The Waipa Foundation

The Waipa Foundation is working to restore Waipa as a Native Hawaiian learning center and community center, as a place where Hawaiians and community can renew ties to the 'aina (land and resources), the culture and a more traditional lifestyle; a place to create assets and opportunities for more culturally relevant teaching, sharing, learning and living; and to restore the health of the natural resources and the native ecosystems of the ahupua'a.   In ancient times, ahupua'a were sustainable communities that originated in the interdependence between the land and the people.   Such was a mutuality in which use of land, water and economic, social and cultural choices flourished in balance. Waipa Foundation is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. Waipa is: •  A 1,600 acre ahupua'a (watershed) located along the Kaua'i's north shore, in the Halele'a district. •  An ahupua'a under a single owner,-the Kamehameha Schools-and managed by the Waipa Foundation. •  He 'aina nui i ka manowai:   A land rich with resources, including 1,400 acres of lowland conservation forest, 120 acres of rich agricultural land, 22 acres of coastal land along Hanalei bay, and its own perennial stream.

Over the 25 years that we have been in existence, Waipa and Waipa Foundation have been able to develop and model Hawaiian community based ahupua'a resource management for the Hawaiian community and all of Hawai'i.   Annually, we welcome over 1,000 lifelong learners to Waipa to participate in various cultural and 'aina based programs and projects, and to share what we do, and how we do it.   In addition to welcoming groups from all over Hawaii, and beyond, Waipa directly impacts it's local Hawaiian community in Kaua'ï's Halele'a (north shore) district by providing various programs for keiki through kupuna, land and resources for farming and cultural practice (and space for 'ohana and community gatherings, celebrations, and retreats), food (poi and vegetables) for over 50 Hawaiian 'ohana on a recurring, or regular basis.   We feed over 75 families from all over Kaua'i-most of them Hawaiians- poi on a weekly basis, year-round, and welcome an average of 500 customers and 20 vendors to our farmers market each Tuesday afternoon. Waipa Foundation implements all of this in the context of the management of the ahupua'a of Waipa, which encompasses 1,600 acres, mauka to makai.   We are also managing and improving Waipa's natural resources, by restoring native forests ma uka, restoring a fishpond, wetland, and native plant communities ma kai, and kalo farming areas, and monitoring our stream health in the kula areas. Waipa is a good example of a space, and resource-a pu'uhonua-for the perpetuation of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, economy, and 'ohana and community, through just doing it.