At this year’s Vernal Equinox Celebration, many participants performed “hehi hehi” (Hawaiian for foot stomping) to prepare the organic soil for the kalo (taro) paddy fields. First, a local boy who had an experience to grow kalo at a Hawaiian charter school performed a blessing chant he had learned at school. Then, under the guidance of regular volunteers Kyle and Luana, everyone picked up the fallen leaves that had accumulated all over the farm, threw them into the paddy field, and then entered the paddy field barefoot or in boots, stomping their feet to distribute the leaves evenly throughout the field.
One Japanese boy, who had grown up in the city and had been reluctant to touch the mud, looked around and timidly put their feet into the paddies, saying, “It feels so good!” A mother who participated in the event for the first time with her friends said, “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” as she repeatedly stomped in the muddy water with her children, a big smile on her face.
The children, who were initially shy and hid behind their mothers, transformed into young turk as soon as they encountered nature. They were smiling and frolicking with their new friends and enjoying the delicious food that everyone had brought. We had a lot of fun in the special place where people of all races, cultures, ages, and genders can come together to nurture nature and share its bounty. It was a day when we could feel that the circle of such a community is gradually expanding.
Thank you so much to the many people who participated. The next seasonal event will be the Summer Solstice Celebration, scheduled for late June. If you missed it this time, please join us next! https://www.facebook.com/takaeoj
