Outsourcing and Kuleana

 He aliʻi ka ʻāina; he kauwā ke kāne

The land is chief; man is its servant

Mary Kawena Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau, No. 531

  My kuleana (responsibility) as an entrepreneur is to run Volcano Organics through a lens of reciprocity. It is both a responsibility and a privilege to mālama ʻāina and lāhui. With this in mind, it is important to me to grow and harvest what I can on our farm; however, this means I sometimes have to outsource herbs that I may not have on hand. All of the oils, butters, essential oils, and herbs (when necessary) are researched and sourced through ethical and sustainable suppliers, with an emphasis on local first.

  With this in mind, I have been asked why I don’t make vegan salve. Unpopular opinion, but just because something is labeled vegan does not mean that it is an ethical product. For example, a popular vegan-marketed ingredient is carnauba wax, made from a Brazilian palm tree, which—due to its large-scale production—has historically raised concerns about unethical labor practices and deforestation impacting the environment and the flora and fauna that depend on it.

  The honey and beeswax industry is not without its own issues either; however, it is possible to source from ethical apiaries. In a perfect entrepreneurial world, I would be able to source everything locally. I certainly try. I source my beeswax from a small, local apiary here on Moku o Keawe, set in the jungle in the moku (district) of Puna. Being able to meet an owner, visit the source, and know exactly where your ingredients are coming from—while supporting small and local businesses—is, well, the bees’ knees. Pun intended.

  When it comes to harvesting, the only wild-harvested ingredient I use is naupaka kahakai. I use it in the face oil that I make in very small batches and I do not offer it often. I was taught that before you harvest, to ask permission and only gather what you need. That said, I do not believe in mass harvesting of wild Native Hawaiian plants for profit. Hawaiʻi has the greatest number of extinctions and critically endangered species in the world. What little undeveloped ʻāina and few forests we have left are hurting. Thriving land = a thriving community. This is reciprocity and it is our kuleana to sustain it. 

You may read more about and find links to our suppliers down below.

Mālama pono,

Lipine Muraki-Griffin (Owner/Operator)