Music, dancing and food will be abundant at Hakalau Jodo Mission during its Obon festival this Saturday.
The Hakalau Jodo Mission has been serving the community for 119 years and is a gathering place for Japanese Buddhist services and community events.
Hakalau Jodo Mission is one of 23 Hawaii Island temples to celebrate Obon with a memorial service and bon dance, which often brings an influx of people to the temple each year.
“We usually get a couple hundred people here, which is good for us since we’re in a residential subdivision without much parking,” said Susan Forbes, president of Hakalau Jodo Mission.
Obon originated more than 500 years ago in Japan and is a tradition brought to Hawaii by Japanese immigrant workers in the 19th century, making it widely celebrated at temples along the Hamakua Coast.
Each year, bon dances remind longtime residents of island life before the demise of sugar.
In the 1960s, Hakalau plantation workers were forced to sell their homes, so sugarcane could be planted instead.
When that plan ultimately did not work and the sugar companies abandoned the Hamakua Coast, Hakalau’s residents had already relocated to Pepeekeo, Hilo and elsewhere.
“The land used for sugarcane was ultimately sold, mostly to mainland buyers, and the nature of the population changed, which can be seen in the mission’s demographic,” Forbes said.
“There’s been an adaptation in Hakalau — both by people who were able to stay and people who come in. Newcomers appreciate the environment that was created and have adopted the values that were instilled during the days of the plantations and Japanese Buddhists living here.”
Obon season traditionally invites deceased familial ancestors home to honor and celebrate them with a memorial service and bon dance. With the demographic change, Hakalau Jodo Mission makes sure to honor every person who was part of the community before them.
Lifetime member Robert Yara traveled from Oahu to attend the Hakalau bon dance, which he tries to do each year. On Thursday, he helped other members put up lanterns to prepare for the event.
“For me as a former resident, I appreciate everything going on to perpetuate the church,” Yara said. “That is more important — to preserve what the community was.”
Saturday’s bon dance will feature food from the Thai Angels and the Poi Balls food truck, as well as a concession stand serving as a fundraiser for ongoing activities, which include art classes, karate for keiki, bonsai workshops, tai chi, yoga and conversational Japanese classes.
“There is a growing group of people committed to making sure we continue to exist and serve the community,” Forbes said.
“This is always a joyful time and just fun to be a part of. The whole community really comes together.”
The Hakalau Jodo Mission Obon service begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the bon dance from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in front of the temple. If it rains, the bon dance will be in the social hall.
For more information about the Hakalau Jodo Mission, email hakalaujodomission@gmail.com.
The Kamuela Hongwanji Mission also is hosting a bon dance at 7 p.m. on Saturday and three more temple bon dances will follow.
Honohina-Papa’aloa Honwanji Mission will host the next bon dance at Honohina beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, followed by a bon dance at Hilo Daijingu at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, and Pahala and Naalehu Honwanjis will host a combined dance at Naalehu at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
