Katharine Kesolei (1942 - 13 October 2015) was an anthropologist and Senator from

Palau Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...

. Kesolei was born in the state of

Ngchesar Ngchesar also known as Oldiais is one of the sixteen states of the nation of Palau in Oceania. History The terraces in the village of Ngerngesang are examples of archaeological sites in the area, through radiocarbon dating, are believed to da ...

, on

Babeldaob Babeldaob (also Babelthuap) is the largest island in the island nation of the Republic of Palau. It is in the western Caroline Islands, and the second largest island (after Guam) in the Micronesia region of Oceania. Palau's capital, Ngerulmud, is ...

island. In 1960, Kesolei was involved with founding the Micronesian Girls Association. She was also a member of Mechesil Belau, Palau’s traditional women leaders’ group, and contributed to its annual conference from 1994 until her death. The conference became a national public forum for traditional women leaders to discuss and propose resolutions for government to enact with regard to cultural, social, health and environmental challenges. Kesolei studied anthropology at the

University of Hawaii at Manoa A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

and became an expert in cultural conservation. She led a number of initiatives to celebrate and preserve Palauan culture and history, such as the writing of a four volume anthology of Palauan legends and history, and directed the Palau History Development Project in her role as Director of the Palau Community Action Agency. She was a long-serving chairperson for the Palau Cultural and Historical Advisory Board. In 2009 Kesolei was elected to the

Palau National Congress Palau has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress (''Olbiil era Kelulau''), consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the capitol complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. The House of Delegates has ...

; she was re-elected in 2012. Her 2012 campaign motto was ‘''Promoting cultural awareness and stewardship to safeguard our heritage for future generations; supporting a better Belau towards sustainable development and economic growth; supporting healthy lifestyle and living for our Belau''’. While a Senator, Kesolei worked to achieve the

United Nations Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millenni ...

and introduced legislation to create the Bureau of Social Services under the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs. She also introduced the Palau Family Protection Act in 2010 to address family violence and enforce protection for victims and legal consequences for perpetrators. At the time of her death in 2015, aged 73, she was Vice-President of the Senate of Palau. Kesolei died of cancer at St. Luke’s Global City Hospital in Manila or Taguig, Philippines.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kesolei, Katharine Members of the Senate of Palau 1940s births 2015 deaths University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni 21st-century Palauan women politicians 21st-century Palauan politicians Deaths from cancer in the Philippines People from Ngchesar 20th-century Palauan women politicians 20th-century Palauan politicians