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At the NAISA Conference Site at the Catholic University of Temuco, left to right, Vince Okada, Ph.D., Renee Rivera, Serge Marek, Ph.D., Annalysa Dumlao, Pete Britos, Ph.D., Tammy Martin, Ph.D, Peter Mataira, Ph.D., and Tracy Stewart, Ph.D.
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The HPU delegation at the presentation session.
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After the presentation session.
Master of Social Work candidate Renée Rivera, Marine Biology senior, President of the HPU Indigenous Student Alliance, and Vice President of the HPU Asian American and Pacific Islander Club Annalysa Dumlao, Geography and Urban Sustainability professor Serge Marek, Ph.D., Cinematic Multimedia Arts professor Pete Britos, Ph.D., and Social Work professors Peter Mataira, Ph.D., Tammy Martin, Ph.D., Tracy Stewart, Ph.D., and Vince Okada, Ph.D., recently collaborated to present at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) conference in Temuco, Walmapu, Chile.
The Hawaiʻi Pacific University student-faculty delegation successfully hosted a roundtable session titled “Centering Nā Waiwai: Systemic Approaches to Interweaving Native Hawaiian Values in Higher Education.”
The cross-disciplinary collaboration and dedicated summer preparation between Indigenous students, Indigenous faculty, and allied professors made bringing this meaningful vision to life an unforgettable journey together. The five-day conference included visits to Mapuche communities (the Indigenous group centered around Temuco, Walmapu-Chile), attending multiple conference sessions over three days, and participating in a successful round table.
Each team member presented as part of a 90-minute session focusing on the opportunities and challenges of Western-constructed universities claiming Indigenous values as fundamental to their mission and vision. The goal of this collaboration is to further discussions about ways to support universities interested in authentically, respectfully, and meaningfully engaging with Indigenous peoples and their ways of being.
