LATERAL VIOLENCE & CAPACITY BUILDING

Piha Ka ʻĀina Consulting provides research-based online trainings, curriculum development, and in-community intensives on Indigenous lateral violence, cultural self-efficacy, and language acquisition as they appear across Indigenous language programs, community work, and organizations.

A Global Leader

Piha Ka ʻĀina Consulting is internationally recognized for foundational contributions to the study of Indigenous lateral violence.

Key contributions include:

  • Introduced Native Hawaiian Lateral Violence into academic literature as a documented and theorized phenomenon

  • Produced the first empirical study examining how Native Hawaiian lateral violence affects Hawaiian language acquisition

  • Conducted the first research study globally to specifically investigate the effects of Indigenous lateral violence on Indigenous language acquisition by Indigenous language learners

Native Hawaiian lateral violence functions as the origin case study for this work, informing a broader, transferable framework now used to support Indigenous communities across different cultural, geographic, and political contexts.

Our work is rooted in both lived experience and original scholarship, translating complex research into practical tools communities can use immediately.

Services:

  • Keynote Speaking

    Passionate, research-based presentations on Indigenous Lateral Violence and its impact on identity formation and language learning.

  • In-Community Intensives

    Comprehensive in-person training for communities to build awareness of and practical tools for addressing Indigenous Lateral Violence in context.

  • Curriculum Consulting

    Targeted support to develop or revise cultural and language programs that reduce lateral violence and strengthen inclusivity.

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“Once man knows the sources of their suffering, then they will know true liberation.”

- Hauʻolihiwahiwa Moniz Founder, Piha Ka ʻĀina Consulting

FAQs

  • Indigenous Lateral Violence refers to the internalized and interpersonal harm that can occur within Indigenous communities as a result of colonization and systemic oppression. It emerges when the pain, grief, and aggression produced by these conditions is displaced and expressed “laterally” toward those closest to us, within our communities and toward ourselves. Lateral violence can be understood as a human response to dehumanization and marginalization, where individuals attempt to regain power and dignity through socially harmful expressions such as microaggressions and interpersonal conflict.

  • Keynotes are research-based, presentation-driven talks on Indigenous Lateral Violence and its impact on identity formation and language learning, tailored to the audience. They integrate the concept of being “Indigenous Enough,” examining how colonial-created definitions of identity function as lateral violence and shape Indigenous language learning and fluency outcomes. Rooted in a Hawaiian context and informed by primary data from the Native Hawaiian community, the work also speaks to broader Indigenous language revitalization efforts shaped by histories of erasure, occupation, and cultural disruption.

  • Intensives are facilitated, in-person trainings that combine education, group discussion, and applied tools for recognizing and addressing Indigenous Lateral Violence within your specific community context. Typically held over three days, the intensive focuses on building shared understanding, strengthening relational awareness, and developing practical strategies for reducing harm and improving community and organizational practices.

  • We work with programs and organizations to review, design, or revise cultural and language learning curricula to better support inclusion and reduce patterns of Indigenous Lateral Violence.

  • Services are offered on a sliding scale based on the type of engagement, community needs, and available resources. We work to ensure accessibility while sustaining the work.

  • Yes. We work with Indigenous-serving schools, organizations, and community groups locally and internationally, both in-person and virtually when appropriate.