WAIMEA — The Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary hosted its second bon dance, coinciding with the event being the final bon dance of the 2012 season Friday night. Jerry Walker, the CEO of both KVMH and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital,
WAIMEA — The Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital Auxiliary hosted its second bon dance, coinciding with the event being the final bon dance of the 2012 season Friday night.
Jerry Walker, the CEO of both KVMH and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, said the popular community tradition was brought over by the first Japanese immigrants during the 1860s, and following its assimilation into the local communities, continues to flourish.
“It’s my town, I have to be here,” said Jill Faye-Papworth, who had a special happi coat. “I’ve been dancing bon dance in Waimea since I was three years old, wearing kimono similar to those being worn by the young girls. Now, I have my own special coat.”
Faye-Papworth, who lives in Kekaha, almost forgot about the bon dance after arriving home from work, greeted by a fiery snake of fire creeping down the hillsides outside of Kekaha town.
“I almost forgot,” Faye-Papworth said from her vantage point outside the Menehune Mart in Kekaha, where a steady flow of people stopped by for a glimpse of the blaze. “I have time to go home and pick up my coat.”
Kay Koike was another Kekaha resident who almost forgot she was going to meet people at the bon dance.
“I was supposed to meet people at 5 o’clock, but I think I’m going to the area by the (Kekaha) mill to get another perspective of the fire, first,” she said. “I’m still going to be late.”
At KVMH, people could not help but wonder about the blaze as the afternoon sky was painted orange by the sun trying to penetrate the veil of smoke from the blaze.
Brycen Hiraoka, the event coordinator, ignored the subject, preferring to welcome people to the event, which will allow the hospital to acquire “necessary equipment which falls outside of allocated budget.”
Steve Kline, the KVMH occupational therapist, was pleased residents from the neighboring Kaua‘i Care Center could join the KVMH residents, similar to how the Regency at Puakea bussed some of its residents to the Mahelona Hospital bon dance Thursday night.
“I wanted to go to the Mahelona bon dance, too, but I had an (East Kaua‘i) Lions Club meeting,” said Justin Kollar, a candidate for the Office of Prosecuting Attorney, who joined Judge Randal Valenciano in the bon dance ring. “I had to come to this one since it is the last one until next year.”
Judge Randal’s family was out in force, his sister, Pat Pablo of KVMH Auxiliary handling sales of the auxiliary’s cookbooks and a supply of contributed flowering orchid plants from the Gwen Teragawa family.
Another sister, Glenda Miyazaki, the principal of neighboring Waimea Canyon Middle School, was also present, chatting with Pablo while watching the dancers.
“This is the first time I’ve actually had time to stay longer,” Miyazaki said, the school allowing its parking lot to accommodate overflow parking from the hospital. “We’re going to drive by Kekaha later to see how bad the fire is.”
Ginny Agena, a daughter of the Teragawa family, brought a new tradition to bon dance — the popular kendama. Hiraoka officiated at a kendama tournament among nearly a dozen young enthusiasts who lined the bon dance ring and competed to see who could complete a trick announced by Hiraoka.
The last trick was who could complete “The Bird” first, and the winner received a new kendama contributed by Agena.
“It’s for a good cause,” she said after discovering Corey Agena was the winner. “The hospital is a good place.”
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
