I PA‘A I KONA KUPUNA ‘A‘OLE KĀKOU E PUKA.

I PA‘A I KONA KUPUNA ‘A‘OLE KĀKOU E PUKA.

Tattoo artist tattooing a person's arm while several people assist and observe.

Pā Kālai ʻIli is a Native Hawaiian nonprofit organization—founded, led, and operated by Native Hawaiians—committed to the preservation and stewardship of all related aspects of kākau uhi, the traditional Hawaiian practice of tattooing. Based on Maui, we honor kākau uhi as a living cultural art and a profound source of healing, identity, and intergenerational strength.

Our Mission.

Aia a paʻi ʻia ka maka, haʻi ʻia kupuna nāna ʻoe.

We are living in an era where our cultural identity is fractured and we are consistently challenged as a people.

Our mission is to preserve, perpetuate, and educate the public about the traditional Hawaiian practice of tattooing (kākau uhi) as both a cultural art form and a healing practice. We protect Native Hawaiian heritage by reconnecting others with protocols, customs, and stories that have guided our people for generations.

A shirtless man with long hair and a beard standing on a street at sunset, wearing a black loincloth and showcasing a long geometric tattoo running down his left leg.

Chase Keliipaakaua

Chase Keliipaakaua

A close-up of a man wearing a brown beanie and a plaid shirt, smiling with slightly squinted eyes, indoor setting with vents visible in the background.

President

President

Kymberlynn Burk

Kymberlynn Burk

A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a black top, gold earrings, and a light-colored scarf, sitting inside a restaurant with wooden tables and chairs, and a hanging potted plant near a window.

Vice President & Secretary

Vice President & Secretary

Lee Franco

Lee Franco

A young man with dark hair sits on a stone bridge railing, wearing a white t-shirt, plaid short-sleeve shirt, shorts, and sneakers. There are trees with yellow and green leaves behind him, and the sky is partly cloudy.

Treasurer

Treasurer

Makani Tabura

Makani Tabura

A man dressed in traditional Polynesian attire, with tattoos on his arm and a necklace made of shells or similar material, standing outdoors with trees and other people in the background.

Director of Wellness

Director of Wellness

Kekai Naone

Kekai Naone

Director of Cultural Protocol

Director of Cultural Protocol

People dressed in traditional Hawaiian attire with leis, playing drums in a cultural celebration.