Bernice Akamine

Bernice Akamine — Artist, Kumu, & Hawaiian Rights Advocate

Bernice Ann Keolamauloaonalani Akamine (1949–2024) was a Native Hawaiian artist, teacher, and activist who used her art as a force for cultural resurgence and justice. Born in Honolulu and raised amidst social movements in Waimānalo, she embraced her dual calling as kūpuna and creator.

Artistry & Cultural Stewardship

• Bernice’s work spans glass sculpture, featherwork, kapa cloth, natural dyes, and installation art, often weaving stories of sovereignty, land rights, and Hawaiian identity.
• She taught traditional techniques—kapa beating, natural dyeing (waiho‘olu‘u), lauhala weaving, and feather art—preserving cultural practices often at risk of loss.
• Her installations carried powerful statements: Ku‘u One Hānau (2019 Biennial) confronted dispossession and homelessness; Kalo (mixed media) used anti‑annexation petitions to remind Hawaiʻi of Native resistance.
• She also served as a consultant to institutions such as the Smithsonian to identify historic plant dyes and Hawaiian materials in museum collections.

Collections & Honors

• Her art is held in major collections: American Museum of Natural History, Peabody Essex Museum, Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture & the Arts, Portland Art Museum, Australian Museum, Queensland Art Gallery / Museum.
• Awards and fellowships include Native Hawaiian Artist Fellowship (Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, 2015), Community Scholar Award (Smithsonian, 2012), Cultural Capital Fellowship and others.

Why We Celebrate Her

Bernice Akamine’s life and work remind us of the power held by art to heal and to resist. Through delicate materials like kapa and glass, she voiced the ongoing struggle for Hawaiian self‑determination, land respect, and cultural continuity. Her hands carried knowledge, her eyes held witness, and her heart connected generations.

We feature Bernice Akamine’s legacy on Support Local Hawaii to ensure her voice continues to resonate. Her work teaches us that culture is never passive—it demands care, action, and courage.

Gratitude and credit for images go out to: Flux | The Current of Hawaiʻi

View their article dedicated to the life and work of Bernice.

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