justice? This project investigates how Indigenous Hawaiian knowledge systems model climate resilience through cultural revitalization, offering relational approaches to inspire solutions across contexts.

In January 2025, UVA faculty member Naseemah Mohamed and post-doctoral researcher Robin Garcia will accompany Fourth-Year student Sophia Gibby to Molokai, Hawaii, for cultural workshops and social research in collaboration with the nonprofit Ho‘āka Mana. Grant funding supports Sophia’s participation, with Mohamed and Garcia overseeing the project and fostering a long-term partnership between UVA and the Molokai community. The project will culminate in a student-driven art exhibition at UVA, showcasing diverse perspectives on climate resilience and the critical role of cultural practices in addressing environmental challenges.