{"id":207122,"date":"2024-12-02T15:02:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T01:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=207122"},"modified":"2024-12-03T18:14:52","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T04:14:52","slug":"vicky-holt-takamine-gish-prize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/12\/02\/vicky-holt-takamine-gish-prize\/","title":{"rendered":"Hula icon Vicky Holt Takamine honored with prestigious Gish Prize"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Victoria “Vicky” Holt Takamine (Photo credit: Nicholas Tomasello)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Victoria “Vicky” Holt Takamine, a retired University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> dance lecturer and revered kumu hula (master hula teacher) was awarded the 31st annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, one of the most highly regarded arts honors in the world. Valued at more than $450,000, the award recognizes individuals who have significantly advanced the arts and created meaningful social change.<\/p>\n

“I can think of no more deserving recipient than longtime faculty member Kumu Hula Victoria Holt Takamine,” said Donald Womack, professor and chair at the UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa music department. “Her contributions over the many years she taught continue to have a positive impact. We couldn\u2019t be more proud that her lifetime of commitment to the art form of hula has been recognized.”<\/p>\n

A familiar name across the UH<\/abbr> system, Holt Takamine has taught hula and oli (chant) at multiple campuses, including UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa and Leeward Community College, and has been a longtime judge at the world-renowned Merrie Monarch Festival. She is also the kumu hula of Pua Aliʻi<\/span> ʻIlima<\/span>, a school of traditional Hawaiian dance.<\/p>\n

Deep knowledge<\/h2>\n

Holt Takamine earned both bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees in dance ethnology at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. Her authentic hula training stems from the mentorship of legendary kumu hula Maiki Aiu Lake, with whom she underwent the rigorous ʻūniki<\/span> (graduation) process, gaining deep expertise in traditional hula practices. For more than three decades, Holt Takamine choreographed and taught in UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa\u2019s theatre and dance department<\/a>, shaping future generations of dancers and cultural practitioners.<\/p>\n

Her impact extends beyond academia, the respected Native Hawaiian advocate is an award winning filmmaker and has traveled the globe sharing the culture and arts of her one h\u0101nau (birth sands). As the luna hoʻokele<\/span> (director) of the PAʻI<\/span> Foundation<\/a> for the past 24 years, she has produced workshops, concerts and events that celebrate and preserve traditions of Native Hawaiian artists and cultural practitioners.<\/p>\n

“This year, the selection committee rose to the challenge by lifting its eyes across the horizon and unanimously choosing Vicky Holt Takamine,” said Terrance McKnight, New York Public Radio host, author, and pianist. “It is an honor to present the Gish Prize to her, helping to bring her contributions to culture the recognition it so richly deserves.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Retired UH<\/abbr> dance lecturer and revered kumu hula Vicky Holt Takamine earned one of the most highly regarded arts honors in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[1471,598,33,65,76,71,9],"class_list":["post-207122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-college-of-arts-languages-and-letters","tag-faculty-recognition","tag-hawaiian","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-theatre-and-dance","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t