Kahōkū Lindsey-Asing
Name Kahōkū Lindsey-Asing
Social Media @kastar08 and @kikaha2022
Age 29
Town/Moku Working in Mānoa, residing in Wahiawā, Oʻahu.
Island Hawaiʻi Island
Leadership Category Culture
Nominated by Nāpua Casson-Fisher
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do. ʻAuhea ʻoukou e nā mamo ʻōlelo ola o ke ʻaukahi Hawaiʻi, ʻo wau nō ʻo Kahōkū Lindsey-Asing. Born and raised in Waimea on the mokupuni of Hawaiʻi, I am proud to say that my moʻokūʻauhau stems from the foundation of hard working, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, musically talented, mālama ʻāina, paniolo and educated kānaka and kūpuna.
As a graduate of Pūnana Leo o Waimea, Kula Kaiapuni o Waimea, Kamehameha Schools Keaʻau, Kapiʻolani Community College, Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Kawaihuelani- Ka Hālau ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, I would have to say that my kuleana was already pre-determined by those that came before; and I am more than happy to ʻauamo in all aspects.
In my current capacity, I work full time as the Site Coordinator of Pūnana Leo o Mānoa Hawaiian Medium Education Preschool; as part of the statewide ʻAha Pūnana Leo non-profit organization. The mission “E ola ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi- The Hawaiian language shall live” and vision “E hoʻoulu i ke kaiaʻōlelo Hawaiʻi no ko Hawaiʻi nei i mau aku ʻo Hawaiʻi he ʻāina Aloha- Drive and inspire change to ensure a living Hawaiian language in Hawaiʻi and beyond” of ʻAha Pūnana Leo are guiding principles that help me to continue on this path of language perpetuation.
Along with the many beautiful moments of keiki and ʻohana at Pūnana Leo, I alo work part-time with Kēhaulani Marzo Nielsen of Kahulaleʻa, I am an ʻōlapa of Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima under the direction of Vicky Holt-Takamine and Jeff Takamine, a volunter of PAʻI Foundation, a 2018 Intercultural Leadership Institute Fellow, the Lead Organizer for Ka ʻIwa Hoʻolaʻi, and of course a Hawaiian Language advocate, consultant, kākoʻo, and kōkua!
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community? Simply said, my kuleana in this kaiaʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language community) is all because of my keiki and their ʻohana; they are who I work for. One of the main manaʻo that keep me going is the fact that I have the abilities and capacity to inspire my keiki every single day, to ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Not only do they learn ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi here at Pūnana Leo o Mānoa, but they grow, hoʻoulu, and hoʻoikaika through our language. Along with ʻōlelo, they learn various skills in the classrooms, ʻike of our kūpuna, and overall the lawena and pride that we must carry within each and every one of us as kānaka of this ʻāina. We all have a kuleana, and it starts with our keiki. If we can allow them to pali ke kua, mahina ke alo, and mai hilahila, and reassure them that they have all of our kākoʻo and kōkua whole heartedly...they will have an even bigger impact in our community as a whole, for generations to come. Ola!
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life. Some of the qualities of leadership that I think I admire the most would have to be alakaʻi a hahai, wiwoʻole, kākoʻo, kaʻaʻike, ʻauamo kuleana, hoʻāʻo, and holomua.
To be a good leader, you must also be able to be a good follower and kākoʻo those that are in positions of leadership. To have that fearlessness in oneʻs self to try, to hoʻāʻo, and never give up no matter what the outcome is; to holomua in alll ways! We must also remember to kaʻaʻike, and share our manaʻo through communication as a way to create stronger pilina amongst each other. But lastly, to ʻauamo kuleana- whether it is kuleana from our kūpuna, or new kuleana that presents itself to us, we as kānaka know how to put in the work, huli ka lima i lalo...and "give um" no ka pono nui!
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing? Through out my 29 years of ola, kuleana, and ʻohana, there have been so many different kumu in many different areas that have inspired me to do what I continue to do.
From our moʻolelo kahiko such as Pele and Hiʻiaka, to our aliʻi like Pauahi, Kaleleonālani, Lunalilo, and forward to my mākuahine Kauhiwai Lindsey Asing and mākuakane Puʻuwaʻaʻwa Asing, to my brothers, ʻohana, kūpuna, kumu Pūnana Leo and Kula Kaiapuni, kumu Kamehameha, and Kawaihuelani, my kumu hula, hula brothers and sisters, my fellow kumu/coworkers, my keiki and their ʻohana, and really...our lāhui as a whole, collectively. "We inspire me"
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui? Ea.
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui? Education.