Mahalo for Celebrating with Us!
Through the support of our community, partners, and sponsors, the Holokū Ball thrived in its 97th year. This event helps our Scholarship Program invest in a future where Native Hawaiian voices, values, and leadership will continue to flourish in Hawai‘i and beyond.
Holokū Ball 2025
About Holokū Ball
The Holokū Ball is HCCH’s signature event and has been ongoing for over 90 years. In 1931, Ka‘ilipaina “Bina” Mossman had a desire to revive the waning popularity of the holokū and suggested to the Hawaiian Civic Club to create a formal Hawaiian gala at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel at Helumoa, Waikīkī. As a musician, composer, choral director, educator, and eventual politician, she was well-prepared to produce and direct this flagship event, where both kama‘āina and malihini delighted in the unprecedented gala.
The annual Holokū Ball later evolved into a Hawaiian Scholarship Benefit, and over the decades, has generated more than $2 million in scholarships for the education and training of Hawaiian scholars. In 2024, HCCH awarded a total of $50,000 to 32 students.
Our 2025 Honorees
Dr. Gerard Kapena Akaka, MD
Dr. Gerard Akaka recently retired after 22 years with The Queen’s Health Systems, serving as Vice President of Native Hawaiian Affairs and Chief Medical Officer. His career includes leadership at Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and service as a U.S. Air Force physician, with a deployment to Guantanamo Bay. A proud ʻImi Hoʻōla graduate and ʻAhahui o Nā Kauka member, he served as Medical Officer aboard Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, guiding crew health as they navigated cultural revitalization and global education. For over 36 years, Dr. Akaka has charted a course that integrates Native Hawaiian values into modern medicine, uplifting communities through health, culture, and a life of service.
Antonette “Toni” Lee
Antonette “Toni” Lee is a lifelong community leader dedicated to advancing Native Hawaiian education, cultural preservation, and civic engagement. A retired federal employee with 41 years of service, she now serves as a kupuna teaching Hawaiian Studies in the classroom. As longtime president of the Pearl Harbor Hawaiian Civic Club and past president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Toni has championed countless initiatives that uplift the social, economic, and intellectual well-being of the Native Hawaiian community. Her leadership with the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, Friends of the Royal Hawaiian Band, and Aloha Festivals reflects her numerous honors and decades of civic responsibility across generations.
Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua
Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua celebrates 50 years under the leadership of Kumu Hula Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero, preserving and elevating the cultural practice of hula and the profound teachings it carries. Founded in 1975, the hālau has been a driving force in revitalizing Hawaiian culture, language, and tradition, inspiring generations through the values, discipline, and practice of hula. The hālau has nurtured countless practitioners who carry forward Hawaiian knowledge, strengthening cultural identity and uplifting community. Their recent honor as Kāne Overall Winner at the 62nd Merrie Monarch Festival is a testament to their excellent leadership and their enduring commitment to uphold and honor ancestral knowledge and traditions.
Contact Us
Please contact us for more information regarding the Holokū Ball and ways you can support the HCCH Scholarship Fund.
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Holokū Ball 2024
We showcased ‘ōiwi producer and designer Ryan Brown who's Royal Holokū Collection breathes new life into ali‘i history, heritage advancement, world-class creativity, and Hawaiian civic well-being. View last year’s program below.
