Our Mission
In Hawai’i, on the Island of Maui, there is a place called Kipahulu. Long before the first Europeans arrived on Maui, Kipahulu was prized by the Hawaiian ali’i (royalty) for its fertile ‘aina (land) and kai (ocean). Thousands of people once lived a sustainable lifestyle in this area farming, fishing, and surviving with the resources of the ‘Ahupua’a (traditional Native Hawaiian land division which stretches from the mountain to the sea).
In 1995, a small group of Native Hawaiian residents came together to revive, restore, and share the practices of traditional Native Hawaiian culture with others in Kipahulu. We, the Kipahulu ‘Ohana, are a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating residents and visitors of the “ways of old” through cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities. Using the wisdom and spiritual guidance of our kupuna (elders, learned teachers), we seek to re-establish a Hawaiian lifestyle in Kipahulu. By initiating sustainable projects, dividing the labor, and sharing the results we will preserve our culture.
Mahalo Ke Akua. Ano ai ke aloha.
“Thank you with blessings from God. Greetings with love.”
–Kupuna Daisy
The Kipahulu ‘Ohana is a grassroots Hawaiian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the cultural sustainability of the Kipahulu moku in East Maui, Hawai‘i through educational programs which incorporate local, national and international partnerships and projects. We envision families working in harmony together to preserve and enhance the traditional cultural practices of the Hawaiian people. To this end, we conduct culturally-based agricultural and resource management projects from mauka to makai.
We’re dedicated to the cultural sustainability of Kīpahulu moku (district) through the perpetuation of traditional Hawaiian practices from mauka to makai (from the mountains to the sea). Prized by Hawaiians for its fertile lands and waters, Kīpahulu sustained a population of thousands for generations. However, in a small subsistence-based community, increased accessibility to our shorelines and a decline in traditional Hawaiian management has led to a well-documented decrease of our resources such as ‘opihi, limu, and fish that the ‘ohana of Kīpahulu rely on for sustenance.
One way we are working to restore these resources is through the establishment of an 'opihi rest area along the public access coastline of Haleakalā National Park. By voluntarily resting our harvest, we are ensuring food for the future and perpetuating our culture. In order to establish rules that support Kīpahulu's place-based traditions and culture and develop a collaborative management plan, Kīpahulu ‘Ohana has formally invited the State Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to designate Kīpahulu moku’s nearshore waters as Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area, and on January 12th the Board of Land & Natural Resources approved our Kīpahulu CBSFA designation.
