Cultural Adaptations of Youth Violence Prevention on Hawaii Island

Hawaii Island is a “hot spot” for violence, making youth violence prevention an urgent public health problem. A qualitative study revealed the need for cultural adaptations to evoke social change processes in community efforts to deter youth violence. Based on community participatory research findings, the Hawaiian concept of Malama Pono was applied to inform cultural processes for social change to prevent youth violence. Malama means caring and Pono means righteous; Malama Pono means caring in righteous ways for good of family and community. Youth violence prevention program rooted in Malama Pono were designed via cultural adaptations that included four social actions. Building a network of Hui (community coalitions) to advocate for youth and harness community stakeholders to protect youth from violence. I'ke Pono (knowledge to effect community goodness) via health literacy campaigns for youth and adults. Hoo'pono'pono (activation of cultural rituals) for mediating conflicts and reconciling interpersonal relationships via healing practices. Pu'uhunoa (places of sanctuary and refuge), whereby schools are pu'uhonuas in the community. Malama Pono youth violence prevention program will be implemented in a culturally diverse and multi-ethnic school complex area (9 schools). The complex is bonded by active volcanoes of Mauna Loa and the Pacific Ocean that has become places of haven for endangered green sea turtles to birth their young and home of Hawaiian nene goose. Malama Pono program utilizes cultural processes to evoke social changes in prompting the local communities in working toward moral character and responsible citizenry to deter youth violence in rural Hawaii.