Stanford University & Foothill College Indigenous Archaeology Hawaii Field School Visit

On August 9, 2024, we had the incredible fortune of hosting a vibrant group of students from the Stanford University & Foothill College Indigenous Archaeology Hawaii Field School for a day of of learning and community service!

Kyodan President Sandy Takahashi led them on an tour of the temple and grounds, complemented by an insightful PowerPoint presentation about the rich history of HJM. Director Nicole Garcia continued then immersed them with an introduction to the region’s plantation history. Under the guidance of HJM member Pickens Kehrer, the students also rolled up their sleeves for a productive work day helping us prepare for our Obon festivities.

The students tackled a wide range of tasks to include sweeping the headstones, pulling weeds, removing overgrown plants and digging out banana trees, moving rocks, taking benches out of storage and cleaning them. Their efforts significantly contributed to the beautification of our temple grounds!

The students joined us for our Obon festivities the following night, immersing themselves in the celebration. Many took part in dancing around the yagura, eager to embrace and respect our traditions. Many thanks to them for helping us make our 2024 Obon a success! The following below is a gallery of some of the images that photographer Sarah Anderson took of them. Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.

Many thanks to the students for helping us make our 2024 Obon a success!