ABSTRACT
‘Hawaiians are 20% of the population but about 50% of the kids in the system’, claims a recent article in Ka Wai Ola, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs newsletter. The story is not new: Native Hawaiians have seen a rise in the numbers of children at risk for several decades, the outcome of drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness. However, the perception of risk is embedded in cultural values, and assessing the appropriate ‘place’ for a child lies in a contested arena. After a brief history of child placement in Hawai?i, I focus on the contemporary situation, which is defined by an entanglement of Western ideologies of ‘best interests’ with Indigenous interpretations of parenthood, kinship, and ‘care’ (m?lama) for a child. In a context where foster parents are scarce, a placement that follows ‘ancient Hawaiian cultural traditions’ provides an expedient solution. My conclusion emphasizes the significance of foster care practices and policies in an American state where the Indigenous population struggles to maintain culture, autonomy, and control over understandings of parenthood, family, and kinship.
