Kekaa: The Making and Saving of North Beach West Maui

Sydney Iaukea's impeccably researched account of the origins and subsequent development of North Beach West Maui is more that just a scholarly monograph. It is a story that chronicles both the Hawaiian history of the 'aina as well as the waves of grass roots movements that sought to preserve precious spaces for future public use. laukea's personal connection to and love for this land is interwoven with the community's personalities and the decisions of Maui's county government. Keka'a is a memoir of one place and a guide map for those still trying to save other spaces in Hawai'i. Sydney Lehua laukea is from the Island of Maul. She is an author, educator, and surfer who holds a Ph.D. in Political Science with an emphasis on Hawai'i Politics. Her first book, The Queen and I: A Story of Dispossessions and Reconnections in Hawai'i, published by the University of California Press, is based on archival research and uncovers Territorial history in Hawai'i, personalized through her connections to genealogy and sharing of contemporary truths. Sydney was the Hawaiian Studies program manager at the Department of Education, and currently lectures at Windward Community College and UH Manoa.