WASHINGTON — The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) honored the 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows, recipients of the nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, at an award ceremony on Sept. 17 at the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center in Washington, D.C.
The event included remarks by NEA Senior Advisor Mary Anne Carter, members of Congress, and the honorees, as well as performances by and in honor of the recipients. A video of the ceremony can be seen at arts.gov/heritage.
The 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows are:
Carmen Baron, Mexican folk costume maker and dancer (Tucson, Ariz.)
Peniel Guerrier, Haitian dancer, drummer, and educator (Astoria, N.Y.)
Adrienne Reiko Iwanaga, Bon odori dancer, teacher, and choreographer (Saratoga, Calif.)
Ernie Marsh, bit and spur maker and silversmith (Lovell, Wyo.)
Edward Poullard, Creole musician (Beaumont, Texas)
Steven Tamayo (Sicangu Lakota), traditional Lakota artist and educator (Omaha, Neb.)
Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America, men’s choral and bandura ensemble (Detroit, Mich/)
The NEA National Heritage Fellowships recognize individuals and groups for their artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to the nation’s traditional arts heritage. Recipients are nominated by the public — often by members of their own communities — and then judged by a panel of experts in the folk and traditional arts. The panel’s recommendations are reviewed by the National Council on the Arts, which sends its recommendations to the NEA chair.
Adrienne Reiko Iwanaga is a teacher, performer, preserver, and cultural ambassador of Bon odori, a centuries-old Japanese folk dance rooted in the Buddhist tradition of communal gathering to honor and celebrate the memory of ancestors.
Iwanaga’s dedication to community outreach, education, and inclusivity, as well as her innovative, accessible, and joyous choreography, have helped to revitalize and increase participation in this spirited communal art form both within and outside the Japanese American community.
Iwanaga, a familiar face at San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin’s Obon Festival, remains committed to furthering her family’s legacy while continuing to evolve American Bon odori, ensuring that it remains relevant, approachable, and fun for a contemporary audience.
Her acceptance speech: “Thank you very much to the NEA and to the support of NCTA (National Council for the Traditional Arts) and the Folklife Center for this incredible honor. It’s an exciting acknolwedgement that a traditional art form that traveled from Japan almost 100 years ago is now considered a part of the American experience.
“Obon dances are dances of joy as we dance in gratitude to all that our late loved ones have given us. The inspiration for me started with the privilege of honoring my late father-in-law, Rev. Yoshio Iwanaga, who presented the first Obon dance (in the continental U.S.) in 1931 in San Francisco.
“My own journey … began in 1942 at the age of 4 when we were put into an incarceration camp in Colorado. My mother was skilled in classical Japanese dance, and so she had me take lessons in camp.
“Now I am here thanks to the unconditional support of my family — my late husband, Dr. Gordon Mutsumi Iwanaga; my devoted children, Maya, Ryan, Courtney, and Ashley, who transport me, dress me, and do everything, try to keep me healthy. And my entire family, who have always been there and are here tonight, and then my adored grandchildren, all here also, Keets, Bodie, Taj, Jay, Monroe, Kai, and Reza …
“I’m so grateful to the many whose efforts brought this recognition to fruition — my cousin, Dr. Lorraine Sakata, dear and important friends and community members, Buddhist leaders, and Ameriacn Bon Consortium cohorts.
“I share this honor with every Obon dance teacher … who dance and teach in Obon dances all throughout the United States, whether they’re large or small, and we are leaving a wonderful legacy.
“Lastly, my journey started while incarcerated based on a decision made here in the Capitol. Now to be recognized here in Washington, D.C. at the Library of Congress is truly a full-circle moment. Thank you very much for this incredible honor.”