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OHA: Office of Hawaiian Affairs

Mauli Ola – Kāne

Kānehō‘ālani: Transforming the Health of Native Hawaiian Men

Traditionally, Native Hawaiian men were a vital component in Hawaiian culture. Yet today, kāne experience various health disparities across different generations of keiki, mākua, and kūpuna. The health of Native Hawaiian males is influenced by contemporary indicators of wellness embraced by social determinants of health initiatives. Examples include statistics on keiki kāne experiencing test scores of low proficiency in public schools; over-representation of kāne related to issues of child abuse, neglect, and juvenile arrests; demonstrating that current practices in our community are not sufficient in reaching this population and their needs. Barriers throughout adolescence continue into adulthood, where kāne are over-represented in prisons and jails and earned income is significantly less than the average earnings of state’s total male population. As kūpuna, our men encounter economic concerns of low retirement rates and fixed incomes that can greatly impact their quality of life and life expectancies. In order to improve the health of our next generation of kāne, we must continue to advocate for better methods of integrating cultural values and approaches across state agencies with community-based programming. Read the summary of the Kānehō‘ālani report and learn more.

Kānehō‘ālani: Transforming the Health of Native Hawaiian Men [Full Report]

Kaneho‘alani Report Cover

Grounded in the Kūkulu Hou Methodology, this report explores the traditional role of kāne in Native Hawaiian society and culture. It transitions through contemporary social indicators which impact kāne at present. Traditionally, Native Hawaiian men contributed to their communities and ‘ohana on multiple levels, but social, political, and economic changes in Hawaiʻi transformed the ability of kāne to continue their integral role in Hawaiian culture. The ensuing disconnect from cultural practices, from ʻohana, and with ‘āina led to further disruption in kāne health. Thus, affecting the overall health of the Hawaiian community. Today we understand the social determinants of health affect kāne across generations in terms of education, criminal justice, family relations, economic stability, physical and behavioral health outcomes. To reactivate and revitalize the role of kāne in Native Hawaiian communities, advocacy across various state agencies is necessary to achieve improved cultural integration in programs and organizations with community-based programming that impact our Native Hawaiian men. We invite you to read the Kānehō‘ālani report to learn more and consider solutions to transform the health of kāne.

Kane Health Ka Wai Ola Cover

National Men’s Health Month/Week

Since 1994, June has been celebrated as National Men’s Health Month. Started as a U.S. Congressional health education program, National Men’s Health Month has expanded across the nation to include health screenings, fairs, and other outreach and education opportunities, all of which focus on how men’s health does not just impact men, but everyone around them. In line with Father’s Day, annual proceedings from National Men’s Health Month and Week aim to raise awareness and honor the importance of male health. This is a time where we go the extra mile to show the kāne in our lives how much they mean to us and us to them.

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