DTL is a Hawaiian
Strategy Studio
As a native Hawaiian owned and operated firm, it’s in our DNA to celebrate and elevate our host culture....
This year as we celebrate our 5th anniversary we reflect back on all the things we've done.
We’ve never heard of a Hawaiian Strategy Studio either…
…but we felt Hawai‘i needed one. DTL (detail) is a multidisciplinary studio that helps businesses, governments, organizations, and communities navigate change. Our unique approach, moves clients from where they are to where they need to be.
We’ve built a respected reputation within our community as a creative interpreter of culture through planning and design. Our deep understanding and knowledge of Hawai‘i’s sensibilities and sensitivities has resulted in successfully facilitating dialogs, bridging perspectives and developing appropriate collaborative solutions to both challenging issues and exciting opportunities within our community.
OUR CLIENTS
KŌKUA
DTL is committed to our community and culture and giving back through in-kind kōkua. 20 percent of our time is spent providing in-kind kōkua to support projects, non-profits and causes that champion the community and culture.
Our process + services
We frame our practice within a Hawaiian sense of place, because to know a place is to know its environment, its people, and its culture across time. Place sits at the intersection of Hawai‘i’s past and future, the physical and the cultural. Understanding it gives way to opportunities, obstacles, and points of convergence. We know that with each client, the best way forward is a matter of orientation — where you come from, where you are, and where you’re going. If strategy is a process of repositioning, we believe that success requires the alignment of a client’s genealogy, journey, stories and values.
OUR PROCESS IS CENTERED IN OUR CULTURAL METHODOLOGY
GENEALOGY
We begin every project as close as we can get to its source, and through cultural and historical research, we trace its lineage, origin to outcome.
STORIES
Navigation is both science and art, and we bring a diverse network of expertise to ensure the utilization of both. Listening to the stories of a place and its people shows you the way forward.
JOURNEYS
From visuals and messaging to presentation and promotion, we deliver the story of a future that you and your stakeholders tell together.
VALUES
We help you know your values so you can better share them through what you create. Hawai‘i is a complex place to do business, and in order to embrace change, you must know why you excel.
OUR SERVICES
STRATEGY
Positioning
Training
Coaching
Executive Placement
Entitlements
PLANNING
Community Engagement
Cultural Integration
Placemaking
Events
Cultural Programming
DESIGN
Branding
Graphic Design
Content Development
Web/Mobile Development
Environmental Graphics
COMMUNICATIONS
Public Relations
Crisis Management
Media Relations & Training
Social Media
Translations
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Featured Work
Let’s Talk Story
725 Kapi‘olani Blvd, 4th Floor
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
(808) 593-3048
@dtlhawaii
#DTLProjectHighlight ~ Following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893, the teaching of the Hawaiian language was banned in schools. It wasn’t until 1982, a century later, that a group of Hawaiian language educators met to discuss ways to perpetuate the language. They knew that creating Hawaiian Medium Education schools was essential to preserving the language.
The first ʻAha Pūnana Leo preschool was established in Kekaha, Kauaʻi in 1984, followed by schools on other islands. ʻAha Pūnana Leo has since become a global model for language revitalization, playing a pivotal role in lifting a 90-year ban on teaching Hawaiian in schools and advocating for the protection of indigenous languages.
In 2022, DTL Hawaiʻi supported @ahapunanaleo by developing a public relations strategy to boost enrollment, showcase the haumāna and kumu of ‘Aha Pūnana Leo, and identify stories that highlight the mission, vision, and values of the school. DTL created a media calendar to ensure consistent messaging, coordinated media interviews, tracked coverage, and provided media training to spokespeople.
#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #hawaiianculture #hawaiicommunity #hawaii #makena #publicrelations #socialmedia #olelohawaii #ahapunanaleo #hawaiianimmersion #hawaiianimmersionpreschool
For over two decades, our sister firm, @wcitarch, has been an award-winning design leader, known for weaving Hawaiian values and cultural narratives into every project. From hospitality and residential spaces to public and commercial designs, their work is all about creating meaningful connections to place.
