The meeting of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club that met at the Cerritos Senior Center Maple Room on Thursday, February 22, 2024, was called to order at 2:08 p.m. by 3rd Co-VP of Public Performance Liberty Santiago. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sergeant-at-arms Larry Anduha and the singing of Hawaii Pono’i was led by Hedy Anduha. Hedy also led the singing of Happy Birthday for the February birthday celebrants Carol Roxas, Yoko Barisdale, and Myrna Matsuno in Hawaiian and in English.
Regarding the club’s business, a copy of the minutes of the last meeting in January was sent to all club members by e-mail by Recording Secretary Amy Tong. Presider Liberty introduced 2nd Co-VP of Membership Myrna Matsuno who introduced three new members, Jacquelin Lin, Valerie Tawa, and Vera Speak. Each new member then told club members a little about themselves. As part of the club’s business meeting, Treasurer Ken Matsuno informed members that there was a balance of $9,295 in the club’s bank account.
An announcement was made by 3rd Co-VP of Public Performance Ann Ohara that eleven of our hula dancers will be performing at the City of La Palma’s Festival of Nations on April 27, time to be announced later. Some club members will also be performing on May 15 at Hutchinson Middle School’s Cultural Fair with more details later.
Members were treated to different surprises throughout the afternoon.
First of all, Ann Kho, Director of the Angklung Group of Cerritos, led her Group in playing two ethnic love songs in honor of St. Valentine’s Day. The songs were the Chinese love song “Ni Wen Wok Ai Nik,” meaning in English, “The Moon Represents My Heart,” and the Japanese song “Kitaguni No Haru,” which means “Springtime in Northen Japan.”
Ann explained to club members that the Angklung is an Indonesian musical instrument made of bamboo. She said each Angklung produced a single sound, and 16 women played the Angklung with two persons playing the same note for each of the eight notes to make musical sounds. The players followed the numbers that Ann pointed to on a chart and shook their instruments to make sounds. Ann surprised members by inviting them to learn how to play the Angklung bamboo instrument with the assistance of Angklung performers. Many members joined the players and learned how to play “Happy Birthday,” and “Lullaby” on the bamboo instruments. It was an unforgettable experience.
The next surprise was a guitar duet by new audio-tech member Cesar Franco and Irina Soleymani. It was the first time Cesar and Irina performed a duet with guitars for the club. They were accompanied by Carrie Kumabe, another new audio-tech, who played her bass ukulele as added background music. When the club called out Hana Hou, which was asking for more, Cesar complied by doing a vocal solo in Spanish with his guitar. Cesar said he would like to play more Hawaiian songs with his guitar in the future.
Members were surprised to be served light refreshments that the club’s refreshment committee provided and other refreshments that members brought to share. They also were surprised to win gift cards as prizes were drawn from tickets that were given to each member as they entered the meeting room.
Entertainment became like Kanikapila as Liberty asked for volunteers to perform. Larry Anduha volunteered to sing Hanalei Moon, and the club’s hula dancers joined in dancing to the music of Mele Ohana. The meeting came to an end at 3:50 p.m. with everyone holding hands and singing Hawaii Aloha and Aloha O’e.
Members were reminded that the March Meeting of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club that was planned for March 28, 2024, at the Cerritos Senior Center, has been canceled due to maintenance work that is being done at the Cerritos Senior Center.
Persons interested in joining Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club can contact 2nd Co-Membership VP Myrna Matsuno at 310-538-2148 or e-mail kmmats@earthlink.net.