LIHU‘E — Children from the Lihu‘e Hongwanji Preschool were scrambling over the play equipment Wednesday morning when the first clang from the church’s kansho sounded.
Triggered by the lead of Honpa Hongwanji Bishop Eric Matsumoto through a Zoom hookup, Lihu‘e Hongwanji President Carol Valentine hit the first few peals in observance of Peace Day following Matsumoto’s lead of a moment of silence to remember the countless individuals who fought for peace.
The preschool children retreated from the playground and gathered quietly on the preschool outdoor landing area to watch the ceremony, where Valentine and volunteers and Peace Day celebrants took their turn at sounding the kansho, just one pocket in a statewide effort that involved more than 140 people, according to Rene Mansho, the chair of the Peace Day Committee on a Zoom report.
Lihu‘e Hongwanji was just one of several sites around the island where people took some time to reflect on peace, and what can be done to achieve and maintain global peace.
“Peace to the Ukraine,” said James Yamamoto, who watched the Peace Day conversation from a Ukrainian family currently residing in Honoka‘a on Hawai‘i Island. “This tiny little place on the globe. How did they even find us?”
The United Nations’ Peace Day message delivered via the Lihu‘e Hongwanji newsletter said that the UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
“But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms,” the UN message said. “It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.”
“As conflicts continue to erupt across the globe, causing people to flee, we have seen race-based discrimination at borders,” the UN said. “As COVID-19 keeps attacking our communities, we have seen how certain racial groups have been hit much harder than others. As economies suffer, we have seen hate speech and violence directed at racial minorities. We all have a role to play in fostering peace, and tackling racism is a crucial way to contribute.”
Matsumoto, who will be on Kaua‘i Sunday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the West Kaua‘i
Hongwanji Mission, explained the symbolism of the bell. In Buddhism, the bonsho bell that is much larger than the kansho found at churches and temples sounded to announce the start of services.
“Today, as we feel the sound of the bonsho bell, may it touch our hearts, minds and bodies, awakening us to the enlightened call of great wisdom which asks us to acknowledge the importance of mutual respect and appreciation, and boundless compassion, which aspires for the peace and happiness of all life and, even if ever so slightly, inspires us to move towards harmonious co-existence and the peace and well-being of all peoples of the world in the spirit of, as we say in Hawai‘i, ‘kakou’ (translated to mean ‘us,’ ‘we,’ ‘all’),” Matsumoto said in his Peace Day message.
Peace Day activities continue with the Kannon Peace Statue being lit each evening to 8 p.m. at the Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji in Hanapepe. The statue has been decorated with items created in collaboration with students from ‘Ele‘ele School. The lighting continues through Saturday.
The Storybook Theatre of Hawai‘i in Hanapepe, in collaboration with the Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji, is hosting a Peace Day Parade Saturday from noon to 2 p.m., with flags, banners and music, ending at the temple, where food booths, speakers and entertainment.
