Waipākawiwoʻole Parker

Name Waipākawiwoʻole Parker

Age 49

Town/Moku Kuliʻouʻou

Island Oʻahu

Social Media Handle None

Nominated by Kamaka Parker

Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability

Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.

Aloha, my name is Waipākawiwoʻole Parker and I am a proud kanaka maoli. My ʻohana, the Reeves family, has resided in Kuliʻouʻou for over 100 years. Our ʻohana has generationally made it our kuleana to care for and watch over the natural resources of our valley. Two accomplishments that I particularly enjoyed was the eradication of invasive mudweed and gorilla ogo from Maunalua Bay, as well as lobbying the City to protect the natural and cultural resources of Paikō Ridge. My fatherʻs ʻohana, the Parker family, is very large and hails originally from Kamuela, Big Island. I am a 1991 graduate of Kamehameha Schools, and graduated in 2001 from the University of Hawaiʻi with a Bachelorʻs degree in Hawaiian Studies. I am the President of 501(c)(3c) non-profit Kupaʻāina o Kuliʻouʻou and also President of neighborhood community association, Kuliʻouʻou Valley Vistas 1. I am a career 20-year Fire Captain with the Honolulu Fire Department.

Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?

Our non-profit was established to protect and preserve the cultural, natural and historically-significant resources in Kuliʻouʻou. One proud achievement we have accomplished includes lobbying and fighting for the revision of the Cityʻs recently revised East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan to include the protection of a residentially-zoned area of Kalapa o Maua (aka Paikō Ridge). This area is near the potential location of ʻElelupe Pool, which was the kapu water source of King Kamehameha. Our current initiative includes the acquisition of this parcel from the current mainland landowner and downzoning it from residential to preservation. This will eliminate the threat of development and protect this part of the mountain in perpetuity. As president of Kuliʻouʻou Valley Vistas 1, its my responsibility to manage association business and preserve the way of life for the Kuliʻouʻou neighborhood area of Kaeleloi Place. Many in my association and community share similar values that are also important to our non-profit.

Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.

Two qualities of leadership that I admire is inspiration and responsibility. We as a lāhui recognize what is important to us, such as mālama ʻāina and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. Many ʻōiwi have become inspired by recent events occurring in our islands and have taken it upon themselves to make it their responsibility, or kuleana, to take action to protect those values that are important to us. This was evident in the massive kanaka maoli presence with the Kū Kiaʻi Mauna Kea protest against the Thirty Meter Telescope. Also, the revitalization of our language has inspired even more kanaka to learn ʻōlelo Hawaii. We now have Punana Leo and Kula Kaiapuni throughout the islands. Hawaiian leaders in both arenas have inspired us, and many have followed in their foosteps. Its these two leadership qualities that I try to express with my activities and involvement in Kupa,āina o Kuliʻouʻou. I believe these are important qualities to have when you are passionate about something, and I try to exemplify this in all my endeavors in life.

Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?

I have had many inspirational people in my life. My father was active with stopping the bombing of Kahoʻolawe in the 1970ʻs. I remember going to Molokaʻi with my dad to visit Uncle Walter Ritte and Uncle Glen Davis during my childhood. My cousin from my Reeveʻs ʻohana, Dr. Keanu Sai, has made it his mission of teaching the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom from an international law perspective. All my professors from UH-Mānoa, including Dr. Lilikalā Kameʻeleihiwa, Dr. John Osorio and Kumu ʻAnakala De Santos, have taught me the importance of being proud of our native Hawaiian heritage. These people have inspired me and provided the foundation of my passion for being an active kanaka maoli.

What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?

Awakening

What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?

Oppression