PEHEA KA ʻĀINA? OLA KA ʻĀINA! CELEBRATES ONE YEAR OF TRANSFORMING GOVERNANCE

PEHEA KA ʻĀINA? OLA KA ʻĀINA! CELEBRATES ONE YEAR OF TRANSFORMING GOVERNANCE

The Office of Mayor Mitch Roth is proud to announce the one-year anniversary of the Pehea Ka ʻĀina? Ola Ka ʻĀina!, a groundbreaking effort aimed at transforming governance on Hawaiʻi Island through regenerative practices.

Pehea Ka ʻĀina? Ola Ka ʻĀina! is a county-wide initiative that seeks to deepen the practice of regenerative governance, ensuring that both the land and its people thrive. The initiative, borrowing from MAʻO Organic Farms’ daily practice, challenges local government practitioners to ask themselves daily, “What will I/we do today to ensure that the land and people are thriving?”

“At Hawaiʻi County, we are committed to understanding and honoring the deep connection between the land and its people,” said Mayor Mitch Roth. “Pehea Ka ʻĀina? Ola Ka ʻĀina! reminds us of our kuleana, our responsibility, to steward and protect our island home.”

The initiative began as a partnership between the Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative, the Mayor’s Office, and Research & Development and has since grown into a transformative movement. Through Communities of Practice and Quarterly Convenings, participants engage in learning, dialogue, and action to improve governance and deepen their connection to the land.

Communities of Practice (COPs) are groups that meet regularly to address various issues related to improving their work. Hawaiʻi County currently has five COPs:

Mauli Hawaiʻi: Embedding ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and kuanaʻike Hawaiʻi into Hawaiʻi County’s culture.

Hoʻokamaʻāina: Understanding Hawaiʻi Island deeper and fostering a connection to the land and its people.

Ola Mau Nō: Focusing on feedback, relationship healing, trust, and creativity.

Alu Like: Establishing practices for working together, building relationships, and creating trust and communication.

Embracing Our Kuleana: Transforming relationships between County and community to build equity, trust, and accountability.

The Quarterly Convenings bring together practitioners to share progress and engage with host communities to deepen their understanding of the local culture, history, and customs. Recent convenings have included visits to the Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and Laʻiʻōpua in Kona.

“We are excited to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Pehea Ka ʻĀina? Ola Ka ʻĀina! and the transformative impact it has had on our governance practices,” said Mayor Roth. “As we continue this journey, we look forward to building deeper relationships with our community and ensuring that the land and people of Hawaiʻi Island thrive for generations to come.”