Congratulations to Francis “Palani” Sinenci, 2022 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellow! Dedicated to revitalizing the traditional Hawaiian art form of building thatched houses called hale, Sinenci leads the construction of countless new architectural structures and is training the next generation of practitioners to carry on the practice. He is one of ten award winners this year.
“In their artistic practices, the NEA National Heritage Fellows tell their own stories on their own terms. They pass their skills and knowledge to others through mentorship and teaching,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “These honorees are not only sustaining the cultural history of their art form and of their community, they are also enriching our nation as a whole.”
Each fellowship includes a $25,000 award and all of the recipients will be featured in a film that will premiere in November 2022 on arts.gov. Through the film, viewers will have the opportunity to visit the homes and communities where the fellows live and work, providing a connection to the distinct art forms and traditions these artists practice. Stay tuned for more information about the film this fall.
Read the full press release on the NEA website: arts.gov/news/press-releases/2022/national-endowment-arts-announces-2022-nea-national-heritage-fellows.