Night #1, Friday
It’s already the fourth week of the obon season. Time flies by so fast nowadays. This year Kahului Jodo decided to have two nights of bon dance. Usually they are the last bon dance and only have one night (Saturday).
So once again, I have to rush to my parent’s house for a 変身. Today my dad asked if I could pick up a pizza for them….I told him that I couldn’t but next week I can for sure. I had a feeling that he was going to ask. My parents work like clockwork. The last Friday of the month, they always get the craving for pizza from Costco. I don’t mind picking it up since I get a free pizza out of it!
あー Back at Kahului Jodo. Have some bad memories of last year. We learn from our mistakes. Tonight no repeat of last year. We have practice tomorrow; plus there is the Okinawan Festival!
Since we're here early to get a parking space, we can take our usual picture. I just realized that we actually line up by height. At 5'3" I am considered tall in 中山民謡会. Our 先生 didn't realize until recently how tall I was. I guess when you are able to sit down during the dance she automatically puts you up in front.
So early, and nothing to do. I'll take pictures since I won't have time during the dance to take any.
People are starting to fill up. I guess it's time to get onto the grounds. My cousin, as usual, tries to not be seen. But if Nadine is spotted, Mitchell is assumed to be around. Yes, being in the middle can be stressful. I now have come to experience that stress this year. But sometimes it's better to be in the middle because of the amount of people that have been going to obon and participating in dancing. You have more room to dance and that's one of the main reasons for going (for us, anyways).
As usual, there are a lot of people that don't know how to follow the correct line. I end up getting closer and closer to the center where we almost merge into one line. I guess we should really consider posting rules up on the 櫓 (yagura).
The 2 hours fly by again. Time to eat at the church tonight. Hmm. What is there for me to eat.....nothing really. I get to eat 煮しめ and rice. That wasn't enough, so I got some かき氷 (shaved ice). I am lucky that they are still selling! What a way to diet...dance for 2 hours and only eat 煮しめ and かき氷 for dinner.
No late night for us! We all have plans for tomorrow morning!
Night #2, Saturday
Such a lazy day....I was supposed to go to the Okinawan Festival, but felt tired. I guess I am not used to being on the go so much. Too much dance....NEVER! I think it's just dance + running + working = exhaustion!
It's night #2 for Kahului Jodo. It's been a long time since they had 2 nights of obon. Plus they usually are the last obon dance of the season.
Tonight we arrive early again for other reasons....but no repeat of last year. I will pace myself better. Mitchell's cooler is stocked and ready!
This picture is funny because Nadine NEVER drinks alcohol. She's just holding it for Mitchell, but it's the most incriminating photo of her. We can say that it's a lie when she says she doesn't drink. It's all in fun!
We head towards Kahului Jodo, but don't go onto the grounds yet. It's just to pass time and not get spotted by people. So it's time to take more pictures and warm up to the fact that we are all going to be in the center ring.
Time for some dancing. I guess I should be glad to be in the middle since I have more room to dance. But there are times when people just go into the center line to follow us. You don't have to be right beside us to learn the dance. And there are times when random kids will come into the center line...which is fine since our Sensei allows it. BUT, some times it can be a distraction if they start talking to you during the dance.
Tonight was that kind of night. A girl came into the center and danced next to me. I am pretty sure her family are members of the Kahului Jodo, so it didn't matter to me. All of a sudden she started talking to me and I'm not going to be mean and ignore her. So I talked with her as we danced. I was fine until I realized that I was doing the wrong part of the dance and my section was following me. I guess I should be glad that our Sensei wasn't there.
Kids can be unreal sometimes. Towards the end of the dance, the girl's grandmother came to check up on her since the grandmother was busy in the kitchen. The girl tells the grandmother "Can you go away....I am busy with my friends." Me and Stacie look at each other shocked. Did that really just happen?
The dance is done and I have nothing to eat again. Alcohol and an empty stomach isn't a good thing. So time to find some fast food and head over for some karaoke. For some reason I was really tired and wasn't much in the mood for karaoke that much (blasphemy!). We still stayed out late just I didn't participate as much in the after party.
来週、ラハイナ浄土 (Next week, Lahaina Jodo).....
 |
| I scrambled to get the camera out |
So early, and nothing to do. I'll take pictures since I won't have time during the dance to take any.
People are starting to fill up. I guess it's time to get onto the grounds. My cousin, as usual, tries to not be seen. But if Nadine is spotted, Mitchell is assumed to be around. Yes, being in the middle can be stressful. I now have come to experience that stress this year. But sometimes it's better to be in the middle because of the amount of people that have been going to obon and participating in dancing. You have more room to dance and that's one of the main reasons for going (for us, anyways).
As usual, there are a lot of people that don't know how to follow the correct line. I end up getting closer and closer to the center where we almost merge into one line. I guess we should really consider posting rules up on the 櫓 (yagura).
The 2 hours fly by again. Time to eat at the church tonight. Hmm. What is there for me to eat.....nothing really. I get to eat 煮しめ and rice. That wasn't enough, so I got some かき氷 (shaved ice). I am lucky that they are still selling! What a way to diet...dance for 2 hours and only eat 煮しめ and かき氷 for dinner.
No late night for us! We all have plans for tomorrow morning!
Night #2, Saturday
It's night #2 for Kahului Jodo. It's been a long time since they had 2 nights of obon. Plus they usually are the last obon dance of the season.
Tonight we arrive early again for other reasons....but no repeat of last year. I will pace myself better. Mitchell's cooler is stocked and ready!
This picture is funny because Nadine NEVER drinks alcohol. She's just holding it for Mitchell, but it's the most incriminating photo of her. We can say that it's a lie when she says she doesn't drink. It's all in fun!
We head towards Kahului Jodo, but don't go onto the grounds yet. It's just to pass time and not get spotted by people. So it's time to take more pictures and warm up to the fact that we are all going to be in the center ring.
Time for some dancing. I guess I should be glad to be in the middle since I have more room to dance. But there are times when people just go into the center line to follow us. You don't have to be right beside us to learn the dance. And there are times when random kids will come into the center line...which is fine since our Sensei allows it. BUT, some times it can be a distraction if they start talking to you during the dance.
Tonight was that kind of night. A girl came into the center and danced next to me. I am pretty sure her family are members of the Kahului Jodo, so it didn't matter to me. All of a sudden she started talking to me and I'm not going to be mean and ignore her. So I talked with her as we danced. I was fine until I realized that I was doing the wrong part of the dance and my section was following me. I guess I should be glad that our Sensei wasn't there.
Kids can be unreal sometimes. Towards the end of the dance, the girl's grandmother came to check up on her since the grandmother was busy in the kitchen. The girl tells the grandmother "Can you go away....I am busy with my friends." Me and Stacie look at each other shocked. Did that really just happen?
The dance is done and I have nothing to eat again. Alcohol and an empty stomach isn't a good thing. So time to find some fast food and head over for some karaoke. For some reason I was really tired and wasn't much in the mood for karaoke that much (blasphemy!). We still stayed out late just I didn't participate as much in the after party.
来週、ラハイナ浄土 (Next week, Lahaina Jodo).....
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