Across Hawaiʻi, a quiet renaissance is taking place, led not by large corporations, but by Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs weaving culture, ʻāina, and innovation into the fabric of their businesses. Grounded in ancestral knowledge yet oriented toward the future, these enterprises represent a powerful form of economic self-determination.
For Native Hawaiian small business owners, entrepreneurship is more than a career path – it is a cultural imperative. It restores balance between people and place, advances community wellbeing, and ensures that Hawaiʻi’s economic future reflects its Indigenous values.
Since 1974, the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce (NHCC) has championed Native-owned business development through advocacy, networking, and education. Over the years, NHCC has awarded more than $160,000 in scholarships to Native Hawaiian students pursuing business and entrepreneurship, cultivating the next generation of ʻŌiwi leaders.
Yet challenges persist. A report by the Department of Business and Economic Development and Tourism found that over a quarter of Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs earn less than $9,700 annually – and more than half earn under $39,475. These disparities highlight persistent barriers to capital, land, and markets – issues rooted in Hawaiʻi’s colonial and economic history.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is committed to ensuring that Native Hawaiians and their ʻohana have access to resources to pursue their financial goals. Through caring, supportive growth, OHA’s lending program strengthens economic wellbeing, empowering individuals, families, and small business owners alike. Two flagship programs anchor this effort: 1) The Hua Kanu Business Loan Program for established Native Hawaiian-owned businesses seeking to expand through working capital, equipment, or real estate investments; and 2) The Mālama Business Loan Program for smaller or newer ventures needing flexible financing to launch or grow.
OHA’s mission is to enhance access for all persons of Native Hawaiian ancestry to credit, capital, and financial services and skills to create jobs, wealth, and social wellbeing for all the people of Hawaiʻi. Through these programs, Native Hawaiians have expanded businesses, improved homes, and pursued higher education. Unlike traditional lenders, OHA’s approach is rooted in aloha and empowerment, recognizing that economic health and cultural integrity are inseparable.
Native Hawaiian small businesses are flourishing across industries, from agriculture and food to design and fashion, with big impact. Kamaka ʻUkulele, founded in 1916, continues a century-long tradition of craftsmanship, blending artistry, sustainability, and Hawaiian ingenuity. And in fashion, businesses like Sig Zane Designs, Manaola, and Kealopiko have redefined what modern Native Hawaiian design can look like, rooting their work in genealogy, symbolism, and stories of place. Their garments embody cultural pride and carry the essence of Hawaiʻi onto runways and into daily life.
These enterprises remind us that Native Hawaiian businesses are not only economic engines but cultural anchors. They prove that profit and purpose can coexist when guided by kuleana and aloha ʻāina.
If Hawaiʻi is to thrive, its economy must move beyond extraction and tourism dependency. Native Hawaiian small businesses model a more sustainable future; one built on relationships rather than transactions, reciprocity rather than exploitation.
An ʻohana economy is one where success is shared, where the prosperity of one uplifts the many, and where commerce becomes a conduit for cultural continuity. To achieve that vision, Hawaiʻi must:
- Strengthen access to capital through Native-focused loan programs like OHA’s;
- Promote land access and affordable workspaces;
- Foster mentorship networks across generations; and
- Amplify Native Hawaiian success stories to inspire future entrepreneurs.
When Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs thrive, Hawaiʻi thrives. Their creativity, discipline, and aloha are shaping a new model of progress grounded in identity, guided by culture, and driven by community. Supporting them is not just good economics. It’s an act of restoration.
