Haagua , an Indigenous Surf Film by Native Like Water. See the Official Trailer out now on YouTube. Film Tour 2025 now in progress.
This is a story about a re-introduction of the Indigenous species back into the ecosystem and re-cognition of humanity. Allowed the space to not just survive, but to thrive, INDIGENOUS Life reflects nature's law and rebounds. A major disturbance interrupted nature's law more than 400 years ago along the shores of California and Mexico. A chain reaction forever changed our coastlines, seascapes, and Indigenous life. However, a new wave, movement, returns local surfers to coastal recreation, flow and movement. See the Trailer Here

Panama, Central America Jan 18-22 2025. Open to the Surfing public, Adults. Honoring the Indigenous and African presence/presents of the Americas. Honoring thyself with Yoga, Fine Food and Surf / Water Therapy. Rain Forest Jungles, Tucans, Monkeys are a natural reflection of an even bigger picture - our natural connection. Located on the Congo Caribbean of Panama, Central America. #coastaldistancing

Surf and Food as Medicine Feb 5-9 2025, Colima/Michoacan Mexico. Open to the Public, Adults. On the Pacific Coast, NLW’s Mexico location allows for surf and health as a priority . Surfing and eating well are both highly effective in therapeutic recovery from mental depression, PTSD, and relief from trauma. Surf Therapy and its application demonstrates data-supported results. Excellent uncrowded waves and lightly populated beaches allows room for being the best you. This program will also provide a service project during the local youth surf contest. Open to adults. No age limit.

Surf Therapy DAY PROGRAMS ongoing during WINTER/Spring 2025 OPEN TO PUBLIC. Adult Team Building, Diversity and Inclusion Training, SUPsquatch Therapy, and Mental Health. FOR ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, CORPORATE, ETC. Open access to all. Outdoor activity is highly effective in therapeutic recovery from mental depression, PTSD, and relief from intergenerational trauma. Surf Therapy and its application demonstrates data-supported results world-wide. The SUPsquatch is a present day Indigenous cultural paddle contribution originating in Hawaii. A legitimate tool in group ocean play, safety, cultural practice and surf therapy.  Learn more

Jamaica Sweet Cultural Exchange April 4 to April 9, 2025. Open to the Public, Adults Earth Family Yearly Gathering in Kingston and Ocho Rios. Lessons, scenes, relatives and videos of a mighty Caribbean Nation. From Marley to Bolt, Marcus, Hailie Selassie I, Reggae, Hip Hop, Ska, Taino history and more. Jamaica’s cultural contributions, as a small island, to the world is unmatchable. Social programs, surf, skate, music, Jamaican know how, Earth Family Unity. See photo essay and programs . . .

Baja Kumiai, Rosorito, Ensenada Surf Camp and Cultural Exchange Oct 4, 5, 6 2024. The Kumeyaay People and homeland exists on two sides of the U.S. / Mexican Boarder. NLW takes time to gather with teenage youth of the Baja, Mexico Kumiai Coastal side and offer volunteer opportunity to our NLW Alum from the U.S. side to assist in the healing of this longstanding binational relationship, before there was a border. Click here.

So Cal InterTribal Youth July 15th and July 18-25th 2024, San Diego, CA. Open to 12-18 Years old and college age mentors. With a 23 + year history of curriculum and enrichment program culturally based in science, arts, wellness and leadership. “What are the birds and turtles telling us and how can their presence, history, stories and actions reveal so much? How can these ancient ways, lead to thinking, planning for environmental and social restorative justice.? This NLW flag-ship program services teens, “college-age” and professional adults at high risk with high potential.  Click for more

Native Like Water Waterperson Training: Surf, Canoe, Paddle, Dive. February 2025, Oahu (NLW Crew Only/ not open to public)
Building Ocean Skills and Safety from OG Waterman and Waterwomen. Visit will assist NLW Water Crew in being better humans and leaders in and out of the water as NLW prepares for 2025 service year. Attending Makaha and the Buffalo Board Classic helps give coastal culture a deeper overstanding. It is the waters that connect us and deepens our sense of self.

