Poka Laenui

Poka Laenui defies categorization.  He is a noted community organizer in his Wai`anae community, headed the political advocacy for Hawaiian national sovereignty, led the World Council of Indigenous Peoples in the early advocacy years of the 1980's at the United Nations and the International Labour Organization, and addressed the General Assembly of the U.N. where he was recognized as one of five pioneers in the advancement of Indigenous peoples' rights.  He has served in public office both in Hawaii as a delegate to the Hawaii State Constitutional Convention (1968), Trustee with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (1982-1986) and Delegate to the Native Hawaiian Convention (1998 to present where he serves as chairman of that body).  All of these positions are elective by Hawaii constituents.  He also served as Vice-President (elected at General Assemblies of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples -1983.  He served as the indigenous expert to the International Labor Organizations (1989)  to rewrite of the Convention on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, addressed the UN General Assembly in 1992 where he was recognized as one of five pioneers in the development of the rights of indigenous peoples.  He has retired after 17 years as head of the Wai`anae Community Mental Health Center and was recognized with a lifetime achievement award for his program incorporating indigenous practices in health services. Poka continues to practice law in his community of Wai`anae, in Hawai`i.  He no longer maintains a talk radio program which he had for over 25 years covering a wide range of subjects from Hawaiian history, culture, modernity, health care and future planning to foreign affairs.  He has been bio-graphed in Marquis' Who's Who in America, in the World, in the West, in International Law, and in 2019, awarded the Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award for career longevity and excellence in his chosen field.  He can be found in the mornings (7-8) at Ma`ili Beach Park, Lualualei, O`ahu learning and teaching Tai Chi Chuan.  His writings cover a wide range of topics, many of which may be found at www.hawaiianperspectives.org.