May Day

May Day was a beautiful scene this year at Kawaiahaʻo Church. As the church bells struck 9 am, keiki from Kawaiahaʻo Church School were dressed to the nines walking in a line with their classes to chapel, aunties were picking plumeria from the trees in the cemetery, and kūpuna were on the steps of the church draped in fragrant lei waiting excitedly for the May Day program to begin.

Many Kawaiahaʻo Church School students exchanged lei with one another, gave lei to their teachers, and embraced this day of community. Each of the Kawaiahaʻo Church School classes represented one of our islands, and performed a hula, oli and/or mele that represented their respective island.

“It was beautiful,” said Cheryl Larrua, Director of Kawaiahaʻo Church School. “It felt like stepping back into old Hawaiʻi. I think it is important to make the commitment to reserve the day to share community, aloha, and fellowship with one another. It was invigorating to us all, and helped us take a moment out of the busyness of life to remember what is most important.”