U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono has expressed her approval of the U.S. Mint’s 2025 Native American $1 Coin, which features Mary Kawena Pukui. Pukui is recognized for her significant role in preserving and protecting Native Hawaiian language and culture. In 2021, Senator Hirono had written to then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, advocating for the inclusion of three notable Hawaiian women in the American Women Quarters Program. Her suggestions were accepted, with Edith Kanakaole appearing on a quarter in 2022, Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink in 2023, and now Mary Kawena Pukui on the $1 coin.
“Mary Kawena Pukui’s work, from her translations to compositions, have sustained Hawaiian language and culture for generations,” stated Senator Hirono. “She was a prominent Native Hawaiian scholar, author, composer, and dancer dedicated to strengthening and preserving Hawaiian culture. I am glad to see the Mint honoring Mary Kawena Pukui on this year’s Native American $1 Coin design, and hope that people across the country will learn more about her valuable contributions to uplift Native Hawaiian language, history, and culture.”
The coin showcases Mary Kawena Pukui adorned with a hibiscus flower, a kukui nut lei, and a muumuu decorated with leaves from the kukui nut tree. It also includes an inscription reading “Nana I Ke Kumu,” referencing a series of books she co-produced with the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center.
The Native American $1 Coin Program began in 2009 to honor the significant contributions made by Indian tribes and indigenous people throughout U.S. history.
