Kupuna lose to parental videos, butts on May Day

Somewhere, lost behind the wall of mom-jean-shorts and dri-FIT long-sleeve dad-shirts, behind the line where the front row used to be, behind the jostling and jockeying of phone-wielding parents, sit the grandparents. And they’ve had enough.

From that no man’s land, Kathy Ishii’s voice rises up. Like the Lorax speaking for the trees, Ishii speaks for the kupuna — the tutus, nanas, popos and pop-pops who have suffered the discourtesies of modern May Day programs and just want to see the keiki perform.

“I have 10 moopuna (grandchildren), so I have seen my share of Lei Day programs at the schools,” Ishii said. “We all want pictures of the kids as they perform, but, come on — video the whole thing?”

Yup. May Day used to be about going to the school to see a hula performed by every class, maybe “tinikling” by the sixth-graders, a maypole dance — sweet little songs and dances that showcased the skippy charm of childhood.

But now it’s not enough to witness the event in person. It must be captured on video. It doesn’t matter if that video is never watched again. There is some sort of overwhelming parental need to shoot close-up video of their 6-year-old screeching out “Let It Go.”

But what about grandparents who come early and position themselves in the front row?

“When each class performs, the parents no longer squat to take pictures or video,” Ishii said. “No, they stand next to each other and create ‘the wall’ so that no one behind them can enjoy the performance. What’s up with that?”

The butt wall. You not shame? Shame, you know, if you were part of the butt wall. But there’s more.

“As kupuna, no can move, because now we are also in charge of all the purses and camera bags of the ohana who are also out taking pictures of their keiki,” Ishii said. “We shift, we try to stand taller on our toes, all to no avail, because a young parent spots the puka through which you can just see your moopuna and fills it to take pictures.”

Some schools have even set up live video feeds of the May Day program in their cafeteria so grandparents can watch the show in relative safety and comfort.

There are many other facets of modern May Days that don’t sit well with old-timers, like how many schools don’t hold May Day on May 1 anymore. Some don’t have a royal court. Some don’t have hula, and it’s all “Electric Slide” and the Dab.

But times change, tastes change and each generation makes its mark on tradition. Courtesy and respect for seniors shouldn’t get lost in the fray, though. And nobody is going to watch those videos anyway.

Reach Lee Cataluna at 529-4315 or lcataluna@staradvertiser.com.