Kaana Tenkel

Kaana Tenkel
Kaana in 2022
Maaita of Freice
Tenure	30 January 2023 – present
Predecessor	Nejoione Saamaime
Regent	Makeeia Taaguvigi (from December 2023)
Born	Kaana Tenkel (1967-05-12) 12 May 1967 Sekaapa, Freice
Spouse	Makeeia Taaguvigi (m. 2018)
Issue	Mevarau Kaana, Tuaa Mula Suvea Kaana
Full name Kaana Tenkel
Father	Tenkel Maairai
Mother	Maalelidi Avautima

This is a Freician name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Kaana

Kaana Tenkel (born 12 May 1967) is the present Maaita of Freice, being claimant to one-third of the jointly-held hereditary office. Prior to assuming the office, he worked as a civil engineer and transport planner in Freice and Riamo, inheriting the Tuaa share of the Maaita on his father's death in 2001.

One of the most eccentric of the island's rulers, Kaana came to international attention in 2022 when he was embroiled in what become known as the "Concrete Mixer Man Case." As Maaita, he has earned a reputation as a compratively hands-on ruler, although maintaining a strictly non-partisan position on political matters.

Biography

Kaana was the elder son and one of eight children of Tenkel Maairai, who served as Maaita from 1993 to 2003, and the singer Maalelidi Avautima. From a young age, Kaana enjoyed a very close relationship with his mother, who was more understanding of and attentive to his sensibilities than his father. He has since said of his parents that his father "distrusted what he saw as effeminacy" whilst his mother "understood me."

Despite his misgivings, he followed his father into the Freice Posse (the local militia), although he served for only eighteen months before withdrawing. With the support of his mother and sister, he travelled across Olivacia, living for a period in Riamo where he studied at Portington University.

Kaana was never initially destined to succeed to the Tuaa share; he was the youngest of five children. In 1978, his father died and his eldest brother Maaife became claimant to the share. On his death in 1980 of cancer, the claim transferred to the next oldest brother Jauivusa, who also died of cancer in 1985. Tauinasa Tenkel was disinherited in 1992 by court order due to mental instability. None of these brothers had legitimate children at the time of their death (the law allowing illegitimate children to inherit only being enacted in 2001). When the childless Seseeisa Tenkel became claimant in 1992, Kaana became second-in-line. On Seseeisa's own death in 2016, Kaana became heir.

Maaitaship

In accordance with the constitution, Kaana became Maaita on 20 January 2023, succeeding Tevee Enneedi. As the sole inheritor of the Tuaa share of the office, he automatically took on the role without prior negotiation with co-inheritors. The Representative Council formally appointed him in a ceremonial vote to a ten year term.

As Maaita, Kaana has maintained the non-partisan nature of the office, but adopted a more hands-on approach than his recent predecessors. He personally opened the new session of the Representative Council in November 2023, rather than sending a message to be read by the Council's president as previous Maaita's had done.

On 22 December 2023, he travelled to Pohnpenesia for an extended Christmas stay. His wife Makeeia became regent during his absence, the first formally-recognised regent in Freician history.

Concrete Mixer Man Case

Kaana came to international attention following his arrest on 12 January 2022. He was caught with a concrete mixer, poetry books, glue, and three stoats, and was arrested and booked for "lewd activity". He was reported to have willingly surrendered himself and his possessions to the police. It was later determined that the equipment used in the event were stolen, with the concrete mixer likely taken from a construction site he was working at. The stoats were of unknown origin.

Kaana's name was revealed publicly for the first time following a court ruling on 11 February 2022. He was brought to trial on 21 February 2022 on charges of endangering wildlife and indecent exposure. Charges of trespassing and misuse of property were also pressed, although theft was dropped after a local school, believed to be the owner of the glue and books, dropped charges.

In a blog post on his website, written in September 2022, Kaana clarified the details of the event. He claimed that his actions were an "historical inquiry into pre-Christian religions in Freice," with no malice intended. He denied any sexual aspect, saying that he had sought to imitate traditional religious practices.

Response

The case enjoyed international attention. An Anáhuaca politician Francisco Javier Vaquero, when asked about the case, humorously declared that a movie should be made about the unusual criminal. He later added that any movie should win awards for its storyline.

The international coverage of the case has led to a number of copycat cases being reported. In Kentalis, broadcaster NRSK reported of two teenages being arrested for stealing a concrete mixer.

Personal life

Family

Kaana married Makeeia Taaguvigi in 2018, having been in a relationship with her since 2003. They have two children, Mevarau (born 2010) and Suvea (born 2013). Since a 2001 law allowing the Maaitaship to be inherited by illegitimate children, providing that the births happened within a relationship between the two parents, Mevarau is heir to the Tuaa share.

Rumours persist that Kaana and Makeeia's marriage has broken down and that they lead two separate lives. A report in E Tai Seelit claimed that Makeeia is "resentful" for the impact her husband's trial had on her own career.

Health

Since the Concrete Mixer case, several commentators have suggested that Kaana suffers from an undisclosed mental condition. As far back as the death of his second brother in 1985, and specially since the death of his third in 2016, there have been claims that these continued bereavements have affected Kaana, given his close relationships with all his brothers. Tauinasa Tenkel's own mental illness has also raised suggestions of a genetic disposition towards mental imbalance.

Spokespeople for the Maaita have repeatedly sought to dispel rumours of a mental condition, and have accused those making the claim to be "lying or otherwise severely misinformed."

Titles and styles

Between 1992 and 2016, when he was heir to the Tuaa share, Kaana used the courtesy title Tuaa Mula ("Son of Tuaa").

See also

• Politics of Freice
• Maaita of Freice
• Freice