Bringing Light to the Community
Ke Kukui — the light, torch, lamp — is the glow that guided our kūpunaʻs voyages and the spark that illuminated homes in the night. From the candlenut tree, whose shimmering leaves and oil-rich fruit brought both nourishment and brilliance, arises a symbol of enlightenment, guidance, and hope.
Like the kukui that casts light into darkness, Ke Kukui Foundation carries this sacred glow into our community—illuminating identity, igniting cultural pride, and nurturing the stories that guide us home.Through every class, every chant, every gathering of ʻohana, the light continues—not merely to be seen, but to be felt.
We are the flame that remembers, the light that leads, and the glow that ensures Hawaiian culture lives on for generations to come.
Years
Members
Cultural Classes
Families Served
Keeping the Cultural Alive & the Diaspora Connected
For over two decades, Ke Kukui Foundation has created a cultural home for thousands of Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders living away from the islands. Through education, cultural programming, and intergenerational events, we ensure that traditions are not only preserved—but lived, shared, and passed forward.
Preserving ʻike (knowledge) and keeping traditional practices alive through year-round cultural learning.
Ke Kukui Foundation offers ongoing cultural classes and hands-on workshops that make Native Hawaiian arts, language, and music accessible to our community. Whether you are reconnecting with your roots or beginning your cultural journey, our programs provide an authentic space to learn, grow, and belong.
Honoring the keepers of our culture by providing platforms to teach, share, and sustain their work.
This pillar uplifts our cultural practitioners and artists by offering teaching opportunities, paid residencies, and community platforms where they can pass on knowledge while strengthening their own practice. The program nurtures the next generation of practitioners while actively supporting those who carry cultural lineage today.
Empowering our youth through cultural grounding, leadership training, and real-world experience.
Our youth programs cultivate identity, confidence, and responsibility through Hawaiian values, cultural learning, and leadership roles. Youth participants receive mentoring, engage in cultural practices, and develop life skills that prepare them to lead future generations.
Creating pathways to economic independence rooted in culture and self-determination.
This program supports Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs, artists, and small business owners by providing access to markets, mentorship, and opportunities to grow through culturally centered economic development.
Bringing the community together through celebration, cultural pride, and collective impact.
Our cornerstone event—4 Days of Aloha—is more than a festival. It is a movement of cultural resurgence, economic empowerment, and intergenerational leadership. Along with cultural center events throughout the year, these initiatives build unity, visibility, and sustainability for Native Hawaiian culture in the Pacific Northwest.
We welcome you to join our Kukui ʻohana on our journey to preserve culture
Kaloku Holt
Executive Director