A WEEK LATER, SEIKICHI AND HIS bride were landed at Port Allen, near Waimea. The arrival of the boat was not greeted with any gala throng as at Honolulu, for everyone was busy making a living. There were no lei girls with garlands of flowers. Only the few carriage drivers that made regular runs to different points on neighboring plantations were there to accommodate passengers. So, loading the luggage on the back of the vehicle the couple boarded for Makaweli.
As usual, Waimea was simmering with heat. The kiawe trees drooped heavily in the morning sun and the muddy Waimea River looked even dirtier. Only the towering mountains of Kokee that rose abruptly from the shoreland looked cool under the low clouds that seemed to perpetually cloak the summit. Little children, principally Hawaiian, were playing on the vacant ground near the river, while a few were intent on scooping opae, fresh water shrimp, in the shallow part of the stream. The winding government road meandered its way among tall, well-kept sugar cane that was about a year old. Cane did well. Heat, sunlight, and rainfall helped create a most prosperous farming community.
The carriage halted in front of Seikichi's store and they got off. The front approach had been swept clean by Obasan who had anticipated their arrival. After the houses and stores in Honolulu, this shop was unpretentious indeed. There was no ornament, no display, color, or devices to stimulate the urge to buy among his customers. The empty spaces near the shop could be improved with flower beds. A new coat of paint, probably green, might enhance the dignity and render the external appearance more pleasing. Furthermore, now that there was an extra member in the household there must be an extension to the rear of the store.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Obasan came running, along with her grinning three year old daughter. She immediately came to Seikichi and bowed slightly, "Welcome home," she greeted. Then turning to Haru, she made a formal bow, her hand reaching down to her knees. "This is my first meeting with you. I have been deeply obliged to Arata-san these many years. To you, I look forward to be favored in like manner." So saying, she bowed three times; once for each sentence.
Haru returned each bow with much bending and mumbled inaudible phrases; she could not manage to match this woman of thirty who was an old timer and more wordly wise. Even if she could outdo her in the art of formal greetings, it was best to appear and act demurely. Such tact is inborn in womankind.
To the shrewd woman, this helpless creature was likeable. There seemed to be no haughtiness. She could only sense bewilderment in the almost frightened eyes.
To Haru, the realization that here was a female with whom she had to become neighbors, made her a bit afraid. Words froze on her lips. No ingratiating smile would come to soften her taut facial expression. She was afraid her first impression was not good, but the Obasan liked her and took it upon herself to show her the ropes of plantation life. This newcomer was to be her protégé. She led her inside the house and helped her get settled. Like an elder sister she bustled around the place. In a short while, Haru began to feel at ease with her. She discerned that under the coarse exterior this woman had a considerate heart and a genuine fondness for her. At least there seemed to be no attempt at faultfinding and critical scrutiny.
That evening a stream of men and women made their way to the Arata Store to extend their welcome, but chiefly to catch a glimpse of the bride. It was a great event in the monotonous existence. Every new face in the established community was a new topic and became a subject about which gossip and conjecture spread far and wide, like a ripple on the water's surface.
Therefore, according to custom, an announcement party had to be held by Arata for his many friends and customers to make a formal presentation of his wife. Financially, such a party would not set him back very much as everyone invited was expected to bring some sort of gift, usually money. Custom decreed that this gift was mandatory, usually a dollar, whether they came or not. By using his head, Seikichi could make the expenditure low without impairing the quantity or quality of food served. He could ask Hawaiian natives to catch fish: several large ones to prepare as sliced raw fish and a dozen or so medium ones to cook intact would be sufficient. Opihi or shell fish and limu, the Hawaiian edible seaweed, would complete the necessary material from Neptune's domain. From the mountains or land, a medium sized pig might be procured for less than ten dollars and be prepared in the native style. He had seen it done and the taste was delicious.
Contrary to the usual orthodox manner of cooking, a hole was dug in the ground. On the previous evening the pig was slaughtered and dipped in scalding water. The entire surface was then scraped of hair and thick coarse integument. The carcass was eviscerated and the entire surface rubbed with coarse salt. In this condition the pig was hung during the night. On the next morning kiawe wood was burned to produce a great quantity of live coal. A large collection of porous rock was placed on these coals and became red hot. The hole in the ground was then filled with these hot rocks, as was the abdominal cavity of the animal. The body was covered with green ti leaves and wrapped with wet gunny-sacks. It was then lowered into the rock-lined hole. Additional rocks were thrown in the space around the pig and the hole was covered with hot ash and soil and left for two hours. During this time, heat penetrated slowly through the animal and the resulting meat was delicious beyond description. Sweet potatoes and yams were placed around the pig and these were baked intact.
When Seikichi had once eaten it, he was surprised that he found even the fat appetizing. In no other way could he relish fat. He was certain that the novelty of this "stone cooked pig" or as the Hawaiian called it "kalua pig" would be a big hit among his friends and ensure the success of the coming event. For compensation, the natives would be content with getting the head of the animal, which was too grotesque for Japanese taste. For a gallon of "swipe" the Hawaiians would gladly go out fishing for him.
In anticipation of this gala event, he had asked Obasan to prepare some home brew, made of potato mash, sugar, and hops. To make any party lively, liquor must flow in unstinted streams. Japanese liked this beverage hot. The accessory food items would be prepared by the men and women pitching in that morning, which would be Sunday. Materials from Japan were scarce, but enough variety could be gotten together to gladden the gustatory sensibilities of the men whose taste buds had become numbed by the monotony of the daily fare. There would be sushi, the pickled rice prepared in several ways, tempura, consisting of vegetables, small fish, or shrimps, fried in specially prepared batter requiring a secret art, and kanten the pink and white jello-like substance made from dried seaweed or agar-agar.
On Sunday, a corps of men and women were busy from early morning, willingly lending their skill and labor for the occasion. Luckily, fish were plentiful and to have been able to get the red snapper-like uhu and kumu was indeed fortunate. It lent not only color to the table but symbolized an auspicious omen. From the large ones, the skin was carefully dissected to make a flap, and the underlying white flesh was excised en masse and cut obliquely in thin slices. The carved meat was then replaced and to casual observers the fish did not appear to be mutilated at all. The tail was tied taut to the head with a string so that the fish looked as if it were leaping out of the water. Radish was sliced artistically so that the end product became a mesh or net and this was spread like a shawl over the fish.
The display of colors, contrasting one against the other, was a part of Japanese cooking technique. To feast with the eyes was important. Expert seasoning with shoyu and sugar to effect culinary perfection was necessary from the standpoint of taste.
For the banquet, the barrack was converted into a huge hall. Partitions were torn down. Three 12 by 1 lumbers were placed side by side about a foot and a half above the matted floor the entire length of the room. These tables were covered with fresh wrapping paper. The plates were set at intervals and loaded with different foods. Separately, each guest took as much as he could take care of in several mouthfuls on a smaller plate. This was replenished time and again. No waste took place by this procedure. A drinking cup of glazed china, shaped like an inverted cone and capable of holding about an ounce of liquid, was placed alongside plate and chopsticks.
Guests began arriving
