Abstract

The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by indigenous peoples for self-determination, sustainable resource management, and assertion of land claims is increasing worldwide. GIS can be described as a powerful computerized version of the Western written map, with the ability to store, analyze, and display large amounts of diverse spatial data. This research undertook to explore the GIS initiative of the sovereignty group "Nation of Hawai`i," and to study recent literature and the larger context of GIS use in Hawai`i, for the purpose of better understanding if and how GIS can assist the Nation of Hawai`i in its struggle for self-determination and eventually, for sustainable managment of the Hawaiian archipelago. For this research, a collaborative approach to participant observation was chosen to create a stronger sense of anthropological reflection, and to enable a more ambitious project to be undertaken.