people began crying, “Help! A monster fish is eating our island, boiling the waters, tearing apart our reef.” Men grabbed clubs and nets. “We must capture the beast and destroy it.” But every net was quickly ripped apart. The women gathered, watched, won- dered, what could save their island? The oldest woman, the maga’håga, stepped forward. “A stronger net is needed. We women must work together and weave a net of great strength.” The younger women bowed their agreement to the old one’s words. “Our net must be a sign of our respect and gratitude for all that the ocean and land have provided.” The women gathered in a circle. As they exchanged glances, they realized what their sacrifice must be. “Our hair is our beauty but it is also our strength.” The old one asked, “Those who are willing to o er your hair, bow your head.” One by one, she held each wom- an’s long thick hair and cut it. “Now we will begin.” All through the night the woman worked, weaving together the long black strands. Their voices chanted prayers of hope as they sang to their island, sang their apologies. With the first dim light of dawn, the weaving was finished. The women gath- ered up the enormous net and followed the old one to the water’s edge. “When the slippery one comes close, we will throw our net over its head and then everyone must pull, pull, pull with all your strength.” The women answered, “Yes, we can do this. The strength of many has become one.” A loud roar shook the island. The monster fish leaped toward the women. “Now! Throw now!” The monster’s teeth tore at the net. Its deadly tail thrashed the water. The women began chanting, “Pull, pull. Be brave. Be strong. Pull!” The net held. Rain began to fall. The people lifted their faces to the skies. They sang out thanks and then began a new song— how the women of Guam wove their beauty into a net of courage.
What was learned that day is told again and again to the children and the children’s children: Take care of each other, the land, the sea, and they will take care of you. The legend of how the women of Guam saved their island from a monstrous threat serves as a powerful metaphor for the chal- lenges facing Hawaii and the U.S.-Aliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) today. Just as the women in the story had to come together, making personal sacrifices for the collec- tive strength of the community, the people of Hawaii and the USAPI are now working to con- front the existential threat of climate change. The islands are already experiencing the devas- tating impacts of rising sea levels, more intense storms, coral bleaching, and drought—which together make up a slow-moving but no less destructive monster than the one in the legend. Solving the climate crisis will require courage, collaboration, and a willingness to put aside short-term interests for the long-term well- being of the land, the ocean, and the people.
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), as well as the Freely Associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau. Hawaii and the USAPI are facing signif- icant environmental public health challenges due to climate change (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). These islands are home to diverse Pacific Islander communities that include Indigenous Peoples with deep cultural and spiritual connections to the land and ocean. Keener et al. (2012) report that more than 77% of the 1.9 million inhabitants of the USAPI region are Pacific Islanders, a major portion of whom belong to Indigenous communities such as Chamoru, Chuukese, Kosraean, Marshallese, Native Hawaiian, Palauan, Pohnpeian, Samoan, and Yapese. These diverse Indigenous groups collectively speak more than 20 native lan- guages. The remaining population consists of individuals from various Asian backgrounds. Apart from Hawaii, all islands in the region are experiencing population declines and a grow- ing trend toward urbanization (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021a, 2021b, 2021c, 2024a, 2024b, 2024c; World Bank Group, 2025). The Hawaiian and USAPI regions span a vast geography of more than 2,000 islands, ranging from small low-lying atolls to large volcanic islands (Frazier et al., 2023). The total land area is only 14,060 mi 2 , but these islands define nearly one half of the entire U.S. exclusive eco- nomic zone. The region is also strategically important, with more than 24 U.S. defense installations, including the headquarters for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (Figure 1). Background Many Pacific Islander communities are already experiencing disproportionate risks to their health, food and water security, live- lihoods, and traditional ways of life (Frazier et al., 2023). These vulnerabilities are exacer- bated by histories of colonialism, geographic isolation, dependence on natural resources such as fish, and limited resources for climate adaptation and resilience (Wasley et al., 2023). A lack of data in the region, stemming from exclusion in data collection e orts and rooted in historical injustices perpetuated by colonial and postcolonial governance, hin- ders e ective climate change response (Fra- zier et al., 2023). This data gap manifests as sparse and discontinuous climate records, a
Submerged Tank in Saipan: The submerged Sherman tank at sunset o Saipan’s coast serves as a reminder that this island has faced formidable challenges—from the ravages of war to the current threat of climate change— yet its people have always found the strength to persevere and adapt. Hawaii and the USAPI The USAPI include the U.S. territories of Amer- ican Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of
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May 2025 • Journal of Environmental Health
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