Family tradition keeps annual parade alive

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

About 46 units, including pa'u riders, decorated vehicles and two floats will participate in tomorrow's parade. Advertiser library photo By the numbers ... 15,000 — Number of plumeria required to string into 26-foot lei that will be draped on the Kamehameha statue 131 — Number of years King Kamehameha celebrations have been staged 87 — Number of years parades have been staged 4.2 — Number of miles on the parade route, from its downtown start to its Waikiki finish 46 — Number of units in the parade 20 — Number of halau in the King Kamehameha Hula Competition 70 — Number of hula performances in the two-day dance festival 4 — Number of islands holding Kamehameha observances (O'ahu, Big Island, Maui, Moloka'i)

For the Allen 'ohana, it's the culmination of behind-the-scenes stress.

Imagine putting on a show with little money — and the show must go on.

That's the plight for B.J. Allen and her mom, Keahi Allen.

They've endured hours of planning, of sending out applications, of assembling marchers, of lining up and prepping judges, of taking on tasks big and small.

All this to continue an 87-year-old tradition without government support.

"My mom retired in March 2001, after chairing the parade for years," said B.J. Allen, 38, about her tireless mom, Keahi Allen. "She had to step down, because of health reasons, and she has dialysis three times a week. But she's still helping."

So B.J., who is a part-time clerk-typist, is working with her boss, Candace K. Lee, commission chairwoman appointed by the governor, to carry on the torch and make the parade happen tomorrow.

In the process, a tradition is maintained.

"But we're squeezing, with bare essentials," said B.J. "We make-do by relying on volunteers. Before, we could rent tents, tables and chairs, and we were able to get the city to waive fees for (police) security. But now we have to borrow, if we can find the tents and things, because we don't have money to rent, and we have to pay for security."

The Kamehameha Celebration Commission, which presents the holiday festivities (except the related hula competition), has an estimated budget of $80,000 when it requires at least $150,000 for statewide events, so support is far below previous levels. The commission applied for a $40,000 Hawai'i Tourism Authority grant, which has not been forthcoming.

In 1996, the parade nearly was axed because of insufficient money before an Indiana travel agent, Othmar Grueninger, stepped in to commit $25,000 to it.

He has extended and continued his five-year commitment with a $20,000 annual donation, down somewhat because of the effects of 9-11.

"The parade still is struggling to survive, but it may be in greater jeopardy now," said Keahi, who found the philanthropic donor and still helps her daughter from the sidelines. "There is no corporate funding, so there's been a cutback on the programs, and it's going to get worse."

There are no immediate provisions, either, said Keahi, to fund her former full-time job as arts program specialist with the Kamehameha Celebration Commission.

"I got involved because of my mother," said B.J., a mother of three herself, including twins. "As a young brat, I used to come by the office every summer. I remember helping duplicate materials for manuals. Before, it used to be mimeographing; now it's Xeroxing. But I got involved in my culture, and I'm learning as I try to preserve the culture, to make it something to be proud of. I just gotta do it.

"But it's amazing that this parade, which is 4.2 miles long, and the longest of all parades in Honolulu, doesn't get the proper backing."

The events include a colorful lei-draping ceremony this afternoon, a ritual many visitors enjoy.

A folklife festival, with food and Hawaiian arts and crafts, unfolds tomorrow at Kapi'olani Park. Kawaiaha'o Church presents its annual Kamehameha Day Makeke and Lu'au, tomorrow at the church.

The parade begins downtown, at King and Richards streets, and proceeds on King, passing the Kamehameha statue, then right onto Punchbowl, where it connects to Ala Moana; it then proceeds on Kalakau'a, finishing at Kapi'olani Park.

About 46 units — pa'u riders on horses, decorated vehicles, two floats — will participate, way down from the 80 to 100 levels of years past.

The number of marching bands has dwindled, too. "I think even if we had only two units, we'll still be there for the parade," said B.J.

When the economy was rosy, there was a cluster of Mainland high-school bands, eager to mix vacation with a parade march.

No more.

"There's only one band from the Mainland this year, from Atwater High School in California," said B.J. "Maybe it's because of 9-11, maybe the war. But getting local bands has been impossible. We're given the same old reasons: The seniors are gone, the band room is locked up, it's the end of the school season."

She said some years back, Kamehameha's band was "shamed" into marching in the parade that bears the school's name, so it has been an annual participant despite the ill-timing with the school calendar.

Keahi Allen, who began her parade career in 1973 as a volunteer, became chairwoman in 1990. While complications from diabetes and arthritis has forced her to pull back, she still offers her kokua and involves her husband, William (Billy), too.

"I know what the job involves, and she often hears my rage," said Keahi of B.J. "But I'm glad there's still family participation."

B.J. said that the statue decoration event today is one that remains special in her heart.

"The statue with lei looks really grand," she said. "It's what gives you chicken skin. At last year's event, Tony Conjugacion and his halau were there, made a lei that was presented to the statue on the behalf of my mom, because she was retiring. The lei was absolutely still, when draped. Then, when Tony was chanting, the lei on the statue's arm moved and fluttered; the hair on my arms stood up. You know your ancestors are present when this sort of thing happens, and that's a good sign. We Hawaiians call it pono."

Kamehameha Day celebration

Statue lei-draping

• 4 p.m. today.
• Ali'iolani Hale, at the Civic Center.
• Also: Royal Hawaiian Band performance at 3:30 p.m. today.

Floral Parade

• From 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
• King and Richards streets, onto Punchbowl, Ala Moana and Kalakaua, finishing at Kapi'olani Park.
• Also: Julius Jensen Jr. will portray King Kamehameha; Francis Lum is grand marshal, Beverly Lee is pa'u queen; there will be 46 units.
• 586-0333.

Folklife festival

• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
• Kapi'olani Park.
• 586-0333.

King Kamehameha Hula Competition

• 6 p.m. June 20, 1 p.m. June 21.
• Blaisdell Arena.
• $8.50-$11.50 per day.
• 591-2211.
• Featuring: halau from Hawai'i, Las Vegas, Oakland, Calif.; Los Angeles, Tokyo and Kamakura, Japan.

Makeke and lu'au

• 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
• Kawaiaha'o Church.
• Seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ($15 per person).
• Takeouts from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($12 per plate).
• 522-1333.
• Lu'au entertainment: Halau O Na Pua Kukui, Kealiika 'Apunihonua Ke 'Ena A 'O Hula, Al Machida & Friends, Kawaiaha'o Church School keiki.
• Also: Hawaiian crafts.

Neighbor Isle events

• Kailua-Kona, Big Island: Parade from 9 a.m. Saturday, along Ali'i Drive.
• Lahaina, Maui: Ho'olaule'a from 9 a.m. June 14, Banyan Tree Park; parade from 10 a.m., along Front Street.
• Kaunakakai, Moloka'i: Town street party, from 9 a.m. Wednesday