Four seniors honored as "Living Treasures of Hawaii"

Four community leaders are honored for their life's work today. The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii named them Living Treasures of Hawaii.  They are:

Music and hula legend Robert Cazimero's legacy in the Hawaiian music recording industry has spanned over four decades. He has received 25 Na Hoku Hanohano awards and was nominated for a Grammy in 2005 for Best Hawaiian Music Album.  

Hawaiian language champion Dr. Larry Kimura is known worldwide for his tremendous contributions in the revitalization of Hawaii's only indigenous language. He taught Hawaiian language for nearly 50 years at both the University of Hawaii Manoa and Hilo campuses, as well as was a leader in the curriculum development for the Hawaiian immersion schools. Kimura is a co-principal investigator for a National Science Foundation and a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to digitize and archive spoken native Hawaiian speech. 

YMCA hula teacher Carolee Nishi has been a volunteer teacher of Hawaiian Studies at the Nu'uanu branch since 1969. She heads hula halau Hula Hui O Kapunahala, which immerses students in the aloha values.

Japanese brush painting master Sachie Saigusa has perpetuated the Japanese culture through the stroke of a brush for most of her 92 years. The art is called sumie. In 2001, Saigusa founded the Sumie Society of Hawaii. Through this non-profit organization, some 30 students to date have become certified as instructors of the art form. Saigusa continues to teach classes.

The temple says it chooses recipients for their selfless contributions to our society.