Living Treasures of Hawaiʻi selects 2026 honorees

Celebrating its 51st year in 2026, the Living Treasures of Hawai‘i program continues a cherished tradition of honoring those whose lives reflect the very best of our islands —excellence, compassion, and a deep commitment to enriching our society. Founded in 1976 by Bishop Yoshiaki Fujitani and inspired by Japan’s Living National Treasures (Ningen Kokuho), the program recognizes individuals who, through mastery and service, enrich Hawai‘i’s cultural, artistic, and humanitarian landscape.

The 2026 honorees — Billy Bergin, DVM, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, Jim and Vickie Kennedy, Sheree Tamura, and Bruce Ka‘imiloa Chrisman, MD — will be celebrated at the 51st Living Treasures of Hawaiʻi luncheon on Feb. 21, 2026, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.

Tickets may be purchased at hongwanjihawaii.com/living-treasures/.

The following individuals have been chosen as this year’s Living Treasures of Hawai’i:

Dr. Billy Bergin: Keeper of the Paniolo Spirit

From the misty hills of Waimea to the rugged pastures of Parker Ranch, few names resonate more deeply in Hawai‘i’s ranching legacy than Dr. Billy Bergin, DVM. Dr. Bergin, as a 2026 Living Treasure of Hawai‘i, is being honored for his lifetime of service, leadership, and cultural preservation.

A veterinarian, rancher, and historian, Dr. Bergin has dedicated more than 55 years to advancing animal care and celebrating Hawai‘i’s paniolo (cowboy) heritage. As Parker Ranch’s head veterinarian, he pioneered herd health programs and sustainable ranching practices that reflected Hawaiian values of kuleana (responsibility) and aloha ʻāina (love of the land).

Beyond veterinary science, Dr. Bergin founded the Paniolo Preservation Society, safeguarding the stories and artifacts of Hawai‘i’s ranching history. His advocacy led to national recognition for local cowboys, including the induction of Ikua Purdy and John Palmer Parker into the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Fame, and the creation of Waimea’s iconic Ikua Purdy statue.

The author of the acclaimed Loyal to the Land book series, Dr. Bergin continues to write, teach, and share the paniolo spirit from his home in Waimea, where he lives with his wife of 63 years, Patricia (Cockett) Bergin. His legacy endures as a bridge between Hawai‘i’s past and future.

Bruce Ka‘imiloa Chrisman, MD: Reviving the Lost Arts of Hawai‘i

For more than five decades, Bruce Ka‘imiloa Chrisman— physician, artisan, and cultural historian — has been one of Hawai‘i’s most dedicated champions of traditional knowledge.

Ka’imiloa means “one who seeks endlessly” and is known affectionately as Kumu Ka’imiloa, since he has devoted his life to researching, reviving and teaching the traditional arts and culture of Hawai’i.

After moving to Hawai‘i in the 1970s as a U.S. Navy physician, he immersed himself in Hawaiian culture, learning from renowned kūpuna across the islands. His curiosity and respect led him to master numerous art forms — wood, stone, bone, shell, featherwork, kapa, tattooing, and hula implements. But his most groundbreaking achievement was reviving the lost art of ipu pawehe, the intricately dyed gourds once reserved for ali‘i. After 15 years of careful research and experimentation, he rediscovered the traditional dyeing process, bringing back an art that had vanished for generations.

Dr. Chrisman’s teaching has reached students across Hawai‘i and beyond. He has lectured at Bishop Museum, Kamehameha Schools, and Ka ‘Aha Hula o Hālauaola, and has served as a cultural resource to museums worldwide. His humility and generosity have earned him respect from all who learn from him — he shares his vast knowledge freely, asking only that his students “pass it on.”

Now in his 80s, Dr. Chrisman continues to teach online through the University of Hawai‘i–Hilo Outreach Program and his YouTube channel, ensuring that traditional Hawaiian knowledge remains alive and accessible to future generations. His life’s work exemplifies kuleana, aloha ‘āina, and a tireless dedication to preserving the wisdom of Hawai‘i’s ancestors.

For reviving a lost art and inspiring countless others to cherish and continue Hawai‘i’s cultural traditions, Dr. Bruce Ka‘imiloa Chrisman truly embodies the spirit of a Living Treasure of Hawai‘i.

Māpuana de Silva: A Lifetime of Hula, Healing, and Leadership

For 50 years, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva has devoted her life to preserving, teaching, and sharing the art of hula. As the founder and kumu hula of Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima, she has trained generations of dancers and cultural practitioners who embody the values of haʻahaʻa, mālama, and pono—humility, care, and integrity. A student of legendary hula master Maiki Aiu Lake, Māpuana received her ʻūniki (formal graduation) in 1975, marking the beginning of a lifelong commitment to teaching hula as both art and philosophy.

Since its founding in 1976, her hālau has become a cornerstone of Hawaiian culture, known for its excellence and authenticity on the Merrie Monarch stage and in community life. Her bold decision early on to focus exclusively on traditional hula set her hālau apart as a beacon of cultural integrity and discipline.

