Chase Kamikawa

Dartmouth College | Ilíiaitchik: Indigenous Correspondents Program (ICP)

Chase Kaleopono Kamikawa is an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College studying History and Environmental Studies. Growing up in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi as a Native Hawaiian, Chase was immersed in the Hawaiian culture, language, and values from a young age. Although 5,000 miles from his home, Chase finds opportunities at Dartmouth to perpetuate his culture and maintain his cultural identity. As an Undergraduate Research Associate with Dartmouth’s Department of Native American/Indigenous Studies Department, Chase had the opportunity to travel to Aotearoa (New Zealand) to work with two Māori hapu (Indigenous tribes) to conduct environmental monitoring and implement mitigation strategies for climate-related impacts to sites of cultural heritage. This impactful opportunity has inspired him to continue this work in the future, working with Indigenous communities to combat the harmful effects of climate change through Indigenous data sovereignty and the combination of modern technologies with traditional knowledge systems. As an avid cultural practitioner of the Hawaiian culture, Chase leads Hōkūpaʻa, Dartmouth’s Pan-Pasifika organization that seeks to cultivate, develop, and share our unique Pasifika cultures with others on campus. After Dartmouth, Chase hopes to get his law degree to approach environmental challenges in Indigenous communities from a legal perspective. In his free time, Chase loves to practice Vinyasa yoga, go to the beach with friends, and listen to podcasts.