E Mālama Hoʻi I Nā Iwi Kūpuna

Na Mālama Hoʻi I Nā Iwi Kūpuna is a program focused on addressing the inequity in the treatment and care of ancestral Native Hawaiian remains. This project aims to equip the Native Hawaiian community and their ʻohana with the necessary education and skills to prepare materials for the care of nā iwi kūpuna.

The workshops will cover the creation of Kapa Wauke, a sacred Hawaiian barkcloth made from the wauke plant. Participants will engage in two-day workshops, required to attend both days to fully grasp the crafting process. Each session will last approximately 4 to 6 hours on weekends.

Participants will learn about:

• The natural resources’ history
• Cultural uses and significance
• The traditional skills required to create the sacred ceremonial item
• The history of repatriation and reburial of nā iwi kūpuna

This program is designed to enable participants to pass down cultural knowledge and skills to the next generation, reinforcing the responsibility (kuleana) to care for our ancestors and strengthening the mana (spiritual power) of the Hawaiian people. These workshops promote spiritual balance and harmony, making them both pono (proper) and essential.

Hosted by The Hawaiian Church of Hawaiʻi Nei.

For registration or more information, visit: organization website