A hula celebration

Maia's hula school had a May Day performance today. May Day has always been very big in Hawaii--there was a kind of natural affinity from the beginnning between Hawaiian culture and the underpinnings of May Day celebrations. That's a pic of Maia and some of her class.

Three generations of women performed--young girls of Maia's age; tweeners and teenagers--"big girls," in Maia speak; and kupuna or elders. Here are some pics of some of the elders.







And here are some pics of the "little girls":





In addition to being a May Day celebration, the performance was a fund raiser for the hula school and a graduation celebration for eight young women. These eight had been at the hula school for varying lengths of time--up to 20 years. The celebration was not of their graduation from the hula school--though it was clear that they would probably not have much of a presence at the school any longer--but of other events in their lives. Graduation from high school and going on to college for seven of the young women and graduation from medical school for the eighth.

There are few things more affecting than watching a group of young women dancing hula. Sometimes, there's something so sweet and pure and good about it that it touches the soul.

Here are some pics of them. Some of the pics include one of their teachers:

















The performance done by the young women today was simply magical. They did three songs. At the end of the final one, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

What a privilege it is to raise a daughter. And what a sacred trust.



John, May 21, 2006