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Hui, aloha!

My name is Belinda, or better known by my Hawaiian name, Kalani through my adult years. Native Diaspora has been a vision in the making. A journey of learning, unlearning, healing and connecting. As a mixed Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) and Indigenous Mexican woman born in California, I grew up feeling disconnected from my roots. Like many in the diaspora community, I struggled with identity, belonging, and the impact of colonization on my family and self. Whether through my backpacking travels, sailing through Papahānaumokuākea channel, I have been on a journey to unlearn what I've been shaped and conditioned into believing, and driven by experiencing the world through the lens of my kūpuna (ancestors). This is more than a platform, it’s a movement towards autonomy. Through building connection and community, Native Diaspora weaves us together as a people — through storytelling, art, and historical truth.

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"A podcast dedicated to uplifting Indigenous and marginalized communities by amplifying their voices. Rooted in connection, culture, and truth."

Frequently asked questions

My goal is to create art with intention, bringing awareness to social, cultural, and environmental issues through creative expression. What started off as a podcast has grown into a brand. Currently, one of my projects and goals is to protect Papahānaumokuākea, a protected marine national monument and our Hawaiian sacred waters that is home to over 7,000 different species, including some of our most endangered species like the Hawaiian green sea turtle and Hawaiian monk seal. Papahānaumokuākea is a sacred place for Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians). It is where our creation stories start, and it is also known as the real of Pō. Where the spirits and Gods reside, and where ones spirit passes through after death. Every piece I create is a call to action: to reflect, to speak out, and to reconnect. Through our shared stories and struggles, my art aims to build the bridges and gaps and unify us as a collective. Doing O'ahu Pop Ups TBA, sold at Strictly Native Gear on Hilo, Hawai'i Island.

Support comes in all forms. If you purchase a product please tag me @Nativediaspora. Subscribe to my podcast Native Diaspora, and share it with your friends, family, and socials.

If you haven't done so already, please sign my petition to protect Papahānaumokuākea sacred waters. (link found under Gallery tab). Also repost the post on my Instagram page to bring more awareness.

Inside the eye is Papahānaumoku, (Earth) highlighting some of the special places I journeyed through during my 2023 solo backpacking trip throughout the Polynesian Triangle. Making my way through Tahiti, Ra'iātea, Taha'a, Aotearoa, Aotea, South America and Rapa Nui. In Ra'iātea while honoring Taputapuātea Marae (temple) also known as the home of the Polynesian deities there was a he'e (octopus) connecting all the points of the triangle and highlighting the exact places I was traveling through. The he'e also holds deep significance in my lineage and continued to show up in different ways throughout my travels.

Rapa Nui is in the middle of a trash vortex, their beaches along with many of ours are covered in trash and microplastics. The garbage patch is a reminder that our trash doesn't disappear when it's thrown away, it travels.

The counter clock wise arrows symbolize resistance and a commitment to unlearn the conditioning of colonial systems.

Above Papahānaumoku is the moon I was born on (Kūpau), beneath sits the constellation Makali'i (Pleiades), the constellation that Hawaiians are said to have voyaged down through a wa'a (canoe). The outer corners of the eye are formed by two koa'e kea (white-tailed tropicbirds), one of my favorite birds and also the bird I have tattooed on my throat. They represent guidance, perseverance and strength.

The eyelashes There are 4 eyelashes are represented by important Native Hawaiian p[lants, the number 4 is a very significant number in Hawaiian spiritual maters and nature.

Kupukupu fern: one of the first sprouts of growth after an eruption.
Hāpu'u fern: one of the largest tree ferns, and symbol of strength and protection.
Palapalai fern: sacred to Laka, the Akua (deity) of hula
'Ōhia'a lehua: beloved by Pele (volcano diety) and vital to our ecosystems.

Every element is made with intention. The design resembles an eye, a symbol of vision and perception. These elements serve as an invitation to see the world for all that she is. A world where we no longer exploit 'āina (land), and resources, but we tend, listen, and mālama (to take care) her.

I do my best to be as eco-efficient as possible in every step of the process.

Stickers are printed using UV ECO ink, which is a more environmentally friendly alternative to standard inks. My graphic transfer decal stickers are long-lasting, waterproof, and semi-permanent.

T-shirts are made from 100% ring-spun cotton for comfort and quality, with sustainability in mind.