Greetings,
Call
it a clan, call it a network,
call it a tribe, call it a family.
Whatever you call it,
whoever you are,
you need one.
~ Jane Howard
The Super Bowl is a
great excuse for a potluck pa`ina (Hawaiian party), and six couples
from our Hawaiian club 'ohana (family) gathered together to watch the game
over at BJ's and Joseph's home.
Joseph & BJ
BJ and Joseph outdid
themselves, serving us bowlfuls of cioppino
-- one of my all-time favorites, accompanied by a fresh, green salad and
slices of French bread. Joseph, we learned, once aspired to be a
professional chef. After serving in the Air Force, he stopped
in Chicago with the intention of enrolling in chef school.
But, he found Chicago way too cold, and he said,
"Pass!"
And then, via a mutual
friend in California, he met this
cute girl from Lana`i, BJ, who had been to college in the Pacific
Northwest. They clicked, and the rest is history.
Teeming with chunks of
seafood, Joseph's steaming hot cioppino was simply delicious and a
testament to Joseph's natural chef talents. Tom and newly-retired
teacher Paddy joined
us on the lanai, and together, we thoroughly enjoyed every spoonful.
The potluck dishes were
also wonderful and plentiful: roast pork, ogo (Hawaiian seaweed),
kau yuk, salmon, macaroni-potato salad, sushi, won ton, shrimp and
lots of desserts, including an apple cake, Chinese almond float, and
custard pie.
BJ was the ever gracious
hostess, and I had a chance to sit down and enjoy her company. She is all Hawaiian heart. We
met her
independent, energetic 82 year old mother, originally from Hilo; son
Joey; her
witty brother, who cracked us up, and his wife, Sherry; as well as grandson, Kepa, who
will be auditioning for entrance into the regional Performing Arts School.
We've known
Kepa since he was 8, and we join the rest in rooting for him. At 13, he is a sweet and adorable young man with
an engaging personality. He doesn't know it, but he already has all of us "aunties and uncles"
in his fan club.
After the game, I was
"talking story" with Thomas, who is our club's chief wa`a
(Hawaiian outrigger canoe) steward. He reminisced about his hanabata
(kid) days, growing up on the island of O`ahu. He said he
never went hungry. At the beach, he'd scamper up the coconut
trees for a snack of fresh coconut. When he and his buddies
went hiking in the mountains in the Tantalus area, they'd feast on
bananas, mountain apples, and guavas. Once, he came home
with armfuls of sweet-smelling gardenias. (Too bad, he didn't
know his lovely Ellie back then)
Ahh, those were the
days.
Janice and George and
Scott and Denny came later, as they'd been to a hâlau (hula school)
fundraiser with Big Island entertainer-kumu hula-keeper of the
culture Kekuhi Kanahele performing.
We'll be looking
for Scott and Denny in the opening ceremonies of the Winter OIympics,
coming up soon.
They will be the sweetheart couple in that vast sea of humanity. Lucky buggahs.
Oh yes, the New England
Patriots beat the St. Louis Rams in New Orleans in one of the best
games ever. I learned that Joseph and Thomas are still die-hard
Rams fans, even if Rams owner, Georgia Frontieri, ditched faithful LA-Orange County
fans by pulling up stakes and moving the Rams to St. Louis.
In typical Hawaiian
fashion, BJ and Joseph gifted their guests with makana hele
(parting gifts). A box of Chinese candy. That's right,
it's Chinese New Year coming up on February 12, 2002. It is the
Chinese Year
4699, the Year of the
Horse.
Mahalo nui, BJ & Joseph, for your Hawaiian hospitality!
"Life is a Gift."
Me ke Aloha pumehana,
Author
Unknown
P.S. If you would
like to share a portion of yourself with words, in response to
this journal entry, you may do it here.
"The
only gift is a portion of thyself..."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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