Dragon boat races offer fun without fire-breathing
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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| Eva Belzil, 4, made a new friend as the dragon boats were being blessed in June. This year's races will be held off Ala Moana Beach Park Saturday and Sunday and will feature three visiting teams.
Advertiser library photo Dragon Boat Festival Presented by AT&T Hawai'i 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (races 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. Sunday) Ala Moana Beach Park Free 951-0350 Also featuring island music, food booths, entertainment, keiki events |
It's a grueling water race, not unlike an outrigger canoe competition.
And it's happening again this weekend off Ala Moana Beach Park.
"We've got more than 50 teams this year," said John Clark, the race director, who is also Honolulu's deputy fire chief. "And three visiting teams — two from Vancouver (British Columbia), one from Seattle."
Clark said the cultural event attracts both professional and amateur paddlers. Occasionally, a canoe club will enter; generally, companies sponsor a team and fill the slots with eager sportsmen intent on having a bit of fun in the water.
"It's not a year-round thing," said Clark. "The teams practice about two months prior to race day. For lack of a better word, the dragon boat races might be termed frivolous."
He said he's not belittling the rigors of the activity but added that the races are intended to provide teams a day of paddling fellowship and give spectators colorful fanfare and fun.
Hawai'i has three dragon boats, acquired from Taiwan sources, that are stored in a warehouse in Pearl City. The boats, with colorful dragon heads and tails, are maneuvered by teams of 19 — 16 paddlers, a drummer, a helmsman and a flag-catcher.
Each boat weighs about 1,500 pounds, so there's quite a load to move over the water, said Clark.
In comparison, the average racing outrigger canoe weighs about 400 pounds and has six paddlers.
In Hawai'i, the races are staged in the ocean. In some places, the competition is held in lakes or rivers.
"Anywhere where there's water, there are races," said Clark. "Even Dubuque."
He has chaired the races since their inception here nine years ago.
The dragon boat festival is linked to Chinese history and tradition, dating to patriotic poet Chuyuan, who drowned in Tung Tin Lake in Hunan province on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in 277 B.C. His body was never found, and the legend is that he was devoured by water creatures.
Today, the races are held in his memory, but they also serve as a time to seek protection from evil and disease for the rest of the year.
Many of the ceremonial boats have dragon adornments; some are more streamlined and sleek.
"It's an old Chinese sport that has surfaced all over the world, very popular in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand," said Clark.
Clark, formerly a recreational paddler, runs the boat races as a community service, performed on his own time.
Clark also is involved in an ocean-sports production company, which was his entry in the dragon boat festival back in 1995.
"It's an activity I enjoy very much," he said of the races.
• • •
Saturday
- 10:45-11:11 a.m. — Daniel Ho
- 11:30 a.m.-noon — Kilinahe
- 12:15-12:45 p.m. — Greg MacDonald
- 1-1:45 p.m. — Tamagusuku Ryu Senju Kai
- 2-2:45 p.m. — Son Caribe
- 3-3:30 p.m. — Pa'iea
- 3:45-4:15 p.m. — Na Kama
- 4:30-5:15 p.m. — Kanalo
Sunday
- 10-10:30 a.m. — Philippine Cultural Group of Hawai'i
- 10:45-11:15 a.m. — Kilauea Minbu Kai
- 11:30 a.m.-noon — Keiki Palaka Band
- 12:15-12:45 p.m. — Chinese lion dance
- 1-1:30 p.m. — Maohi Nui
- 1:45-2:15 p.m. — Epic Session
- 2:30-3 p.m. — Keahi Conjugacion
- 3:15-3:45 p.m. — Bamboo Crew
- 4-4:30 p.m. — Believe
- 4:45-5:30 p.m. — Ka'ala Boys
