Bon Dance in Hawaii: Dance with the Wind and the Spirits

A new wind blows through Manoa valley. It comes once a year from the ocean and for a short while the cool new breeze relieves the people in the valley from the oppressive heat of an August day. This wind is brought to the valley by ancestral spirits who visit their families once a year to be remembered and celebrated with dance, music and drum beats. The O-bon season has come again and families go to their temples to celebrate their ancestors and send them off to the spirit world for another year. They dance and sing to the same songs that have been practiced for hundreds of generations. They eat andagi, fried noodles and shave-ice, and return to their homes with full bellies; confident they have paid respect to their ancestors and will be blessed with health and happiness for another year. The story includes recipes for cooking the special bon dance treats as well as a glossary of terms.

Author: Jill Haworth