Tuesday’s gathering at Queen Emma’s Summer Palace in memory of my sister went so very well. Bonnie was Historian and a board member of Daughters of Hawaii, and the Daughters took the lead in organizing this celebration of her life. It was a beautiful morning. Our family owes them so much!

I made the mistake of trying to be both an observer with camera and a key participant. It didn’t work. I eventually had to abandon the camera in favor of dealing with the people who were there to honor their connections with Bonnie.

I did manage to get a few photos.

Click on the photo, above, to see a few more pictures of the morning.

And I also ran my iPhone through parts of the program, including several songs by the Emmalani Serenaders, the Daughters of Hawaii choral group that Bonnie had been a member of.

View the photos, watch a bit of the videos, and you’ll get the flavor of the morning.

Video:

Kaleleonalani, by the Emmalani Serenaders, Daughters of Hawaii. The song was written on the occasion of Queen Emma’s visit to Maui in 1892. 3 minutes.

Kanaka Waiwai, performed by the Emmalani Serenaders. 5 minutes. Click here for more background on the song.

A thoroughly entertaining remembrance of Bonnie by Makalena Shibata of the Daughters of Hawaii. 10 minutes.