The Original California Watercraft, the Tule Boat, Returns to Southern California. 2024 NLW continues to identify the root of maritime and coastal culture of Southern California. Defining our concept of self, memory, practice and flow, we are connected to a place of power - in and on the water. World Surf League Pure, Native Like Water and Kumeyaay Community College re-introduce ocean recreation, conservation, science, and cultural research. Diversity, equity and inclusion in the narrative.

Nor Cal InterTribal Youth Open to 12-18 years old and college age. 2025 DATES To Be Determined. Academic Enrichment Adventure, Wildlife Observation, River Rafting, College Visits and Workshop, Traditional Environmental Knowledge/ Indigenous Science, Cultural Education, Nutrition & Wellness. #norcal

Surf Fellowship California 2024-5, Teens and Young Adults. An ongoing teen-age and young adult NLW surf fellowship journey from Baja Kumiai Coast, San Diego to Orange County - Kumeyaay/Luiseno, to Acjachemen and Tongva and Santa Barbara Coast of the ChumashLands. On-going Mentorship in Surfing, Leadership, Culture, Wellness serving California and beyond. A New Leadership Component Surf and Ocean Safety support Fellowship

NLW Fellowship Scuba Certification.
Certification and Indigenous Knowledge (closed group registration). Land acknowledgement and cultural landscape translation of Southern California tribes is a practice tens of thousand years old. Like the birds, Southern California Tribes share a maritime and island story. Program looks to convene Tongva/ Puyumkowitchum/ Chumash/ Acjachemen and Kumeyaay stories to further our knowledge of the So Cal Maritime story. As ocean levels have risen before, much is to be learned from studying ancient village sites under the sea and on islands. SCUBA training and diving experience will help re-introduce the marine environment and establish diving skills. Scientific methods by Reef Check and Native Like Water within Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) will actively collect data deep in the kelp forest habitat along the West Coast of North America. Selection is based off registration and interview form. Full scholarship is available for this program. Program is now full. Please read more here . . .

Hawaii Programs. Please check this link for various programs and past programs in the Hawaiian Kingdom.

News and Media Features!

October 2023 Native Like Water Attendance at the International Surf Therapy Organizations Conference in Puerto Rico, Dec 3-5,. The International Surf Therapy Organization Annual Conference is a 501(c)(3) supporting surf therapy practitioners, clinicians, and scientists working together to advance understanding in the surf therapy sector through research and collaborations. A mission of ITSO is to promote evidence-based, inclusive access to safe surf therapy worldwide, and our vision is universal acceptance of surf therapy through prescription.

Premiere episode of World Surf League (WSL) DeTour Series, Hunter Jones and Lex Weinstein begin their journey through the state’s surf towns in San Clemente. They meet up the Native Like Water organization. San Clemente / Trestles is the modern name of the ancient Acjachemen village site known as Panhe and are still here stewarding the land alongside surfers, environmentalists, and others who care about our shared coastline.

2023 Nor Cal Canoe Journey Program August 2023, Washington State TBA
Alcatraz Indigenous People’s Day inspired a celebration beyond the 50th Anniversary of Alcatraz Indian Occupation. Amongst the giants, rivers, and ocean coasts of the SF/Oakland Bay, youth and families gather in knowing and recreation. From the bay and beyond, California with all its diversity, is cradled by the trees and stories of our past, present and future. Youth and families cradled in a canoe directed with unity and teamwork. In un-steady times, finding balance and navigating ones health is vital. Read More . .

Shinnecock Native Community of Long Island, New York. 1-Day Surf Clinic and Cultural Outreach. August 31: . Open to ages 10-20 + years old, This is surf clinic and cultural exchange. Free. Held in the Hamptons and hosted at the homelands and coasts of the Shinnecock Nation. Begins at 8am and ends by 12 noon.

Love Your Wetlands, Mission Bay, CA: Native Like Water joins UC Natural Reserve System and the San Diego Audubon Society and many more for Love Your Wetlands at the Kendall Frost Marsh.  This is a once-a-year opportunity to explore the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve in Mission Bay, while also learning about the importance of coastal wetlands, the threats that they are facing, and how local communities are working to restore and protect them, including indigenous knowledge.  Move-it Challenge and Trash Pick up, Kayaks and over water activities are family friendly and opportunities to get a little muddy helping with restoration tasks around the marsh. The event is free but register to receive updates! Register Here

Watch NLW short film Produced by actress Zoe Saldana’s media platform BESE with the mission to broaden and reshape the cultural narrative by shining light on untold stories that reflect today’s America.

