Hawai'i Ways, Hawai'i Days
Kikaida culture rules, braddah
Pidgin author Lee Tonouchi is co-editor of Hybolics magazine and author of "Da Word" (Bamboo Ridge Press).
By Lee A. Tonouchi
Special to The Advertiser
Lotta times wen you waiting in line and one stranger person starts talking to you, you feel kinda uncomfortable like why's dis person talking to me? Wot you like me join?
And den sometimes, especially if ees one person around your age of da opposite sex, you tink da person might be hitting on you. Or even if da person is NOT of da opposite sex, you still tink da person might be hitting on you.
People cannot jus talk story fo' talk story anymo'. In dis modern world, eh-rybody is suspeck. Eh-rybody get one agenda das hidden, one motive das alterior. Or so I tot.
Saturday July 20, da second day wen Kikaida came down I wuz dea, waiting in line early at da All-Collectors Show at da Blaisdell and I wuz noticing dat da people in Kikaida line nevah know each oddahs but dey wuz engaging in conversations. But dey wuzn't following typical local protocol. Wuzn't like wen you go party and you do da wot skool you went kinda deals. Wuzn't typical local culture. Wuz Kikaida culture.
Da night befo', Friday night, wuz NUTS. Da Kikaida Experience Room had vendors selling Kikaida Hawaii Tour 2001 shirts for 20 bucks.
Had one display of '70s Kikaida toys, books, cards and records. Eh-rybody wuz eyeing 'em but wuz all disappointed wen dey saw da sign — Not For Sale.
Small kine battle
Insai da room dey wuz blassing da Kikaida music. Da place wuz pack wit one equal numbah of mans and womens. Had guys all dress up in their homemade Kikaida costumes.
People wuz carrying signs dat sed "Long Live Kikaida!" Even had one family wit da maddah, da faddah and da chree little kids, all wearing their own custom-made airbrush Kikaida t-shirts.
Da room came quiet wen da lights dimmed. On da stage, behind da curtain had two glowing red eyes. Hakaida made his entrance to his theme music.
Da crowd cheered as he made several five-second poses for those wit da benefit of flash photography. Da song changed and 01 came out followed by Kikaida, and den dey wen small kine battle wit Hakaida. Den finally da actors who portrayed Kikaida and Kikaida 01 came out to one hugangous ovation.
I had fo' go back and work at one booth, but I heard lotta people nevah get fo' buy pictures cuz dey ran out. And dey had to turn some people away cuz wuz coming late. I wuz suprised nevah get riot. But people wuz just happy for come back again da next day for get one chance for meet their childhood heroes.
Fast forward back to Saturday again. Eh-rybody wuz all axing each oddah wot dey wuz going get autograph. One guy wen go buss out his old Kikaida record. And da oddah guy sed he remembahs having dat record too.
And one noddah girl sed yeah, he seen dat same record, but wuz all boddos, on sale at da Salvation Army store for $150?! One noddah guy sed his maddah trew way his old Kikaida dolls. Eh-rybody groaned as dey tot about their own mento mommies.
Revisiting distant Kikaida memories and creating new ones for share later on. Das wot wuz all about. Cuz lot of da Kikaida generation is now parents, and dey brought their kids who probably dunno who's dat, but das OK, cuz dey wuz caught up in da excitement too, cuz mommy and daddy wuz made it one point fo' buy some new Kikaida toys for their keiki. Yup, all for da childrens. Wink wink.
