LAWAI — The placement of the sacred ball in Lawai completes a structure that represents the connection of earth and heaven. The ball, created out of clay by Wayne Miyata, a Kauai Community College artist and instructor, brings to reality
LAWAI — The placement of the sacred ball in Lawai completes a structure that represents the connection of earth and heaven.
The ball, created out of clay by Wayne Miyata, a Kauai Community College artist and instructor, brings to reality a structure which involved more than 400 volunteers and community supporters laboring for about a year, said Lynn Muramoto of the Lawai International Center.
Miyata said the sacred ball consists of a ceramic base that took about a week to complete, a sleeve, or spacer, and the sacred ball.
The crew of volunteers worked diligently and carefully to hew down the wooden anchor which holds the sacred ball.
The Hall of Compassion utilizes materials prepared and shipped from Japan.
Under the direction of architect Nobuyuki Yamamoto, one of the last temple building masters in Japan, the structure in Lawai was put together without nails.
The completed Hall of Compassion graces Lawai Valley, an area where prayers of all ethnicities and religions are heard, states a release.
During ancient times, Hawaiians built heiau in the valley. Today, it is a site known for the 88 shrines replicated from an ancient pilgrimage of 88 temples in Shikoku, Japan.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
