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People Watching.
Crowds watching entertainment before the launching of the Lanterns. Our island, having the sites of 2 National Veterens Memorial Cemetaries, was naturally a hotbed of activity on Memorial Day. Cub Scouts made sure a flag and flower lei (garland) was placed on every Veteren's grave. Newspapers appealled for 50,000 leis from groups or individuals to donate. Jets roar overhead during or after the Ceremony at Punchbowl. Well, Arlington and Washington D.C., I'm sure, had ceremonies dwafting ours, you may say. But did they have a Buddhist Floating Latern Festival at night? Well, this is what this entry will be mainly focused on.
For at least 15 years now, a rather small Buddhist Sect of 1,000 local members have been sponsoring a Floating Lantern Festival on Memorial Day, instead of during the usual Buddhist O-Bon season to commorate the Decease, in July and August. During these months, various temples would sponsor Bon Dancing (precursor to Country Line Dancing and Electric Slide). Towers would be erected and lanterns strung up, while dancers dressed in Kimono's or Hapi-coats would dance around the tower performing intricate hand and foot work to the accompaniment of drums, flutes and live singing. Contrary to what you might imagine, it is a cheerful occassion and not solemn
Samoan SaSa.
Polynesian dancers doing energetic dance at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. as one would expect. Exchange the music for Country music, one would think they're seeing a variation of a Country Line Dance. In a film clip once, I saw the group dancing to the tune of "Beautiful Sunday" sung in Japanese. About a quarter of the participants were non-Japanese, but Hawaiians or Causcasians.
Well, going back to the Lanteren Floating; about 15 years ago, I attended one that took place on the Ala Wai Canal, which is about a mile long. A lead boat with a hugh lighted and decorated lantern (about 5' high) dragged in tow, several hundred smaller lanterns (about 1' high) . It was quite a beautiful sight. Because of the growing crowds and need for more parking spaces, they moved the Event to Keehi Lagoon near the Airport, in a not very pretty part of town, so I haven't attended one since then. Lately they've moved it to Magic Island, a man made peninsular in Ala Moana Beach Park, next to Waikiki. Heard it was gaining popularity again. However, I am not a fan of waiting in Traffic Gridlock, after a popular event and with the with average of gasoline prices here at $3.50 a
Whale Mural.
Painting on side of building in Kakaako. gallon, it makes the idea of attending it even less appealing.
Well, this year I decided, why not walk to it? It's about a 45 minute walk, and the doctor have been getting after me to exercise more because of my high LDL, Bad Chlorestral count. Along the way I could snap some photos for my Blog.
Eventually that is what I did. When I reached the Beach Park from the Western or Ewa end, it was 6PM about 1/2 hour before the Launching. At the 1/2 way point in the Park, the crowd was thickening and I had to decided where I'd like to station myself to obtain the best possible view and photos. Wasn't sure where the launching was going to take place, yet I could see that other's had the same idea of staking claims to good vantage points, so the beach fronts was quite crowded. I finally ended up near the furthermost end of Magic Island, thinking perhaps the Lanterns will float as far as where we were and I'd surely be able to snap some wonderful photos.
While waiting, various entertainment was taking place, among them, outstanding Ukulele playing by Jake Shimabakuro.
Thomas Square.
Popular Park for Dog Shows and Classes, Craft Fairs, American Indian Pow Wows, Plant Sales, etcetera, etcetera. Then a little after 6:30, the Clergy men and women, dressed in colorful robes, starting chanting and the announcer said they were praying for the people killed in Combats and for World Peace. Also prayers in rememberance for the Asian Tsunami victims, etc. were chanted. Than the Laterns were released to the Dramatic Drumming of the Taiko Drums. I later read that there were about 1,150 floating lanterns. For a donation of $5.00 you get a Lotus decorated lantern which you can inscribe the name of a decease relative or friend, and float it out to sea. However, volunteer surfers helped to gather them before they stray out too far, for environmental reasons. After the Drumming, a chorus sings in Japanese sounding quite similiar, to a Christian Choir.
From my photo of the lighted floating lanterns, you can deduce that I was not in a very good location to snap photos, as the lanterns, were blown away from the Island instead of toward or near us. For closeup photos of the floating lanterns, you can Goggle on to "Starbulletin.com" and look for the May 30 issue. Or you could try the Honolulu Advertiser. Next year, I'll know better, as
Jake Entertaining.
Jake Shimabakuro, Ukulele virtuoso and winner of Borders Favorite Entertainer Award (translate: Sold lots of CDs)of the recent Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (local Grammys),providing live entertainment. Appeared on Conan O'Brian. Plays Hawaiian, jazz, rocks, etc. on a Uke. to where I should station myself.
On June 1, I attended a Brithday Bash for Our Govenor at the Sheraton Waikiki. Jason Secundo, from American Idol was one of the performers. Again after the bash, not being a fan of traffic girdlock (I was parked on the 7th floor of the Parking Lot and there were about 800+ people in attendence), I decided to walk around Waikiki a bit till the crowd dwindled. Came across a free lively Polynesian Group Performance in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza doing Maori, Tongan dances and a Samoan Stick Dance, out of the scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As mention in a previous entry, I'm a great fan of Polynesian entertainment. They really looked like they enjoyed perfroming their dances. Also saw many sidewalk performers along Kalakaua Ave., nothing special, if you've been to Fisherman's Wharf in S.F.
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gary hayashi
non-member comment
my honolulu sure has changed
franklin, i haven't been back home for two years now. your pictures have shown me how much i'm missing. dick yap told me about your site. i'll use it to tell my students about honolulu. i'm a bit embarressed because i don't know where some of the sites are.