Native Hawaiians and psychology: the cultural and historical context of indigenous ways of knowing

Abstract

This article reviews psychological research on Native Hawaiians conducted in the 19th through the 21st centuries. The rationale is to provide a historical orientation to this indigenous group, to increase awareness of the complexities of research about Native Hawaiians, and to draw attention to emerging issues, practices, and challenges of psychological research emphasizing indigenous health and well-being. This article lays a historical foundation for future research with a renewed emphasis on indigenous knowledge and its holistic view of psychology in relationship to the land, spiritual beliefs, cultural practices, language, and community.