Abstract
This theoretical study explores the intersection of Hawaiian cultural values and feminist solidarity, focusing on the principles of kōkua (mutual assistance) and ho’oponopono (restorative justice) as frameworks for collective care and social cohesion. Drawing on over two decades of experience as a systemic psychotherapist, the study reflects on how these Indigenous concepts can enrich feminist discourse and inform social policy. Through a reflexive practitioner–narrative approach, it examines how kōkua and ho’oponopono map onto feminist ideals of mutual aid, caregiving, and restorative justice. Kōkua, which emphasizes non-transactional, communal support, aligns with feminist ethics of solidarity and challenges dominant Western notions of caregiving rooted in reciprocity and individualism. Similarly, ho’oponopono offers a culturally grounded model of justice that resists punitive responses to harm, instead promoting reconciliation, forgiveness, and the restoration of relational balance. These Indigenous values provide not only ethical guidance for therapeutic practice but also structural insights for reimagining how justice and care are enacted within institutions. The study discusses implications for inclusive policy design and culturally attuned clinical interventions, particularly within mental health care and social justice movements. By integrating kōkua and ho’oponopono, the analysis highlights the potential for creating more inclusive, relationally grounded approaches to collective care, community healing, and systemic transformation. These concepts contribute to an expanded feminist framework that values cultural diversity, centers relational ethics, and supports the development of holistic responses to social inequality and community trauma.
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