Wayne Kaumualii Westlake (1947–1984) was a Hawaiian poet, journalist, activist and translator of Chinese and Japanese works.
He was strongly interested in Chinese literature, poetry, and philosophy, especially Taoism, and soon began translating ancient texts.
Drafted for the Vietnam War in the 60's, Westlake flew home and locked himself in his room with his typewriter and no food or water for three days as a means of protest.
He managed to evade the war and resumed his studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1972, working part-time as a janitor and eventually earning his B.A.
Westlake is best known for his free verse poetry, which reflects both his lighthearted Taoist-style views on life and his struggles with such issues as U.S.-Hawaiian conflicts and poverty.