Danyel Panui
Name Danyel Panui
Age 42
Town/Moku Nanakuli
Island Oʻahu
Social Media IG. @dani_panui
Nominated By Shannon Bucasas
Leadership Category Education
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.
I am a Kumu at Waianae High school as a social studies teacher. I also work with Haumana in the summer to help develop Aina warriors. I love seeing haumana connect to the aina, do hana, learn about who they are and help them figure out where they are going. The students of Waianae are precious and I became a Kumu to help empower them, give them skills and values to one day be a productive citizen for our Lahui.
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?
Being a Kumu is one of the most important jobs because we have the power to ignite their minds. Kumu's are there to help mold and give my students all the tools to be world changers. Haumana today live in a world of technological influences, so it is important to be grounded in values. If haumana can connect to the aina, they will be to help our lahui for years to come. By learning the Hawaiian values, the haumana will be able to prioritize important decisions, malama themselves which would lead them to malama their ohana and lahui.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.
Some qualities of leadership I admire is being pono. Making the right choices at the right time. Choosing to always do good not only in front of others, but behind closed doors as well. Which leads me to having Integrity. Sometimes the decision will be hard but if you have integrity the decisions will be right. Another quality would be Kuleana. Understanding that I am responsible for my students learning is challenging and rewarding at the same time.
I believe that having use these 3 leadership qualities also helps me be the best mom to my own children. I am able to make good and appropriate decisions for my family. We also believe it is our kuleana to always strive to be the best in all aspects of our lives.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?
I believe that my ancestors paved the way for me the person I am today. My grandma was not Hawaiian but she was Hawaiian at heart. She pushed me to strive to be the best I could be. Education was important and she wanted to me succeed,and becoming a teacher was a highlight in my life. I also look up to one of my favorite Kumu Friend Shannon Bucasas. We have known each other for about 10 years and I have seen her passion for our haumana, in which filled me to be a better Kumu. Shannon goes above and beyond for her haumana, taking them on fieldtrips, doing hands on projects and placebase learning. Her drive is what makes me want to be the best Kumu for my students.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?
Holu-Resilient
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?
Generational-trauma