It's that time again...Obon!

The Origin of "Bon" Dances

Reverend Bino Mamiya, minister of the Hakalau Jodo Mission from 1937-1975, was interviewed for the Voice of Hakalau in August 1960 and explained the origin of "Bon" dances:

In India long ago, there lived a man called Mokuren, who was a disciple of Lord Buddha. Mokuren had been given the powers to see into the next world. 

One day, soon after his mother had passed away, Mokuren using his unusual ability, scanned Heaven in search of his dead mother. To his amazement, he could not locate her.

He continued looking for her, each time searching at a lower level which separated Heaven and Hell. Finally on the level just before Hell he found his mother. She had been assigned to the level where selfish mortals were sent after their death. There they suffered the pangs of eternal hunger and thirst.

Seeing her son, Mokuren's mother asked him for some food and water. But each time she opened her lips to taste the food and water her son gave her, it burst into flames.

Faced with this dilemma, Mokuren asked Lord Buddha for his advice.

Each year during the monsoon season in India, it was the custom of the Buddhis priests from all the surrounding areas to gather at a big castle to study and meditate. Lord Buddha instructed Mokuren to ask these priests who had gathered to pray for the forgiveness of his mother.

The priests, after hearing Mokuren's story, prayed for many days. Finally on the last day of the monsoon season, which was July 15, as Mokren watched, he saw his mother slowly ascending towards Heaven.

Mokuren, seeing his mother saved, was overcome with joy. As she neared Heaven, he began to sing and dance. The priests, observing Mokuren's happiness, also began to sing and dance.

​An that was the first "Bon" dance.

2018 Schedule for Bon Dances

Updates as of August 8, 2018

Yesterday:

• Timeline: Included photos from the 1946 Sugar Strike at Hakalau
• Expanded and reorganized the history of the Hakalau Jodo Mission, part of the effort towards having the Mission designated an historic church. LOTS of  pictures added.
• Hangouts and Memories: Picture of the Young Buddhist Association Softball Tournament from 1941 added to the Hakalau Park/School Complex.
• Sources for the history of the Ross Families of Hakalau added.

Today: ​​

• Updated Calendar of Events​​ 
• Obon at Hakalau Jodo Mission, August 18th, Obon Service at 6 p.m., Dancing begins at 7 p.m.
• Updated Hakalau Farmer's Market

Tomorrow:​​​

• Update on Hamakua Community Development Plan adoption process

Why we created hakalauhome.com

Creating hakalauhome.com is our way of showing our respect for those who came before us, to build upon the history and share it broadly, and to showcase the collective effort of residents of Hakalau today.

​Former residents share a love of Hakalau and work diligently to share pictures, stories and maps to reinforce their memories. Ken and I learned a lot from these folks and, gladly, have maintained contact with many. The key lesson was that culture can be passed from one time to another and one group to another. The values from the plantation community that former residents shared are gifts to us:

• Engage in collective effort
• Look out for each other
• Honor hard work
• Show respect for those who came before us

Aloha,
​Ken and Susan Forbes

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