About Us — ʻIole Hawaii

ABOUT ‘IOLE

‘Iole is a unique place
‘Iole is an ahupua‘a in North Kohala on the Island of Hawai‘i with just over 2,400 acres of land running from mauka to makai, and roughly a mile wide and 4 miles long. ‘Iole has diverse ecological resources and deep cultural significance, including a multitude of ecosystems, environmental features, significant historical sites, rich agricultural land, its own water system, and excellent facilities.

‘Iole is a special people
Hawaiians designed ahupua‘a to maximize the relationship between humans and the environment and embraced this regenerative relationship. ‘Iole is in the center of Kohala, the birthplace of King Kamehameha, who united the islands and brought forth a time of peace and prosperity. ‘Iole evokes the brilliance of indigenous people and their practices around the world.

‘Iole is an optimistic belief
‘Iole is a belief that humans can interact with our world in a way that is regenerative for the environment and ourselves. It is a belief that by synergizing the brilliance of indigenous peoples with the best of modern-day science and technology we can repair the damage that has been done to our environment and secure a bright abundant future for earth and future generations.

‘Iole is a commitment to being practitioners
‘Iole is a commitment to being practitioners of these regenerative behaviors, with a relentless commitment to putting our beliefs into practice and holding our entire community. By leading the change we want to see in the world, ‘Iole will thrive, Kohala will thrive, and lessons will be learned and opportunities realized to help the planet thrive.

‘Iole is urgent action
We need bold urgent action to change the path we are on. ‘Iole is a place where projects are not only discussed and inspired, but they are also driven to action, implementation, and performance.

OUR VISION

Our world is regenerative. ‘Iole has led a global movement to reconnect today’s society with ancient ways of knowing, birthing deeply innovative and effective regenerative technologies and lifeways. This work on our ahupua‘a has put in place the new institutions of civil society required to achieve a regenerative future for society in gracious harmony with nature.

OUR MISSION

We listen to and serve our place, ‘Iole, Kohala, modeling ways to confront the most urgent, complex, and existential challenges of the modern age across the globe. Using regenerative governance, ancient wisdom, modern technology, and masterful convening techniques, we guide the institutions of civil society to ideate, design, and deploy durable, just, systemic change, while building joyful, devotionally committed communities of practice. All of this, in service of a regenerative future for society in gracious harmony with nature.

PRINCIPLES OF ACTION

Boldness
We aspire to address some of the most complex and critical energy, food, and resilience challenges facing Kohala, our Island, Hawai‘i, and the greater world by challenging orthodoxy, making catalytic bets, embracing risk and ambiguity, and being creative in the way we work, to create positive, systemic change.

Aina & Culture Lead
We work in a deeply engaged and connected way with the land, waters, and culture of ‘Iole, supporting and engaging one another and building strong, diverse communities of practice internally and externally.

Curiosity & Nibleness
We bring a sense of wonder and reverence to our work, recognizing that our world and context are dynamic and constantly evolving. We approach our work with flexibility and experimentation, seeking new perspectives, learning from our successes and failures, and nimbly adapting our work to meet the changing needs of those we serve.

Integrity & Respect
We strive to do what is right even when it is hard. We hold ourselves accountable to high standards that reflect our values and help us achieve our aspirations for and the promise and potential of the place that is ‘Iole. We warm-heartedly acknowledge and appreciate the diverse experiences and perspectives of our partners, funders, community, and collaborators, and respect them in the decisions we make.

Risk-Taking
We will not shy away from difficult issues or novel approaches. We believe that our greatest impact will result from taking on exactly those problems that other organizations might avoid.

Advance Justice
We work to build more just and equitable communities including by serving Indigenous and other people that have historically been deprived of power, addressing the gaps left by other institutions. We work to increase agency and access to resources and take ownership of our shared future.