Clare Apana
NAME Clare Apana
AGE 68
TOWN/MOKU Sand Dunes of Wailuku
ISLAND Maui
SOCIAL MEDIA MalamaKakanilua.com
NOMINATED BY Bianca Isaki
Leadership Category Mauli Ola - Health, Personal & Family Development
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do. For the past 15 years, protecting the right of iwi kupuna (Kanaka ancestral remains has been a major focus of my time, spirit and energy. Learning to be "ALOHA" and knowing that a solution exxists and acting with 100$VBELIEF AND TRUST IN OUR IWI KUPUNA(ancestors)
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community? In 2006 I answered a call for action to protect the burial grounds in the sand dunes of Wailuku>. This is my birthplace and where I live now. My advocacy for 'malama na iwi kupuna" opened an avenue of connection to who I am as a Kanaka Maoli that continues to strengthen my own identity every day. Through this work, I have been able to witness many connections being reformed between Kupuna and our present living lahui. For instance , when a young Kanaka feels the strength of connection to their kupuna who signed the Kue Petition or the presence of kupuna when we honor our iwi kupuna at a vigil, is a powerful raising of identity and purpose. This connection is the greates gift my work has given me and the most necessary connection for our Kanaka Maoli people.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life. There are two qualities I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS: integrity and fearless conviction. Integrity os crucial in advocating for iwi kupuna. It our ancestors that are being
represented and all actions must be done with this underlyingprinciple.
Fearless conviction is what I learned out of necessity. When the bulldozers would not
stop and the agencies and committees did not choose to stop desecrating our iwi kupuna for sand or building a shopping center, there was no other way than to find a solution and to be willing to keep holding theat vision while doing the actions that need tp be dpme. Sometimes the actions are met with ridicule racist inhumanity and injustice. I keep following the path of our kupuna and walking step by step with the many absolutely tremendous people who walk the same path and many gracius supporters.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing? People like Nani Rogers, Palikapu Dedman, Kai Markell, Lynette Cruz, Hoaka Delosrios and Burt Feeman who are consistent and generous in giving their time and spirit to make life better for all of us. Lance Collins and Bianca Isaki jkl are so courageous and committed to justice that I can never give up on this committment to our people. The iwi protectorsyoung and old, Kanaka or supporter have a certain quality of heart that is timeless that is the inspiration to make thing right.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui? Truthtelling
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui? sellingout to corporate greed