On the sovereign landbase of Puʻuhonua O Waimānalo, beneath the Koʻolau and grounded in cultivated ʻāina, Puʻuhonua Mākeke continues to grow as a powerful expression of cultural resurgence and community-driven enterprise. Recently featured by HiNowDaily, the marketplace was highlighted as a space rooted in culture and connection — a gathering that reflects both the entrepreneurial spirit and ancestral values of our people.
Watch the full segment here:
Created by Lehuanani Kanahele, Puʻuhonua Mākeke was envisioned as more than a pop-up market. It is a living platform for Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs, farmers, artisans, and cultural practitioners to share their work within a space that honors ʻike kūpuna and strengthens community bonds. Through intentional leadership and curation, Lehuanani has cultivated an environment where commerce and culture move together — where vendors are not simply selling products, but sharing stories, ʻike, and connection.
The marketplace has become an important space for uplifting Kanaka women-owned and local businesses, creating consistent economic opportunity while reinforcing cultural identity. For many vendors — including māmā, small-scale farmers, food producers, and makers — Puʻuhonua Mākeke provides both visibility and sustainability. Dollars spent here circulate locally, strengthening ʻohana and reinforcing a model of economic development that prioritizes people and place.
From the perspective of the Ministry of Commerce, Puʻuhonua Mākeke represents a tangible example of Indigenous economic development in action. It demonstrates that markets rooted in culture can generate meaningful prosperity without compromising values. This is commerce aligned with mālama ʻāina, reciprocity, and collective growth.
The significance of this marketplace is inseparable from the land upon which it stands. Puʻuhonua O Waimānalo serves as the sovereign landbase of the Nation of Hawai‘i — a refuge reclaimed and stewarded through decades of leadership and perseverance. Since the early 1990s, under the guidance of Puʻuhonua “Bumpy” Kanahele and kūpuna, the land has been dedicated to cultural restoration, food production, housing, and self-determined governance. Hosting Puʻuhonua Mākeke on this land reinforces the principle that our economy must be rooted in ʻāina and guided by ʻike.
Each gathering brings together kūpuna, keiki, vendors, and families to exchange more than goods. Workshops in lei-making, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, traditional games, fresh produce, prepared foods, and handcrafted items all contribute to a marketplace that feels relational rather than transactional. It is a reminder that economic activity, when aligned with culture, becomes an extension of community care.
Puʻuhonua Mākeke continues to grow in attendance, participation, and impact — serving as a blueprint for regenerative, community-centered enterprise across Hawaiʻi. It stands as an affirmation that sovereignty is not abstract; it is practiced daily through stewardship, entrepreneurship, and shared purpose.
For more information, vendor participation, and upcoming dates, visit puuhonuamakeke.org and follow @puuhonuamakeke on social media.
Ministry of Commerce
Nation of Hawai‘i
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