Māpuana’s impact reaches far beyond performance. Partnering with the University of Hawai‘i’s John A. Burns School of Medicine, she helped develop Ola Hou i ka Hula, a groundbreaking program that uses hula to improve cardiovascular and emotional health. Her work bridges Indigenous practice and modern science, demonstrating how Hawaiian knowledge continues to heal and empower communities.

She has also served as an international ambassador of culture through the Council of Pacific Arts and Culture, representing Hawai‘i in global forums as Chair of the Council for 8 years and leading the state’s participation in the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC).

At home in Kailua, Māpuana leads with humility and courage. Through organizations like Hikaʻalani and the Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, she has championed the protection of sacred
sites, iwi kupuna, and the perpetuation of Hawaiian identity. Her teaching philosophy—rooted in respect, discipline, and aloha—has shaped generations of students who carry her values into every corner of life.

Kumu Māpuana de Silva’s life’s work exemplifies the essence of a Living Treasure of Hawai‘i: steadfast devotion to tradition, the courage to innovate, and the grace to lead through aloha.

Jim & Vickie Kennedy: Making the Invisible Visible

James “Jim” Kennedy, Jr. and Victoria “Vickie” Reiko Kennedy embody the quiet power of service. For years they have championed communities too often overlooked—especially blind and low-vision residents and legitimate service-dog teams—building access, dignity, and understanding across Hawaiʻi.

Vickie, totally blind, turned her lived experience into leadership to help the blind. On Guide Dogs for the Blind’s board (2002–2011), she chaired development for seven years and helped launch Support Our Canine Heroes, a signature gala that has raised $10+ million for veterinary care. In Hawaiʻi, she volunteers through Guide Dogs of Hawaiʻi, encourages assistive technology, chairs major events for the Hawaiʻi Association of the Blind, seeks to provide hope to newly diagnosed blind and their families, and has serves on Hawaiʻi’s Statewide Independent Living Council —bringing to it real-world disability expertise.

Jim brought executive rigor to community work. As Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Fi-Do Service Dogs, he led public education and legislative advocacy that culminated in Hawaiʻi’s law penalizing fake service dogs, protecting legitimate teams and reducing conflict. A seasoned grant writer and nonprofit leader, he also helped build Mālama i nā Honu, securing its nonprofit status, obtaining grants, serving as president/treasurer, and volunteering on the beach as a “Honu Guardian.”

Together they advance accessibility in places most visitors never think about. With the National Park Service’s UniDescription project, they co-crafted audio descriptions for brochures—turning silent images into vivid narratives at the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, Kalaupapa National Historic Park, and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. They have also worked on the descriptions for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and Grand Teton National Park.

That work makes iconic sites more welcoming to blind and low-vision visitors.

Their compassion is hands-on. With Vickie’s retired guide dogs, they have provided thousands of pet-therapy visits at Queen’s Medical Center and St. Francis Hospice. Recently, they were both elected to the Board of Directors of Damien Memorial School.

Honoring Jim and Vickie Kennedy as Living Treasures also honors a community rarely recognized on public stages. They’ve helped change laws, reshaped public messaging, expanded access to national parks, and comforted families—always choosing impact over attention.

Sheree Tamura: Dancing Tradition Forward

For over sixty years, Sheree Tamura (Hanayagi Mitsusumi Sensei) has been a guiding light in Japanese classical dance, shamisen, and cultural education in Hawaiʻi. Founder of the Hanayagi Mitsusumi Dance Studio, she has trained generations of students in nihon buyō while fostering respect, discipline, and appreciation for Japanese values.

Her artistry has graced countless stages — from Merrie Monarch-style community events to international festivals and diplomatic receptions, including performances honoring Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In 2018 she personally escorted Prince and Princess Akishino during their visit to Hawaiʻi, and in 2019, Sheree was invited to a private meeting with Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masaki during the Association of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad (Kaigai Nikkeijin Kyokai) Convention in Tokyo, symbolizing her lifelong role as a bridge between Japan and its global Nikkei communities.

At home, Tamura is equally admired for her selfless leadership. As president and long-time board member of the United Japanese Society of Hawaiʻi, she coordinated major legacy events; through the Japanese Women’s Society Foundation she brings dance, music, and joy to kūpuna at Kuakini Home; and with Waipahu Hongwanji Mission she shares her artistry at temple celebrations. During the pandemic, she created online cultural videos for children and seniors to continue learning from home.

Honored with the 2018 Consul General of Japan Commendation and 2017 UJSH Outstanding Member of the Year, Tamura has become one of Hawaiʻi’s foremost keepers of Japanese arts. Yet her greatest achievement is the community she has built — one where tradition thrives and gratitude guides every step. Through grace, discipline, and aloha, Sheree Tamura embodies the spirit of a Living Treasure of Hawaiʻi.