Graduate Student Research Symposium 2026

This study examines the ethical processes involved in creating culturally responsive children’s literature and curriculum rooted in Indigenous Hawaiian culture and ʻāina. Using a qualitative research design, the project centers semi-structured interviews with Hawaiʻi-based authors and curriculum developers producing educational materials grounded in place, community, and Indigenous ways of knowing.

Guided by Indigenous epistemologies, place-based education, and culturally sustaining pedagogy, the research explores how cultural responsibility, relational accountability, and collaboration shape the creation of these resources. The study investigates how creators navigate questions of authorship, representation, and positionality, as well as tensions between Indigenous values and institutional publishing or educational systems.

Emerging insights position the creation of children’s literature and curriculum as an ethical and relational practice. This research contributes to conversations on decolonizing educational practice and offers guidance for educators, authors, and curriculum developers seeking to create culturally grounded materials that honor ʻāina, culture, and community.