Nā Kua‘āina: Living Hawaiian Culture

The word kua'aina translates literally as back land or back country. Davianna McGregor grew up hearing it as a reference to an awkward or unsophisticated person from the country. However, in the context of the Native Hawaiian cultural renaissance of the late twentieth century, kua'aina came to refer to those who actively lived Hawaiian culture and kept the spirit of the land alive. The mo'olelo (oral traditions) recounted in this book reveal how kua'aina have enabled Native Hawaiians to endure as a unique and dignified people after more than a century of American subjugation and control. The stories are set in rural communities or cultural kipuka - oases from which traditional Native Hawaiian culture can be regenerated and revitalized.