Lahaina News & Events

Lahaina's Chinese New Year

February 8, 2008

The Chinese lunar New Year spans several weeks from the second new moon after the winter solstice, to the next full moon; and commonly falls between January and February. A 12-year zodiac cycle traced back to Emperor Huang Ti in 2600 BC corresponds each year with an auspicious animal: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram/Goat/Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, or Pig/Boar. The temperaments of a birth year animal is believed to be embodied in one’s character and the Chinese count their age by new years as opposed to individual birth days.

The celebration commences with lion dancers parading through Lahaina Town. The elaborate costumes employ two to three dancers each, with lion heads weighing over 35 pounds. Festively decked out in red for happiness and gold for wealth; an entourage accompanies the dancers with traditional drums, gongs, cymbals and firecrackers meant to scare away demons. Strings of 5,000 to 10,000 firecrackers burn several minutes concluding with a very loud bang. (In Hawaii firecrackers are allowed with advanced permits.) The lions “eat” lai see, folded money in red envelopes, traditionally given by elders to the younger generation. Ethnic food booths and a tea house on Front Street serve jook, vegetarian rice soup; Gau, a sweet cake of mochi flour; dumplings; cakes and candied fruit. There are eastern arts demonstrations including martial arts and calligraphy. Children's activities are available. During the evening festivities sections of Front Street may be closed to vehicular traffic.

Chinese cultural celebrations are prominent in Hawaii with as much as one-third of today’s population able to claim some Chinese ancestry. The Chinese began immigrating to Hawaii in the 1780s, but in 1865 a special envoy was sent to recruit Chinese laborers to work the sugar plantations, eventually increasing the Hawaiian residential base as much as 5%. In the 1900’s Lahaina was a sugar and pineapple plantation town employing many Chinese workers who also helped build tunnels and irrigations systems in the West Maui Mountains. After completing their contracted labor, the Chinese opened up shops along Front Street.

In 1912 the local chapter of fraternal “freemason-style” society, Chee Kung Tong, built the Wo Hing Temple in Lahaina. While a second floor altar room was utilized for prayers and funerals, its primary function was as a social meeting hall. In the 1940s it served a dual purpose as a group home for the elderly Chinese men but by the 1960’s most Chinese store owners had passed away and their descendents moved away from Lahaina. The Wo Hing Society partnered with the Lahaina Restoration Society in 1983 to restore the temple. Today, as a museum, the building preserves Lahaina’s Chinese heritage.

For additional event information contact Lahaina Town Action Committee and the Lahaina Restoration Society.