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ABOUT US
OUR VISION
Wahi kūpuna thriving through Hawaiian self-determination.
Our Mission
Growing Hawai‘i's communities through culturally based forms of innovative learning, leadership development, and collaborative networking in wahi kūpuna stewardship.
Circa 1890 Hawaiian informants at Ahu-a-ʻUmi | Bishop Museum
2010 The first Wahi Kūpuna Internship Program at Ahu-a-ʻUmi.
Who We Are
Founded in 2012, Huliauapa‘a is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to educate and empower students, communities, and professionals on the stewardship of Hawai‘i's wahi kūpuna (ancestral places). Huliauapa‘a collaborates with various community groups, educational institutions, landowners and archaeological firms to provide education, training, and assistance in the preservation, stewardship, and management of cultural and historical sites throughout Hawai‘i.
Our Name
Huliauapa‘a was created from our deep connection and responsibility to Hawai‘i's wahi kūpuna. Huliau, meaning "a time of change" and "to recall the past," speaks of our desire to steward our sacred places by preserving the stories, places and resources of our ancestors. Pa‘a, meaning "firm, solid, definite, steadfast," reaffirms our convictions to protect and perpetuate our cultural sites. Thus, Huliauapa‘a reminds us to be steadfast in our beliefs and actions to protect and preserve the treasures of our kūpuna (ancestors).
Our Values
ʻO ke kahua mamua, mahope ke kūkulu
The foundation first, then the structure.
ʻImi Naʻauao
Seeking knowledge or education; being ambitious to learn.
ʻIke Pono
Recognizing, feeling, and understanding righteousness and goodness in all we do.
Kuleana
Viewing our work as both a privilege and responsibility.
Hoʻomau
Appreciating, and encouraging the preservation and perpetuation of our wahi papa and lāhui.
Aloha ʻĀina
Having a deep and cherished love for the land which created and sustains us.
Haʻahaʻa
Being humble, modest, unassuming, and unobtrusive.
Our Logo
The Huliauapaʻa logo design depicts patterned motifs pointing upwards that represent the concept of “lewa.” Lewa literally represents the sky or atmosphere or the strata in the upper heavens. Traditionally, it was believed that the source of real transformation and change (huliau) was linked to the heavens as its celestial processes governed all aspects of the natural and physical environment.
The concept of lewa also means to reach a state in which you understand something entirely. Whether it is the type of work you do or your intimacy with a place, lewa means to be thoroughly familiar. It is Huliauapaʻa's mission to transform cultural resource management in Hawaiʻi. This can only be accomplished by elevating our kuleana and thoroughly understanding the context of the work we do to protect and mālama sacred sites in Hawaiʻi.
