Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 12, 1 December 2018 — Mana Up! For Holidays [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mana Up! For Holidays

By Noelani Arista

Many of us are probably searching for the perfect makana for a friend or loved one this holiday season, but finding the item that expresses how we feel is often difficult since many products may not reflect our aesthetic sensibilities largely because they are not crafted locally or laek a Hawaiian design sense. Mana Up is a business accelerator that offers a 12-week intensive course to assist Hawaiian and Hawai'i-based businesses in scaling up their capacity to reach a broader global audience with their products. Out of two cohorts, some nine businesses are Hawaiian-owned, and, with over $100,000 in annual revenue before entering the program, they are also quite obviously successful. Here is a short holiday guide to some of Mana Up's Hawaiian-owned businesses and products to help you support Hawaiian entrepreneurship and find the perfect gift to share your aloha with friends and 'ohana this holiday. Visit the Mana Up website to see all the loeal and Hawaiian created products currently available and to support loeal entrepreneurs: manauphawaii.com. ■

A Pōmahina Designs: Creator Kanoelani Davis of Moloka'i is a fashion designer and artist who infuses oulture, 'ōlelo and tradition as part of a modern maoli sensibility. Pōmahina creations offer you fashions and accessories that ean take you from the office to cocktail hour, from the yoga studio to the UFC gym. 0rder online at www.pomahinadesigns.com.

A Laha'ole Designs: Tanya Uyehara of Laha'ole Designs makes beautiful handmade jewelry shaped by mo'olelo Hawai'i. Tanya was a Hawaiian educator who found her passion for bringingtogether story and design into her creations. She began her business making heartfelt gifts for family, aloha sh( now shares through her business. 0rder online at www.lahaoledesigns.com.

Little Hands Hawai'i: ) Rosalyn and husband Miehael offer the only locally prepared organic sunscreen currently a available. Little Hands ī is safe for children and 1 was made especially to ' help preserve the health ofour coral reefsand oceans. 0rder online at ww\ littlehandshawaii.com.

-< Voyaging Foods: Brynn Foster began making foods from homemade taro powder in order to provide better healthy meals for her newborn son. Choose from an arrayofglutenfree baked goods and dry mixes made from Hawaiian-

grown plants like kalo, 'uala, and 'ulu for personal health and the life of our planet. 0rder online at : www.voyagingfoods.com.

K Mamalani: Mele, a registered dietician and mom, is the creator of Mamalani beauty and health products named in honor of her beloved grandmother. Enjoy locally sourced products for self-care: natural oils, lip balm, skin creams and body powders. Order online at www.mamalani.com.