Leon Siu

Leon Siu hails from the village of Miloli’i, the town of Na’alehu and the city of Hilo on island of Hawaii. He has an unusually diverse background in the visual, literary and performing arts. Although he began formal lessons in painting when he was seven (his early works, painted while he was a teenager, are in several national and private collections), music was also an early interest.

While a visual arts major in college, music began to take a more dominant role as he performed in coffee houses, concerts and nightclubs. Through his pursuits as a professional musician and singer, Leon became an accomplished musician, vocalist, recording artist, composer, poet, lyricist, arranger, studio musician and producer of audio, film and video projects.

As a performer, Leon is best known as half of the creative musical duo, Leon & Malia. Leon also does many solo engagements as well as duos with son Koa, or with Walt Keale or David Kahiapo or Larry Kaliloa.

Because of his versatility he is sought after as a consultant and director of cross-disciplined, cross-cultural, multi-arts, projects.

Leon is also in demand as a writer, a commentator, a lecturer and a teacher. He is versed in topics dealing with various aspects of history, culture, politics, the arts, applied technology and so forth.

Aloha Ke Akua Ministries

Leon Siu is one of the founders of Aloha Ke Akua Ministries, which encourages native peoples to seek God through the richness of their own cultures. Leon is on the oversight committee for the World Christian Gathering on Indigenous Peoples and has been on the cutting edge of indigenous worship expressions spreading among native peoples of the world.

He produces culturally relevant recordings and videos featuring songs, dances and images that celebrate Hawaii. He is regarded as a cultural consultant and is often called upon to provide his insights at churches, conferences, schools (high schools to colleges and universities), and international conferences and gatherings.

Na Wa‘a Kualoa
Leon is also one of the leaders of Na Wa‘a Kualoa, a group of believers at the vanguard of a taro-roots cultural revival based in Windward O‘ahu advocating the restoration of loko i’a (fishponds); lo’i kalo (taro farms); kalai wa’a (canoe building), kukulu hale (house building) and preserving sacred times and places.

Ka Ohana o ke Aloha
Leon is one of the founders of and serves as an elder in a local-style church called, Ka Ohana O Ke Aloha, pastored by Kahu Kawika Kahiapo. The fellowship is committed to serving the people of Hawaii and networks with other churches and community groups in joint projects. Ka Ohana's members are involved in many ministries throughout the community and around the world.

Ahahui o Opukaha‘ia and
Ka Ohe Ola Hou
Leon is a member of Ahahui O Opukaha‘ia, and he Chairman of Ka Ohe Ola Hou, two organizations formed to perpetuate the legacy of Henry Opukaha‘ia.

Political Activism

Leon Siu is an astute analyst and strategist in the political arena and has received national awards and recognition for his work in affecting public policy. As the head of Christian Voice of Hawaii from 1988 to the present, he has effectively led efforts to uphold a standard of righteousness in the public square. He is the editor of the Hawaii Evangelical Voice, a monthly newsletter that informs and exhorts over eight hundred ministers in Hawaii regarding crucial civic issues.

As the head of the American Freedom Coalition, he organized numerous conference and public events emphasizing in support of spreading the principles of freedom and democracy locally and internationally. As one of the founders of the American Parents Association he helped to author the Hawaii Parent Handbook on Education, a resource to help parents negotiate the intricacies of Hawaii's education system. In 1989 he authored the legislation designating 1992 as the Year of the Family, a statewide celebration that reaffirmed the essential value of families to our island community.

His political activism in other areas led to Leon being made in 1991, an honorary Lithuanian for his contribution in liberating that nation from the Soviet Union.

Beginning in 1987, Leon created and implemented the strategy that ten years later, led to the passage of a constitutional amendment preserving traditional marriage in Hawaii. Leon is a local contact to the Washington Times newspaper and Christianity Today magazine and he is an occasional contributing writer to the monthly conservative periodical, the National Educator

Leon Siu works well with all kinds of people, continually striving to promote understanding, cooperation, creativity and good will. As a follower of Jesus, he is committed to glorifying the Creator, by serving and inspiring people through the use of the arts, culture, media and whatever means that are available.

To contact Leon go to:

leon@hits.net