It’s an opportunity unlike anything Hawaii has ever seen. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is searching for culturally creative people, not only entertainers — comedians, hula practitioners, musicians, singers and storytellers — but also fashion designers, artists and anyone else who has what it takes to become one of Hawaii’s next global cultural ambassadors.
CNHA invites them all to audition for its new reality show, “Hawai‘i Calls: Advancing Hawai‘i to the World.”
“The creation of the show was sort of like if (King) David Kalakaua was here in 2025,” Blaine Miyasato, CNHA’s chief brand officer and executive producer of the new program, said recently. “He was an emissary, an ambassador, advancing Hawaii to the world. And he was right for his time. He exported the best of us. He represented a culture that was alive, and he was the (leader of the) renaissance of it. And then he imported stuff back to Hawaii, like electricity and the first telephone. This is conceptually the same thing.”
Miyasato is casting a wide net. Competitions are scheduled for Maui, Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island — plus one in Tokyo, and one in Tulalip, Wash., for mainland residents. Miyasato emphasizes that CNHA is not restricting participation to people who are defined as Hawaiian by ancestry or blood quantum.
“People have asked that, if you have to be Hawaiian. Feel free to underscore this, it’s kanaka inspired, for sure, but (being Hawaiian) is not the criteria (to participate), OK? This is the best of us going out to the world.
“Our new tagline is ‘Hawaiians advancing Hawaii.’ We didn’t use ‘kanaka.’ We used ‘Hawaiians’ in the inclusive sense in advancing Hawaii. If Hawaii does well, the high tide will float all boats. What we’re doing with this show is the visible manifestation of that.”
Each competition will be filmed on location and then broadcast on Hawaii News Now. The series will end with a live finale at Ko Olina Resort on Dec. 14 and will include public voting to determine the winner.
Judges for the series are multi-Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom, Lehua Kalima and Shawn Kekoa Pimental; innovative hula pioneer kumu Patrick Makuakane; and cultural ambassador Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu.
McKenna Maduli, host of “Talk Story with McKenna Maduli” and daughter of Kata Maduli, a Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, will emcee. She will also model the creations of Hawaii fashion designers who participate in the talent search.
“Designers can do a five- minute video, talk about their aesthetic, about what their hopes and dreams are relative to being a designer. They can upload up to five images, photos of examples of their work,” Miyasato said. “We’re going to have the judges pick one (for each show), and the plan is to have McKenna wear the design from the island where we’re doing the show, island to island. I’m really looking forward to some cool stuff from Japan.”
“For the final show in Ko Olina, the live finale, she’ll wear all of them, and then come out wearing the final pick at the end of that show.”
Maui is going first. Maui residents — individuals 18 and older, and groups of up to six people — have until May 29 to submit audition videos (maximum of five minutes in mp4/mov/m4v formats — to hawaiian council.org/auditions Opens in a new tab). Eight finalists will be selected to perform at the live taping on June 29 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
Residents of other areas may submit their audition videos at any time up to the deadline for their area (see accompanying information box). For full rules, waivers and the latest updates, visit hawaiiancouncil.org/auditions Opens in a new tab.
—
Audition deadlines and filming locations
Maui Calls
>> Deadline: May 29
>> Filming: June 29 at Maui Arts & Cultural Center
Kauai Calls
>> Deadline: June 19
>> Filming: July 20 at Kauai Performing Arts Center
Hawaii Island Calls
>> Deadline: July 17
>> Filming: Aug. 17 at Palace Theater, Hilo
Japan Calls (Tokyo) special edition
>> Deadline: Aug. 14
>> Filming: Sept. 14 (Location TBD)
Continent Calls (Seattle area)
>> Deadline: Sept. 9
>> Filming: Oct. 9 at Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip, Wash.
Oahu Calls
>> Deadline: Oct. 9
>> Filming: Nov. 9 at Hawaii Theatre
Finale
>> Dec. 14, at Ko Olina Resort
>> Live show with public voting (time and ticket info to be announced)
