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Leadership Immersion

Each Fellow, with the help of a mentor of their choosing, will design a huaka‘i and explore their kuleana in unfamiliar places, preferably in Hawai‘i.

The experience should reveal what impact looks like among a community that shares the Fellow’s vision of Hawaiʻi. In this way, they can better align their intentions with their impact based on the experience of that community. Upon returning from this courageous journey, Fellows will hō‘ike, or share their newfound understanding.

Each Immersive Huaka‘i will take place during a period in June and July 2026. The huakaʻi can take place over the course of two months if staying on-island, or within approximately one week if going to another island.

As part of the application process, Semifinalists will be invited to attend an optional online Huaka‘i Workshop on Friday, August 1 from 12:00 Noon – 1:00 pm to help them start planning. More information will be shared with Semifinalists when they are notified on July 18, 2025.

Designing an Immersive Huaka‘i

When designing for your huaka‘i, clearly set your intentions. From our elders we learn, “mai hele wale i‘ō i ‘ane‘i.” Thus the huaka‘i is not a random trip going “here and there” without purpose. There is a hua, a seed, and its potential entices us on this journey. Upon our return, the hua is now a fruit, a bundle of results that lead us to new beginnings. Be clear about why you are going. Say your purpose often to help ground your intentions.

When looking back on a huaka’i, even generations later, it may be seen as quite a heroic journey by many. Thus, a huaka‘i has multiple “characters” or “heroes,” and the impact of their experiences in one time and place can be felt far beyond. Design with the past, present, and future in mind. A huaka‘i will change more than just you.

There is no limit to the number of visits you can make on your huaka‘i. Some you will plan and others you will make room for, but you are prepared for both. In your design, do not over pack. If you are staying on island, your huaka‘i could consist of a series of stops over the course of two months. If you are heading to another island and staying in one place, your huaka‘i would be for approximately one week. Your planning may also allow for a combination of both on- and off-island visits.

How do you know where to go? Hawai‘i has called you to lead. You carry a kuleana. What change do you want to see for Hawai‘i and your communities? Then when you look across Hawai‘i, where are communities having the kind of impact that calls for your leadership? Here is where you take a bold leap into a place you have not been before. But you need an invitation. Find a mentor that has relationship to one of these communities who can help guide you there.

From our Kohala elders we learn “‘a‘ohe u‘i helevwale o Kohala”—no youth of Kohala goes empty handed. They are prepared with a gift and a helping hand. Your huaka‘i, though it includes the support of many, uniquely reflects you. Prepare to bring yourself in ways that honor those that brought you to this place. What gifts do you bring?

In summary:

  • State your intention for a huaka‘i.
  • How might a huaka‘i weave the past, present, and future together?
  • What people and places would you like to visit and why?
  • Who would be a good mentor for this huaka‘i?
  • How do you best prepare for this journey?

Immersive Huaka‘i Example:

A Fellow holds kuleana for being the eldest sibling, bridge builder, and connector in certain spaces in Hawai‘i including food systems, economic sustainability, and cultural preservation. The Fellow sets intention to strengthening practices of kilo and mindfulness to better bring diverse community voices, ‘āina, and ancestral wisdom together at decision-making tables. This Fellow traveled to Kohala, known once as an abundant food producer, to visit unfamiliar places. From Kohala, also the hiapo, the Fellow learns from the eldest elder of Hawai‘i Island. The Fellow was invited to meet with people that were working in communities actively engaged in the practice of kilo, native food sovreignty, and ‘āina restoration. To prepare, the Fellow learns to become more of a wisdom holder to hold both western and indigenous approaches to community engagement.