Starting on August 1, 2001, Earth Foundation formed a coalition with a special group of Native Hawaiian elders who have been very effective in uniting the Hawaiian community to address their cultural concerns. Earth Foundations coalition with Native Hawaiians remains strong, has substantially increased in trust and strength, and helps protect the ‘aina.’ Some local people say the aina is the feeling of the land. And, many other locals say the aina (pronounced EYE-nuh) is the feeling in the land, the air, the water, in the animals and birds, in the people – the ONEness of feeling that to many people seems to unite everything together into ONE.