Nation of Hawaii

What Nation of Hawaii does

The Nation of Hawai'i, legally known as The Independent & Sovereign Nation State of Hawai'i, is a non-profit governance entity established on January 16, 1995, through the enactment of the Hawai'i Constitution at 'Iolani Palace in Honolulu. It operates as a constitutionally structured body pursuing the peaceful restoration of Native Hawaiian sovereignty, grounded in 19th-century international treaty recognition and U.S. Public Law 103-150 (1993 Apology Resolution). The organization is led by President Pu'uhonua Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele and operates a governance framework comprising the Citizens' Assembly (112 representatives), Na Kupuna Council, and 30+ ministries and commissions covering areas such as Foreign Affairs, Commerce, Treasury, Health, Education, Land & Natural Resources, Film, and iGaming.

Its core products and services include a Citizenship Management System (CRM portal) for citizen intake and civic engagement, the NOH Film Commission for production advisory and cultural protocol services, the iGaming Commission for gaming policy oversight, a Community-Managed Broadband Network (launched 2019 in partnership with the Internet Society and Hawaii DBEDT), and a National Monetary System framework (established 2015, expanded via the Central Bank Act in 2021) exploring digital currency. The Nation maintains a 45-acre land base at Pu'uhonua O Waimānalo under a 55-year lease and operates at Foreign-Trade Zone 9 in Honolulu for international commerce.

The business model is not commercial. Revenue derives primarily from donations via Donorbox (Nation of Hawai'i General Fund, Ahupua'a Restoration Campaign, Kōkua Maui Fund, Kona Low Storm Direct Aid), supplemented by Foreign-Trade Zone 9 transaction fees and Film Commission professional services. The go-to-market approach is community-led, leveraging the citizenship intake portal, community Ho'olohe (listening) sessions, official newswire distribution, and a diplomatic network of ambassadors and consuls across 9+ countries. It serves primarily Native Hawaiians and Kanaka Maoli seeking cultural, political, and economic self-determination, with secondary engagement of international diplomatic partners and the global indigenous rights community.

Name

Nation of Hawaii

Legal name

The Independent & Sovereign Nation State of Hawai'i

Website

https://nationofhawaii.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nation of Hawai'i is a non-profit sovereign governance entity established in 1995 that serves Native Hawaiians and Kanaka Maoli through constitutional restoration, operating 30+ ministries covering commerce, film, gaming, and foreign affairs with a donation-based funding model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Sovereignty Governance

NAICS

American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Culture, Education & Heritage Intergovernmental Organizations (BPADAAAL)

Keywords

• Sovereign governance services
• Cultural preservation programs
• Citizenship management services
• Community broadband networks
• Diplomatic representation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Waimānalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foreign Trade Zone Operations: The Nation of Hawai'i established operations at Foreign-Trade Zone 9 in Honolulu in 2022, enabling participation in international trade and commerce development as a revenue-generating activity.
2. Film Commission Licensing and Production Advisory: The NOH Film Commission provides production advisory, coordination, and cultural protocol services for film and media projects, creating sustainable economic opportunities within the local creative economy.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts donations through Donorbox platforms for the Nation of Hawai'i General Fund, Ahupua'a Restoration Campaign, and disaster relief efforts including the Kōkua Maui Fund.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Nation of Hawai'i operates as a sovereign nation-state entity providing constitutional governance, citizenship services, and cultural preservation programs for Native Hawaiians. It maintains operational ministries and commissions covering Foreign Affairs, Commerce, Film, iGaming, Education, Health, Culture, Treasury, and other sectors, alongside economic independence initiatives including a Community-Managed Broadband Network and a National Monetary System with digital currency exploration.

