Community
Makana Impacts
Makana: The Hawa'ian Practice of Giving, Receiving and Interconnectivity
Interconnectivity matters
AltruVistas’ Malia Everette grew up on Hawai ‘i within a cultural context of appreciation and gift-giving, where no one shows up empty-handed or empty-hearted. Through her studies with Manulani Aluli-Meyer, a University of Hawai’i West Oahu Professor who works in the field of indigenous epistemology and its role in world-wide awakening, Malia deepened her understanding of makana.
In Hawai’ian culture, when people gather, it’s customary for gifts to be given and received. Some gifts are material, like food, flowers, or handcrafted items—while other gifts take the form of blessings.
No matter the form, makana offerings are a way to show appreciation, respect, and gratitude. They are imbued with mana—sacred and intrinsic life force—and represent a deep understanding of our interconnection with each other, with the planet, and with the cosmos.
Makana isn’t transactional. It’s about how giving and receiving strengthens community and belonging.
When you travel with us, you’re practicing makana!
- Makana is at the heart of our business model. Every journey we power builds in active funding for the communities we visit and build relationship with. By paradigm-shifting the conventional tourism model, we keep 50-80% of your travel dollars in the host destination and also make a direct donation to at least two community organizations per journey.
- Additionally, if you’re traveling with a social benefit organization that is facilitating your trip, a percentage of the cost gets donated to this partner organization’s philanthropic efforts.
- Last but not least, 10% of our annual revenue goes towards work in the world we believe in. In 2025, our AltruVistic fund supported PACT’s work to end child trafficking in the tourism industry; Sustainable Travel International’s carbon management program; Save the Waves’ work protecting coastal ecosystems, Women’s Earth Alliance's climate and gender work; and Hawai’i Island’s Kanaka healing sanctuary and restoration project Konea ‘O Kukui Gardens.
Travel doesn’t have to be extractive—it can be regenerative!
Mahalo for your Makana!
Tell us how you would like to give. Our team will contact you to arrange your contribution.