The power of intergenerational storytelling and Indigenous-centered research through the voices of Native Hawaiian kūpuna was spotlighted in a new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa study.
The Kūpuna Interview Project, published in the American Journal of Community Psychology, offers a 360-degree view of lived experiences shared by elders across Hawaiʻi. It was developed through a partnership between UHMānoa’s Hā Kūpuna National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders, housed in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, and ALU LIKE, Inc., a non-profit that supports Native Hawaiians with programs that foster self-sufficiency, well-being and cultural values.
Adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project used three Zoom interviews per participant to foster deep pilina (relationships). These talk-story sessions revealed rich narratives on family traditions, cultural practices, childhood memories and encounters with the healthcare system. In total, 30 kūpuna participated in the study.
“This article format privileges the voices of participants in research and highlights how research can have a positive impact on participants as well as on researchers,” said first author Rachel Burrage, Thompson school associate professor.
In recognition of their contributions to the project, kūpuna received personalized video and print transcripts, along with a two-page story to pass on to their moʻopuna (grandchildren).
Emotional, cultural value of study
Community feedback underscored the emotional and cultural value of the project.
“I love telling stories, so having the memories of my stories living on for my moʻopuna (grandkids) really means a lot,” said Aunty Lovey (Leverne Toki). “More kūpuna deserve to have their stories heard, and more of our keiki deserve to connect with their culture.”
More kūpuna deserve to have their stories heard, and more of our keiki deserve to connect with their culture.
—Leverne Toki
Monique Ocampo, from Molokaʻi and raised in Kapaʻakea, added, “This interview process has the potential to be a medicine that can help others. The only criterion is that you make a difference in someone’s soul.”
For student researcher Keilyn Kawakami, the work was personally meaningful. “As a Hawaiian who did not grow up in Hawaiʻi, this project has been an opportunity to connect with my culture and deepen my understanding of Kanaka Maoli traditions.”
The Kūpuna Interview Project stands as a model for community-based research grounded in kuleana, pilina and the enduring power of story for future generations.
