Well here in Hawaii, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and where do the people go? Not to the museum.
We can count on a drop in visitors at Bishop Museum when it’s a beautiful day.
Because…. They are all at the beach!
And here in Hawaii once you get to the beach what do you do?
Pray for surf
Have a great summer everyone.
It’s Friday. So I must be at the museum. When I open the door to the atrium to enter what is usually an empty area, I am surprised by a room full of people. Blocking the door on the other side of the room is Emily, a docent my age, holding a beautiful little baby. Cameras are flashing, and the room is abuzz as she stands for this photo opp.
Hmmm, what is going on I’m thinking as I try to figure out how I’m going to go through this swarm of people. From across the room on the other side near the other entrance are some of the employees I work with. They are dressed ready to do a special performance for the honoree. One of them frantically waves me towards her signalling me to go through the entrance in back of them.
Quickly I snake my way through and pass her and then as I pass the other employee behind her he whispers to me “Bishop Tutu.”I nod and go past quickly. As I enter the hall I’m perplexed. “Are they designating Emily the Tutu (Grandmother) of Bishop Museum?” She volunteers as a docent she serves on boards and is always available for anything they need her for. And she is a grandmother. So why not?
Getting to the front of the hall I see another employee, Bill, standing out front re-routing people and asking them to please understand that for about 10 more minutes the back atrium is blocked and the museum will then once again be open.
Wow, all this to name someone Tutu of the museum? “Why are you re-routing everyone, why aren’t we (all the docents) allowed back there? What’s the big deal about a tutu? Just then one of the more senior people of the museum came by and said, “Did you get to see Desmond Tutu?
“Desmond Tutu?” Where is he? I saw Emily getting her photo taken but didn’t know he was here. So I was taken to the back where all the upper echelon of the museum milled around, and there sat Desmond Tutu. What a trill to actually see the man. It was more exciting to me then the time I gave Senator Inouye a tour of the museum.
Desmond Tutu served 6 years as Chair for an organization known as the “Elders”, a group formed to use their influence to support peace building. He was here to take part in a series of ongoing visits for the “Pillars of Peace Hawaii,” a Hawaiian organization formed to inspire people to compassion, cultivate justice and diversity in our society.
Along with Desmond Tutu at the museum was Gro Harlem Brundtland. She was the first woman Prime Minister of Norway and serves as Deputy Chair of The Elders. Also attending was Hina Jilani a renowned lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner. She is a leading activist in Pakistan’s women’s movement. She has dedicated her life to fight for human rights around the world.
And as for the “Bishop Tutu?” Well it certainly wasn’t Emily though it was her grandson who Desmond Tutu was enthralled with. Hence the Kodak moments. But Bishop Tutu it was. He was the Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his work in the struggle against apartheid.
Desmond Tutu. I am not sure if the woman behind him was one of his daughters.
Well you know I wasn’t exactly introduced to him.
Seated to the right of Desmond Tutu are, Gro Harlem Brundtland and Hina Jilani
And no I am not in the photo but just as happy to be able to have taken it.
Just a quick blog to update everyone. The morning that Hurricane Isselle was supposed to hit I let the dogs out into the yard. I upturned my patio furniture, set out my coffee and a piece of pie and sat down to read. The birds were singing, the sun was shining and I can honestly say everything was alright in my world. It was a non event here on Oahu and I’m very thankful for that.
It wasn’t that good on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii as there was a lot of damage done but no fatalities and Hawaiian Electric has been working hard to get the power back on for a few thousand people who are still left without it. Yes some houses were destroyed but not anything like what we have seen take place with other hurricanes.
I’m happy I was spared the “dog around.” I did not have to put up with all the dogs trying to sleep as close to me as possible. The only sad thing for me during this whole experience is that my nemesis, the bamboo in our yard did not get blown down. I will have to continue to chop it down by hand which is like taking sand off the beach one grain at a time.
I may kid but I’m thankful. I did have a deep down worry but hoped for the best and the best happened for us. I am sorry for those who lost so much but thankful that all lives have been spared.
As for Julio, the following hurricane. I totally forgot about him and thankfully he forgot about all of use. I guess like the song said, Julio is down by the school yard.
While at Kapolei library I’m like a person with an addiction. With my empty bag for my books in hand, Nico and I entered with much anticipation. It’s a push me, pull me quandary when I’m there. At home books are piled on my night stand, dresser, and bookshelf in my 10 x 12 bedroom. They flow out into the living room shelves and a wicker chest in the family room.
So as I walk Nico into the library we are no longer two but four. There are always two little imps on either side of my shoulders fighting me to check out this book or that one while I try to reason with them. “No, I have to finish my books at home first.”
I needed to distract myself so I started to look at the pieces of art hanging and sitting in various places. It’s funny as many times as I go into the Kapolei Library, I never take the time to look at anything other than books.
On closer observation I noticed all kinds of art pieces besides the quilts that are always hanging. The work was on loan from the State Foundation of Culture and the arts. The project is called “Art in Public Places.”
In an effort to expose local artist to the public you can see all types of work in many institutions throughout the islands. So I thought I would share my distraction with you.
When the missionaries first came to the islands they showed the Hawaiian Women how to quilt. As is the way of the Hawaiians they took the basics and turned it into their own style.
