Lantern Floating Hawaii
The 13th Annual Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony will take place on Memorial Day, May 30, 2011. More than 3,000 candle-lit lanterns bearing individual and community remembrances and prayers will illuminate the ocean off of Magic Island at Ala Moana Beach Park.
The event brings together more than 40,000 Hawaii residents and visitors from around the world and from various cultures and traditions who cast afloat lanterns at sunset in remembrance of loved ones who have passed, or as symbolic prayer for a harmonious and peaceful future. The ceremony will also recognize those who have passed due to various causes afflicting humanity throughout the world. The theme of Lantern Floating Hawaii is "Many Rivers, One Ocean."
I attended last year's event. Taking away all of the pageantry, pomp and circumstance which was so beautiful, Lantern Floating Hawaii is ultimately about the people who get a lantern, write their special messages to deceased love ones, prayers to their God, hopes for the world and much more, and then place it in the water for the tide to take out to sea.
It is very much like lighting a candle in a Roman Catholic Church or writing a prayer on a piece of paper and then burning it as you watch the smoke rise to the heavens. What you ultimately take from it is up to you. It comes down to faith. For some the event was just fun, for some symbolic, but, for far more, something very spiritual as you could clearly see in their tears.
Find out more about this year's Lantern Floating Hawaii.
View a gallery of 12 photos taken at Lantern Floating Hawaii 2010.
Aloha John, remember me? We were on the same flight from Atlanta to Honolulu on May 26th. I would like to thank you for mentioning about the Lantern Floating at the Ala Moana Beach Park, if not for you I would have not known. On my way there, I met a very nice woman, Bonnie…she must be on her 90’s but she is full of life and very funny. I decided to hang out with her. We were on the Magic Island side near the main stage, there was also a huge screen just in front of us. Bonnie said she usually goes to the North Shore for Lantern Floating, a much simpler version. I would say that even if I did not get a lantern, it hit me hard. I just lost a friend a month ago and my grandmother a year ago…I was in tears for the most part of the ceremony. For me, it was also a time of reflection seeing the beautiful sunset, the sparkling water, and the mountains. I will send you pictures on a separate e-mail. Mahalo.
HOW WONDERFUL TO WATCH THE LANTERN CEREMONY – IT WAS SO PEACEFUL AND EMOTIONAL BUT TO SEE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND RELIGIONS. BRAVO TO ALL THE HARDWORK THAT WENT INTO ORGANISING THIS EPIC EVENT! TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE ALL OUR LOVEONES WHO HAVE LEFT US.
LOVE AND THANKS FROM A TRIO OF AUSIES!!!