Loving My Lei

Yeah, I got lei-d last night!

Sorry, I couldn't help it, that's the running joke among my male colleagues at this conference.

Contrary to popular conceptions about Hawaii, you do NOT receive a lei upon arrival in the Honolulu airport, unless you are being picked by a limosine service or some other expensive mode of ground transport. This lei was presented to me during the performance of Kalo's South Seas Review, which the Shimadas took me to this evening. Mr. Shimada's cousin now runs the restaurant, so as his honored guest I was singled out for presentation with this welcome lei.

Kalo's South Seas Review is a Waikiki institution, choreographed by Kalolaine "Kalo" Mataele Soukop, who is also on the board of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Honolulu. Interestingly, this is run by the Church of Latter Day Saints, though I can not verify that all the dancers onstage are Mormons. However, Donny and Marie's "Going Coconuts" movie contains a scene filmed onstage at Kalo's, so there is obviously a strong LDS connection here.

Day two in Honolulu

Here I am having lunch on the strip in Waikiki. This is about an hour before I gave my paper, don't I look relaxed?! As a result, it's probably the best paper I have ever given at SEM! Well, maybe not, but everyone was in a more receptive mood.

DJ Hope in Hawaii

This is the beginning of my blog for my journey to Honolulu for the 2006 International Conference of the Society for Ethnomusicology. Although the trip is over, I will be adding a little about the trip each day.

Today's installment describes my first experience of traditional Hawaiian cuisine. This came about because one of my colleagues at CSU Fresno grew up in Honolulu, and still has family in the area. His godfather picked me up at the airport, and our first stop before the hotel was Leonard's, the best maker of malassadas on Oahu. These puffy pieces of fried dough, essentially donuts but much lighter and tastier, are the chief contribution by the Portuguese, after the ukulele of course. Mr. Shimada bought two bags for his family and one for me. They lasted me from the evening and through the next two days for breakfast. Delicious!!