Grounded in our roots. The loʻi kalo of Molokaʻi feeds our families as it fed our kūpuna.
Kanaka Kauila works toward a thriving Molokaʻi where the Native Hawaiian community prospers, upholding the values of aloha ʻāina, with our energy, food, and resources provided sustainably, for our people, from our land.
We are building self-sufficiency and resilience for the Native Hawaiian community of Molokaʻi, honoring our cultural heritage and caring for the environment for generations to come.
A future where our people are no longer tethered to outside economic support but are leaders in sustainable living, and where Molokaʻi is an island of abundance by 2040.
Revitalize sustainable food practices, return control of local resources to the Native Hawaiian community, and develop independent energy solutions, through innovative approaches and community collaboration.
Every reunion brings more of us home. From our kūpuna to our keiki, the ʻohana keeps growing, and so does our kuleana to one another and to Molokaʻi.
Three initiatives guide our programs, each shaped around the needs and talents of Molokaʻi's Native Hawaiian population.
Improving the lives of underprivileged children by providing education, food, and shelter, to break the cycle of poverty and open a better future.
Learn more →Breaking down obstacles such as language differences, geographic isolation, and travel costs, so everyone on Molokaʻi has room to flourish.
Learn more →Creating tailored programs that employ the talents of our people so they can build the lives they want for themselves.
Learn more →Kanaka Kauila wholly owns Kanaka Imua LLC, an NHO-owned small business delivering advanced manufacturing and program execution to the federal government.
Revenue from Kanaka Imua's federal work returns to Kanaka Kauila, reducing the community's dependence on outside economic support.
Profits support community development, economic self-sufficiency, education, and sustainable infrastructure for the Native Hawaiian community.
Enterprise work creates a path for local talent into engineering, manufacturing, and program management careers.
A Native Hawaiian Organization based in Kaunakakai, working so the Native Hawaiian community of Molokaʻi can prosper on its own terms.
Our vision is a thriving Molokaʻi where the Native Hawaiian community prospers, upholding the values of aloha ʻāina. We envision a future where our people are no longer tethered to outside economic support but are leaders in sustainable living.
By 2040, Kanaka Kauila aims to see Molokaʻi transformed into an island of abundance, where poverty is alleviated, unemployment is a thing of the past, drugs are eliminated, education is elevated, and our energy, food, and resources are provided in a sustainable manner for our people, from our land.
Our mission is to revitalize and empower the Native Hawaiian community of Molokaʻi by revitalizing sustainable food practices, eliminating the control of resources by non-Hawaiians, and developing independent energy solutions.
We are committed to fostering self-sufficiency and resilience in the face of economic challenges. Through innovative approaches and community collaboration, we will enhance the well-being and independence of our people, honoring our cultural heritage and nurturing the environment for generations to come.
We care for the land that feeds us, and we measure progress by what Molokaʻi can provide for itself.
Our wealth is family. Every program begins with the needs of the households and keiki we serve.
Our currency is community. We work together with families, partners, and our enterprise, Kanaka Imua.
The story of the first kalo and the first Hawaiian, and the kuleana that connects every kanaka to kalo and the ʻāina.
Wākea, Sky Father, and Papa, Earth Mother, had a beautiful daughter named Hoʻohōkūkalani. Hoʻohōkūkalani gave birth to a baby boy. Can you imagine her sadness when the child was stillborn? This child, a son, was named Hāloa, which means long, eternal breath. The kūpuna (elders) whispered, “the child looks like a root.” The family wrapped Hāloa in kapa, placed him in a basket of woven lauhala, and buried him in the ʻāina.
Hoʻohōkūkalani grieved the loss of her son, crying and mourning and watering the grave with her tears. Before long, a plant started growing from the same spot where the baby was buried. This plant, with its long stalk and heart-shaped leaf, was named Hāloanakalaukapalili for its leaves that fluttered in the wind. It was the first kalo plant.
Hoʻohōkūkalani became pregnant again. This time, a healthy, thriving baby boy was born. He was given the name Hāloa in honor of his older brother, the kalo. Hāloa was the first Hawaiian person.
Hawaiians trace their roots back to Hāloa, thus stating that we are all “mamo na Hāloa,” or descendants of Hāloa. This creation story shows Hawaiians’ reverence for this primary food source and speaks to the sacred human relationship to the kalo plant, the ʻāina, and the rest of the natural world.
Hāloa the kaikaina (younger brother) became the first aliʻi and the progenitor of the Hawaiian people, establishing the familial connection of all Hawaiians to kalo.
Hāloanakalaukapalili, the first kalo, grew from the place where the first-born Hāloa was laid in the ʻāina.
Hāloa, named for his elder brother, became the first aliʻi and the first Hawaiian person.
As kānaka we mālama (care for) kalo, who in turn will feed, care for, and nourish us.
Three focus areas turn our vision for Molokaʻi into programs for children, families, and workers.
We strive to improve the lives of underprivileged children by providing them with education, food, and shelter. Our aim is to break the cycle of poverty and give these children a chance at a better future.
We are working to break down barriers and obstacles such as language differences, geographical isolation, and travel costs. This will create an abundance of opportunities for all people on Molokaʻi to flourish.
We are seeking to create tailored programs for Molokaʻi's Native Hawaiian population. Our goal is to employ the talents of the people to empower themselves to create the life they desire.
Kanaka Kauila is the parent Native Hawaiian Organization of Kanaka Imua LLC. Its work for the federal government helps fund our mission on Molokaʻi.
Kanaka Imua means “people moving forward.” The company is a small business wholly owned by Kanaka Kauila, delivering additive manufacturing, naval and marine engineering, defense supply chain support, and program management to the U.S. federal government and Department of Defense.
As an NHO-owned firm, Kanaka Imua gives federal agencies a faster path to award, and every contract it performs supports our mission: community development, economic self-sufficiency, education, and sustainable infrastructure for the Native Hawaiian community of Molokaʻi.
Contracting officers and prime contractors: capability statements and teaming requests are handled by Kanaka Imua directly at imuallc.com.
Leaders with roots on Molokaʻi and experience in government contracting, operations, and law.
Questions, partnerships, or ways to support our community programs. Drop us a line.
Families, community partners, funders, and agencies can reach Kanaka Kauila directly.