Biography
A native Hawaiian born and raised on the island of Kauaʻi, Pelika Andrade works with Na Maka Onaona, a Hawaii-based non-profit, and the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College program. She has a long history of working with Hawaiian communities throughout the archipelago as a community member, sailor, voyager, cultural practitioner and researcher.
For the past twelve years, she has been developing alternate approaches to monitoring Hawaiʻi’s watersheds and has been supporting the implementation of a management strategy that supports healthy balanced communities in Hawai‘i. She is an ongoing participant in the Papahanaumokuakea Cultural Working Group and has served as chair from 2011-2014 and interim chair 2021-present. Pelika has a Master’s degree in Hawaiian studies with a focus on Malama Aina (Hawaiian Conservation) and has visited the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands many times to conduct scientific and cultural research. "I feel both honoured and privileged to be a contributing part of caring for our islands, our elder siblings, and ensuring a healthy-thriving pae'aina (archipelago) for future generations."
