4th Edition 2026

Indigenous perspectives on elderhood provide valuable insights into the aging process.

Published on: May 12, 2025

A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa explores how Indigenous communities define elderhood and its role in supporting healthy aging. Led by Yu-Chi Kalesekes Huang and Kathryn Braun from the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, the research analyzes 20 scholarly works to illuminate how elders contribute to community well-being.

Elderhood as a Cultural Role
The study spans diverse Indigenous groups, including the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations in Canada; Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans, and Native Americans in the U.S.; Māori in New Zealand; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia; and the Aymara people in Chile.

Published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the research identifies six cross-cultural themes, showing that an elder is someone who:

Is respected for living, preserving, and teaching traditional knowledge

Actively passes down wisdom to younger generations

Continues serving the community

Offers a vision for the future grounded in tradition

Is not strictly defined by chronological age

Acts as a caregiver

These findings reveal that elderhood is a respected cultural status earned through wisdom, service, and stewardship—rather than age alone. Encouraging individuals to attain this role can foster healthier aging and strengthen community resilience.

Our research highlights the vital role Indigenous elders play within their communities, said Huang, who also studied elders in her home village of Sapulju. For Indigenous peoples, being recognized as an elder reflects a lifelong commitment to preserving culture and strengthening community health. Achieving this status is seen as a mark of successful aging.

The study urges policymakers and community leaders to adopt culturally rooted strategies that honor and support the essential role of elders in sustaining the health and vitality of Indigenous communities.

Source:https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/05/12/indigenous-elderhood-aging-views/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFor%20Indigenous%20peoples%2C%20the%20title,well%2Dbeing%20of%20the%20community.

Back to News