Lokela Kamea
Lokela Kamea | |
|---|---|
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| Born | May 2, 1972 |
| Other names | "Kē" |
| Alma mater | Aolani Provincial University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1999 - present |
| Parent(s) | Aloalo and Malana Kemea |
| Relatives | Eleu Kamea (sister) |
| Awards |
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Lokela "Kē" Kamea is a Kalean actor and reservist officer in the KDF Medical Corps. He was born in Aolani, Ho'olua, Kalea on May 2nd, 1972 to Aloalo and Malana Kemea. He is the older brother to Co-President Eleu Kamea. He has acted in one television series and several movies. He served in Taupo and led the rescue operations of the of the survivors of the KMP Iolana. He is currently on active duty as the commander of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division Expeditionary Force.
Early life and education
Lokela was born in Aolani, Ho'olua, Kalea on May 2nd, 1972 to Aloalo and Malana Kemea. He was their only biological child. Growing up in Aolani, he attended twelve years in the local Moanalua Children's Educational Center earning top marks and high praise from among his peers and educators. In 1989, after graduating a year early with academic honors at the age of 17, he furthered his education at Aolani Provincial University where he majored in anthropology and minored in sociology. There he entered into the university's Reserve Officer Candidate Course, or ROCC for short, where he excelled and quickly rose through the cadets' ranks, eventually earning the rank of Cadet Captain before graduating in 1995. He also joined the university's drama club on a dare where he came to find his passion for acting. After graduating with a Bachelor's in Anthropology and Sociology, he continued his career in the Kalean Democratic Forces as a First Lieutenant, quickly earning the rank of Captain within the next year after passing Mountaineer school where he met and became good friends with Kauhale Pilialoha. In 1999, he retired from active duty status, choosing to be a reserve officer in order to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. However, he has returned to active duty status three times since. At the age of 30, Lokela's parents adopted a 2-year old girl by the name of Eleu. His parents were unable to have any more children but always wanted a little girl. He was very excited to have a sibling as he always wanted one growing up. He and Eleu would become as close as a brother and sister could be despite their age difference. He was supportive of Eleu from a young age no matter what, so when she first said she was running for public office he was willing to finance her campaign and has been her largest supporter ever since.
Acting career
In December of 1999, Lokela was cast in a minor Kalean docudrama that aired from 2000-2002 where he played the role of an unnamed chief in the Warring Tribes period of Kalean history. This caught the attention of an up-and-coming director that was filming a historical movie on the overthrow of the Kalean monarchy, called By the Bayonet, a reference to the 1774 Bayonet Constitution, and the lead actor who was cast for the role of King Makani quit. Lokela was brought in for some line and camera tests before ultimately being given the role a month later in June 2006. Reshoots began soon after, and the movie was released on January 9, 2007 on the country's 224th anniversary. Lokela would also star in the 2010 hit action blockbuster Under Siege, about a fictional naval and aerial invasion by the Yuaneze military; the 2013 romantic comedy The Love of the Land, where he played a aspiring land developer that falls in love with an environmental activist who thwarts his every move; and most recently the 2020 action drama following the events of the humanitarian intervention in Taupo, an event that Lokela himself volunteered to reactivate his active duty status and deploy for. At first insistent on not playing the role when approached, Lopeka eventually and reluctantly agreed to play the role stating, "While I am reluctant to accept, I do not believe anyone could accurately portray what happened than someone who was actually there." He and several others that have been deployed to Taupo acted as consultants for historical accuracy.
Military career
Humanitarian Aid in Taupo
When the Kalean Legislative Assembly voted to provide aid to the Taupo in March 2016, Lokela volunteered to active duty to deploy with the Kalean Democratic Forces. While there, the humanitarian force's goals were to provide humanitarian aid to the Taupoese people. However, they soon became targets by anti-government groups. Dozens of Kalean had been wounded and killed in the time they were deployed. Just three months after he had been deployed, Lokela recieved word from Eleu that their parents had died in a car accident. Lokela and Eleu were 44 and 16 respectively. He was allowed to return home for the funeral but would have to return to deployment a week after. After he returned to deployment, the remainder of his time on Taupo was met with more sorrow after his closest friend in the unit, Capt. Kaheka Makaiwi, was wounded by a teenager who was part of an anti-government protest. Lokela was sent home after he was also wounded during another protest. For their time in Taupo, everyone deployed in his unit was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Sinking of the KMP Iolana
On Wednesday, May 18th, 2022, after the KMP Iolana, a Ho’omau-class corvette in the Kalean Maritime Patrol was hit and sunk by a missile while out on patrol by Yuaneze naval vessel, upon hearing this, Lokela, volunteered to lead the rescue operations of the crew. Upon arriving, the rescuers searched the wreckage in the water only to find 32 of 145 crew members on board alive. The vessel sank within nine minutes, long before the rescue crews arrived, claiming the lives of the remaining 113 crew members. For the actions of Lokela and the other rescuers, they were all awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Naval Commendation Medal. Lokela was also promoted to Major for volunteering to lead the rescue operations.
Terehan War
Following the declaration of war against Terehan, Lokela was prepared to volunteer alongside countless others to be the first to deploy with WEDA coalition forces. However, at the behest of his sister Eleu, he reconsidered volunteering and promised to stay. Instead, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division Expeditionary Force, one of two brigades that remained behind as a reserve force. With the war coming to an end, he hoped that his friends currently deployed would come home, but on December 5th, 2022, he was saddened to learn that Colonel Kauhale Pilialoha had been killed and Major Kaheka Makaiwi had been injured, although not seriously injured, and command of the 1st Brigade fell to Makaiwi.
Decorations and awards
Lokela was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for his deployment in Taupo, and the Meritorious Service Medal and Naval Commendation Medal for his actions in the rescue operations of the survivors of the KMP Iolana.
Personal life
On January 8th, 2023, Lokela and his sister, Eleu Kamea, sat down in an interview with a correspondent from the Kalea Chronicle to discuss their unique relationship and the impact it has had on their respective careers and lives.