October is Architecture Month, and we’re thrilled to see WCIT featured in @aiahonolulu annual Firm Crawl! This is your chance to visit the WCIT office, meet the talented architects and designers, and learn more about their latest projects.
Join us on October 4th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM for a FREE open house. Grab drinks, eat pupus, and connect with the creative minds shaping Hawaiʻi’s landscape 🤙🏼
#architecture #hawaiiarchitecture #designfirm #hawaii #hawaiidesign #aiahonolulu #aiafirmcrawl #aiahonolulufirmcrawl #aiahonolulufirmcrawl2024
🏡 Making financial and housing decisions in Hawaiʻi can feel overwhelming. Getting advice from a trusted expert can make a huge difference, but we know that sometimes the title of the person helping you can feel intimidating.
So we want your input! If you were looking for someone to guide you, which title would make you feel the most comfortable and supported?
👇 Comment below or vote in the poll! 👇
➡️ Coach
➡️ Consultant
➡️ Alakaʻi
➡️ Specialist
Your opinion helps us better serve our community—mahalo for sharing!
@hiffhawaii is hosting its 44th Fall Festival featuring over 200 films, including 92 feature films, 114 shorts, 40 world premieres, and 31 U.S. premieres!
Tickets are now available for screenings from October 3-13 at Consolidated Theatres Kahala, with additional showings from October 15 to November 10 on Oʻahu`s West Side and neighboring islands.
🎬 Check out the films that we`re most excited to see.
#hawaii #hawaiiinternationalfilmfestival #hiffhawaii #hawaiifilm #filmfestival #hiff44
#DTLProjectHighlight ~ Situated in the moku of Honuaʻula on Maui, Mākena provided food and shelter for many generations. Sweet potatoes were the main crop cultivated on land, and the area’s fisheries were well-known and protected by Kingdom law. In the 1800s, the rise of sugar and cattle industries commercialized the areas from mauka to makai, reshaping the shoreline to accommodate growing business interests. Mākena Landing became a significant hub for Maui’s exports. By the 1970s, Mākena had become a resort destination with hotels, residential developments, and recreational areas.
DTL provided cultural training and community engagement services to the Discovery Land team in 2015. This work included a historic timeline and a community workbook, helping to preserve the values, traditions, and relationships that shaped early life in Mākena and inform decisions today.
#dtl #dtlhawaii #strategy #planning #design #hawaiianculture #hawaiicommunity #hawaii #makena #makenamaui #honuaula
Hōkūleʻa has embarked on their Pae ʻĀina Statewide Sail, spanning seven months, covering 3,000 miles, making stops at 31 ports, and reaching 34 communities across Hawaiʻi. The primary aim of this sail is to train and connect with our communities and gain insights into how the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) can best serve them.
Upon completion of the Pae ʻĀina Sail, Hōkūleʻa and its sister canoe Hikianalia will resume the Moananuiākea Circumnavigation of the Pacific in March 2025.
See the schedule to learn when Hōkūleʻa will arrive in your community, and follow @hokuleacrew on Instagram for events at each port 🤙🏼
#dtl #dtlhawaii #culture #community #hawaii #hokulea #paeainasail
DTL Hawaiʻi and ʻĀina Archaeology are excited to support Nā Kama Kai’s 13th Annual Paʻakai Awards, their first in-person celebration since 2019!
This gala raises essential funds for Nā Kama Kai`s mission to empower children by fostering connections to both the ocean and land. All of the proceeds from the gala and silent auction contribute to expanding Nā Kama Kai`s outreach programs, which enhance keiki awareness of ocean culture, safety, and conservation.
We’re honored to stand with @nakamakai as they continue to nurture the next generation of ʻāina and ocean stewards 💙
#dtlhawaii #ainaarchaeology #nakamakai #paakai #paakaigala #paakaiawards #keikialohakaialoha #supportourkeiki #oceanstewards #alohaaina
Moanalua was once a center for hula and chanting under the reign of King Kākuhihewa of Oʻahu. Prince Lot Kapuāiwa later perpetuated this legacy when he allowed hula celebrations to be publicly performed at his Moanalua cottage after decades of being banned. In 1884, Bernice Pauahi Bishop willed the ahupuaʻa of Moanalua to Samuel M. Damon.
