Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 5, 1 May 2017 — Former OHA Trustee Moanikeʻala Akaka dies at 72 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Former OHA Trustee Moanikeʻala Akaka dies at 72

ByTreenaShapiro Hawaiians have lost a fierce advocate, activist and educator and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has lost a member of its 'ohana. Former Trustee Moanike'ala Akaka lost her battle with cancer last month in Hilo at the age of 72. Born in Honolulu, Akaka attended Kamehameha Schools

until her family moved to Northern California. As an adult, she returned to Hawai'i and quickly

heeame involved in demonstrations over land rights and helped usher in the Hawaiian renaissance in the 1970s. An educator, she also founded the nonprofit Aloha 'Āina Education Center. Akaka's championed aloha 'āina issues for decades. In 1971, she joined the Kalama Valley protest over Hawaiians and farmers being evicted to make way for development. She was among those arrested. In 2015, at the age of 72, she was again arrested, this time as one of the demonstrators blocking a Thirty Meter Telescope construction crew's access to

Mauna Kea. In other land rights issues, Akaka helped organize the 1978 protest at Hilo Airport, whieh was built on Hawaiian homestead and ceded lands. She also opposed the military bombing of Kaho'olawe. "Moani and I were aloha 'āina warriors as members of the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana," recalls OHA Chairwoman Colette Machado. "She was outspoken, fierce and never backed down from a good fight. She was like a firecracker with a short fuse. She stood on principles of truth, fairness and justice. As one of OHA's first trustees, she

leaves her footprints here and will not be forgotten." Akaka served as an OHA trustee from 1984 to 1996. Her partner of 43 years, artist Tomas Belsky, told the Hawai'i Tribune Herald that she chained shut the doors to OHA's loeal office to raise awareness for

the issues she thought were important. "With Moanike'ala

Akaka's passing, the Native Hawaiian community has lost one its most zealous and strident advocates," said OHA Ka Pouhana (CEO) Kamana'opono Crabbe. "She served on OHA's Board of Trustees for more than a decade, and one of things we will remember most about her was her candor: you always knew what side she was on. She was as direct with her criticism as she was with her praise. Her incisive voice and indomitable fighting spirit will always be remembered." Services will be heldMay 28, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lili'uokalani Park in Hilo. ■

Ip ^/loanike'ala k^aka 1944-2017

Photo: KWO Archives

Photo: Blaine Pergerstrom

Moanike'ala Akaka (second from the left) served on 0HA's Board of Trustees from 1 984 to 1 996. - Archive photo