Curt Otaguro: Brennon Morioka - Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii

10
Rewind
EVENT
Celebrate!: The evolution of Japanese
Celebration in Hawai‘i April 17–June 18
This Girls’ Day display was just part of the Celebrate! exhibition that showcased various traditional
Japanese celebrations.
Years of Japanese celebrations and traditions
came together for an exciting
exhibition in the Community Gallery.
Celebrate!: The Evolution of Japanese
Cele bration in Hawai‘i opened to an eager
crowd on April 17. Told through historical
photographs, videos, objects, and art pieces,
the exhibition looked at traditional Japanese
celebrations and how each has evolved
into unique local festivals and practices. It
also looked at celebrations that take place
over the course of one’s life, from birth to
graduation to weddings to yakudoshi and
other special celebrations such as business
openings and openings of temples, schools
and other community institutions.
Celebrate! closed on June 18, but plans are
being formulated to travel it to venues on
the neighbor islands.
The exhibition also featured four public
programs designed to highlight different
areas of Japanese celebrations in Hawai‘i.
Panelists closely related to the Cherry
Blossom Festival in Hawai‘i gathered for
the first of four discussions on April 24.
Author Arnold Hiura poses for a quick picture with
Brian Niiya, Lenny Yajima Andrew and Betsy Young
while signing copies of his book Kau Kau: Cuisine &
Culture in the Hawaiian Islands on May 8.
The discussion was moderated by UH
Professor Christine Yano, author of the book
Crowning the Nice Girl: Gender, Ethnicity
and Culture in Hawai‘i’s Cherry Blossom
Festival. Professor Yano also signed copies
of her book following the discussion.
The panelists for The Cherry Blossom Festival Then and Now (left to right) Karlton Tomomitsu, 1999 general
co-chair; Pono Chong, 1999 general co-chair; Trisha Tamaru, 2008 queen; Katherine Grebe, 1970 queen;
Christine Yano, moderator; and David Kaneko, 2008 general chairman.
Left to right: Lenny Yajima Andrew, Christy
Takamune, Kenny Endo, Suann Chen, and Brian
Niiya following a talk-story session with the taiko
master at the Cultural Center on May 15.
On May 8, Arnold Hiura, author of Kau Kau:
Cuisine & Culture in the Hawaiian Islands,
discussed his book and how food in local
culture is more than just a meal, but a
definition of who we are. Hiura also signed
copies of his book following his presentation.
In celebration of his 35th anniversary, master
taiko artist Kenny Endo held a special talk-story
session before a full room on May 15. The event
was moderated by Ricardo Trimillos, ethnomusicologist
at the University of Hawai‘i at
Mānoa. Endo spoke of the trials and tribulations
that led to his remarkable career which
has put him in front of a worldwide audience.
The final presentation, Bon Dancing Through
the Generations: A Discussion on Bon Dance
in Hawai‘i, was put on before a standing-room
only crowd in the Cultural Center 5th Floor
Lounge. On May 22, more than 80 people
attended the panel discussion which was
moderated by Education Specialist Derrick
Iwata and included bon dance experts from
around the state. Following the presentation
attendees participated in a mini bon dance
lesson on the Manoa Grand Ballroom lanai.
The exhibition was made possible through
a generous grant from the Island Insurance
Foundation. Public programs were sponsored
by the Hilo Nihonjin Gakko Fund.