Read this article in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Dear friends of the Hawaiian language. News has arrived from the center of Washington that two Hawaiians were selected to stand at the highest of honors amongst artists and craftsmen in the United States of America.
The National Heritage Fellowship for 2026 was given to Lloyd and Haunani Sing for their work in perpetuating Hawaiian twine basketry such as the round basket, hinalea fishtraps, goby fish traps, ancestral images, helmets, and much more. The National Heritage Fellowship is the highest award given in the U.S. for traditional artists.
The first National Heritage Fellowship was awarded in 1982. However, the award was not given to any person in Hawaiʻi until 1990 – it was given to Gladys Kukana Grace, a famous lau hala weaver from Kona. She was a teacher of several students, grandchildren-students, and great-grandchildren-students.
After Grace, in the traditional artist category, Mealiʻi Kalama in 1995. Kalama was famous for her quilting. Thereafter, a traditional artist was not selected until 2022 with the selection of Frank “Palani” Senici, a traditional house builder. After him was Roen Kahalewai Hufford for her kapa. Roen was the daughter of Marie McDonald, a famous icon when it comes to kapa making.
Most of the honorees were famous Hawaiian musicians. In the traditional music section, there was Kauʻi Zuttermeister (1996) honored for her work in hula. So, too, was the honor given to Pualani Kanahele and Nalani Kanakaʻole (2023) along with George Nāʻope (2006). They all hail from Hawaiʻi Island. Then in 2005, Kaʻupena Wong was honored for his chanting.
The honorees in the Hawaiian music category were:
- Cyril Pahinui (2017) – A man noted for his slack-key guitar and singing.
- Ledward Kaʻapana (2011) – Master in the ʻukulele, guitar, and falsetto singing.
- Genoa Keawe (2000) – Famous for her falsetto singing and holding notes for long periods,
- Eddie Kamae (2007) – Musician, composer, and documentarian.
- Clyde “Kindy” Sproat (1988) – Storyteller and musician.
- Raymond Kane (1993) – Famous for his slack-key stylings.
- Richard Hoʻopiʻi & Solomon Hoʻopiʻi (1996) – Known for falsetto singing.
Lloyd and Haunani will be invited to an award ceremony. They will be given $25,000 to continue their work, namely spreading Hawaiian twining throughout the archipelago. This honor will endure from season to season and beyond.
Most of the people honored were Native Hawaiian. However, the award is not solely for Hawaiians. Gertrude Tsutsumi (2016) was selected for her teaching of traditional Japanese dance of the Onoe-ryu School and Lynn Nakasone (2012) for teaching the traditional dance of Okinawa. Another Uchinānchu (Okinawan) person selected was Seisho Nakasone for his preservation of Ryūkyū traditional music.
If you count the years, there are many years when no one was selected. Therefore, if you know someone who is preserving traditional arts or traditional music, chant, and dance, please nomminate them at arts.gov/honors/heritage.
