All play and no work

Friday, Sept 8, marked a month since fires decimated historic Lahaina town and wreaked havoc upcountry in Kula. A paddle-out was held south side at the Cove in Kihei. On a SUP board, I joined a gathering of surfers, other SUPers, and canoes to honor the memory of Lahaina and its people.

A paddle-out brings together the Hawaiian tradition of returning loved ones to their ancestors at sea and the Surfer tradition of coming together on the water to honor a community member who has died. There are chants, prayers, remembrances, rhythmic beats, holding hands, paddling a full circle to say goodbye, then throwing water and whooping to greet a new beginning.

I started out curious, taking a lot of photos and videos as people gathered. Suddenly, with no sounds around me other than water lapping on dozens of boards, all of us close together, I felt the collective sorrow squeeze my heart. All the busy-ness of the weeks since the fire went still. I put my phone away and dropped into to the flow of grief, resilience, and hope that brought Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians together in their commitment to Lahaina Strong.