Hawaii is a magical land, full of amazing traditions, both ancient and modern. And Oahu is a magic island, and Magic Island is an island in Oahu.
Confused? Don’t be.
Honolulu Lantern Floating Festival (Lantern Floating Hawaii)
Magic Island (in Honolulu) is the location of one of Hawaii’s magical annual traditions, the Honolulu Lantern Floating Festival, a special ceremony on Memorial Day to remember loved ones.
About The Honolulu Lantern Floating Festival
Known also as “Lantern Floating Hawaii“, this all-day ceremony was originally established in Hawaii in 1999 by Shinnyo-En, a Japanese-Buddhist sect led by Shinso Ito.
The ceremony now draws hundreds, maybe thousands of people from around the world who wish to participate in the remembrance of their loved ones and share in good wishes for the future.
You can view the 2018 ceremony here.
About the Lanterns
Participation in this ceremony is free. The are no costs for remembrance lanterns or to float a lantern.
You can also give voluntary donations on the event day, all of which will be gifted to the City & County of Honolulu for the beautification of Ala Moana Beach Park.
After the ceremony, volunteers try and retrieve every lantern from the water. The lanterns are then cleaned and stored and to be used again in future years.
Final Thoughts On The Honolulu Lantern Floating Festival (Lantern Floating Hawaii)
I had no idea the Honolulu Lantern Floating Festival existed. Like many times in my travels before, I had the good fortune to serendipitously stumble upon this ceremony by chance (only because I was staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort near Magic Island).
That being said, it was amazingly moving. People coming together from around the world to celebrate their lost loved ones. While it seems like this could be a solemn event, it actually felt more like a joyous celebration of everybody who had passed. Families and friends celebrating the people they loved and who influenced their lives made for a truly happy and festive occasion.
Nothing about this ceremony is what I expected. Like almost everything else in Hawaii, the good vibes are tangible, even in death. The people gone are celebrated, not mourned.
When I left, I left happy.
Cheers
