Project abstract kkulu a MAU: building a community voyaging presence at heeia the kkulu a MAU project, led by knehnmoku voyaging academy (KVA), will lay the foundation for a permanent community…

The Kanehunamoku Voyaging Academy (KVA) received a $165,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Heritage (Tourism) Opportunities in Hawaii (HOIHI) Grant Program (CFDA 15.068) awarded October 1, 2025, to establish a permanent community voyaging education center at Heeia State Park. Over the two-year performance period through September 30, 2027, KVA will deliver two primary products: (1) eight community voyaging events at Heeia State Park that incorporate Hawaiian protocol, place-based learning, and hands-on navigation activities, projected to engage approximately 160 community members and visitors; and (2) waa (traditional canoe) based educational programming delivered in partnership with two Hawaiian-focused charter schools—Ilama Honua PCS and Hlau K Mnato—reaching 70 students through classroom instruction, sailing experiences aboard Kanehunamoku, and multiple site visits to the project location.

The initiative is designed to reconnect participants with Hawaiian voyaging traditions while advancing cultural stewardship and economic opportunity within the Native Hawaiian community. Expected measurable outcomes include 80 percent positive learning results among all participants, 75 percent student proficiency in voyaging knowledge and skills, and comprehensive project documentation and evaluation. This award aligns with the HOIHI program's core mission of facilitating authentic visitor experiences, preserving Hawaiian cultural practices, and supporting sustainable economic activity through heritage tourism and community engagement.

Project abstract kkulu a MAU: building a community voyaging presence at heeia the kkulu a MAU project, led by knehnmoku voyaging academy (KVA), will lay the foundation for a permanent community voyaging education center at heeia state park, also known as KA LAE o kealohia wahi pana (storied place) where MAU piailug and james kimo hugho once envisioned a school of navigation. With support from the hihi grant, KVA will reconnect community members and visitors to hawaiian voyaging traditions through immersive, culturally grounded activities over a two-year period. The project is built around two core objectives:(1) community engagement: KVA will organize and host eight voyaging-centered community events at heeia state park. These events will incorporate hawaiian protocol (OLI, hookupu), place-based orientation, and hands-on activities in hawaiian navigation and voyaging. Visitors and community members will not only learn about voyaging history and practice but also reflect on their role in perpetuating this living tradition. Events will be open to local residents and visitors who seek to engage with hawaiian culture in authentic and respectful ways.(2) educational programming for charter schools: KVA will partner with two hawaiian-focused charter schoolsmlama honua PCS and hlau k mnato deliver WAA-based education for 70 students. Programming will include classroom lessons, canoe and sailing experiences on knehnmoku, and multiple site visits to KA LAE o kealohi. Each student will participate in at least one community event and complete assessments through rubrics based assessment and end of year interviews.expected deliverables and outcomes: engage 160 community members and visitors across eight events. Deliver WAA-based education to 70 students across two years. Achieve 80% positive learning outcomes among participants, measured through surveys. Demonstrate 75% student proficiency in voyaging knowledge, history, and skills. Compile event documentation and evaluation data to inform the future voyaging center.intended beneficiaries:this project serves: (1) local residents seeking reconnection to place and culture, (2) hawaiian-focusedcharter school students and educators, (3) visitors to heeia state park who wish to engage meaningfully withhawaiian traditions, (4) WAA practitioners who will teach and lead cultural experiences, and (5) the INA ofheeia, through increased stewardship and cultural activation. Although hlau nohona hawaii (HNH) is not asubrecipient of this grant, the nonprofit permit holder at heeia state park, is a key project partner. HNH willcoordinate logistics, support cultural protocol, and collaborate on public engagement efforts, visitorprogramming, and stewardship activities. Ultimately, kkulu a MAU will transform heeia into a living space for voyaging knowledgewhere visitors become learners, learners become stewards, and stewards become leaders carrying forward the legacies of MAU piailug, kimo hugho, hklea and WAA kaulua.