Malama Loko Ea Foundation

PERPETUATE THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN CULTURE THROUGH EDUCATION, LAND STEWARDSHIP, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING, WHILE SUSTAINABLY RESTORING OUR PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES.

KUPUOHI EDUCATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW: SINCE THE START OF COVID IN 2020, MANY OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN REVAMPED TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL LEARNING PLATFORM COMPONENTS THAT ARE ENGAGING AND RIGOROUS. IN 2021, SOME EDUCATIONAL GROUPS WERE ABLE TO MAKE IN-PERSON VISITS TO LOKO EA FOR OUR AINA BASED CURRICULA FOCUSED ON FISHPOND ECOLOGY, FISHPOND TRADITIONS, AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. STUDENT GROUPS CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN BOTH VIRTUAL AND HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS RANGING FROM PRE-K TO UNIVERSITY LEVELS. WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE LESSONS AND PLANTING KITS FOR STUDENTS WHO VISITED LOKO EA BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON. KULAIWI NANI RESTORATION OVERVIEW: MALAMA LOKO EA FOUNDATION (MLEF) RESTARTED IN-PERSON COMMUNITY WORKDAYS WITH LIMITED GROUP CAPACITIES, ADHERING TO CDC SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR COVID. VOLUNTEERS ASSIST WITH RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES FOCUSING ON AUWAI KAI AND MAKAHA MAINTENANCE, AND INVASIVE PLANT AND FISH SPECIES REMOVAL. KAIAULU (COMMUNITY) PROGRAMS OVERVIEW: IN 2021, MLEF CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NORTH SHORE FOOD BANK TO SERVE THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY COVID IN OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. MLEF PROVIDE MONTHLY FOOD FROM ITS COMMUNITY IMU TO DISTRIBUTE HOT MEALS ONCE-A-MONTH DURING THE FOOD BANK'S FOOD DISTRIBUTION AT KAIAKA PARK. KUMU IKENA OVERVIEW: MLEF ALSO CONTINUED TO HOLD OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND CULTURAL CLASSES (KUMU IKENA) TO BRING CULTURAL AWARENESS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH TEACHING NATIVE HAWAIIAN TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES. IN 2021, MLEF BEGAN HOSTING BI-MONTHLY COMMUNITY CULTURAL WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS FROM LAUHALA WEAVING, LA?AULAPA?AU, IMU BUILDING AND COOKING, ALL ABOUT KALO, AND MORE. WE ALSO STARTED BUILDING OUR TRADITIONAL NATIVE HAWAIIAN HALE (THATCHED HOUSE) THAT WILL BE OUR FUTURE SITE FOR HOSTING FUTURE KUMU IKENA CLASSES AND EVENTS.