‘Ohana Wa’a

‘Ohana Wa’a

ʻOhana Waʻa, meaning family of voyaging canoes, convened as a hui (group) in 2006 to promote the collective health and life of Pacific voyaging traditions. ‘Ohana Wa’a’s guiding philosophy, He moku he waʻa, He waʻa he moku (our island is the canoe, our canoe is our island), speaks to the interdependent nature of the Hawaiian people. In recent years, a heightened awareness of voyaging and its impact on Native identity and self-determination has increased interest in participation, programming, and education surrounding voyaging. ‘Ohana Wa’a is building its capacity to meet this rising interest, ensuring the continuation of Pacific voyaging traditions that serve to galvanize Hawaii’s Native peoples, providing healthy pathways towards human and environmental health, maintaining and advancing culture through native worldviews, and bringing hope to the rest of Hawaii and beyond.