Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 5, 1 May 2006 — La France Kapaka Arboleda [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

La France Kapaka Arboleda

November 13, 19 4 6 - March 29, 2006 OHA's Kaua'i representative was a respected community leader

OHA's staff, along with the broader Hawaiian community, is mourning the loss of LaFrance KapakaArboleda, the agency's eommunity resource coordinator for Kaua'i, who died on March 29 after a battle with cancer. She was 59. Born in the Llhu'e area and raised by her maternal grandmother, LaFrance was a respected eultural resource and very active in the Hawaiian and Kaua'i communities. A onetime nurse at Wilcox Memorial Hospital, she served as the presizent of the Hawaiian health group Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i. She also chaired the Kaua'i/Ni'ihau Burial Council and was the executive director of Kaua'i Habitat for Humanity. LaFrance eame to OHA in

February 2001 to head the agency's Kaua'i office. But perhaps LaFrance will be remembered most for her passion for protecting Hawaiian rights and Hawai'i's environment. Kaua'i Mayor Bryan Baptiste proclaimed April 3, the date of her funeral, Daisy LaFrance Keahikuni Kapaka-Arboleda Day. Hundreds of people attended the service, including representatives of Sen. Daniel Akaka, and Reps. Ed Case and Neil Abercrombie. Speaking at the service, Baptiste called La France one of his mentors, and said that one of his most striking memories was of her standing in front of an oncoming bulldozer in an effort to protect burials at Nukoli'i. "LaFrance was courageous when it eame to fighting for

just causes," said OHA Trustee for Kaua'i and Ni'ihau Donald Cataluna. "She had a great, big heart." Among the many causes LaFrance took up were building homes for Hawaiians; assisting Hawaiians in getting their eommercial drivers licenses; advocating for Ni'ihau shell lei makers; and helping mothers with ehildren who have special needs. LaFrance was raised by her grandmother in Hulē'ia, on the southeast side of Kaua'i. Her grandmother's first language was Hawaiian, and she passed down to LaFrance many of the old stories about the area. LaFrance is survived by husband Ioseph Kaai'ikekua Arboleda, two daughters and three grandchildren. 1

HE HO'OMANA'O • IN MEMDRIAM