Noʻeau Peralto

Name Noʻeau Peralto

Age 33

Town/Moku Koholālele, Hāmākua

Island Hawaiʻi Island

Social Media Handle @noiau, @kealaulili

Nominated by Liana Iaea Honda

Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

ʻO Noʻeau Peralto koʻu inoa. I was born and raised in Waiākea Uka, Hilo, Hawaiʻi, and am a proud descendant of kūpuna from Koholālele, Hāmākua, Hawaiʻi, where my kōkoʻolua, Haley Kailiehu and I have planted our roots. I serve my community and lāhui as a community organizer, educator, and a cultivator of seeds and stories. I hold an M.A. in Hawaiian Studies and a PhD. in Indigenous Politics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. My dissertation research explored the moʻolelo and continuity of aloha ʻāina praxis in my home community of Hāmākua Hikina through the ʻāina- and story-based resurgence work of Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili (huiMAU), of which I am a founding member, a former president of the huiMAU Board of Directors, and have served as the Executive Director since 2017.

huiMAU's mission is to re-establish the systems that sustain our community through place-based educational initiatives and ‘āina-centered practices that cultivate abundance, regenerate responsibilities, and promote collective health and well-being. Through our Hawaiian culture-based education and ʻāina restoration programs in Koholālele and Paʻauilo, in Hāmākua Hikina, and through our Community Kitchen Food Distribution Program, we work to achieve our three primary goals of 1) rebirthing our community’s knowledge of place; 2) restoring ʻŌiwi food systems to increase community resilience and food sovereignty in Hāmākua; and 3) regenerating our cultural and natural landscapes to support sustainable cultural and subsistence practices.

Starting with the reestablishment of Koholālele and Pa‘auilo (where we currently steward over 130 acres of ʻāina) as safe places of refuge and learning, we envision a Hāmākua Hikina that fosters strength and deep intellect for kānaka, and empowers ʻohana with the capacity to noho papa Hāmākua—to live and thrive in Hāmākua for generations—with deep aloha and kuleana for the ʻāina and ʻohana to whom we belong, and with great expertise in regenerating and maintaining the systems that feed us physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

I see the work I do daily with Hui Mālama i ke Ala ʻŪlili as an expression of my aloha for my ʻāina, akua, ʻohana, and lāhui. I see this work as a fulfillment of my kuleana to my kūpuna who established the foundation upon which we are now able to stand and engage in this work of aloha ʻāina. I also see this work as a commitment to the future generations of aloha ʻāina of this place--clearing and holding the space to plant seeds for the future in hopes of inspiring the growth of a world in which we as a Lāhui ʻŌiwi can freely breath ke ea o ka ʻāina, fully live kūʻokoʻa, and thrive in abundance with our ʻāina.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

Mālama i ke kanaka nui, i ke kanaka iki. The moʻolelo of our famous aliʻi, ʻUmi-a-Līloa teaches us the importance of caring for and nurturing all people in our ʻohana, kaiāulu, and lāhui, no matter where they stand in society. ʻUmi embodied this quality through his commitment to and skill in the practice of hānai kanaka, feeding people. Great leaders not only feed people physically. Perhaps more importantly, they create the space for people to be fed physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. This take genuine aloha, humility, discipline, foresight, and conscious understanding kuleana. Leaders who I admire the most in my life demonstrate all of these qualities in their daily actions. I strive to grow in these qualities as a Kānaka everyday, in ways that would make my kūpuna, mākua, kumu, and future moʻopuna proud.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

My kūpuna. My ʻohana. My kōkoʻolua. My kumu. My future keiki. I have been extremely fortunate to have been guided by patient kūpuna, raised by a loving ʻohana, mentored by wise kumu, and strengthened by a brilliant kōkoʻolua who have supported and inspired my growth as a Kanaka over the past 33 years of my life. They are the reason I am in this position, traveling this ala ʻūlili, striving for excellence in all the work that I engage in. Because our keiki, moʻopuna, mamo, and kawowo of the future deserve nothing less of us.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Ea

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

Kūʻokoʻa