New Duke Kahanamoku specialty license plate design unveiled at OceanFest : Maui Now

The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu Division of Motor Vehicles, unveiled the design for a brand new Duke Kahanamoku specialty license plate on Friday throughout the opening ceremony of the Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest on the Duke Kahanamoku Statue in Waikīkī.

The specialty license plates are anticipated to be accessible for buy in late 2025 by way of native DMV automobile registration places of work throughout the islands, with proceeds supporting crucial drowning prevention initiatives and swimming packages all through Hawaiʻi.

The putting plate design was gifted by acclaimed native artist Kamea Hadar, identified for his vibrant portraits and murals celebrating Hawaiian tradition and iconic figures. The unveiling was a significant tribute to Duke, preceded by a reverent lei draping ceremony at his statue in entrance of the waters the place he grew up.

Addressing a Critical Need

According to the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Hawaiʻi ranks second within the nation for the speed of resident drowning, with drowning being the main reason behind demise for keiki ages 1-15. The new license plate program represents a significant step towards addressing this pressing public well being disaster.

“Hawaiʻi is the home to some of the world’s most highly skilled watermen and women. Drowning should not be so common. We hope that this program will help transfer more water safety and swimming skills to those in our community who lack access,” mentioned Sarah Fairchild, Executive Director of the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, and co-founder of the Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition.

The license plate initiative stems from laws launched by Senator Glenn Wakai and signed into legislation by Gov. Josh Green in 2024. The invoice was championed by the Hawaiʻi Water Safety Coalition in response to Hawaiʻi’s excessive drowning charges.

Celebrating Duke’s Legacy Through Art

Artist Kamea Hadar’s contribution honors the legacy of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, Hawaiʻi’s legendary Olympic swimmer and browsing ambassador. 

“I feel incredibly honored to be able to honor someone so special… OceanFest is about coming together and being competitive around surfing and athleticism, and sharing that aloha spirit that he had as a person and that we have as people in Hawaiʻi. That is why the focus of the artwork is on him, his face, and his beautiful smile,” mentioned Hadar, whose work he labels as “Hybridism” – a hybridization of conventional and fashionable tradition.

Community Impact

Since 1986, the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation has awarded 893 grants and 1,192 scholarships totaling over $3.9 million in neighborhood funding. Proceeds from the specialty license plate gross sales can be administered by way of the Foundation’s grant program to assist drowning prevention and swimming packages statewide.

The Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest continues by way of Aug. 24, celebrating Hawaiʻi’s beloved waterman by way of novice ocean sports activities competitions, together with keiki browsing, longboarding, seaside volleyball, ocean swimming, foil browsing, lifeguard competitions, surfboard water polo, and extra. The competition will culminate with a particular lei draping ceremony honoring Duke’s one hundred and thirty fifth birthday at his statue on Aug. 24 at 7 a.m.

Those all for receiving an e-mail alert when the plate goes on sale could join at this hyperlink: https://dukefoundation.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/dukefoundation/subscribe.jsp?subscription=46