Mehana Makainai

Mehana Makainai is a Lecturer at the Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. She teaches HWST 107, The Center of the Pacific, and focuses on instilling cultural awareness, sensitivity, and responsibility in her students. She earned a BA in Hawaiian Studies (2004) and an MBA from the Shidler College of Business (2007).

Education

• BA in Hawaiian Studies (emphasis: Modern Political Issues), University of Hawaii at Mānoa (2004)
• MBA, Shidler College of Business (2007)

Her research areas include Indigenous Issues, Cultural Resource Management, and the intersection of traditional art practices with economic models in the South Pacific. She has testified at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and conducted comparative analysis of Hawaiian and Māori cultural-political movements.

Scientific Awards

• Beta Gamma Sigma Inductee (2007)