PA’I Foundation

PA’I Foundation’s mission is to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural traditions for future generations, and they have established a cultural center on O’ahu to better serve the broader Hawaiian community. The foundation is among a group that is the driving force behind movements to recover language, cultural traditions, healing practices, voyaging, navigations and agricultural practices of a people in their ancestral land who are now the minority population.

Since 2006, the PA‘I Foundation and the Bishop Museum have been engaged in a successful partnership that allowed the two organizations to secure funding to launch the Native Hawaiian Arts Market. Modeled on the Santa Fe Indian Market, this event serves as a way to celebrate Native Hawaiian contemporary artists. The Market has established a venue for artists to share, exhibit and sell their work. This initial two-day celebration has grown into a month long event, Maoli Arts Month (MAMo), celebrating Native Hawaiian arts and culture. MAMo incorporates the arts market, gallery showings, children’s arts events, a wearable art show and an awards reception, all taking place throughout downtown Honolulu.