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Nā Kālai Waʻa and Makaliʻi ʻOhana 3.webp

Makaliʻi Makes 30

Makaliʻi turned 30 on February 4, 2025! Help us "make ready" for 30 more years and beyond.

Ke Ala Nu`ukia,
Our Mission

Nā Kālai Waʻa is dedicated to perpetuating cultural values and practices through non-instrument navigation and deep-sea voyaging.

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Ke Kahua,
Our Foundation

Nā Kālai Waʻa (NKW) is a Native Hawaiian cultural and educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has provided high-quality voyaging programs for over 30 years throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. Each year, NKW serves more than 2,000 participants—ranging from keiki to kūpuna—through programs conducted both on land (moku) and aboard our voyaging canoes (waʻa).

Makaliʻi ʻOhana making ready for Hanauna Ola Voyage to Mokumanamana.webp

Ka Nuʻukia, Our Vision

He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa — Our canoe is our island; our island is our canoe. Voyaging teaches us how to manage finite resources wisely—lessons we bring home to our island communities today.

Updates from our Blog...

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ʻōpeʻa

spar

ʻpeʻa

main sail

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kia

mast

kaula peʻa

tricing lines

manu ihu

bow

paepae

boom

kaula paepae

sheet lines

ʻākea

starboard hull

manu hope

'ōpe'a

spar

pe'a

main sail

stern

kaʻele

hull

hoe uli

steering paddles

Makaliʻi

Laulima

Collaborative Work

Na Kalai Waʻa and Makaliʻi has created many opportunities and experiences, but most importantly, we bring together, people. If we stand for anything, itʻs community.

ʻOhana Makaliʻi

Our ʻOhana Makaliʻi is a network of more than 800 crew members, volunteers, and community partners, spanning from Aotearoa to Germany. “Nā Kālai Waʻa” means “The Canoe Builders.” As students of Master Navigator “Papa” Pius Mau Piailug, our founders learned that voyaging begins in the canoe shed—by building and caring for the canoe.

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