Bon dances are popular summertime evening events

Bon is a time in Buddhists’ calendar when reflections and thoughts of deceased ancestors and loved ones take the forefront, and at the weekend’s o-bon dances at the Lihu‘e Hongwanji in Kapaia, there was a familiar figure in the ring of dancers.

Dances are done to celebrate and rejoice with ancestors, who Buddhists believe return to the earthly world during this time.

Kekoa Crowell, the signal caller for the Kaua‘i High School football team, was following the lead of Claire Hirota and members of the Ichimasa ‘ohana over the weekend.

One of the Ichimasas explained that Crowell had recently suffered the passing of his grandfather on O‘ahu, and invited him to join them in the dances, an offer Crowell accepted, his first bon dance being the one at the West Kaua‘i Honwanji Hanapepe Temple the week before followed by the past weekend’s celebration in Kapaia.

Demonstrating the same finesse that earned him honors as a quarterback on the gridiron, Crowell, despite admitting that he didn’t know all the dances, fit right in with the crowd of colorfully clad dancers.

The festive community event offers something for everyone as personalities like Michael Ratcliffe could be heard above the din of the food booth – “Ah, hot!” Ratcliffe was part of the Lihu‘e Kendo Club that manned the flying saucer station, and the “Ah, hot!” was done similar to some of the calls done during their kendo bouts.

Another popular facet of the bon dance takes place during the intermission when church members born in the year of the asian zodiac being celebrated are called on to toss plastic eggs symbolizing mochi to throngs of eager dancers and spectators.

The mochi symbolizes good luck and is the church’s way of thanking the community for its support. Nalani Brun, another member of the kendo club, also took her turn at the station, noting, “I’m off to work so she (her daughter) can have fun.”