About Us
ʻĀINA IS NO SMALL LEGACY | COMMUNITY-LED, COMMUNITY DRIVEN
WE HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Our Objectives
The Molokai Heritage Trust is not a new idea. It is as old as the first prayer uttered to protect Molokai. The Trust’s purpose is to help our people achieve what this island has called on us to do for generations—mālama this land and its people to create ʻāina momona. We exist as we are because kūpuna both living and passed protected this ʻāina and our ways. They acted with intentionality so that we could enjoy it as they did.
Our island also knows what it is to be divided and we know the threat that division creates for our people, our values, and our āina. That is why we stand united in our commitment to this ʻāina and each other. It is our kuleana to bring these blessings forward for our keiki and moʻopuna while embracing the unique challenges of our times—just like our kūpuna did for us.
The trust focuses on four interrelated objectives to advance its purpose:
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The Trust actively explores acquisition of lands, including Molokai Ranch and other areas on Molokaʻi. This strategy may involve various funding sources such as bonds, loans, grants, and private philanthropic funds, representing the interests and goals of the Molokaʻi community.
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The Trust shall actively solicit community input so that it can undertake the future stewardship, access, management, and restoration of lands in alignment with long-term community goals.
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The Trust shall guide and provide direction on community development initiatives, appropriate sustainable economic development, local workforce development, housing, education, capital improvements, etc. This oversight extends to Molokai Heritage Trust lands and may include, but is not limited to, acquiring grants, fostering partnerships, initiating capital projects and leases that are grounded in the Trust's Vision, Mission, and Values.
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Recognizing the foundational importance of Molokaʻi's cultural heritage and native traditional lifeways, the Trust shall prioritize preserving and promoting the island’s unique culture, traditions, and customs.
Our History
In 2017 when Molokai Ranch went up for sale our community saw it as an opportunity to start healing past wounds between friends, neighbors, and ʻohana. The Molokaʻi Pule Oʻo Unity march represented the peaceful coming together of community members from both sides of the divide to heal the ‘eha existing both the land and the people.
In 2021 and after many discussions amongst and within the community, an informal working group was formed to pose a single question to the community-at-large that would change the trajectory of our collective future indefinitely: Rather than placing our hopes in a benevolent buyer, did we want to buy and maintain Molokaʻi Ranch ourselves as a community?
The answer was an overwhelming YES— but not without reservations and many more questions that ultimately came to three big questions: How would we buy the lands? How would we govern the lands? How would we maintain the lands?
We started with educating ourselves by learning from what other communities have done to reclaim their lands, and together learned about the many different strategies, tools and solutions that have helped other communities to answer similar questions. We spent over a year learning together, everything from capital stacks to unique governance structures so that we could be confident in our commitment to buy back Molokai Ranch as a community.
We didn’t rush. We listened, learned, and showed up.
Over the course of two years, we held over 150 open community meetings—over Zoom and at every community center on the island. Every decision, every document, every step forward was shaped by voices from across Molokaʻi. Our founding bylaws weren’t written behind closed doors—they were built in community, line by line, with patience and aloha.
Through this process, we saw our greatest strength: unity.
We’re often labeled as protestors, but those of us who live and love Molokaʻi know the truth—we only protest what’s not pono for our ʻāina and people. Just as fiercely as we protect, we also build.
From the Molokaʻi General Hospital to the library to the Hikiʻola Farmers Co-op—our community has always created what we needed, together.
That’s why we chose to form a member-managed nonprofit—a structure that honors community voice and makes room for shared kuleana. It gives us accountability to our people and the flexibility to lead in ways that make sense for us.
This is how Molokai Heritage Trust came to life: Rooted in ʻāina, powered by community, and guided by generations of deep aloha for this island.
What is the VISION of the Molokai Heritage Trust?
ʻĀina Kupuna (Ancestral ʻĀina)
Our recognition of this lands as our ancestor and an acknowledgement of the generations that protected and stewarded these lands before us.
ʻĀina Aloha (Beloved ʻĀina)
Our commitment to each other and our lands today. It is our reason, helping to ensure we are pono to who we are, in service to ʻāina.
ʻĀina Momona (Abundant ʻĀina)
This is what we are striving for, this is our future.
What are the VALUES of the Molokai Heritage Trust?
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We recognize the inherent truth of he aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kānaka–the ʻāina is the chief and the people, its servants.
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We understand that our moʻokūʻauhau comes from and is inseparable from ʻāina, thus we are guided by and act with responsibility to all creation and to our piko–our ancestors, those present in this physical realm, and our keiki and moʻopuna to come.
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We are guided by our kuleana and recognize and assert our right to self-determination–to direct our own destiny as we steward our lands, mālama our people and honor our Akua.
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We are kiaʻi, children and fierce protectors of Molokaʻi Nui A Hina, and dedicate ourselves and our generations to remain steadfast in our kuleana to mālama ʻāina.
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We commit to the restoration, well-being, and sacredness of kānaka, ʻāina, Akua and the eternal bond between us.
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We commit to excellence and continuous improvement as we educate, awaken, and revitalize our understanding of our moʻokūʻauhau and kuleana in order to create a strong and paʻa foundation for the care of land, people and Akua.
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We face each other, sharing life-giving breath, dedicated to pono and reciprocity to strengthen kaiāulu and to aloha and mālama ʻāina.
What is the MISSION of the Molokai Heritage Trust?
As kiaʻi of Molokai, we recognize and honor the truth reflected in our moʻokūʻauhau and we know that protecting the health and vitality of our ʻāina is essential to our island’s well-being and our future.
Together, we will aloha this ʻāina, working with humility, openness, and tenacity to ensure that what makes Molokai special will survive and thrive for generations to come.
We dedicate ourselves to recover, restore, and revive all of Molokai– kahiki kū i kahiki moe.
MOLOKAʻI IS OUR KULEANA
We are not waiting for permission.
We are reclaiming, restoring, and reimagining—together.