Abigail Kawānanakoa walked in two worlds: considered by some to be the last scion of the Hawaiian royal family, and by others as someone awash in Western wealth. For Kawānanakoa’s part, she had a passion for the Native Hawaiian culture she hailed from, and following a contentious fight for her estate, that passion will support preserving the culture and language she loved. Kawānanakoa, a descended of the final independent ruler of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau; granddaughter of Prince David Kawānanakoa, the hānai adopted son of King Kalākaua; and great-granddaughter of a sugar baron, died last year at the age of 96.
The initiative places an emphasis on implementing innovative and culturally appropriate frameworks to prevent and improve disparities in chronic diseases.
The award will establish the Pacific Ocean Native Observational Health Legacy Study, a longitudinal cohort study of these populations in the U.S. followed over decades.