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 — Dr. Billy Bergin, Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, Jim and Vickie Kennedy, Sheree Tamura, and Dr. Ka‘imiloa Chrisman — will be celebrated at the 51st Living Treasures of Hawai‘i luncheon on February 21, 2026, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.
For registration information, see our Living Treasures page.
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, D.V.M. 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.
Dr. B. Ka‘imiloa Chrisman: Reviving the Lost Arts of Hawai‘i
For more than five decades, Dr. B. Ka‘imiloa Chrisman, M.D. — physician, artisan, and cultural historian — has been one of Hawai‘i’s most dedicated champions of traditional knowledge. Known affectionately as Kumu Ka‘imiloa, meaning “the one who seeks endlessly,” he has devoted his life to researching, reviving, and teaching the traditional arts 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. B. 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 nearly 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.
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 for Pacific Arts and Culture, representing Hawai‘i in global forums 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, legally blind, turned her lived experience into leadership. 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 mentors through Guide Dogs of Hawaiʻi, teaches assistive technology, chairs major events for the Hawaiʻi Association of the Blind, and has served on the State Rehabilitation Council—bringing real-world disability expertise to policy.
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, winning 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 and University of Hawaiʻi’s UniD project, they co-crafted audio descriptions for brochures—turning silent images into vivid narratives at the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. That work makes iconic sites more welcoming to blind and low-vision visitors.
Their compassion is hands-on. With Vickie’s guide dogs, they have provided thousands of pet-therapy visits at Queen’s and St. Francis Hospice, while Vickie leads workshops for families facing vision loss.
Honoring Jim and Vickie Kennedy as Living Treasures also honors a community rarely recognized on public stages. They’ve changed 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 music, 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 and the Japanese Imperial Family. In 2018 she personally escorted Prince and Princess Akishino during their visit to Hawaiʻi, 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’s 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.