The summer season is
upon us in full swing,
though the past two months of cooler
than normal temperatures and
unseasonable steady rains make things seem
a little more like we are still in the
throes of winter.
So... when the opportunity to escape
the rains of the eastern island slopes
presented itself last saturday evening,
I gladly grabbed cameras & headed to the
island's west side for what is arguably
the most colorful and joyous ceremony on
the island events calendar.
Obon(sometimes simply called "Bon")season
has begun. A buddhist-confucian custom
which brings families together to honor spirits
of the ancestors, cleaning grave sites and preparing
for the spirits return to family altars.
While all of this might sound quite solemn,
quite the opposite is in evidence, at least the
Jodo Buddhist Mission in Lahaina, an elaborate
shrine featuring multi-roofed pagodas, the largest
bronze Buddha sculpture outside of Japan and home
to the only floating lantern ceremony
held on Maui.
Things begin with rituals held for temple
members inside one of two shrines housed
at the mission site. As the sun begins to sink
into the western ocean, the faithful take up glowing
paper lanterns embellished with kanji script, drawings,
notes and prayers for departed loved ones. lantern bearers
then begin a procession to the lagoon edge
fronting the temple, where waiting attendants
take each lantern and place them on small
rafts to be used later in the proceedings
to ferry the illuminated lanterns out to the
edge of the reef where each lantern is
carefully set adrift to
follow tides & current.
Once lanterns are committed to the sea,
the real fun begins with the Obon dance.
Revelers don colorful kimonos and gather 'round
a brightly lit tower set up on the grounds
from which emanates the steady drumbeat
of the Taiko accompanied by taped music
traditional to Japan. Dancers move en-masse
around the tower using simple, prescribed
steps, hand gestures & claps. Everyone is
welcome, the dance is quite easy to pick-up
once you've observed a couple of spins around
the tower. Ringing the circle of dance, the
atmosphere is more likened to a country fair
with delicious food stalls selling prepared
delicacies, candies, shave ice. Teens hide in the
shadows, flirting shyly. Temple members, tourists
and non-buddhist community members alike
all come together for the celebration.
Obon season continues for the next several
weeks with dances being held each weekend
at various temples around the island.
Check your local listings for a schedule
and then get out and enjoy one of the
truly great ways to spend summer's
evening in Hawaii!
