Honoring Hawaiian Music, Culture
By MaryAnne Long
The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, dedicated to honoring individuals who advance, preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian music and culture, proudly announces its distinguished Class of 2026. This year’s honorees represent decades of artistry, leadership, education and cultural stewardship.
“The Class of 2026 represents the heart and soul of Hawaiian culture, from hula and chant to choral music, language preservation and international promotion of Hawaiian music,” says Kathleen Pahinui, HMHF board president. “These honorees have dedicated their lives to preserving, teaching, performing and sharing the traditions that define Hawaiʻi, inspiring generations around the world.”
Leinaʻala Kalama Heine was a beloved kumu hula, educator and cultural leader.
She founded Hālau Nā Pualei O Likolehua. Known as the “third brother” for her longtime association with The Brothers Cazimero, she devoted her life to teaching Hawaiian culture, mentoring generations of dancers and advancing hula.
Nālani Kanaka‘ole-Zane was a fifth-generation kumu hula, cultural practitioner and educator who carried forward the legacy of her mother, legendary cultural practitioner Edith Kanaka‘ole.
As leader of Hālau O Kekuhi and co-founder of Sig Zane Designs, she championed Hawaiian chant, language and dance. Her nearly seven decades of cultural stewardship inspired countless students, and she was recognized as a National Heritage Fellow.
Larry Kauanoe Lindsey Kimura is widely known as the “Grandfather of Hawaiian Language Revitalization.” A co-founder of ‘Aha Pūnana Leo and a longtime University of Hawai‘i educator, Kimura devoted his life to preserving and perpetuating ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. His work has helped restore Hawaiian language use and strengthened the foundation of Hawaiian music, chant and cultural expression.
Nola Nāhulu transformed the lives of Hawai‘i’s youth through music for more than four decades. As artistic director/executive director of the Hawai‘i Youth OperaChorus, she has nurtured generations of young singers while advancing music education and Hawaiian choral traditions.
Ethel Nakada was a pioneering ambassador of Hawaiian music in Japan and throughout Asia. She became the first Japanese artist featured on the Hawaii Calls radio program with her recording of Kaimana Hila, a landmark success. Through more than 30 recordings and decades of performances, she helped build enduring cultural bridges between Hawai‘i and Japan.
Henry Mo‘ikeha-o-kahiki Pa was a respected chanter and cultural practitioner whose performances and historic recordings preserved traditional Hawaiian mele and oli, helping ensure that ancestral chants and culturalknowledge remain accessible. All of these individuals will be inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame’s 2026 Lei of Stars on Dec. 5. For ticket information, email Kathleen Pahinui at kpahinui@gmail.com.
