Unlike other people who may identify today as Cinco de Mayo, today is Boys’ Day to me. In Hawaii, it’s bigger than Cinco de Mayo. I’m usually very good about being politically correct, but Boys’ Day, for some reason remains one of the few things I am not PC about.
Like many born and raised in Hawaii, I am multi-ethnic. Most people know that I’m part-Hawaiian, partly because of my job and from posts on this blog. But, I’m also part-Japanese; perhaps one day I’ll have a post honoring my Chinese heritage. I think as time goes on, fewer cultural traditions survive from one generation to the next. For me, the things I remember about my Japanese culture were Japanese food, my papa’s and uncles’ yakudoshi, mochi at the appropriate times, Girl’s Day (March 3), and of course, Boy’s Day.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia.org
But for years, Boys’ Day has officially been known as Children’s Day. It’s even a national holiday in Japan. As a youngster, I remember my grandmother dutifully putting up our Boy’s Day koi, probably the most visible sign of the holiday. And as my male cousins were born, I remember more koi being added. Then it stopped, or at least I didn’t remember it.
The cloth Boy's Day koi I wanted to buy - maybe next year
So this year, I decided I was going to do something. My fiancee is helping out with this. We bought a Boys’ Day book for her to read to her Kindergarten class. She’ll also be making paper koi with them. We didn’t buy the big koi to display, but I have a miniature one that I will put on my desk. In came in a 2-pack, so she’ll take one to her class.
Boy's Day book and my Origami Koi
I also found a site to make origami koi and will be making one (or more) for my office. Maybe next year I’ll do something bigger.
In the meantime, Happy Boy’s Day, Happy Children’s Day, and yes, Happy Cinco de Mayo! Have a good one, whatever way you celebrate today.
Mahalo!
Buy that Koi for next year. I am Hawaiian/Scottish and am born and raised on Kauai. My grandchildren are half Japanese and I have been flying Koi on boys day for the past 28 years, I am 49 years old. I look forward to Boys Day and love the eastern culture. Growing up here I loved to watch the Koi swim (fly) above peoples home and am proud to be able to do it now. I was searching for those special hand painted Koi to get and fly for next year when I came upon your site. We fly 9 Koi for each male in the family and the grandchildren have been helping me put them up for the past two years. I fly them 2 weeks before and take them down the day after Boys Day. It is great to have this tradition in our ohana. Buy your Koi for next year and watch them swim gracefully in the sky at your home. Aloha...............Raymond
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