Kamananui Valley within Moanalua later became the intended path for the H-3 freeway. However, Frances “Patches” Damon Holt and her sister Harriet “Haku” Damon Baldwin, great-granddaughters of Samuel Damon, successfully halted the project. In the 1970s, they founded the Moanalua Gardens Foundation (MGF) to preserve the valley`s cultural and natural heritage.
During that time, MGF also launched the annual Prince Lot Hula Festival and introduced Hawaiʻi`s first culture-based environmental education curriculum for K-12 students.
Today, MGF furthers its mission through cultural preservation, education, and stewardship of Kamananui Valley. Key programs include the Halia Oral History Program to collect moʻolelo of Kamananui, the Hanauna Digital Library and Archive to preserve oral histories, and the Mālama Kamananui Valley Program to provide hands-on environmental education for Hawaiʻi`s youth.
Our team had the privilege of exploring Kamananui Valley, delving into its history and the efforts to protect and honor this sacred place.
#dtlhawaii #oahu #moanalua #moanaluavalley #kamananui #kamananuivalley #moanaluagardenfoundation #moanaluagarden #hula #moolelo
The Native Hawaiian Convention is happening NOW and we are so excited about several key discussions at this year’s convention. These are just a few of the conversations that align with our values and promise to inspire action, community engagement, and meaningful change ✨
🗣️ What sessions are you looking forward to?
#hawaiianhistorymonth #bigisland #nativehawaiianconvention #cnhaconvention #hawaiianhistory #hawaii #community
#DTLProjectHighlight ~ Kailua was an early settlement for Native Hawaiians, who flourished on its fertile lands and abundant natural resources. Farmers cultivated kalo in the loʻi and also grew dryland crops like kalo, banana, sweet potato, and sugarcane, while fishermen harvested from the rich fishponds and nearby ocean. By 1750, Kailua was the Royal Center of power for the district of Koʻolaupoko and a favored place of the O‘ahu chiefs.
In the late 1940s and 1950s, Kailua experienced a rapid transformation into a residential community, driven by the growing military presence at Kāneʻohe Bay and the development of military housing and infrastructure. In 2013, Alexander & Baldwin (A&B) purchased land holdings from Kaneohe Ranch and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, previous landowners and developers.
DTL worked with A&B in 2015 to develop a comprehensive community engagement strategy for their commercial land holdings in Kailua. This strategy envisioned how cultural and historical research might guide the engagement and planning process moving forward. In doing so, DTL researched the history, culture, and genealogy of Kailua; developed cultural themes; and planned and facilitated internal visioning sessions and focus groups.
#strategy #planning #culture #community #hawaii #communityengagement #kailua #kailuatown
For over two decades, the Native Hawaiian Convention has brought individuals, organizations, and leaders together to address key issues impacting our lāhui. It’s a space to explore cultural preservation, natural resource protection, economic growth, healthcare, education, and Native Hawaiian self-determination.
The multi-day event features panels, workshops, and breakout sessions led by experts and cultural practitioners, creating opportunities for collaboration and action that strengthen Hawaiʻi’s cultural and social foundations.
The upcoming convention is packed with discussions that align with DTL’s core values and promote community-driven impact. Want to know more about the sessions we’re looking forward to? Join our newsletter at dtlhawaii.com for all the details!
The Native Hawaiian Convention will be held on Hawaiʻi Island at Hilton Waikoloa Village, September 17-19. Register through the link here: www.hawaiiancouncil.org/2024convention/
#hawaiianhistorymonth #bigisland #nativehawaiianconvention #cnhaconvention #hawaiianhistory #hawaii #community
Hauʻoli Lā Hānau to Jason! 🎉 From the very start of DTL, Jason has been the expert in all things design. Mahalo for consistently bringing our brand and client projects to life with your unique vision 🌟
#alohalahanau #hauolilahanau #dtlbirthdays #design