Lei Draping Ceremony

　　When I ran in front of Kamehameha I's statue in the Honolulu Half Marathon last year, I heard of the Lei Draping Ceremony held in the Kamehameha week, and I became eager to see the ceremony. On our arrival day, I was sleepy due to jet lag, but I dropped in at the statue to see it. The ceremony was already going on.
　　Several groups stepped forward toward the statue with a huge lei and handed it to the assistants who were dressed in almost naked, but maybe sacred costumes. I didn't learn what their costumes meant, but their costumes and that of Sumo wrestlers were alike. I presumed that they might be specially elected to do religious services as Japanese sumo is weaved into the history of Shinto,Japanese traditional religion or ethics. Every group danced or sang, or both of them in front of the statue. I heard some songs of other than English. It might be the ancient Hawaiian song. They would praise the king. Leis were raised and hung using the hook-and-ladder truck. I was gazing at beautiful Hawaiian folks' costumes and their elegant dances.

(Vocabulary)
hook-and-ladder truck 　はしご車

去年、ホノルルハーフマラソンでダウンタウンを走ったときに、カメハメハ大王像の前を通過した。大王像近くのエイドで６月に行われるレイ・ドレーピング・セレモニーについて聞いてから、実際に見てみたかった。ハワイへ到着した日、少々眠いが我慢してやって来た。式は既に始まっていた。
 
見ていると、いくつもの団体が順に大王像の前に出て、巨大なレイを数名の若者に渡していた。彼らの風体は恐らく古代ハワイアンの衣装なのだろう。各団体は踊りや歌を披露していたが、英語では無い歌も多かった。おそらくは大王を讃える歌なのだろう。巨大なレイははしご車を使って大王に掛けられていた。ネイティブハワイアンの美しい民族衣装にみとれた。