Hanauma Bay’s New Education Provider Brings Hawaiian Cultural Focus to Marine Stewardship

A new chapter begins at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve this month as the Hui Mālama O Ke Kai Foundation takes over the bay’s education program from the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, which had managed visitor education there for nearly four decades.

The transition brings more than just a change in management. The foundation is rebranding the program as “Papahana Hanauma” and shifting focus to center Native Hawaiian cultural practices and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi alongside marine science education.

“We’re not just teaching people about the fish and coral,” said Kekoa Harman, executive director of Hui Mālama O Ke Kai Foundation. “We’re connecting visitors to the deeper cultural significance of this place and helping them understand their kuleana — their responsibility — as stewards of our ocean.”

The change comes as part of the city’s broader effort to incorporate more Native Hawaiian perspectives into the management of culturally significant sites. Hanauma Bay, formed within an ancient volcanic crater, holds deep cultural meaning as a traditional fishing ground and gathering place for Native Hawaiians.

Cultural Knowledge Meets Marine Science

Under the new Papahana Hanauma program, visitors will learn about traditional Hawaiian fishing practices, the concept of ahupuaʻa (watershed management), and how ancient Hawaiians maintained sustainable relationships with marine resources. The program will incorporate ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi terms for marine life and reef features.

The educational approach represents a significant departure from UH Sea Grant’s primarily scientific focus, though marine conservation remains central to the mission. The foundation plans to weave together Western scientific knowledge with traditional ecological knowledge passed down through generations of Native Hawaiian practitioners.

The transition affects one of Oʻahu’s most visited attractions, which sees approximately one million visitors annually. The preserve has required mandatory education sessions for all visitors since reopening after pandemic closures, making the program’s cultural shift particularly impactful.

Building on Decades of Conservation Success

UH Sea Grant’s nearly 38-year tenure at Hanauma Bay helped establish it as a model for marine education and conservation. The program developed comprehensive curricula about coral reef ecosystems, marine life identification, and responsible snorkeling practices that protected the bay’s delicate ecosystem.

The success of those efforts is evident in the bay’s recovery from decades of overuse and damage. Visitor numbers are now carefully managed, and the mandatory education program has significantly reduced harmful behaviors like standing on coral and feeding fish.

Hui Mālama O Ke Kai Foundation, founded in 2019, brings expertise in community-based marine conservation and Native Hawaiian cultural education. The organization has worked on projects across the Pacific, focusing on integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary conservation practices.

What Visitors Can Expect

The new program will maintain the same mandatory pre-visit education format but expand content to include cultural protocols, traditional place names, and the spiritual significance of marine environments in Hawaiian culture. Visitors will learn phrases like “malama kai” (care for the ocean) and understand concepts like “pono” (righteous action) in relation to reef stewardship.

Educational materials will be presented in both English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, with staff trained in cultural protocols as well as marine science. The foundation plans to incorporate traditional chants, stories, and practices that connect visitors more deeply to the place they’re visiting.

For many Honolulu residents, the change reflects a broader movement toward centering Native Hawaiian perspectives in the management of culturally significant sites. Similar shifts have occurred at other locations, including Mauna Kea and various state parks.

Looking Forward

The transition comes at a crucial time as Hawaiʻi grapples with balancing tourism impacts with cultural preservation and environmental protection. Hanauma Bay serves as a testing ground for how education can shape visitor behavior and create more meaningful connections between people and place.

City officials hope the cultural focus will create more respectful visitors who understand their role as temporary stewards of a sacred place. The program’s success could influence how other high-visitation cultural and natural sites approach visitor education.

For Honolulu residents, the change represents an opportunity to see their own cultural heritage centered in one of the island’s most prominent educational programs. Many locals have long advocated for greater recognition of Native Hawaiian knowledge in managing ancestral lands and waters.

The Papahana Hanauma program officially launches this month, with the foundation planning ongoing community input sessions to refine and expand the educational offerings. The goal is creating a model that other destinations might follow — one that honors both the scientific understanding of marine ecosystems and the cultural wisdom of the people who have cared for these waters for centuries.