Restoring ʻĀina and Identity in Kailua
Hikaʻalani is a community-based non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Hawaiian cultural leaders of Kailua, Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, who refused to sit in idle consternation over the loss of places and practices that once defined Kailua as a land of abundance and excellence.
Our Mission
is to reestablish centers of stewardship and learning at storied places in the ahupuaʻa of Kailua where we can again gather, as Hawaiians did in centuries past, to practice the culture that sustains and defines us.
Our Vision
is one of a thriving Hawaiian cultural presence in Kailua – of a community guided by master teachers dedicated to sharing with our children, at sites of abiding ancestral significance, the ʻike of our kūpuna.
Our Name
Hika'alani means “to look to the heavens.” It honors a Kailua woman who, in 1895, testified before the Ko‘olaupoko Water Rights Commission. She remembered being a girl when the first missionaries arrived. She spoke of how her people had once prospered in a land of fishponds and taro fields that fed all of Kailua and “supplied the Oʻahu chiefs when they called for ho‘okupus.” Near the end of the proceedings, when asked if other Kailua Hawaiians could corroborate her testimony, Hikaʻalani answered: “No, there is none of these old folks living. They are all dead excepting myself and my foster mother …. There is no one … all dead.”
We have given ourselves Hikaʻalani’s name in defiance of the extinction she feared and as a promise to her that we will neither give up nor go away. We accept, in her memory, the challenge of thriving again as Hawaiians in our ancestral home.
Our Team
Hikaʻalani’s Executive Leadership Team is composed of kumu hula, cultural practitioners, and professionals grounded in ʻike Hawaiʻi and longstanding relationships to ʻāina and community. Rooted in Koʻolaupoko, these women bring experience spanning education, operations, communications, and program development, helping guide the organization with care, stewardship, and a strong sense of responsibility to the communities they serve.
Māpuana de Silva
Māpuana de Silva is a respected kumu hula and cultural leader whose work is dedicated to the preservation and transmission of ʻike Hawaiʻi through hula, chant, and ʻāina-based practice. As Executive Director and co-founder of Hikaʻalani, and kumu hula of Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima, she guides the organization’s vision and ensures its work remains deeply rooted in culture, place, and community.
mapuana@hikaalani.org
Executive Director
Pua Sterling
Pua Sterling is the Senior Director of Operations at Hikaʻalani, guiding strategy, partnerships, and organizational development across the organization. A communications strategist and cultural practitioner, her work draws from experience in branding, program and event management, and cultural affairs, shaping efforts that connect ʻike Hawaiʻi with contemporary contexts.
pua@hikaalani.org
Senior Director of Operations
Charlene Kaʻolu Luning
Charlene A. Kaʻoluokamalanai Luning serves as Administrative Director at Hikaʻalani, leading finance, human resources, and internal systems that support the organization’s day-to-day operations. With a background in human resources, cultural education, and nonprofit administration, she brings a steady, community-centered approach grounded in her deep commitment to Kailua.
kaolu@hikaalani.org
Administrative Director
Makanani Akiona
Melissa Makanani Akiona-Agpaoa is the Program Director at Hikaʻalani, leading the implementation of programs, partnerships, and curriculum development across initiatives. With a background in natural resource management, her work bridges environmental knowledge and cultural practice, supporting programs that are both ʻike Hawaiʻi–grounded and rooted in place.
makanani@hikaalani.org
Program DirectorOur Board of Directors
Hikaʻalani’s Board of Directors is composed of respected leaders and practitioners whose expertise spans law, education, finance, cultural resources, and the arts. Grounded in a shared commitment to ʻike Hawaiʻi and community, the board provides strategic guidance and governance to support the organization’s mission, long-term sustainability, and responsible growth.
Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie
Prof. of Law Emerita, William S. Richardson School of Law, UH-Mānoa; Kumu Hula
“I am inspired by the ʻōlelo noʻeau (# 1261), I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu - the branches grow because of the trunk, which means that "without our ancestors we would not be here." This reminds me of the ʻāina I come from, and my ancestors who have passed down their commitment to our ʻāina and culture. It also honors those who have supported me on my journey, and the ʻike or knowledge that I have learned from my ancestors, teachers, and mentors”
President
Lani Maʻa Lapilio
Owner, Principal Aukahi Cultural Consulting
“As a Native Hawaiian attorney and cultural practitioner, I believe the protection of nā iwi kūpuna, our ancestral places, and our stories is both a legal responsibility and a sacred duty. I am dedicated to ensuring the voices of the lāhui are not only heard, but respected and upheld in shaping our future.”
Vice President
Tierney Hōkū Morikawa Rostron
TreasurerVice President, Enterprise Credit Risk Analyst, Bank of Hawaiʻi
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #405
Hāhai nō ka ua i ka ululāʻau
Rain always follows the forest
The rains are attracted to forest trees. Knowing this, Hawaiians hewed only the trees that were needed.
Resha Momilani Ramolete
Principal (Kainalu Elementary) & Entrepreneur (Yessah Tingz & Pua Mohala)
I ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope. The future is found in the past.
“I serve to ensure the cultural foundations of our past remain the steady heartbeat of our community's growth and innovation. For me, engaging in this work is about weaving ancestral knowledge into modern stewardship, creating a vibrant future that is authentically ours.”
Secretary
Jessi Kauʻinohea Botti
Con-Tech Specialist, StarCom Builders
“As digital platforms increasingly shape how our stories and knowledge are shared, I believe it’s important that Native voices guide how our culture is represented in these spaces. I’m passionate about using design and technology to support ʻike kūpuna in ways that feel intentional, respectful, and grounded. For me, this work is about ensuring our ʻike continues to live and evolve on our terms.”
Director
Leʻa Kaʻahaʻaina
DirectorOutreach & Education Coordinator, Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife
ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua. While there is earthly life, do all you can.
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