Our Executive Director: Luigi “Gigi” Cocquio
Born in Italy, in the small village of Uggiate, Gigi, came to Hawai‘i after being deported from the Philippines by President Marcos. He was serving as a Catholic priest there in 1976, working with the people in Tondo, the largest squatter community in Asia. Once in Hawai‘i, he soon became involved in the struggle for social justice on behalf of the Leprosy patients of Hale Mohalu. This struggle for social justice also continued on behalf of ensuring human rights in the Philippines. He has made Mākaha his home, and in 1979 became one of the founders of Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha. Gigi continues to be involved with social justice issues in his community and globally.
If you are interested in learning more about Gigi’s life and work, you can read The Story of a Pencil. It’s a 84-pages ebook translated in English by Joseph A. Vancio, and adapted from La Storia della Matita, a book written in 2008 by Gigi’s cousin Elisa Barelli (Ku’uipo).
Our Administrative Assistant: Judy Seladis-Cocquio
Born in Hawai‘i, Judy has been involved in her community since 1974. With Sr. Anna McAnany as her mentor, Judy has been involved with women’s issues focused on family and health. Her involvement with the Women’s Support Group led her back to school and in 1991 she graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu. She worked as a documenter for the Cancer Research Project, gathering and collecting stories from women in her community who were experiencing health problems and breast cancer. She has also served as a Case Worker/Health Educator at the Sex Abuse Treatment Program of the Wai‘anae Coast Community Health Center. Currently she has undertaken the fiscal and administrative duties of Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha and coordinates the scheduling of visiting schools for the Ke Ala Learning Center.
Our Kumu – Na Keiki O Ka Aina Instructor: Vern Nalani Kiaha
Aloha mai, ‘O Kumu Ki‘aha ko‘u inoa. Mai Nānākuli mai au. My name is Kumu Ki‘aha. I am from Nānākuli. My father was from Kā‘ū and also Ke ‘ei, Kona on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. His name is Henderson Ki‘aha. My mother was born on Maui and raised on Moloka‘i.
I worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center and was a dance instructor. After three years there, I decided to serve an LDS Church mission and was called to Peru, Lima South. At this point, I was tri-lingual; English, Hawaiian and Spanish. Being at the PCC, I learned bits and pieces of other Polynesian languages, too!
When I returned from my mission, I enjoyed teaching so much that I agreed to work with my Mom in the Hawaiian Studies Program. The program was also known as the Kūpuna Program in the DOE. They were recruiting more teachers for the classrooms and my Mom was one of the founders of this DOE program who worked on the curriculum for Kūpuna ma. I started this career by landing a position in a school called Kanoelani Elementary. It was a fairly new school in Waipi‘o Gentry. I worked with Kupuna Elizabeth Villa. She taught the lower grades and I taught the upper grades. I wrote a song for the school’s May Day program and they decided to adopt it as their school song. The title is “Na Kamali‘i O Kanoelani La” and they continued to sing it even after I left with the help of long-time Music teacher, Mrs. Ronnie Piena.
Later, my language skills were required at Waiau Elementary School in the Hawaiian Language Immersion Program, HLIP. I was a PTT there. Then, my Mom took ill with cancer and I stayed home to care for her. She endured for three years and then passed.
In 1993, I first encountered this farm. I was working at Makaha Elementary in a Special Education class with high risk students. I found that bringing them to the farm helped to calm them down. The next year, I moved positions to Hawaiian Studies and became the Kumu along with Kupuna Laua‘e Ching. She and I helped the haumāna to appreciate their Hawaiian culture. One year, in a Hawaiian culture after school program instituted by then Vice Principal Allison Kawabe, I taught the children a song I wrote about Mākaha. Mrs. Elizabeth Kalama and myself got the children ready for a presentation to the parents and administration with Mr. Norman Pang as Principal. He enjoyed the song so much that a little later in the year, he declared the song to be Makaha Elementary’s School Song, entitled “We Are Mākaha”.
In the year 2000, I decided to use my Master’s Degree in Business and formed my own company of Hawaiian Arts & Crafts, Nalani K. Products as well as work in the Retail Business Arena. I still missed teaching.
So in 2007, while attending a board meeting, I joined the farm’s Board of Directors. While attending my next board meeting, I was asked to serve as the Vice President on the Executive Committee. However, soon after that, a position opened at the farm and I became Ke Ala Learning Center Coordinator. At my third board meeting, I was released as Vice President and became a fully vested staff member.
Presently, my nephew/hanai son Jeff Ki‘aha is the instructor for Ke Ala Learning Center along with Sister Ceny San Pedro, a Maryknoll Nun. I became a support teacher to Mr. Gigi in the Nā Keiki O Ka ‘Āina Program. Today, year 2010, Mr. Gigi has passed the torch to me and so once again I enjoy walking, learning and being with the children of Makaha Elementary! Mahalo Ke Akua!
The youngest of the tribe – Ke Ala Instructor: Jeff Kiaha
This is what he says of himself: My name is Jeff Lafoga Kaohu Kiaha. I was born and raised in Hawai’i, on the island of O‘ahu in a small town called Nānākuli. I came from a family of 10 brothers and sisters. I am number 5 of the 10. I attended Nanakuli Elementary School, and the Nanakuli High and Intermediate School.
After graduating from High School in 2006 and losing my beloved father at age 56, I took a break from furthering my education and decided to work. I worked many jobs not being sure what I wanted to do. There was one thing I wanted for sure: to serve my two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I saved up some money to pay for my mission cost. At age 19 I received my call of duty to the California Sacramento Mission.
After an awesome experience of serving the Lord, I returned home to Hawai‘i. A few months later I was offered a Job at Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha as one of the Ke Ala Program instructors. I share this responsibility with Sister Ceny. As we walk with the children and show them what the `āina can do for us, they in return learn how to respect her. I always like to tell the children who come here: “This is the rule we must all follow, we take care of the ‘āina and in return the ‘āina takes care of us”.
From Architect to Mahi’ai – Container Gardens Coordinator: Pomaika’i Cocquio
From the last name anyone can guess whose son this guy is. Pomaika‘i grew up in this farm. As a young child of one year, he was already helping to harvest beans and sell corn on the street in front of the Hawai‘i Community Action Program (HCAP) office in Wai‘anae with his father. A product of Makaha Elementary he went through the Nā Keiki Program together with all the children, trying to ignore the teacher who was his father, pretending not to know him. After graduation from Wai‘anae High School he worked for seven years in an architectural firm where he learned many skills on the job until recently when he came back home to the farm.
He coordinated the Container Garden Program but his passion is to create. With some friends he rebuilt the community kitchen, a new pizza oven, an aquaponic system, and seven small hale. This year he works with a new program with the third graders as garden, art, and music instructor.
A Woman with the Biggest Heart – Malama Makaha Credit Work: Leimomi Kalama
Aloha, my name is Leimomi Kalama. I was born on the Leeward Coast of O‘ahu and my family resides in Nānākuli. My family and I have been affiliated with the farm for over 18 years. I am currently employed at Makaha Elementary School, and through the partnership between the school and the farm I met Gigi and Judy. After listening to their stories, beliefs, and vision for Hoa ‘Āina O Mākaha, my family and I felt that we could help Hoa ‘Āina to make a difference in the lives of the students and families of this Mākaha Community.
I am currently the Coordinator of the Mālama Mākaha Credit Work Program. The program was created to help the students in grade 4, 5 and 6 and their families to earn credits for their annual educational excursions around O‘ahu or to the outer islands. The program also enables the students and families to give back to their community, to rebuild relationships, to find a place for peace, and to learn about gardening and solar energy through hands on activities.
