Mapuana Antonio, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa associate professor in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, recently completed her Fulbright project at the University of Auckland in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Her project, Pilina and Whanaungatanga–Trans Pacific Relationality, aimed to strengthen Indigenous scholarship and foster deeper connections across the Pacific.
From February to March 2025, she co-led healing-centered activities that promoted solidarity, cultural exchange, and shared knowledge within Indigenous communities.
Antonio, head of the Native Hawaiian & Indigenous Health Program in the Department of Public Health Sciences, has taught at UH Mānoa since 2018. In addition to the Fulbright award, she is a 2025 recipient of the UH Mānoa Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching.
“This Fulbright experience has been incredibly timely and humbling. The opportunity to embark on this project validates the importance of this work while providing intentional space and opportunities to sustain authentic relationships with Indigenous scholars across the Pacific,” said Antonio.
Centering Indigenous water, land stewardship
A key highlight of her Fulbright experience was the Water and Indigenous (WAI) Gathering, a multi-day symposium for Indigenous postgraduate students, scholars and community partners. Co-led with Ashlea Gillon from the University of Auckland and held in collaboration with Project Mōkiha, the event included keynotes, workshops and presentations centered on relationships to land, water and community resilience.
Project Mōkiha is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Research Leaders project that focuses on restoring water and prosperity back to Indigenous communities. Similar to Antonio’s Fulbright project, they work to strengthen communities by promoting the importance of cultural environmental sustainability, while also supporting the advancement of Indigenous-led solutions.
Other collaborators include Troy J.H. Andrade, professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law, and Luʻukia Nakanelua of Hawaiʻi Land Trust.
“The WAI symposium brought together partners from across the Pacific and highlighted the deep interconnections between water, land and Indigenous communities,” said Andrade.
Antonio also contributed to Māori Studies lectures, health discussions and podcast collaborations. Site visits to Indigenous communities further enriched the experience and informed strategic discussions on expanding UH Mānoa’s Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health Program, including online access for students.
“We have been grateful of Dr. Antonio’s time in Aotearoa… and look for opportunities to sustain similar gatherings, particularly for our students,” said Gillon.
Antonio looks forward to continuing this exchange—supporting Indigenous scholarship and protecting land and water for generations to come.
Story originally posted at UH News