Mālama I Ke Kumu
To care for the source
Rooted in the land of Kaukamōlī, Hāmākua on Hawaiʻi Island, Mālama I Ka ʻAwa is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection, preservation, and perpetuation of Hawaiian ancestral knowledge, particularly surrounding the cultural and ecological stewardship of ‘awa (kava). Our mission is to ensure that this sacred plant, its stories, and its relationships to ‘āina and people are passed on with integrity to future generations.
O ke aka kā ʻoukou, e ke Akua; o ka ʻiʻo nō kā mākou.
Yours is the shadow, O God; the flesh is ours.
Our Purpose
We honor and uphold the wisdom of our kūpuna (ancestors) by safeguarding the traditional practices and heirloom varieties of Hawaiian ʻawa. As ‘awa gains popularity across the globe, our community faces the urgent need to protect the plant’s cultural integrity from commodification, misrepresentation, and exploitation. Mālama I Ka ʻAwa advocates for ethical ʻawa cultivation, responsible knowledge-sharing, and conscious, community-based solutions that reflect ʻōiwi values and worldviews.
How We Care for the Source
Cultivating Connection
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Education
We provide workshops and hands-on learning experiences rooted in traditional Hawaiian knowledge, covering the history, cultivation, and ceremonial use of ‘awa. Our educational model blends oral histories, ethnobotanical science, and practice-based learning.
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Community
We convene ʻaha ʻawa (formal ʻawa ceremonies) and hālāwai (meetings) in each district of Moku o Keawe, creating safe spaces for cultural exchange, relationship building, and strategic conversations about the future of ʻawa.
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Research & Advocacy
Our project gathers and archives mo‘olelo (stories) and moʻokūʻauhau (genealogies) of Hawaiian ʻawa, strengthening local knowledge bases and ensuring the protection of this cultural resource against industrial agriculture and foreign appropriation.