Lani Almanza
Founder
Lani is a writer and author of Under a Full Moon and a Guiding Star and her latest book, Beyond the Horizon – A Guide for Life’s Journey. She is a wellness guide and mentor with her business, Alaka’i Associates and throughout her professional career has been committed to creating healthier lives and communities.
Lani holds a Master’s degree in Communication from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and has worked in various leadership roles related to health communication and community engagement. Her life experience includes: wife, mother, and grandmother; as well as a teacher, trainer, and facilitator in education, business, and non-profit environments. She also facilitates wellness retreats and provides wellness workshops to a wide range of audiences.
In addition to her work with Alaka’i Associates, Lani is a contributing editor for the online magazine, Givers Guides, which supports the nonprofit organization Gimme A Break, whose mission is to care for caregivers.
Jacob Michael Almanza
All of my Alaka’i work is dedicated to the memory and legacy of my youngest son, Jacob Michael Almanza, who passed away on December 14, 2005. One of his quotes from his cancer journey that drives the mission and message of Alaka’i Associates is, “Don’t live by the time that passes, rather by how you use and create yourself with the time you are given.”
Forever in our hearts.
April 1, 1983 – December 14, 2005
Kukui – The Tree of Light
Considered one of the “canoe plants” that arrived with Polynesian migration, with many uses including medicinal, food, dye and waterproofing for kapa, and fishing, but most revered for its role as both a literal and spiritual source of light.
In recent tradition, it has come to symbolize enlightenment, knowledge, protection, guidance, peace, and learning.
‘olelo no’eau: said to have been originally cited by a Tahitian mother to her son, which poetically links the continuation of the ‘ohana and their enlightenment with the illumination shed by a chain of kukui seeds. “The seed was sown. It budded, it blossomed. It spread out and budded again and joined line on line, like the candlenut strung on one stem. ‘Tis lighted. It burns aglow and sheds its light o’er the land.
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Kaneohe, HI 96744
Lani_Almanza@alakaiassociates.com