There was a young lady sitting next to me holding a curly headed little boy, sleeping in her arms.She was very pretty. Across the isle was a local man with shades on and a bandana on his head. He was holding a small box with little signs pasted all over it reading Mochi...Coconut Butter Mochi....$1.00. The box and the man did not look like they belonged together. Towards the front of the bus was a young man sitting with a huge roller suitcase travel bag kinda' thing that was about 3
foot tall. Big. He just sat there looking, well...Happy.
So now, we have the five of us sitting there at the front of the bus and we start talking story, except for the little boy who was still sleeping and too young to talk story with us anyway, and the happy guy up front. As I talked with the young lady, I learned that her name was Kawai and her son's name was Kamaka. She is a local girl that now lives and works in New York as a Polynesian Dancer and is the founding member of the Urban Polynesian Dance Company. based in New York City. She was home to visit her family and that she would be leaving for New York soon. Turns out that the guy across the isle holding the box of Mochi is her Dad, Patrick. That was her box of Mochi that she was selling to help fund her flight back to New York. Gotta sell a lot of Mochi to fly to New York! We had a good time talking story and learning about each others lives. I took photos and video and we exchanged business cards.
Kawai noticed that the happy guy at the front of the bus was watching us talk story and me taking photos and video, and asked him if he would like some Mochi. He had no clue what Mochi was, so Kawai, Patrick and I went on to explain the virtues and joys of Mochi and that he should buy a slice to have the experience. So after our sales pitch, he dug up a buck and got his Mochi.
Now it was time to taste the Mochi but I remembered the rules about food and drink on the bus and I cautioned him about eating and committing that sin, but after Kawai's urging him to taste "just a little corner" and after my last warning of grave consequences that this act would bring from the bus driver, he took a little nibble. Well, that "little nibble" for Eric was like stealing just one kiss from a pretty girl....just one won't do...gotta have more. He stuffed his face with the whole slice, and there he sat....with a huge smile and bulging cheeks! I whispered to Kawai, maybe Mochi been in the sun too much and fermented a little bit? She said no no, I baked it fresh this morning, it's fresh!After he had finished the Mochi, he told us his name was Eric and that he was on his way back to Utah after 2 years on the Island. I asked him what he had experienced here in Hawaii and he said "Aloha. I learned what Aloha means and I learned how to talk story" I guess he was shy at one time, but not today. He was happy..
Well that boy was really happy by the time the bus pulled up to his stop by the airport. "I love everybody, Aloha" were his last words to all of us as he tumbled down the steps with his huge travel bag out into the street. Aloha Eric. We hope you will be safe on your journey and have plenty green bottles stashed in your bag. He also took a little final Aloha experience with him on his journey as well. We were all happy now. Kawai and Kamaka are back in New York by now. She said that she would be back for Merrie Monarch this spring. I wonder if she will be selling Mochi to finance her trip back to the islands. Maybe she has a cart like the hot dog and pretzel vendors in front of the MET or some other famous place in the Big Apple or not. She is probably very busy performing with her dance company and other creative ventures. I hope to see her when she comes back. I want to stuff my cheeks with some Coconut Butter Mochi.
J. Osprey
Here is some information on my new friend: Kawai L. Anakalea, and a short video I shot on the bus.
urbanpolynesia.com
kawaiohawaiki.com
A short video of Kawai
http://youtu.be/mSzRPJGEJ4k
Great Post! That is Puna!!!!
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