"Ho‘olale i ka ‘ai a ka u‘i" is a Hawaiian proverb that roughly translates to "what the youth can do." This special Youth in Action program was filmed in Hawai‘i and showcases what Native Hawaiian youth are doing to protect their traditions. The program has four segments: voyaging and wayfinding, hula as resistance, heiau (sacred space) restoration, and food sovereignty.

Voyaging and wayfinding: Kānehūnāmoku is a double-hulled sailing canoe which serves as a hands-on classroom. Students become crew members to learn traditional Native Hawaiian sailing skills such as navigating without instruments and observing the natural elements. Twenty-one-year-old Kamakana Ing shares his journey and life lessons from the sea and the wa‘a (canoe).

Hula as resistance: Pāhonu Coleman, Kilinahe Naluai, and Kaipo Akioka are high school students in the Hawaiian language immersion program at Ke Kula Kaiapuni in Kailua, OÊ»ahu. Together as haku mele (composers), they write songs, choreograph, and teach their fellow students the hula to their original composition, "Ke Kahua Kaiapuni"—a love song to the Hawaiian language.

Heiau restoration: Kāneali‘i Shuman is a high school student in the Hawaiian language immersion program at Ke Kula Kaiapuni. He volunteers at the ancient site of Ulupō Heiau, which was abandoned after the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom and is now a state historic site. Native Hawaiian organizations such as Kauluakalani, a community-based nonprofit committed to restoring and fostering healthy relationships between people and the land, are educating the general public on the cultural significance of Ulupō, Kawai Nui, and other sacred sites.

Food sovereignty: Summer Maunakea hails from Waipahu, O‘ahu. She is driven by her kuleana (responsibility) to mālama ‘āina (to care for, protect, and ensure the continuity of all that nourishes and sustains life.) Maunakea is an educator at heart who seeks to encourage all children of Hawai‘i to cultivate deep kinship with their natural environment and community.

The Indigenous student filmmakers from Hawai‘i Tech Academy who filmed the program—Tamar Wachi, Emma Morita, Mia Bella Platkin, Anica Brewer, Kiara Haid, and Andrew Twelker—will share their experiences at the end of the program.

Youth in Action: Conversations about Our Future is an online series hosted by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. These moderated panel discussions serve as a national platform to amplify the efforts of Native changemakers from across the Western Hemisphere who are engaged in civic and social justice work for Indigenous peoples.