WAIPA Foundation

Native Hawaiians created land divisions called ahupua‘a to adeptly manage island resources and provide for the subsistence of their island communities.

Ahupua‘a were often defined by the boundaries of the watershed, from the mountain peak into the sea. This way of managing resources fostered a strong sense of interdependence with the natural world. Economic, social and cultural choices flourished through sustainable use of land, water and resources.

The 1,600 acre ahupua'a of Waipa, located on the north shore of Kaua'i, is one of just a few ahupua‘a in Hawai‘i that remain intact. Waipa is owned by the Kamehameha Schools and is managed by the Waipa Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 1994 that evolved from the community’s first efforts to manage the ahupua'a beginning in the late 1980’s.

For almost 30 years now, Waipa Foundation has envisioned a thriving ahupua`a, helping to grow awareness of the connections between healthy individuals, health communities and healthy ‘aina.

Waipa is a place where folks can connect with the ‘aina (land and resources, that which feeds us), and learn about our Hawaiian and local values and lifestyle through laulima (many hands working together).