This month, we proudly announce the release of Waiwai: Water and the Future of Hawaiʻi, edited by Kamana Beamer, a groundbreaking exploration arriving at a pivotal moment in our islands' history. For generations, Hawai'i's precious water resources have been controlled by business interests and political insiders, benefiting a privileged few while undermining stream ecology, ancestral farming practices, and long-term sustainability. This book confronts these challenges with both wisdom and urgency.
Waiwai takes an interdisciplinary approach to addressing past, present and future states of our pae ʻāina’s most precious resource. Bringing together a diverse group of Indigenous scholars and experts alike, these discussions explore the many ways ʻāina and community abundance was (and still continues to be) sustained through the continuous flow and vitality of water. Throughout this collaboration, legal experts untangle the complex web of regulations governing water rights, while scientists assess damage to aquifers and ecosystems, offering pathways toward restoration. County officials and advocates also have a chance to highlight the devastating community and environmental impacts of the fuel leak from the US Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.
Letter from the Editor: The Journey Behind Waiwai
A personal reflection from editor Kamanamaikalani Beamer
If I could write a song about the emotions you feel when you finally hold a copy of your book, it would be sweet. It would deserve a symphony of sound and some of the sweetest slack key anyone could conjure. The song would express the mix of joy, gratitude, accomplishment, exhale…with a fragrance of WOW, the idea actually came to life, ‘WE DID THIS! It's here, a story like no other, holy camole after all we have been through… we actually did it… ola ka mana’o, lele wale aku no.’ Perhaps it could be a cool love song, one of those ‘against all odds’ kind of themes. But, honestly, I don't know if one musical genre could capture the kinds of emotions you must hold, and the determination you must muster to create a collaborative book like Waiwai–Water and the Future of Hawaiʻi.
A Quick Origin Story
The concept for Waiwai–Water and the Future of Hawaiʻi came to me early in my second term of service on the Hawaiʻi State Commission on Water Resource Management. By that time in 2017, I had realized that the knowledge around water and its governance had become incredibly siloed. I wanted to create a book project that could assist the community in better understanding the issues around wai, justice, and governance.
For the purpose of this blog, I went back and found some of the earliest project notes. Here is a portion of the email I had sent out to our chapter authors way back at the launch of our project:
“The official beginning of our project will be on the Kāne moon of Monday, October 16, 2017. We ask that you spend 10-15 minutes on that evening in reflection on your perspectives regarding the future of Wai in Hawaiʻi for the next 50 years. This could be done alone or in the company of others, but please try to honor this space and spend a bit of time in reflection toward the future of Wai and our project.”
Our first in-person meeting with the authors was at Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. I can still recall the minute details of this initial meeting - we gathered on a Friday afternoon in the middle of January 2018, under a Kane moon, conference room 207. F. Following the rich discussions of that meeting I began working on preparing the book prospectus that was later to be accepted by UH Press. Amongst many things we had hoped to do with the book—at that time—we wanted to highlight the courageous leadership of Oʻahu Board of Water Supply in questioning the safety of the Red Hill Fuel Storage facility. I was so impressed by Ernie Lau and his team’s leadership following the first fuel spill in 2013. We had hopes that we could educate the public prior to any more damage occurring to Oʻahu’s water resources. There was also a real need to call out the impending Climate Crisis impacts on our wai, as well as legal and public trust issues. The project had a broader goal of catalyzing the restoration of our overall relationships with wai.
By the time COVID-19 made its way to Hawaiʻi, we had most of a draft manuscript in place and the project lay dormant for a bit while we all hunkered down and tried to support our community, resources, and calls for a new economy through organizations like Aina Aloha Economic Futures.
The second Red Hill crisis in 2021 transformed our manuscript. At the time, our draft was being reworked for changes in climatic data and trends, and many of us took to the streets to challenge the US Navy. Following months of struggle and organizing, we realized the book needed to document this struggle, and added another chapter highlighting the crucial work of community hui like the Oahu Water Protectors and Kaohewai, who had fought to shut down Red Hill and to mãlama Kapukaki.
Today we are still in that struggle. Even though the tanks have been drained, there remains the sludge and the PFAS, and the war mongering. While some claim the military brings “valuable dollars” to our local economy, we continue to witness unparalleled socioeconomic inequality across our islands and the toll of the extractive linear economy on our resources and communities. This is precisely why Waiwai’s insights about our Ancestral Circular Economy are so vital now. Unlike the linear economy today that extracts, consumes, and discards, the Ancestral Circular Economy in Hawai’i shows us how to live in harmony with our islands’ water systems, creating prosperity through relationships with each other and our resources. This wisdom isn't merely historical—it continues to be modeled in community-led ʻāina-based efforts throughout our islands today. From lo'i kalo restoration and the revitalization of loko i’a, to watershed partnerships and community-managed streams, there are living examples demonstrating how ancestral principles are adapted to address contemporary challenges. As we face increasing water security threats, from climate change to contamination, these ancestral lessons are urgently needed for our survival.
Each chapter, authored by respected colleagues on critical aspects of Wai, are valuable assets for anyone who wants to understand our wai and the governance structures around it. I am so deeply honored to have worked on this book with such incredible co-authors and advocates for our Wai, and gave years of my time and effort into this co-creation. Our Lab @poaikealohaaina worked tirelessly on getting this book to the finish line and I am so thankful to include some of my haumana as contributors in this project. Now we are at the birth of Waiwai—Water and the Future of Hawai’i, and we will see what it becomes.
Please check it out and join us for our upcoming book launch on April 3, 2025! Get more info on the event and reserve your spot here: bit.ly/waiwailaunch.
Pick up a copy of Waiwai Water and the Future of Hawai’i directly from UH Press HERE, or soon at your local bookstore!
A Call to Action
Waiwai doesnʻt just diagnose problems - it aims to catalyze meaningful change. Each contributor works to address a central question: "What do people need to know about the future of water in Hawaiʻi, and what can they do to enable a better future?" The result is a bold vision for collaborative action to ensure the long-term health of our island home. Both accessible and critical, this work sounds an urgent alarm about the precarious state of water in Hawaiʻi while equipping readers with the knowledge and tools to chart a better course forward.
The book's significance extends far beyond our shores, as noted by renowned thinkers at both the local and international level:
"Deep wisdom flows through the pages of this timely book. As the authors explore what Hawai'i can remember and relearn from her own Ancestral Circular Economy, we readers are invited to imagine what we too can learn from Hawai'i's quest to reconnect with her cycles of life. This is powerful inspiration for regenerative economic futures everywhere."
—Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics
"Written in an easy free-flowing style fitting the subject, Waiwai is a source for the next generation to help mālama wai."
—Carol Wilcox, author of Sugar Water
"This profound and prophetic book is the definitive treatment of the philosophical, historical, and political dimensions of the future of Hawai'i! Water, wealth, and the well-being of the precious inhabitants of the islands sit at the center of this monumental text. We ignore its painful truths at our own peril!"
—Dr. Cornel West
Join the Movement
Waiwai: Water and the Future of Hawai'i invites community members, academics, scientists, policymakers, and visionaries to redirect the course of water management toward sustainability, ensuring a legacy of abundance for future generations. Be among the first to engage with this important work! The book is available now directly from UH Press, and will be available soon at local bookstores.
Join us in celebrating the release of this important work at our book launch event, on Thursday, April 3rd at Waiwai Collective. Reserve your spot at bit.ly/waiwailaunch.
.jpg)
