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Dean Masaji Tanikawa, Ph.D., is a 2026 graduate of the Ph.D. Program in Environmental Studies and Sustainability at Antioch University, New England.

Dissertation Committee:

Alesia Maltz, Ph.D, Chairperson

Catherine Lounsbury, Ed.D,  Committee Member

Kent Bridges, Ph.D,  Committee Member

Kaeo Kaleoaloha, M.Ed,  Committee Member

Keywords

culturally grounded interventions, Indigenous Paradigm, Pilinahā, interconnections

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2026

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Culturally Grounded Interventions within Natural Settings on participants’ health and well-being, using Wilson’s (2008) Indigenous Paradigm to counter the limitations of past positivist approaches used by non-Native researchers. Culturally Grounded Interventions incorporating traditional Hawaiian practices such as mahi ‘āina (farming), koa ‘āina (reforestation), and Lā’au Lapa’au (herbal therapy) were performed at Ho’oulu ‘Āina, a nature preserve in Kalihi Valley, Hawaiʻi,  Ho’oulu ‘Āina, sits on a wahi pana (sacred site), and serves the Kalihi community with cultural education and healing. The study highlights, how relationships, including connections to land (‘āina), community, things/people over time, and “better self”, contribute to well-being. Methods, including Pilinahā (Odom et al., 2019), Conversational Storytelling (Kovach, 2010), and Principles of Community-Based Participatory Research, investigated these relational dynamics. Every participant reported that healing—spiritual, mental, and physical—with having relationships restored, increased, and even transformed, was preceded by an acknowledged connection to the ‘āina. This was essential for spiritual advancement (hoʻomana), per the Indigenous Hawaiian belief that a reciprocal connection to the ‘āina is the foundation of spirituality. Following hoʻomana, improvements in health and wellness occurred, leading to an understanding of how their relationships were related to their health.

Every participant formed relationships with ‘sacred space’ on the ‘āina, validating the epistemic perspective that land, gods, and people are interconnected. These relationships were central to their healing, fostering personal transformation. Cultural practices and traditional healing methods helped treat maladies, and Lā’au Lapa’au effectively treated physical ailments. Participants who physically healed reported concurrent spiritual experiences, suggesting that spirituality played a vital role in their healing. This study affirms that Culturally Grounded Interventions within Natural Settings foster holistic healing relationally through spiritual engagement with the ʻāina. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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ORCID iD 0009-0000-7179-2162


 

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