Rebuilding Belonging Behind the Walls: How Makahiki Is Transforming Healing at San Quentin

Written by: Sharayne Tuala with edits by Mele Makalo

Development Assistant/Narrative Strategist, SoCal PICRT

Inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, a quiet movement of healing and renewal is taking root. This year marked the fourth annual Makahiki, a gathering grounded in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander tradition, led by the San Quentin Native Hawaiian Religious Group (NHRG) and strengthened by the support of allies both inside and beyond its walls. What began as a small circle of brothers using Indigenous traditions, knowledge, and spiritual healing to challenge toxic masculinity in 2013, has since grown into a transformative space for peace, identity, and community connection.

I attended the Makahiki as part of my work to listen and build community with NHPI individuals affected by the opioid epidemic and stimulant use disorders. In my role, I determine and develop narrative frameworks targeting youth, young adults, and faith-based leaders, structure strategies provided in our proposal, create materials for each strategy, and translate content into Samoan and Tongan.Experiencing the San Quentin Makahiki spiritual retreat firsthand allowed me to draw direct connections between lived experience, cultural practices, and the ways narrative can support prevention, healing, and community engagement for these audiences.

Day 1: A Culture-Rooted Vision for Healing

The Native Hawaiian Religious Group, composed of Kanaka, Samoan, Tongan, and Māori men together with allies from many backgrounds, organized the San Quentin Makahiki event to provide a space grounded in spiritual and cultural belonging. This reconnection to one’s Indigenous roots, sense of self and a trauma informed community offers a powerful path to rehabilitation, cultivating individuals who are better able to contribute to a healthier and more resilient society.

The day began with a powerful kava ceremony honoring elders, leaders, volunteers, and incarcerated participants. Voices rose in Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, and Hawaiian prayers and songs, reclaiming identity in a place designed to strip it away. Volunteers from API Rise, APSC, El Camino Mana, and other committed allies supported logistics and small-group facilitation, walking alongside the men rather than ahead of them.

Stories that Restore Humanity & Talanoa: Where Transformation Happens

During the panel discussion, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated speakers shared stories of substance use, trauma, incarceration, and healing. Their honesty reminded everyone of a truth too often forgotten: “It’s the pressures of this world that make us forget we belong to each other.” These stories challenged stigma and reflected what community leaders like ‘Alisi often say; that community does the work systems fail to do.

In the talanoa (storytelling) circles that followed, participants connected deeply to the stories shared by panelists. One woman shared how being connected to the brotherhood within prison served as a source of support for her husband to depart from the gang life. Other outside guests vocalized their reflections on how the Makahiki spiritual retreat allowed them to humanize incarcerated individuals where their judgmental dispositions have been replaced with compassion and empathy. Two members of the group, one a lead planner of the San Quentin Makahiki and the other its youngest participant, spoke thoughtfully about gratitude, personal turning points, and the profound impact a single word can have, either to harm or to heal. Their reflections highlighted why this gathering is not merely supplemental but truly essential.

A System in Contrast & Closing With Intention

A tour of the facility showcased various rehabilitation programs while raising important questions about labor and equity. San Quentin is uniquely staffed & funded by legal stakeholders that are in support of restorative justice that truly focuses on expanding skill development, addressing behavior re-entry and improving conditions to change lives and reduce re-offending. So, I'd be cautious of this blanket generalization statement. Systems and institutions are two very different entities and this statement seems to refer to them as synonymous. 

The day closed with an interactive healing activity: a water lantern ceremony focused on symbolic release. Participants crafted small boats, each holding a personal prayer, intention, or message, and gathered in a circle around the courtyard fountain. As the boats were placed into the water one by one, the current did not behave as expected. Some boats drifted back toward the group instead of floating away, while others slowly took on water and sank. The unpredictability sparked laughter and light conversation, softening the atmosphere and breaking the tension. Rooted in cultural practices shared by our allies in the broader Asian community, the ritual used water as a medium for release, reflection, and intention setting, even when the process unfolded imperfectly.

