49th Annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament

The 49th annual Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament has been at the Kailua Pier all week, with the largest marlin brought in was 973 pounds. (Shown is a smaller one brought in the day before, I missed the really big one.)

Teams from Portugal, Japan, the U.S., and other countries were participating.
Weigh-in is at 4 pm each day.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

Hongwanji Bon Dance

The rain forced the celebration indoors for the second year in a row, but everyone had a wonderful time at the 3 1/2 hour event of bon dancing and taiko drumming.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

Preparing for State Outrigger Canoe Finals

You can see the outrigger canoe clubs in the Kailua Bay during the late afternoons practicing for the state finals in Oahu.

(Photo by Randy Magnus)

Huggo's Wahine Fishing Tournament 2008 in Kona Hawaii

The Huggo's Wahine (Women's) Fishing Tournament started with the annual sign-in party at Huggo's On The Rocks with music supplied by Hot Lava 808.


As you can see, there was costumes galore and everyone was having a good time the evening before the day-long fishing event.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

A Couple Big Island of Hawaii Numbers

Tourists visiting the Big Island of Hawaii in June 2008 compared to June 2007 is down 23.9% due to less flights coming over here, and less cruise ships in our waters. People are afraid of the vog, and it is more expensive and harder to fly here. And less travel in general due to the recession.

I had a conversation with the manager of the Kona Costco, and she told me that the container tax surcharge California is charging on vessels leaving their harbors has meant a 6% increase in price on goods being sold at her store.

(photos by Randy Magnus from the book, "Our Customers....")

New Hula Performed At Hulihe'e Palace

The children of Halau Te Ha'a Lehua under the direction of Kumu Kaleiulakala Makekau performed a new hula honoring the Hulihe'e Palace, which is still under repair from the 2006 earthquake.
Later the troupe moved over to Huggo's On The Rocks for a performance there.

(photographs by Randy Magnus)

PonchoMan Performing at Sushi En Fuego

You can listening to the local star, PonchoMan, performing his Hawaiian flavored music in Kailua-Kona on Friday evenings from 6pm to 9pm at Sushi En Fuego. Its a great place to have a cocktail, a bite to eat, and some mellow music by a local celebrity.

More Closures in Kona, Hawaii

One of the last things to go at the Kona Hard Rock Cafe was their guitar-shaped door pulls. The place is now just an empty shell, awaiting new tenants to come along.
Rumor has it that The Outback Restaurant, behind Hard Rock Cafe in Kailua-Kona's Coconut Grove Marketplace, is set to close.

We can expect to see price increases in the goods that are shipped here from California, now that there is a tax surcharge on all containers coming out of that state.

And even my friends at the farmer's market have expressed a need to raise their prices in order for them to continue to have any buying power for their livelihood.
Inflation is continuing to rise, too bad my paycheck isn't keeping up with it.

Mangos Are In Season Here In Kona Hawaii

Mangos can be seen falling off the trees lately here in Hawaii. They are still rather expensive in the marketplaces, but if you know anyone with a tree you can get quite a few.
These came from Lani Lee's backyard tree.

Cassandra's To Close End of June 2008

Cassandra's, which is located across from the Kailua Pier, looks like its going to close at the end of the month. They have already not renewed their liquor license, so if you want to have a drink you can bring it in (BYOB).
It was always a great spot to see the finish of the Ironman Race, or just to have a meal overlooking the Kailua-Kona Bay.
Here some of the few remaining employees enjoy a game of pool during their break.

From the Archives: The Spirit of The Bon Dance

These two images were shot right after each other in the Holualoa Buddhist Mission, during the last bon dance of the season of 2003.

The story of the Bon Dance is about Mokuren, a disciple of the Buddha, who felt that the spirit of his mother had not moved onto the afterlife. His mother was an angry person in life, and not well liked. He asked Buddha what to do, and was told to have a celebration honoring his mother and the good in her, and her spirit will then be able to go into the afterlife.


Every year, the Buddhist temples of Hawai'i have these celebrations, so we can get together to honor those who have passed on.

The photos show the spirit being able to leave to the afterlife during the Obon Festival.

(photos by Randy Magnus)

From the Archives: Kona Hongwanji Bon Dance 2003

Taken during the Obon Festival of 2003 at Kona Hongwanji Mission by Randy Magnus.

Images from Previous Years Bon Dances

Friends from Kona Bon Dances Past 2003-2007.

photos by Randy Magnus.

Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission Bon Dance 2008

The rain forced us to move indoors, where the drums were really LOUD.
We went outdoors for the intermission and part of the second half.
Then it was back inside to avoid the rain.
(I ended up the next morning with a slight headache from too much sake and watermelon.)

The next bon dance in the Kona area will be on July 26th at the Kona Hongwanji Mission.

photographs by Randy Magnus

Emma on Taiko Drum

A clip of the Middle Keei Bon Dance 2008, featuring Emma on taiko drum.

Video by Randy Magnus

Middle Keei Bon Dance 2008

This is one of the few places where you dance around a living tree.

The taiko drumming was supplied by theKona Hongwanji Taiko Group.

A few entire families come out for this intimidate event.

This one lady flies in from Belgium to join in with the locals each year.

It's always a real pleasure to see Emma come back from college to participate and to perform some amazing taiko drumming. She has her own unique natural drumming, as you can see in the tv program I made of the occasion.

(Copies of the video is available for $20, email me your address and pay thru PayPal by clicking on the donate button.)

I had planned on doing only still shots, but some of the elder ladies came up to me to say that they wanted to see themselves on television.
(This shows how use to me they have become after years of documenting them. They look forward to me being there, preserving, recording the occasion.)