Kupa'aina Explorations Program
Reconnecting Youth to Hawaiian Culture Through Land-Based Learning
Program Overview
Kupa'aina Explorations brings students out of the classroom and onto the land to experience Hawaiian culture firsthand. Through customizable field trips and hands-on activities, young people ages 3 to 20 discover the values, practices, and knowledge that sustained their ancestors for generations.
This program goes beyond textbooks. Students participate in cultural activities that teach them about traditional Hawaiian agriculture, environmental stewardship, and the ahupua'a system that once sustained entire communities from the mountains to the sea. They learn by doing, whether that means pounding poi, identifying native plants, understanding traditional wayfinding, or practicing the values of aloha, pono, and laulima (cooperation).
Customizable Huaka'i (field trips) available during the school year:
Program cost: $10 per student
Ages 3-20
Program Objectives
Acquire knowledge and skills of Hawai'i's cultural heritage. Students learn about the plants Polynesians brought to Hawai'i, how they were used for survival, and the sophisticated agricultural systems that sustained island populations for centuries.
Participate in Hawaiian cultural activities through interactive, hands-on experiences. From traditional chants to craft-making, from taro cultivation to understanding fishing practices, students engage directly with cultural practices rather than simply reading about them.
Develop and embody Hawaiian values. Students cultivate values of being pono (righteous), laulima (cooperation), aloha (compassion), and ohana (family). These values extend beyond cultural education to become life skills that serve youth in all areas of their lives.
Care for and recognize the importance of preserving Hawai'i's unique environment. Students develop environmental awareness and stewardship values that inspire them to protect the natural resources that define Hawai'i.
What Students Experience
Polynesian Voyaging and Settlement
Learn how ancient Polynesians navigated thousands of miles of open ocean to discover Hawai'i, the plants they brought to make settlement possible, and the knowledge systems that allowed them to thrive.
Plant Identification and Uses
Identify native and Polynesian-introduced plants, learn their traditional uses for food, medicine, tools, and cultural practices.
Ahupua'a System and Sustainability
Understand how the ahupua'a land division system created sustainable communities and explore how these principles can be applied today.
Hands-On Cultural Activities
Participate in traditional chants, ku'i kalo (pounding poi), craft-making, and other interactive cultural practices.
Hawaiian Values in Action
Practice kuleana (responsibility), malama (care), and other Hawaiian values through group activities and community service.
Connect Your Keiki to Culture and Land
Whether you're a teacher, youth leader, or homeschool parent, Kupaʻaina Explorations offers immersive field trips that bring Hawaiian values, traditional practices, and environmental awareness to life. Contact us to plan your custom huakaʻi.