How Vicky Holt Takamine Uplifts Native Hawaiian Culture and History Through Hula

The resilient spirit of hula has survived a history of adversity. The art was banned from public performance in 1830 by Queen Regent Ka‘ahumanu after being influenced by Christian missionaries who deemed the dance to be pagan. It was revived again during the reign of King David La‘amea Kalākaua, who advocated for a renewed sense of pride in all things Hawaiian, including music and hula. Today, kumu hula (master teachers) such as Vicky Holt Takamine are carrying on this legacy by preserving traditional Hawaiian dance and celebrating Indigenous culture.  

“I feel that hula, much like a lot of dance, are forms of resistance,” says Takamine, the 2024 recipient of the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, awarded each year to an individual from the arts who is pushing the boundaries of their art form, contributing to social change, and paving the way for the next generation. “When you see a social justice movement against oppression, the people who come forth [through] music and dance really bring those issues to the forefront and make it palatable for people to talk about.”

Hula is not just movement; it’s performed to the words of the Hawaiian language, which tell stories of genealogy, history, and places. “In Hawaii, we have a lot of songs of resistance about the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893 that were composed for Queen Liliʻuokalani (the last monarch of Hawaii), and we still dance to those songs today,” explains Takamine. “After the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, it wasn’t just hula that was banned, but also our language and cultural practice. [Hula] became a form of entertainment for tourists, but at the same time, we are [still] educating them about the history of our people. There is no hula without words. It has never gone away.”

Takamine is part of a lineage of women in her family who practiced the art of hula. Both her mother and grandmother were dancers. Her mother, Frances Kalei Holt, sent Takamine to study with renowned kumu hula Maiki Aiu Lake at the age of 12. Takamine eventually graduated as a kumu hula herself in 1975. Takamine credits Lake and her mother as some of her earliest mentors. “My mother was a part of a generation of dancers that carried the grace and beauty of hula that inspired me,” says Takamine. Several other mentors have also influenced her practice: solo dancers who performed in Waikiki, like Kumu Maiki and Beverly Noa; Ka‘upena Wong as a chanter; and masters of the dance Pat Bacon, Mary Kawena Pukuʻi, and Lokalia Montgomery. 

Takamine acknowledges that hula has evolved a lot in the present day, mostly due to the influence by contemporary Western music that has transitioned the ancient style of hula to a more modern one. Nevertheless, Takamine says, “I love the creativity, but I try to remain true to my ancestral roots.”

Now with her Gish Prize, valued at more than $450,000, Takamine not only wants to continue shaping the legacy of hula but also advocate for fellow artists. “My mother recently passed away, and it started making me think about my health care and ensuring that I have a nest egg for myself,” reflects Takamine. “As artists, we [sometimes forget] about aging and putting away [savings]. So now I’m going to be advocating for that—self-care and retirement for artists.”

Takamine, along with her colleagues Maria De Leon and Lori Pourier, wants to help improve the lives of women artists in particular by committing to more education around topics like investing and long-term financial planning. She would also like to use some of her prize earnings to host creative exchanges through her PA‘I Foundation.  

Takamine remains hopeful for the future of hula in Hawaii. Her school in Honolulu, Hālau Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima, teaches children as young as 3 to elders age 80 and beyond. “Parents also get involved by playing ukelele while their keiki—or children—dance. Hula is building community and bridging generations.”  

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