A decade of relationship and learning
Nāwaipuna was not created from a single idea or project.
It emerged from more than a decade of relationship-building, cultural exchange, stewardship, and shared learning across communities.
Since 2016, participants, practitioners, educators, and community partners have come together through experiences that connect people to place, culture, and one another. What began as the Blue Water Exchange grew into a broader vision for long-term stewardship, leadership development, and Indigenous knowledge exchange.
Today, Nāwaipuna serves as the organizational home for this work, carrying forward the lessons, relationships, and responsibilities cultivated over the last ten years while creating opportunities for future generations.
Two top-award programs, Generation Green and the Hawaiʻi Youth Conservation Corps, come together to expand their learning and community connection.
What Do You Do With an Idea?
Blue Water Exchange Begins
First exchange between Hawaiʻi and the Washoe community.
A shared commitment to learning through place, stewardship, and cultural relationship.
2020
2018-2019
Growth Through Community
New participants, alumni, practitioners, and partners strengthen the network.
The work expands beyond exchange experiences to include broader stewardship, leadership, and community engagement opportunities.
2021 - 2024
2026 - 2036
The Next Decade
Building upon ten years of relationships, Nāwaipuna enters its next chapter focused on leadership development, cultural continuity, stewardship, and long-term impact.
2025
2016
The Makaliʻi Project
Blue Water Exchange evolves into the Makaliʻi Project.
The program honors its origins while embracing a broader vision for Indigenous knowledge exchange and place-based learning.
Nāwaipuna is Established
Annual cohorts continue.
A non-profit organization is formed to provide a permanent foundation for the work and relationships developed through Blue Water Exchange.