Puakea Foundation of Hawaii, Inc

Puakea Foundation

The Puakea Foundation of Hawai‘i, Inc. was founded in 2005 in honor of Bobby Puakea, aka Uncle Bobby. The foundation is dedicated to preserving Pacific Island Canoe Culture.

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About Our Programs

Uncle Bobby and students who attended his Make Your Own Paddle workshop

Education is a core part of our mission. Every year, Uncle Bobby teaches a three-week course on How to Make Your Own Paddle. He also frequently hosts visitors and school groups who watch him work repairing koa canoes at the halau.
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Women's crew approaching the finish line of the Na Wahine o ke kai race

RACING

Canoe culture is deeply centered around the art and sport of outrigger canoe racing. The Puakea Foundation promotes the traditional use of koa canoes in races throughout the U.S. and also supports Men’s and Women’s teams.
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WA‘A GENEALOGY

In 2015, the Puakea Foundation began a long-term project to identify and catalog all of the koa wa‘a (canoes) here in Hawai‘i. We estimate there are close to 100 of them, and we are gathering details of their history and current location.
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Articles from Our Blog

photo of man sanding his wood canoe paddle in the making

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Please join our email list to receive news about workshops, races, and other Pacific canoe culture activities.