A House Blessing

 

Half of Waipahu was there.  Or so it seemed.  I was a guest of guests, with a fortuitous invitation.  These were new neighbors my friends wanted us to meet.

 

It was a small event at first.  When we arrived, there were only a few people dispersed around lots of extra seats and tables.  The event was held outside, on their sizable lot.  It had been raining; I thought maybe that had kept people away.  

Various individuals drifted around the event space, completely relaxed.  That was my first clue.  We had arrived "on time" but it was nowhere near the actual start time.  Come to think of it, there was no actual start time.

I thought to myself: Most good parties I had attended back on the continent were like this.  Whether at a church, a venue, or someone's home, the more relaxed the timeline, the more likely the party would be fantastic.  Definitely the case here.    

Welcome was taken for granted.  Assumed.  I didn’t realize this but my friends did.

My blindness to the implicit welcome was my anxiety, not anyone else's.  Never having been one for attending parties (I love to throw them), I had this same anxiety issue back on the continent.

Here, though, was a welcome that was akin to the best parties I had thrown.  And the best I had attended.  No need for formalities.  Just start talking.  Have a seat.  Enjoy. 

People were genuinely relaxed. 

 

I had a choice: Join them or keep my guard up.

Something about Hawai’i naturally makes me trust.  More so than anywhere else I’ve been.  The culture speaks peace, no matter the background of the people.  

So, I relaxed.  Had a seat.  Started taking interest in the cooking.  

Smart move.  Some of the family members were cooking over a large pan.  They and my friends explained the recipe as I asked questions.  It was a traditional Filipino dish called “miki” like Mickey Mouse.  Like most of these dishes, I’ve learned every family and region of the Philippines has their own variations on each recipe.  There is no one way.

This recipe called for a lot of things I don’t remember.  I remember there was shredded chicken, Lucky or Crown brand fish sauce, something with tomato sauce, and Achuete powder.   This family added homemade noodles.  My friend said she recommends Udon.   Later, quail eggs were added.  I’d say over 50% of the ingredients I had never heard of.  

 

 

When they brought it out later, I had a bowl.  Absolutely Delicious.  Like my homemade Jewish chicken soup but with a wonderful mix of other flavors.  And quail eggs.

In a seemingly symbiotic way, the more I relaxed into the setting, the more the energy and crowd size built.  Like a Tchaikovsky symphony, you could feel the party building to crescendo.

Over the next couple hours, waves and streams of people arrived.  Kupunas (elders) and keiki, and lots and lots of young people in between.

Like all good parties, the hosts stayed pleasantly placid, positive in greeting but equal in treatment.

 

The family had hired entertainment, comprised of two singers and a DJ.  They sang popular English favorites, such as "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.  They sang popular Tagalog songs.  And while they didn't speak Ilocano, they gave it their best shot with singing some popular songs from that region, as most of the guests did speak. The entertainers were excellent.  And as you know, good entertainment is like rocket fuel for a party.

Suddenly, there was a vast horizon of Filipino food, all homecooked, all arranged perfectly. 

 

How did I miss this?

 

Again, the hosts and chefs had such a relaxed nature, the food seemingly APPEARED.  This is another sign of a good party.

 

Later, when it was our turn to go through the smorgasbord, I took samples of about seven different dishes and desserts.

 

It was all delicious.

 

I don't remember the names of any of them.

 

Except this one.

 

Banana lumpia.  Freshly made and set out.

 

 

 

If you've ever had one of these, you know what you are looking at is fried perfection.  As good or better than anything I had at the Illinois State Fair growing up.  Made with aloha.  NOT CALORIE FREE.

 

Somewhere in the non-linear revelry, there was a time for a house blessing.  By virtue of my profession, I was asked to do this.  Instead, I asked one of the family members to join me, as he was a lay minister.  I gave the blessing in English.  He gave a blessing in Ilocano.

 

What is a house blessing?

 

I had become familiar with this practice WAY BACK WHEN while working at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu.  "Blessing" was and is a natural and expected part of everyday life, in Queen's and throughout the islands.  Places, people, and things were blessed all the time, every day.

 

In this case, a house blessing consisted of asking for Divine blessings on the physical building, the new start the family was making, and the family themselves.

 

Blessing in Hawaiian culture started with the original Polynesian voyagers.  They brought the Ti plant and traditions of blessing.  As other cultures came to Hawai`i, they added their individual customs and traditions.

 

Ti leaves

 

 

Coda  

 

Home ownership anywhere is a big deal.  Buying a house anywhere in Hawai`i is a very big deal.  The sticker price is massive, even for a modest community like Waipahu.  This family made it work by combining forces.  Multiple family members going in together, to live together.  This is a common and effective path for home ownership here.  It requires close family and friend collaboration, on a relational as well as financial level.  In this case, friends who were like family were also part of the arrangement.

 

A Word of Thanks

 

This story would not have been possible without my good friends.  Can I say that after only three months here?  I believe so.  It was their initiative that opened this door.  I just followed along.  Mahalo nui to them.