Wayne Kaho'onei Panoke, a kumu hula who worked to preserve, promote and protect the Hawaiian culture, died Nov. 13.

Panoke, 61, of Käne'ohe, spent much of his life in support of Hawaiian civic clubs, trusts and other organizations planning cultural celebrations that brought the Hawaiian community together, said Mahealani Cypher, president of the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club, of which Panoke was a member.

"Kaho'onei was a man full of spirit and he was always involved, coordinating numerous and varied Hawaiian events," Cypher said. Some of those events were the Kuhio Day Parade, a health and wellness fair at the Bishop Museum and a birthday celebration for Queen Lili'uokalani. "He had it down to a science. He leaves a big hole," Cypher said.

Panoke suffered from diabetes, which affected his kidney, forcing him to depend on weekly dialysis, said Lehua Castro, his sister.

Although recently hospitalized with pneumonia, he attended the 50th Annual Hawaiian Civic Club conference on Maui. He suffered a heart attack after the conference and never recovered, Castro said.

Cypher said Panoke's health was a challenge for him.

"Despite that, he's kept active and busy in the Hawaiian community," she said. "He's never allowed for health to get in the way of things he wanted to do."

CHAMPIONED CAUSES

Panoke was also an advocate of Hawaiian rights. He co-founded the Ilio'ulaokalani Coalition, an organization of cultural practitioners, with Vicky Holt-Takamine and was its executive director in 1997.

Panoke planned demonstrations, marches and vigils to educate and raise awareness, Holt-Takamine said.

"He was a champion of the No Vote, No Grumble campaign trying to register Native Hawaiians and the citizens of Hawai'i to get out to vote," she said. "I think it's a real loss for the Native Hawaiian community."

Panoke was born Nov. 1, 1948, in Honolulu.

He graduated from Kamehameha Schools and joined Aunty Winona Beamer's hula hälau in 1966, becoming a kumu hula two years later.

In 1982, he started Hälau Hula 'O Kaho'onei in Las Vegas and in 1989, he co-founded the Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club.

From 1994 to 2000, he was kumu hula for Hälau O 'Aulani in Arlington, Va., and in 1998, he organized Hawaiian immersion programs, bringing students to O'ahu.

Memorial celebrations for Panoke were held in Las Vegas and San Francisco, where he has hälau branches, Castro said.

He returned to Hawai'i and entered the University of Hawai'i, becoming the first student regent in 1997.

"He fought really hard to get Hawaiian students the tuition waivers," Cypher said. "That was very important in opening the university eyes to their obligations because they sit on ceded lands."

He later graduated with a degree in Hawaiian culture and language.

'STOOD FAST'

Panoke also served on the Kahalu'u Neighborhood Board and was appointed in 2005 as cultural adviser to the city's Office of Culture and Arts.

In 2007, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hawaii Council of Engineering.

"In general, Kaho'onei dedicated his life to speaking on behalf of Native Hawaiians and representing them in all areas, including Hawaiian rights to land, education, health, cultural and tradition," Castro said. "He was very passionate about his purpose in life and stood fast when dealing with Hawaiian issues."

He is survived by his mother, Evelyn "Nani" Castro; sisters, Lehua, Kauilani, and Sierralynn Ledford-Castro; and brothers, Jordan and Justin Ledford-Castro.

Visitation is at 8:30 a.m. and the service at 10:30 a.m. next Saturday at Mililani Downtown Mortuary. Scattering of his ashes will follow at He'eia Small Boat Harbor in Käne'ohe. Flowers are welcome. Aloha attire .