John Kalaniopu’u "John Samoa" Lekelesa
Year Inducted: 2019
Parker Ranch | Hawai'i
On October 27, 1908, John Kalaniopu’u Lekelesa was born in Waimea on the island of Hawaiʻi to a Samoan father named John S. and a Hawaiian-Chinese mother named Celia Hulopi. Apparently, his heritage became his nickname. He was called John Samoa which, he carried throughout his life.
John Samoa started working for Parker Ranch in 1931 at the Humuʻula Sheep Station on the slopes of Mauna Kea. In 1935, he took a position in the “cowboy” gang where he worked as a paniolo for 39 years. John Samoa was a gang foreman for the last 25 years of that time and retired in 1970.
John married the former Hannah (Heanu) Purdy and together they had three children: the oldest, John (Keoni) and wife Beverly, followed by two girls, Celeste Kaulalani Kumalae and husband Llewellyn, and Luana Lani Ogi and husband Toshihiro. John and Hannah also have four grandchildren, three of which are married: Stephen Kumalae and wife Quinell, Lewis Kumalae and wife Robiely, Kaulalani Yumi Randolph and husband Christopher, and Christian Ogi. There is one great-grandson, Seth Randolph.
John was a member of the Imiola Congregational church where his father was a minister.
A quote from the book, Riding Herd with the Paniolos by Chafee Castleton sums up the life of John (Samoa) Lekelesa.
“Behind all rides was John Lekelesa, top cowhand and foreman on Parker Ranch. John rode in his place of honor, tall, dark and monumental. A man of little words, when he talked it was with a gentle speech and a beautiful smile, a genuine paniolo.”