The Chairman and I attended last night’s Lantern Floating ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park in Honolulu. It was moving and beautiful to see a thousand paper lanterns honoring the dead floating off onto the waves. Surfers stood out in silhouette against the sky as they herded stray lanterns. We watched one lantern make a break for it and escape from the pack – we’re pretty sure that was our lantern…
With a brilliant sunset as a backdrop, lanterns were set afloat at Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday in memory of the deceased and victims of natural disasters and war.
The eighth annual Lantern Floating Hawai’i ceremony drew thousands of people to Magic Island and Ala Moana Beach Park. There was food and entertainment, but the highlight was the launching of 1,150 lanterns with the names of relatives and friends who have died.
The event was sponsored by Na Lei Aloha Foundation and the Shinnyo-en Hawai’i Buddhist organization. Although the ceremony has Buddhist origins, thousands of people from various religions took part yesterday with a message of hope and healing.