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HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) today presented Tourism Legacy Awards to a trio of organizations and individuals
for their outstanding achievements in supporting local agriculture.
For Immediate Release: October 3, 2023
HTA Release (23-42)
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Honors Aunty Tammy and Uncle Danny Smith, Go Farm Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau with 2023 Tourism
Legacy Awards
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) today presented Tourism Legacy Awards to a trio of organizations and individuals
for their outstanding achievements in supporting local agriculture, furthering Hawai‘i’s agricultural and culinary sectors, and
contributing to Hawai‘i’s regenerative tourism future. Individual ‘ō‘ō awards were presented at HTA’s 2023 Tourism Legacy Awards
luncheon to Aunty Tammy and Uncle Danny Smith, Go Farm Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau.
ʻŌʻō are one of the core traditional tools for agriculturalists in Hawaiʻi. The ʻōʻō were crafted from ʻōhiʻa wood and
commissioned by HTA from educator and artisan Mahi La Pierre who named these ʻōʻō collectively, Nā Hale Lehua symbolizing the
strength, resilience, and wisdom of the awardees. The ʻōʻō were oiled with kukui to further symbolize the recipients’
enlightenment, knowledge, and leadership in the community.
The nexus of agriculture, culinary endeavors and tourism strengthens economic diversification for Hawai‘i. HTA is proud to support
the success of farm, ranch and food tours; programs encouraging buying local and bolstering the work of farmers and food
producers; and restaurateurs and retailers buying, stocking and serving Hawai‘i-grown and -raised ingredients. Continued support
of agriculture was also a core request from residents in HTA’s Destination Management Action Plans.
“HTA remains committed to strengthening and growing the interconnectivity of Hawai‘i’s visitor industry, restaurant and culinary
sector, and sustainable agriculture,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s Interim President and CEO. “Local farmers, ranchers, fishermen
and food producers need local chefs, restaurateurs and caterers to be successful and profitable, and vice versa. Their support of
each other’s product and goals is as important as assuring residents and visitors know about, taste and purchase the ever-growing
array of fresh and flavorful homegrown produce, ingredients and more in our islands.”
Nāho‘opi‘i continued, “HTA is honored to celebrate and recognize Aunty Tammy and Uncle Danny Smith, Go Farm Hawai‘i and the
Hawai‘i Farm Bureau for their hard work, leadership and kuleana in supporting, sustaining and promoting local agriculture among
residents and visitors alike. They are champions of our state’s food self-sustainability future and are actively curbing our
islands’ reliance on importing foods. We and Hawai‘i’s communities are grateful for all they do.”
Aunty Tammy and Uncle Danny Smith were honored for their overflowing aloha, generous nature of ho‘okipa (hospitality) and
contributions providing ‘ai pono (nutritious traditional food) to local communities, especially keiki and kūpuna.
Go Farms Hawai‘i was recognized for its statewide beginning-farmer training program for increasing the number of farmers in
Hawai‘i and supporting and encouraging them to “go farm” for the benefit of our communities, residents and visitors.
The nonprofit Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, which works closely with ag-industry organizations and individuals statewide, was honored for
being advocates of Hawai‘i’s diverse agricultural community and advancing the social, economic and educational interests of
farmers and ranchers.
HTA’s Tourism Legacy Awards annually honor organizations and individuals that have established and sustained a legacy of aloha
through their perpetuation of Hawaiian culture. The 2023 Tourism Legacy Awards ceremony was one of the final events of HTA’s
two-day Hawai‘i Tourism Conference, which was held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center yesterday and today.
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Link to Download Photos:
Photo credit: Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
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About the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is the state agency responsible for representing The Hawaiian Islands around the world, and for
holistically managing tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with community desires, economic goals, cultural values,
preservation of natural resources, and visitor industry needs. HTA works with the community and industry to Mālama Hawaiʻi – care
for our beloved home. For more information about HTA, visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org or follow @HawaiiHTA on Facebook,
Instagram, Threads and Twitter.
About Kilohana
Kilohana is the tourism division of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), and its kuleana is to promote Hawaiʻi as a
world-class destination; ensure Hawaiian traditions and culture are perpetuated; as well as keep community and ʻāina at the
center. Kilohana brings together decades of expertise rooted in a shared vision for transformation in the tourism sector.
Strategists, creatives, researchers, and Native Hawaiian cultural experts have gathered to overhaul Hawaiʻi’s approach to
destination stewardship, visitor management, and marketing to better share our cultural heritage and values in a way that enriches
the lives of residents and visitors.
For more information, contact:
T. Ilihia Gionson
Public Affairs Officer
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
[email protected]
Erin Khan
Senior Vice President, Public Relations
Anthology, A FINN Partners Company
[email protected]
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kahakō [ā] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai'i such as Lāna'i). However, HTA respects the individual use of these markings
for names of organizations and businesses.
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