Sydney Iaukea, Ph.D. Author, Educator, Researcher Hawaiian History
Sydney Lehua Iaukea is a Native Hawaiian educator who holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, with an emphasis in Hawaiʻi Politics. She was a recipient of a Mellon Hawaiʻi postdoctoral fellowship and she completed Peace Corps service in Costa Rica. Sydney has taught over 80 college courses in Political Science and Hawaiʻi Politics, and she was also the Hawaiian Studies program manager for the Hawaiʻi Department of Education. Sydney is from the island of Maui and loves surfing and all things ocean related.
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Sydney's first book is entitled The Queen and I: A Story of Dispossessions and Reconnections in Hawaiʻi. It was published by the University of California Press and is a recipient of a Ka Palapala Poʻokela Excellence in Publishing award. The Queen and I delves into Hawaiian history and Queen Liliʻuokalani's life and the legal battles faced after the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Sydney incorporates the writings from her kupuna Colonel Curtis Piehu Iaukea into the narrative.
Her second book is entitled Kekaʻa: The Making and Saving of North Beach West Maui. This book reveals how shoreline access was secured at Kekaʻa by the many community activists that fought to protect this wahi pana (sacred site). Sydney's numerous chapters in other books also investigates ʻāina (land) and explores intersections with the socio-political narrative in Hawaiʻi.
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You can purchase Sydney's books here, take upcoming courses, view her public presentations and keep up with her blog here. You can also view her TED Ed video-- "The dark history of the overthrow of Hawai'i." Mahalo nui for your interest in Aloha ʻĀina--love of the land and nation.
