Kamakakēhau Fernandez

Vicky Holt Takamine, a renowned Kumu Hula, cultural advocate, and Native Hawaiian rights activist, has recently been recognized for her lifelong dedication to Hawaiian arts and activism as the recipient of the 31st annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize.

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Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Holt Takamine comes from a lineage of dancers and community leaders. She began dancing hula at age 12 and later graduated from Kamehameha Schools before earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Dance Ethnology from the University of Hawaiʻi. She trained under hula master Maiki Aiu Lake, completing the sacred ʻūniki rites in 1975, which bestowed upon her the title of Kumu Hula. Two years later, she established her own hālau, Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima (The Royal ʻIlima Blossom), and later founded the PAʻI Foundation, where she continues to serve as Executive Director. The PAʻI Foundation, dedicated to preserving and perpetuating Native Hawaiian arts and culture, is also a perennial sponsor of 4 Days of Aloha.

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Beyond her work as a Kumu Hula, Holt Takamine has spent decades as a fierce advocate for Native Hawaiian rights and cultural preservation. She has served as poʻo (president) of ʻĪlioʻulaokalani, a coalition of traditional practitioners protecting Hawaiian customs and traditions; president of KAHEA: The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance, which safeguards Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources; and co-founder and president of Aloha ʻĀina, a Hawaiian political party focused on environmental and cultural advocacy.

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Her impact extends deeply into the Pacific Northwest, where she is a co-founder and cultural advisor for Ke Kukui Foundation and 4 Days of Aloha—one of the largest Hawaiian cultural festivals outside of Hawaiʻi. She has attended every 4 Days of Aloha for the past 23 years, playing a vital role in its development and success.

 

Under her leadership, Hālau Hula Pua Aliʻi ʻIlima has been a mainstay in cultural festivals across Hawaiʻi, and in 2024, the hālau made a historic return to the Merrie Monarch Festival stage after a 40-year hiatus.