Product overview

The Nation of Hawai'i is a national governance body offering a portfolio of institutional products and services including a constitutional governance framework, citizenship management portal, and various commissions. Key offerings include NOHFilm Commission for media production governance, iGaming Commission for gaming oversight, a community-managed broadband network, and a national monetary system for digital currency. The Citizens' Management System serves as the central portal for citizenship intake and civic engagement, while the Community Media Development Program supports local creative economy development. These products operate within the Nation's constitutional structure established in 1995 and reflect peaceful restoration efforts grounded in historical treaty recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Citizenship Management System Official citizenship intake and management portal for individuals seeking citizenship with the Nation of Hawai'i, handling master communications, civic coordination, and program eligibility for citizens.
• NOH Film Commission Governing body for film, television, documentary, and digital media projects operating under the Ministry of Commerce, providing production advisory, coordination, and cultural protocol services for projects on Hawaiian lands and advancing narrative sovereignty and the local creative economy.
• iGaming Commission Commission overseeing gaming-related policy, legislation, and governance participation within the Nation of Hawai'i, operating under the Ministry of Commerce.
• Community Media Development Program Program driving a circular creative economy ensuring Hawaiian history, culture, and identity are authentically written, filmed, and owned by Hawaiians, delivered as part of the NOH Film Commission initiatives.
• Community-Managed Broadband Network Hawai'i's first community-managed broadband network providing connectivity at Pu'uhonua O Waimānalo and expanding to rural Native communities, developed in partnership with the Internet Society and the State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
• National Monetary System Framework for a national monetary system and digital currency exploration, with regulatory structures for digital currency and credit systems established under the Central Bank Act.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Foreign-Trade Zone 9, HonoluluminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Establishment at Foreign-Trade Zone 9 in Honolulu in 2022 enabled expansion into international trade and commerce development as part of economic independence initiatives.
• Internet SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership for the launch of Hawai'i's first Community-Managed Broadband Network in 2019. The initiative provided connectivity at Pu'uhonua O Waimānalo and expanded to rural Native communities, representing critical infrastructure development for the sovereign nation.
• State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on the Community-Managed Broadband Network project, supporting connectivity infrastructure development for the developing sovereign nation and rural Native communities.
• United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ongoing participation in UNPFII sessions from 2019-2026 for international engagement and recognition of Hawaiian sovereignty efforts within the global indigenous peoples' forum.
• International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNation of Hawai'i President Dennis Kanahele serves on the Board of Directors of IITC, contributing to its mission of restoring political, economic, social, and educational advancement for aboriginal, native, and indigenous peoples worldwide.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Navajo Nation: Largest federally recognized Native American sovereign nation with comprehensive governance, judicial system, and commercial enterprises. Comparable as a sovereign tribal government model demonstrating the institutional architecture that indigenous self-determination can produce, though operating under federal recognition.
• International Indian Treaty Council: Indigenous rights organization with UN consultative status advocating for treaty rights and sovereignty. Already a partner organization, with NOH President serving on its Board. Comparable as an indigenous advocacy entity engaged in international indigenous rights forums.
• Pacific Islands Forum: Intergovernmental organization comprising Pacific Island states and territories. Comparable as the regional diplomatic forum where NOH participates indirectly through UNPFII and where Pacific indigenous sovereignty issues are regularly addressed.
• Bishop Museum: Hawaii's principal museum and cultural heritage institution preserving Native Hawaiian artifacts, history, and natural specimens. Comparable in its cultural preservation and Hawaiian educational mission, though operating as an established private museum rather than a sovereign entity.
• National Congress of American Indians: Oldest and largest American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization representing tribal governments. Comparable as a coordinating body for indigenous self-determination, policy advocacy, and cultural preservation across recognized tribal nations.

Broad incumbents

• National Indian Gaming Commission: Federal regulator overseeing tribal gaming operations across 250+ tribes. Comparable as the established U.S. indigenous gaming regulatory authority, contrasting with NOH's iGaming Commission which operates in an unrecognized sovereign context within a gaming-prohibitive state.

Direct peers

• Office of Hawaiian Affairs: State-established agency administering Hawaiian trust assets and advocating for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. Directly comparable as a governance and advocacy entity operating within/alongside Hawaiian sovereignty claims, though operating under U.S. state law rather than claiming independent sovereignty.
• Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement: Native Hawaiian community development and advocacy organization. Comparable in mission to advance Native Hawaiian self-determination, cultural preservation, and economic opportunity through community-led initiatives similar to NOH's Ho'olohe sessions and citizenship engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nation-of-hawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nation of Hawaii