Strategic plan unveiled for Department of ʻŌiwi Resources

Maui County’s new Department of ʻŌiwi Resources has released its inaugural 2025-30 strategic plan, “rooted in ancestral wisdom and built on the foundation of cultural stewardship, community empowerment and responsible governance.”

To view the full strategic plan, click here or visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/oiwiresources.

According to the department, its plan is informed by community voices collected through surveys, in-person interviews and cultural consultations, ensuring alignment with the values and priorities of Maui County residents. “It details new initiatives, including language revitalization efforts, cultural training for County employees and the planned restoration of wahi pana (sacred places) such as Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia,” a Maui County news release says.

“This plan is our kahua — our foundation — for reconnecting our people with the ʻike kūpuna (ancestral wisdom) that continues to shape our collective future,” Department Director Kaponoʻai Molitau said. “Through this framework, we aim to strengthen relationships between community and government, ensuring that Hawaiian culture is not just preserved, but honored and practiced.”

“The Department of ʻŌiwi Resources’ new strategic plan represents our collective kuleana and a profound commitment to our past, present and future through cultural integrity, educational empowerment and environmental stewardship,” Mayor Richard Bissen said.

The mayor expressed his appreciation to those who worked on the strategic plan with the department, “especially the community advocates who worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life.”

The strategic plan outlines five key goals:

• Loina Hawaiʻi – Strengthening cultural protocols and integrating Hawaiian language and values into County practices.
• Kūkala Kaiāulu – Establishing meaningful and consistent community engagement touchpoints.
• He ʻUmeke Kāʻeo – Providing educational opportunities and cultivating community empowerment.
• Kahe Wai Ola – Developing grant and funding initiatives to support ʻāina-based organizations and cultural practitioners.
• He Aliʻi ka ʻĀina – Advancing natural resource advocacy and ʻāina (land) stewardship.

With guidance from Director Molitau and Deputy Director Kekai Robinson — both esteemed cultural practitioners — the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources was created to safeguard and uplift the ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) resources that define the identity and vitality of Maui Nui, the news release says.

The new department was established after the 2022 voter-approved Maui County Charter amendment. Launched July 1, 2024, the department represents “a historic step toward integrating Native Hawaiian knowledge systems, values and language into County of Maui operations.”

For general department information, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/2810/Department-of-Oiwi-Resources.