About Us

	This picture is of many ʻOhana/Family members. A working group of volunteers on a recent trip to the Nāpali coast.
	Pictured are ʻOhana volunteers on a recent trip to Nuʻalolo Kai. Sabra Kauka, Leilani Kaleiohi, Adelaide Emura, Lu Koerte (clockwise r-l), and Aalona, zodiac captain (kneeling), responsible for our boat transportation. Photos courtesy of www.napaliphoto.com

ʻOhana is Hawaiian for “family”

ʻOhana can actually mean much more than the dictionary definition of family. ʻOhana can describe a community, a circle of friends, who share common goals and values. This commonality defines the Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana.

In 1995 a handful of Kauaʻi residents met and formed the Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana. They were concerned about the impacts of years of public use of the 6000+ acre park, particularly the destination valley of Kalalau. This heavy use, combined with a lack of proper management, was having a detrimental effect on the coast and its unique natural and cultural resources, particularly along the Kalalau Trail. The Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana became an integral part of the management team, organizing large valley and beach clean-ups and working with State staff on important tasks such as the reintroduction of native flora.

A couple of years later, the focus of the ʻOhana shifted to the small coastal flat of Nuʻalolo Kai at the western end of Nāpali, which houses an extensive complex of archaeological features. The area was overgrown with years of vegetation and cultural sites were being degraded by nature, goats and man.

In 1997, the Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana Foundation officially formed as a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation. In early 2000, the successful volunteer work of the ʻOhana was acknowledged by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. An exclusive curator agreement was granted to the ʻOhana to mālama, care for, maintain and preserve, the cultural sites within Nuʻalolo Kai.

In 2001, the ʻOhana received a Preservation Honor Award from the Historic Hawaii Foundation for its work at Nuʻalolo Kai.

Nuʻalolo Kai is a part of the Nāpali Archaeological District which is listed on both the National and Hawaiʻi Registers of Historic Places. Nuʻalolo is significant as one of the first sites in Hawaiʻi where extensive archaeological study was conducted between 1959 and 1964. Archaeological surveys have identified and mapped a complex of housesites, ceremonial platforms, agricultural features and walled enclosures on this coastal flat. Some of the structures at Nuʻalolo Kai are among the most impressive along the coast in terms of construction technique, size, and structural complexity. This well-preserved complex provides unique opportunity for research and interpretation of traditional Hawaiian life along the Nāpali Coast.

Nuʻalolo was inhabited until the end of the 19th century and subsequently became covered with a dense growth of mostly alien vegetation. The Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana is working to correct the decades of inattention. Nuʻalolo Kai may now be visited and enjoyed during the summer months, subject to weather and access conditions.

Please review our Board of Directors to fully understand their durable relationship to our environmental community. There is a collaborative synergy between the elected citizen/activist members and the County and State agency resources.

Predominantly a grassroots organization, the ʻOhana is comprised of dedicated and skilled volunteers. Our curator status has promoted achievement of noteworthy interaction with the State Parks Division of the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources.

We are constantly seeking to expand our individual membership. The enrollment of active Corporate Protectors has grown every year, helping us attain our preservation, maintenance, and education goals. No matter what your talents are, we invite you to support us in our commitment to this sacred land. Donations, even the smallest, are welcome and appreciated. Your contributions are tax deductible and your entire donation amount will go directly to support our Nāpali Coast work.

The Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana remains a 100% volunteer organization without monetary compensation to any member or director.