HARA lifetime achievement awards

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
A short performance by Lifetime Achievement Award recipient George Na'ope, center, was one of the musical highlights as the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts honored this year's recipients of the Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Awards with a luncheon show at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom on Saturday. HARA increased the minimum number of honorees to five per year in 2002 -- The other recipients this year are Dick "The Giant" Jensen, Herb "Ohta-san" Ohta, Palani Vaughan and the late Leila Hoku Kiaha. Hoku Zuttermeister, left, and Heli Silva joined Na'ope in entertaining the crowd after he received his award from HARA board member Skylark Rossetti.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kealoha Kalama, center, one of the seven people honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards last year, looked fabulous as she enjoyed the festivities with Dee Dee Doi, left, and Pikake Enos. Kalama exemplified the classic Hawaiian tradition of aloha by sharing leis with other partiers.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Herb "Ohta-san" Ohta, center, received his award from Roy Sakuma, left, and was then serenaded by his son, Herb Ohta Jr. He got a big laugh during his acceptance speech when he recalled touring the mainland as Ohta-san and meeting fans who thought that "san" was his last name.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Ku'uipo Kumukahi and Jerry Santos enjoyed a private joke during lunch.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Daryl Aquino, left, congratulated award recipient Palani Vaughan. Much of Vaughan's work was considered too radical for play by KCCN during the 1970s. Aquino represents the new Hawaiian nationalist music of 2006.

JOHN BERGER / JBERGER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Christina Denny, left, talked with 2004 honorees Ka'upena Wong and Marlene Sai. (Christina's father, Martin Denny, was one of the two recipients in 1990.)