Rooted on Maui

On Maui we are currently focused on the wetlands within the Waipuilani Beach Reserve in Kihei. Our kuleana (responsibility) is to a particular area that is a part of the Kula Kai moku (Hawaiian land division). When we step outside of ownership and into stewardship we contribute and become a part of the true essence of Hawaiʻi. Understanding the history of a place and caring for it creates a sense of belonging. 

We host many of our cultural experiences at the beach reserve. We also have a treasure hunt that will walk you through and highlight things that are typical and atypical in a wetlands environment as well as native flora and fauna.

Place based education is a lens into understanding the interconnectedness of the natural systems and hawaiian traditional knowledge that has made Hawaiʻi the most isolated populated island chain in the world. 

Growing food and family together is our mission. To us, that means ensuring the health of the natural resources that contribute to and are our food sources. We do this in community as man with land and sea. We use cultural and traditional practices to fulfill our mission and host gatherings for the whole ʻohana to engage and experience.

Cultural experiences we have facilitated:

• Lei making
• Coconut hat weaving
• Traditional hale (structure) building
• Makahiki (traditional games) practice
• Kīhei stamping (traditional clothing with stamp designs)
• Hoʻokupu (traditional offering) and protocols
• Fishing
• Farming
• Kuʻi kalo (traditional practice involving Hawaiʻi's primary food source - taro)