Surfer Magazine Feature 2020: Whose Coast are you Surfing in San Diego? A LOOK AT THE INDIGENOUS HISTORY OF ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S MOST ICONIC SURF ZONES. “San Diego’s Kumeyaay didn’t just see the ocean as a food source. According to oral histories passed down through the tribe, all life rose from the ocean. Kumeyaay creation story centers around two brothers who lived beneath the waves.” Read the full article. . .

NBC NEWS 2020: Surfing confronts sport's racist past after George Floyd's death Native Like Water, Surfers demonstrate Unity in supporting BLM, injustice, and Black Girls Surf initiated Ceremonia Paddle-Out. Matlahuyl / La Jolla Shores Solidarity Paddle. NBC News documents: Sharon Schaffer, the first African American female pro in the U.S. In surfing, "there was always the good, aloha vibe” . . . [however] “behind the aloha vibe was the other vibe — a locals-only, whites-only vibe,” she said recently, Click to read full coverage . .

The Nigani Scholarship was developed with the belief that now, more than ever, we need a generation of fearless, prepared activists working to build a better world through social, economic and environmental change. Nigani Scholarship awards seek those who want to be leaders in ranks of this generation. Learn more or apply.

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane “Ilimanator” Scholarship: Bellator MMA World Flyweight Champion Fighter, Scholar and Youth Mentor leads a philanthropic campaign providing scholarships to young ladies ages 13-19 years old. 

Traditional Voyaging Canoe Hikianalia Welcomed in San Diego, Oct. 30th - Nov. 15th 2018 InterTribal Youth and Greater San Diego Community welcome Hikianalia after she sailed more than 2,800 miles across the Pacific to the State of California carrying a message about the critical need to address climate change. Demonstrating the value of nature, the oceans and indigenous knowledge, the crew found their way to California on the solar and wind powered canoe using ancient Polynesian wayfinding techniques. The canoe and crew made a final stop in San Diego before returning to Hawaiʻi in December of 2018. Read more and see the pictures . . .

World Champion Big Wave Surfer, Greg Long, Clif Bar, Wildcoast, and San Diego Maritime Museum help create the connection between local communities and their coastline. In summer of 2018, Long joined Wildcoast and Native Like Water to share his love of the ocean with indigenous youth in the San Diego area. Youth got their hands wet (literally) by playing with marine life and doing science experiments in the San Diego Bay, and then exploring the marine-protected area of La Jolla before learning to surf in nearby waves ... with Long as their world-class teacher. Read more . .

InterTribal Youth Joins Hokulea World-Wide Voyage Homecoming and Presents at World Youth Congress, Oahu  2017, Youth from Agua Caliente Cahuilla, various Bands of the Kumeyaay Nation, Alaska, and Belize joined by Tribal Elder and Leaders present at world gathering in celebration of the greatest example of indigenous education and global unification, caring for Mother Earth - "Malama Honua". 

Director Featured in Olukai's Cliff Notes: Founder of InterTribal Youth, Marc Chavez interview and photo essay by Cliff Kapono, Olukai Ambassador, Scientist, Artist, and Waterman. Between the native food, culture and surf, Cliff and co. were able to catch up about what brought this once “lost” LA boy south of the border. It was only then did Cliff realize just how volatile things were in the region. Read more. . 

ITY and Tribal Nations of Panama Welcome the Hokulea at the Panama Canal. The Malama Honua World-Wide Voyage, January 2017, greets the people of Panama and crosses the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific as they embark on their way home to Tahiti and Hawaii.  More . . .

InterTribal Youth chosen by Haro BMX Bikes, Paul Cannon as recipient to a special Haro Bike Honoring Give-away.  Honored youth awarded by Joe Haro, Nahko Bear and Paul Cannon on Dec. 7th at the Pala Skate Park. A special concert featuring Paul Cannon and Nahko Bear followed, the next day. Learn more . .