Kay Fukumoto, a founder of Maui Taiko, remembers performing at historic Buddhist temples in Lahaina as part of Obon festivals. Those performances had been on hiatus after wildfires destroyed much of the town in August of 2023.
This year, Maui Taiko returned to the site of the Lahaina Jodo Mission on Saturday, Aug. 9, to perform in the Lahaina O-Bon Festival, hosted by Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Lahaina Jodo Mission and Lahaina Shingon Mission, which are all temporarily closed, after the wildfires which destroyed their buildings as well as nearby homes and stores and killed more than 100 people. While Lahaina Jodo Mission’s buildings were lost in the fire, the metal Buddha on site was not touched, she said.
“Just last weekend, the three temples got together at the Lahaina Jodo Mission site, and they were able to do their Obon dance,” Fukumoto told Aloha State Daily. “It was very touching, very emotional to be able to get back onto the property.”
The following week, on Friday, Aug. 15, Maui Taiko was the pentultimate act on the first day of the Maui Music & Food Experience, a benefit concert that raised $200,000 for the Hua Momona Foundation to help Lahaina rebuild and fund a music program for youth in West Maui. Other featured performers included local legends such as singer Paula Fuga and slack key guitarist Ledward Kaapana, as well as Mongoose featuring Bernard Fowler of The Rolling Stones, and Dumpstaphunk with special guests Ernie Isley and Wayne Baker Brooks, along with a surprise appearance by Mick Fleetwood.
The event took place on a lawn overlooking the ocean at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, where attendees could hear the waves rolling in between sets, while they enjoyed cocktails and farm-to-table food from local chefs. The multi-city benefit concert tour includes a second event on Friday, Nov. 7, in Chicago, Illinois.
“We're just really grateful to the foundation for doing this fundraiser to continue to help Lahaina,” Fukumoto said. “Our hearts are with the three temples that are trying to rebuild and the community that's lost their homes and their spiritual places, so we just thank the foundation for this opportunity to help with the fundraiser.”
Six members of Maui Taiko performed in the benefit concert. The drummers in the group's performing ensemble range in age from teenagers to more than 70 years old, Fukumoto added.
Fukumoto, who did not perform that night, has been doing taiko drumming for more than 50 years, she said.
Her favorite part of performing?
"Just being able to share the music," she said. "And certainly we enjoy doing performances where we can share it with people who perhaps haven't had an opportunity to see taiko."
Learn more about Maui Taiko and Maui Music & Food Experience.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
