As the lights came down inside the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena on the morning of September 1, the international audience inside quieted, and all eyes went to the floor, where for several minutes there had been colorful, orchestrated movement as scores of mea hula (hula dancers) arranged themselves for the opening ceremony. The opening protocol began with a powerful oli komo (welcoming chant) by Office of Hawaiian Affairs executive Kamanʻopono Crabbe, and continued with roughly twenty minutes of mesmerizing hula and mele. Crabbe himself emceed the remainder of the ceremony in kīhei and malo, introducing a succession of VIP speakers, including U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Hawaiʻi Governor David Ige, and many others.

As a kanaka (Native Hawaiian) observing all of this, I could not help but feel great pride in how our culture was so strongly represented in front of such a large, and more importantly, globally diverse audience. Along with that pride arose the hope that the vitality and impact of the ceremony would translate to a heightened awareness of what Native Hawaiian culture has to offer the global conservation movement, rather than being no more than a show for our visiting guests. As the Congress progressed, my hopes were in many ways fulfilled. Indigenous peoples in general, and Native Hawaiians in particular, were accorded more of a voice than ever before in international conservation policy-making. It was a once-in-a-lifetime honor and treat to participate in this historic event.