This program happens once a month on the Saturday closest to the full moon. You never know who will be there but there is music, singing and talking story. We got there early and the crowd was assembling as you can see in the bottom picture. By the time it got dark and the program started there were tons of people all with beach chairs, mats, food and various liquids. The full moon was gorgeous as it came up through the clouds.
We were so lucky to be there when Raiatea performed. She is only 19 and is a multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award (Hawaiian music Oscars-sort of). It cost big bucks to go to one of her concerts.
The format of the program is the performer sings or plays something then Danny Akaka (Senator Akaka's son) "talks story" with them. They are all sitting on rocking chairs on the front porch of the Cottage. Very informal but very special in the gorgeous surroundings. We were fascinated when Raiatea said she grew up in musical family on Molokai but they didn't sing in Hawaiian. When she went to her brother's Song Fest at Kamehameha school when she was 15 years old she heard someone sing in the old Hawaiian Falsetto. She fell in love with that type of music. She went back to Molokai and taught herself to play the Ukulele and to speak and sing in Hawaiian. Two years later at 17 she won her first Na Hoku Hanohano Award. Today she is a very famous performer both in Hawaii and Japan.
Unfortunately we left at half time because we were freezing to death. We only had shorts and tee shirts on and the wind chill factor was at least 65. Even the tourist had jackets on. It was great and we are looking forward to going again in the near future.
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