We help make Maui’s outdoor recreation accessible to all.
Our Mission
The mission of Kelea Foundation is to support and uplift the community of Maui through inclusive and accessible support services and activities
We work to make recreation and the ocean more accessible to our entire community. We recognize that in order for people to get to the ocean, they must also be able to get to the beach. We work to create an accessible community overall so that everyone can gain equal access to the healing power of recreation and the Ocean.
Our Vision
Kelea Foundation creates an accessible community where everyone can access all aspects of our built and natural environment, especially women and girls.
We are building a Hawaii where everyone can be included in the community with equity and support. That starts with our built environment & systems and extends into our homes, businesses and
Our Values:
● Inclusion:
We focus on the most vulnerable- leave no one behind
● Empower Change:
We empower change through community-led action
● Collaboration:
We partner with agencies, organizations and individuals
Our Inspiration
Keleanohoana'api'api
{The Maui Surf Riding Princess}
Several beautiful stories can be found about Kelea, all differing slightly in the details. The main story goes a bit like this:
Kelea was a beautiful princess of Maui who loved to surf more than anything. Some say she told her brother that she would never marry a man, only her surfboard! The Hawaiian Gods told Kelea that she would find the love of her life only in the ocean.
The King of Oahu was searching desperately for a bride. He sent his cousin, Kalamakua on an expedition to find one among the Hawaiian Alii (royalty).
After finding no worthy princess on the Big Island, Kalamakua continued his expedition onto Maui. One day he came up on Hookipa Beach, Kelea’s most treasured surf break. Kelea was surfing and impressed Kalamakua very much. She approached the foreign canoes while out on her surfboard. Seeing the mastery she showed over the waves, they challenged her to surf their canoes into shore. She successfully surfed them back and forth several times. On the last attempt, a squall came in and the expedition took the opportunity to wisk Kelea away to Oahu.
Kelea’s brother sent out a search party, but never found her.
Kalamakua took Kelea back to Oahu to meet his brother. They were married and Kelea had three children. Eventually Kelea divorced the king and went to live with his brother, whom she was really in love with.
Kelea is our inspiration. She was a woman known for following her heart, and that led her straight to the sea, where again, she followed it to find the love of her life.
May she continue each day to inspire us to follow our hearts.