For many participants, the moment felt tangible rather than symbolic. Standing together around the fountain, individuals who had arrived as strangers shared humor, stillness, and collective presence. The way the boats returned, stalled, or disappeared beneath the surface became an unspoken reminder that release is not always linear, graceful, or immediate. Some things circle back. Some things take longer to let go. Others sink before we are ready. In a setting not often associated with care or softness, the ceremony created space for reflection and connection. It reinforced the idea that healing can be practiced through simple, communal acts, even within those walls.

Day 2: A Celebration of Culture and Allyship

The second day of the Makahiki healing retreat was a joyful celebration of culture, community, and allyship, filled with songs, dances, prayers, laughter, and a shared meal. The festivities began with musical performances led by Aunty Adel, a dedicated volunteer at San Quentin for over 10 years who brought the Ke Ala Pono program (ukulele class) to the San Quentin residents. Her class performed beautiful Native Hawaiian songs, including Wahine ‘Ilikea and Kipu Kai, setting a joyful and heartfelt tone for the day.

As the performances continued, lunch was served, allowing everyone to enjoy a sacred meal together while still taking in the music. Sharing a meal between outside community guests and San Quentin residents helped break down the invisible barriers that often exist between incarcerated individuals and the broader community, barriers that frequently result in exclusion or invisibility.

Following the meal, dance performances from Hawaii, Samoa, and Tonga lit up the space, including a special surprise number from the Aztec Dance group. The energy rose to its peak during the fusion performance featuring members of both the NHRG and the Aztec group, offering a compelling illustration of inter-tribal collaboration grounded in unity, reciprocity, and cultural reverence.

The celebration then moved into an award ceremony, recognizing the achievements and dedication of incarcerated participants in the NHRG. A special thank you video for Aunty Adel honored her unwavering support and impact on the men she mentors through music and cultural education. The San Quentin Film Program captured the day’s moments, and the behind-the-scenes crew ensured the event ran smoothly and seamlessly.

The day concluded with everyone coming together for a group Electric Slide and Cupid Shuffle, dancing in celebration of community and connection. Lunch was generously provided by Panda Express, and all funds used to support the event were donated by community members and family via their GoFundMe page.

Reimagining Our Work Ahead & A Blueprint for Possibility

A story shared by a few of our panelists, both deeply affected by addiction and rejected by their faith community, reshaped how I think about substance-use messaging and the work we do with NHPI communities. Their insight made it clear that instead of persuading faith leaders to address opioids or SUD, we must uplift the voices of those directly impacted, ensuring prevention, healing, and engagement reflect lived experience.

Attending Makahiki gave me firsthand understanding of how these narratives can guide the development of frameworks, materials, and culturally resonant messaging for youth, young adults, and faith-based leaders, including translations into Samoan and Tongan. It also gave me hope that, as community leaders, we can support the NHRG group in addressing the challenges that so often go unseen. This population is almost always forgotten, yet their stories and experiences are a vital part of the broader NHPI narrative. It is our responsibility to be inclusive, to listen deeply, and to ensure their voices shape how we approach healing, prevention, and community engagement.

Makahiki is more than an event, it is a model for community-led transformation. It centers culture, honors lived experience, and restores belonging in a place built to sever it. This year affirmed a powerful truth: healing becomes possible when people are given back their belonging, even behind the walls.

Stay Involved with the NHRG

For those inspired to support the Native Hawaiian Religious Group (NHRG) and their ongoing work at San Quentin, there are meaningful ways to get involved. We are currently collecting donations to send a holiday care package to the NHRG group by December 20th, with a donation goal of $742. While the GoFundMe link is primarily used for the Makahiki, it is also accepting donations for these holiday packages. Every contribution, whether through donating, volunteering, or helping amplify the stories of incarcerated NHPI community members, helps ensure that this population is recognized and included in the broader NHPI narrative.

To donate, please visit our GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/7fb34e144 To learn more or stay connected, please contact me directly.