Na Mea Hawaii

"I attended a class at Kīpuka with Kai Hyde making Ni'ihau Shell earrings and I am very pleased to say that I'm sooooo happy that I now own Ni'ihau shell jewelry! Kai prepares the type of kit you want to make which includes, Ni'ihau shells with holes (what a bonus, it's the hardest part to making your jewelry), needles, thread, & felt to lay your shells out on. He demonstrates how to put it together and is there the whole step of the way until you are pau! You get to walk out of the shop wearing your piece of jewelry, like a proud owner of my own hand crafted Ni'ihau shell earrings! Kai shares his 'ike loa with you and doesn't mind e noi ana while you sit and create. I will definitely take another class of his, it's well worth the kālā and all his manao!!"

"I visited the store for the first time again since moving away to Colorado. Happy to say the service I received from the lady at the register was outstanding! I ended up buying all 3 volumes of Nana I Ke Kumu, which my great grand aunt contributed. When I return to Colorado, I'll see if i can mail order my future purchases. This store is a treasure of wisdom for anyone interested in the living culture and history of Hawaii."

"Beautiful local handcrafted souvenirs and high-quality clothing. I spent the best part of an hour looking around and had a wonderful time taking it all in. The prices run the range from inexpensive to extremely dear, so you should find something for everyone - whether looking for a simple souvenir or a heirloom. Definitely worth a visit especially if you find yourself tired of the tourist track and looking for more unique pieces or wearable art."

"If you are looking for a place in Honolulu to buy books on Hawaiian history or mythology, this place is great. We found a great board book on Hina and a book on Hawaii’s legends. There are also small trinkets for purchase. Think small independent bookstore, and you will understand the vibe here. Go!"

"It has been about 3 years since Na Mea Hawai'i had relocated into Ward Centre in a much smaller and intimate space but their customer service and fine artisan-made gifts ranging from hat bands made with loving hands by Hawaiian feather worker, men's and women's Aloha wear, jewelry with semi-precious stones, lovely wood turned bowls from local wood species to Hawaiian culture and history books. We went into Na Mea Hawai'i to browse but were focused on replacing some locally produced stationery (memo pads) for my brother-in-law. Yeah, he's old school to still use paper and pen to jot down his market lists or appointment reminders instead of inputting the information into his smartphone. Besides, the local memo pads are unique, and we were surprised that after 3 years, my BIL asked us to see if we could get more. Unfortunately, we didn't find what we were looking for but the friendly salesperson, Dawn, offered to speak with her manager about finding the source and possibly bringing in the product. We readily filled out their contact list with hopes that we'd be called when the product is available. Meanwhile, my husband roamed around the store and plopped himself in front of the bookshelves. He found the latest release of the Holy Bible translated into pidgin English which we're considering sending a copy to one of my relatives and several other fun books that made us reminisce about our childhood in Hawai'i. There were lei-making and Hawaiian medicine instructional books which caught my eyes. Hm, I chuckled to myself thinking about how I've changed from looking at artwork and considering how to incorporate the artwork into our home décor or buying apparel and jewelry for career wear to just reading books about Hawai'i's historical perspectives or how-to-make projects ...hm, learning never stops. Anyway, Na Mea Hawai'i is a wonderful gift store that features locally-made products and art that promote the Hawaiian culture. Expect to find culturally significant artwork with vintage and modern tastes as in gallery exhibitions. Many items here are NOT inexpensive trinkets and many items are worth passing on to the family but don't let that scare you away as there are fun and made for daily use items. Supporting this local business supports our Hawaiian culture."