Hawaiian women would get together and make their patterns from the different trees and flowers that grew on the islands and then make their quilts from those
I once read that the Hawaiian women would get together for several days, make themselves some strong drink from Ti plants and appoint one person to do all the dishes. They would then start working on a quilt. All would help with the one quilt. The one who was appointed to do the dishes also helped. Having to do dishes softened the fingers making it hard to push the needle in and out to quilt. So you can see the importance of that dishwasher. Those Hawaiians. They thought of everything. What a party that must have been.
They also used their quilts to protest the fact that the Americans were making them take down their flag so the American flag could fly in its place. Protest Quilt
The three pieces above and below are by Wayne Miyata. It is called 3 Zen Monks
Speak No Evil
See No Evil
Hear No Evil
Victor Holmes’ Nani Umeke (Umeke is a bowl)
Sidney T.K. Yee’s Parallels (ceramic)
George Wright’s Pueo (Hawaii’s indigenous Owl)
English: Boerhavia sp. (seeds attached to head of Pueo). Location: Maui, Kanaha Beach (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I posted a photo here so you can see what the Hawaiian owl looks like. Isn’t he just exquisite. I love owls
Bird of Paradise. They are beautiful plants that I myself have growing in my yard. This painting had no signage so may you can double-click on it and see what that signature is.
This was just a poster up in the library showing all of the indigenous creatures of Hawaii. I bet the original is a beautiful piece of art though.
What can I say, I just loved this poster. Anyway looking at all this art worked. I went home with an empty bag full of books. (Nico’s that is)
Big bucks are spent to vacation in Hawaii during Christmas. Since it had been two years since I’ve been to Waikiki for the holiday I decided to call my good friend Yvonne to join me for breakfast at the Outrigger Hotel.
Breakfast somehow seems more special when I am sitting overlooking the pool and ocean and enjoying conversation with my long time crony. The food always seems to taste better when you are looking at such a beautiful site.
But alas it was not to be. That is, sitting overlooking the ocean. Instead, we had to take what was available, a table across from the preferred seating overlooking other people’s heads who were overlooking the pool and ocean.
It seemed from that point on I slowly turned into the Grinch.
Yvonne
Yvonne was happy to be there and was just fine where we sat. She just ignored me as disappointment and complaints poured out of my mouth. The menu didn’t appeal to me so I ordered a short stack of macadamia nut and banana pancakes. They tasted dry as I tried to look through heads out to the sea. The coffee was bitter as I poured packets of sugar to mask the taste and somehow I only saw the tinsel side of Christmas as I looked around.
There seemed nothing extraordinary to photograph that represented the holidays. This bar next to the table where we ate seemed to sum up the way I felt. It called to me but unfortunately it was closed. Even if it had been open I am sure they could not have made me a drink that would have made me feel better about my surroundings. So we headed down the stairs. I realized that the food had not changed and we had a wonderful waiter but I am a creature of my surroundings and I don’t choose place to eat for the food but for the ambiance.
I believe I took this very same photo two years ago for my Christmas blog back then. The Outrigger had very little to show in the way of Christmas decorations and so we didn’t bother to stay to look around.
Is it me or are the hotels losing the spirit like so many other places. Here it is December 16th and I’ve not heard one person say Merry Christmas. It’s as thought they are like the recorded message you always get when calling a business but paraphrased. “Your money is very important to us please take in our token Christmas decorations while you wait to pay the cashier.”
The Moana Hotel, though their decorations have not changed, still had a beautiful presentation.
The lei in the tree looked Hawaiian and Chrismasy
Here we were at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel. This is a portrait of the young princess who was next in line for the throne. She died very young before taking the throne and even had she lived she would not have been able to reign as Queen Liliuokalani the Queen at the time, had been dethroned by big business men from the United States. Her imprisonment marked the end of the Hawaiian Monarchy. Much to the sadness and outcry of the Hawaiian People.
This carving of a peacock is also a symbol of the Princess. Her home was in Waikiki and it was surrounded by her beloved peacocks. It was said that the peacocks cried through the night as the princess lay on her death bead. But more to reality the reason they may have cried would have been to announce the stream of strangers that were calling throughout the night to pay their last respects to their beloved princess.
My last Christmas visit to the hotel they had this elaborate ginger bread set up but it was all Hawaiian. This year they gave a nod to all the foreign visitors who patronize the hotel. This is the London Tower Bridge and to the side is the Eye of London or is it the London Eye?
And do I really have to say what this represents other than a lot of cookie dough? The Eiffel Tower.
And this is the rest of the village that looked a little to snowy for me. Yes Christmas can have a lot of snow, but in Hawaii? These are historic sites in Hawaii but it was just cluttered for me to try to single out.
Now we’re at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. I did not visit it the last time so it was all new to me and yet the tree pretty much looked like all the other hotel trees.
But I did like this carousel display. The wind was blowing and the waterfall splashed down and out. Their was a bit of a chill, not much, but still a chill in the air. The bright display attracted the children but the spray of water became more attention-getting then anything else. I expect coming from all over the world and many from cold countries, the spray felt wonderful under the Hawaiian sun.
So the last Hotel display I took was this one as I really liked the lay that this zebra was wearing. But that was as close to a Hawaiian look as there was going to be for a display in this hotel.
When all was said and done. This was the real Christmas in Hawaii for those who were checking in to the hotel. From breakfast to the last display, I felt, Christmas had left the building and if there had not been these displays in the hotels you would not have known what time of year it was once you stepped out of your room.
From street settings such as this along Kalakaua Avenue ,
to Duke Kahanamoku with fists full of leis welcoming all to his island
And the statue of the young boy surfing alongside a seal
This is the real Christmas in Hawaii
kareninhonolulu 