Darryl Fujiwara has been a longtime contributor to the Aloha Festivals on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
“It was about giving everyone a real, authentic way…learning the real Hawaiian culture for everyone’s town,” he said. Even their languages are different…and their cultures and traditions are just as colorful.
The Festival of Aloha is one of several arts and cultural staples returning directly to the neighboring islands this year after two years in the aftermath of the pandemic.
While many festivals are concentrated on Oahu, Fujiwara and others say the neighboring islands have vibrant arts and culture scenes that serve our diverse communities. say.
“People really miss our events. A lot of small businesses and family-owned stores, especially in Lanai and Moloka’i, really depend on these events,” he said. is not only a showcase for this great Hawaii, but also an economic engine for the community.”
According to Fujiwara, the event has been held virtually for the past two years. They are looking forward to kicking off their two-month long festival on Saturday, September 3rd, including hoolaurea, falsetto contests, live performances and cultural activities.
Before the pandemic, he said about 15,000 people attended the festival, and he expects even more this year.
Koloa Plantation Days
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HPR
Koloa Plantation Days on Kauai is another cultural staple that has returned in full and direct.
Longtime event committee chair Melissa McFerrin-Wallach said the festival will be held virtually in 2020 and will be a mix of in-person and virtual events in 2021.
Held in July, the 10-day festival celebrates the region’s rich history and the ethnic groups that worked on Koloa’s sugar cane plantations. It features rodeos, talk story sessions, parades, and other events.
Koloa Plantation Days
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HPR
“The Koloa Plantation Days is a very interesting festival that first started with the community, and many years later it was shared with visitors,” said McFerrin Warrack. “So it has real authenticity.”
She said thousands of people attended this year’s festival. This includes about 700 people participating in the parade. McFerrin Warrack is part of her 10-member planning team, mostly volunteers. To run 25 events, she said she needs about 300 to 400 people.
Planning for the festival has been difficult and particularly costly because of the pandemic, she said, with funding challenges and health guidelines.
“One of the challenges facing many of these traditional festivals is aging and replenishing wells,” she said. “This year we have seen people very excited to participate next year.”
In Hilo, the East Hawaii Cultural Center reopened its theater in July with 11 sold-out performances of the musical Cabaret. It was the first performance in two and a half years since the center closed.
The Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theater is the center’s resident theater company and the group that debuted “cabaret.”
Artistic director Charles Haynes said, “For those of us who make theater, the theatrical production and the theatrical process are very important to us. ‘This is our home. It’s our community. And I can see very clearly that people need to hear and see live theater based on the way people respond to our work. I need a story.”
He said about 30 cast members rely on their stand-ins when others go out because of COVID. .
Haynes grew up in a city whose population in Alabama was similar to Oahu, so he said these experiences made him appreciate working in Hilo even more. He said the community always showed up for them.
“We will soon realize that human resources are even more valuable, and the people involved are even more incredibly valuable to us,” he said. Making is an incredibly rewarding process.”
