The Nakuwauna Foundation
“Empowering the generations [in our community] of today to honor those of the past and create positive change for those of the future through fitness and nutrition education”.
Our Mission
The Nakuwauna Foundation, like the banks of the lo’i, cultivates knowledge, strength, and health to sustain Hawaiʻi’s kanaka (people); keiki (children), wahine (women), and kane (men). Empowering the generations [in our community] of today to honor those of the past and create positive change for those of the future through fitness and nutrition education.
Our Goals
The Nakuwauna Foundation will provide cultural workshops, onsite and afar, to teach our community about how Hawaiʻi’s lifestyle practices of the past were sustainable, valuable, and viable, both then and now. We teach practical ways that the practices can be implemented now to help our current and future generations with nutrition, physical fitness, and mental health.
Scholarships
The Nakuwauna Foundation aims to provide a program in which we may award a financial scholarship to deserving applicants. This program is still being created, but will help aide those in need, from keiki to kupuna (elders), to achieve their goals that align with the mission of the Nakuwauna Foundation. As a starting point, we have awarded various youth with memberships to Hoʻomana Strength and Conditioning, Imua Iron, Burn Fitness 808, and Pa’a Peak Performance.
Nutrition Programs
The Nakuwauna Foundation’s nutrition programs will include education regarding healthy and nourishing meals, as well as nutritional guidance, taking notice that different bodies require unique varieties of food. To serve all of our kanaka, we will provide meals to ʻohanas (families) in need, all while teaching them how to better care for their bodies. When using foods that are native to our land, we can teach the full cycle of preparing grow sites, growing and cultivating food, and nourishing individuals of any age. Connection and sense of place are not only good for the body, it is good for the mind.
Workshops
The Nakuwauna Foundation will be teaming up with other culturally driven groups to teach the importance of native Hawaiian practices. We acknowledge that while the individual work may look different, it is what drives people that brings us together. We would like to collaborate with as many groups as we can, honoring the students and the teachers in all of us.