The Share Aloha Foundation supports the perpetuation of the Hawaiian Culture and sharing the gift of ALOHA within our own cultures. We respect every culture as they are, and believe that we all can contribute to one another. We support individuals and organizations to embrace the Aloha way of life, which in return enriches and inspire the waves of GRATITUDE.

We are a bridge which makes a connection between cultures utilizing the gift of ALOHA!

Aloha is commonly known as a greeting and has different layers of meaning that goes beyond love. It is about respecting all beings around us, sharing the same breath and live on this planet as one family.

BE ALOHA wherever you live, embrace it all with the grace of unconditional love to yourself and others.

LIVE ALOHA  be an example to all that’s around you, inspire your community for a respectful, more simple and peaceful living.

SHARE ALOHA give back, always start at your own community, and always remember to give back to those that inspired you, supported you and love you. Giving back in any way we choose, is the biggest gift in one’s life, it rejuvenate our souls, and creating the continuous circle of GRATITUDE!

 

How it all started

The connection with the Hawaiian culture happened more than 20 years ago, when I received my first Lomilomi session (Hawaiian bodywork), this experience changed my life beyond words and in many ways.

And what happened thereafter is me embarking on the Wa’a (canoe) and reconnecting with my deeper parts via the embracement of the ALOHA SPIRIT as a way of life. This path continuously nourishes my heart and soul.

As a Kumu (teacher) Lomilomi I dedicate my efforts and actions to support others to embrace the ALOHA SPIRIT as a way of life, wherever you live. When one is ready to take that step, a world of opportunities opens up. A great step to create a more natural and more peaceful way of being.

Among the Hawaiian teachings that have been shared with us, is that one that we must Aloha everything and everyone, our ‘OHANA (family). ‘Ohana is everything and everyone, it is not exclusive for one specific group. Because we have the depth of understanding of the value of ‘Ohana, our ‘Ohana continuously growing.

Since the teachings that I share are based on this principal, the best way to practice is to SHARE ALOHA!

In practicality for our foundation it means GIVING BACK TO THE HAWAÏAN’S AS A MAHALO NUI (thank you) FOR ALL THEY ARE SHARING WITH US!

Amira Segal, Kumu Lomilomi

Halau Malamalamalomilomi

Getting involved

The Share Aloha Foundation is dedicated to bring cultures in contact with each other via the teachings and sharing of the Aloha spirit. This is achieved via sustainable and ecological projects that are supporting the Hawaiian culture. Projects with Taro farmers, koa plants, canoe builders and navigators, rebuilding fishponds and supporting the protection of land and ocean.

For more information, please contact us.

One possibility is to share a donation

Another possibility is to order the first Lomilomi-cookbook:

(also a great gift for family & friends!)

Mahalo nui loa

(Thank you very much)

Our next volunteer trip is scheduled in November 2015

 

Projects

The following connections (connect in action) are woven into our activities:

• connect to nature (sustainability)
• connect to each other (community)
• connect to future (children)
• connect to present (responsibility)

      

Taro Farmers 

Kalo was the basic and the original staple of life for Hawaiian people. The first name of the taro is Haloa Naka, which means long stock trembling (leaf) and is considered to be a sacred ancestor and brother that is feeding and taking care of humans.

Taro is the name of the plant. The root, corm, is called Kalo in Hawaiian, the leafs Lau and the scions Huli. Especially the root was the main source for minerals and vitamins: it was a modern super-food in the old days. It takes one year to grow Kalo before it can be harvest. The Kalo will be eaten, the Hulí’s are planted. Some species grows in water, other on the land. Since the arrival of the Americans on the islands, this specific Hawaiian farming has not been supported.

Nowadays there are a few Kalo farmers that want to expand their Kalo-patches (lo’i s) in order to produce such an amount that the Hawaiian Islands are self-sustainable.

The Share Aloha Foundation supports these farmers.

 

Navigating and the sailing canoes

In the old days travelling on the sea requested a lot of knowledge on connecting to elements in nature like stars, sun and moon, different currents and the weather. The navigators especially were assigned to this task and had a deep connection and respect for the ocean and its richness.

In these days only a few navigators are left that had a lifetime of training. To pass on this knowledge and respect for the ocean to new generations, educational programs started on the Makali’i. The Hokule’a is making a trip around the world, travelling as it was like in the old days.

Besides passing on knowledge to a new generation, a different purpose is to raise awareness on how important water is in a human life. And also for scientific reason many specialist travel along to gather data for various researches.

During our volunteer trips we help to maintain the seaworthy canoes and support the Polynesian Voyaging Society (www.nakalaiwaa.org).

Fishponds

Using the natural tides, the fishponds were the source for eating fish. With a wall of stones in in the sea, connected to the land, the fish will swim in during high tide, and during low tide some will stay inside. The special knowledge regarding the stone wall is handed down generations. Also in this case, only a few masters are left.

The Share Aloha Foundation supports the fishponds in Kihei, on Maui. Every second weekend of the month there is a family gathering to rebuild the stone wall of the fishpond. But more resources are needed in order to maintain the fishponds and knowledge.

Nani Mahiki

The Hawai’ian Islands were divided in regions like different pieces of a pie: every province/region had access to resources of the sea, the land and the mountains. The Koa-tree is indigenous tree that has been the source for many canoes sailing on the ocean.

During many ages different tree were imported and planted. Also plants there were not suitable for the long-term: like the mangrove tree (banyan) is taking up too much water for the land, and dried up many resources of water in the mountains.

Close to the mountain Mauna Kea Punahele Andrade, our Kumu Hula, has started with bringing back the Koa-trees on his land. The name of his land is Nani Mahiki which means beautiful Mahiki (that is the region where the land is).

About volunteering

The deep connection and respect of the Hawaiians for nature and all beings will be experienced by our group of volunteers which have a deep connection to the Hawaiians,
via their Lomilomi work. Besides emerging into the culture and servicing by doing practical tasks, the integrated lessons will be taken home. To implement these connections at home is an even more important goal to achieve for the Share Aloha Foundation.

The ultimate goal is that via the volunteering and the connection with Hawaiian people we are bringing home a fresh wind regarding the culture of volunteering. For example, once a week you volunteer, whatever you really like to do and not acting out of obligation, like the Hawaiian people do at the Fishponds.

 

Financial goals 2015

To support the local projects on Hawaii we have the following goals regarding raising money:

Taro Farmers:               20.000 euro

Navigators:                     10.000 euro

Supporting Fishpond:  10.000 euro

Supporting Koa-trees: 10.000 euro

 

We underline the following statement of Hawaiian Airlines:

Go to Hawai’i to get the inspired

and

return with many Aloha

to share at home!