Resources - Indigenous Wellness Research Institute

September 6, 2018

Kuaiwi Makua – Māhina 2018

Kuaiwi Makua, was a student trainee in the 2018 Māhina program. I am a Native Hawaiian from Waianae and Pauoa on the island of O`ahu. I will be a 5th year Senior at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa with a major in kinesiology and rehabilitation science. My research internship with Māhina focused on documenting a…

Kamaka’Ike Bruecher, was a student trainee in the 2018 Māhina program. Aloha mai. I was born and raised in Ballard, Seattle on Duwamish land. I acknowledge my ancestors from Eastern and Northern Germany, Hakka from South China, and my matrilineage from the village of Miloliʻi in Kona Hema, Hawaiʻi. I currently study Public Health and…

Becka Adolpho, was a student trainee in the 2018 Māhina program. Aloha. My names Rebecka Kalani O Keiki Ulu wehiwehi Pili Aloha Adolpho and I hail from Hawaii on the little island of Molokai. I’m currently perusing my undergraduate’s degree in psychology and am set to graduate in the spring of 2019. My hope…

July 12, 2018

Santino Giovanni Camacho – Māhina 2017

Santino Giovanni Camacho, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program. Santino Camacho (Chamoru): Dual major in psychology and gender studies, University of Washington Hafa Adai, I am Chamoru and from the island of Guåhan in the Marianas. I just graduated with a degree in psychology and gender studies from the UW. In fall…

October 20, 2017

Lauren White – Māhina 2017

Lauren White, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program. Lauren White (Choctaw): MPH student, University of Washington Halito. I am a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and was born and raised in rural southeastern Oklahoma. I am currently pursuing a Master’s of Public Health in the UW Epidemiology program, where I…

October 9, 2017

Jo Ann Tuifanu – Māhina 2017

Jo Ann Tuifanu, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program. Jo Ann Tuifanu (Native Hawaiian and Samoan): BA in Social Work, University of Hawaii Aloha. I was born in Honolulu on the island of O’ahu. I am interested in researching community mental health and Native Hawaiian approaches to community-based treatment. My hope is…

September 27, 2017

Keith-Allen Afong – Māhina 2017

Keith-Allen Afong, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program. Keith-Allen Afong (Native Hawaiian): Majoring in Cultural Resource Management, University of Hawaii Aloha. I was born and raised in the town of Waimanalo on the east side on the island of Oʻahu. I am interested in researching about and managing Hawaiiʻs cultural resources such…

September 26, 2017

Shelby Koch – Māhina 2017

Shelby Koch, was a student trainee in the 2017 Māhina program. Shelby Koch (Choctaw): Dual major in biology and anthropology, Western Washington University Halito, I am a member of the Choctaw Nation and grew up in rural Eastern Washington. I am a senior at Western Washington University majoring in biology/anthropology, and I am completing prerequisites for…

September 23, 2017

Sai Furukawa – Māhina 2017

Sai Furukawa, was a student trainee in the 2017 program. Sai Furukawa (Native Hawaiian): BS in biochemistry with honors, University of Hawaii Aloha. I was born and raised on Maui, and have lived through the fight for water between Native Hawaiians and businessmen. This serves as a catalyst for my interest in researching the social,…

August 29, 2017