Passionate About Music, Art, and Travel: January 2018 Issue Florence Tanaka of Wailuku Hongwanji Mission by Joan Tamori "As long as you're willing, keep an open mind, and come with a positive attitude, you can learn anything! Education is never ending." These are the words that have guided and motivated Florence Tanaka into living a life rich with experiences and knowledge. Florence has been a long time organist at Wailuku Hongwanji Mission for over 30 years. She has also dedicated many years of leadership and service to affiliated organizations, such as the Rakuen Club and the Buddhist Women's Association. It is with gratitude that I am given the opportu- nity to share the story of this amazing woman with our readers. If you happen to be ac- quainted with Florence, you are considered to be very fortunate as you will know instantly that her heart and mind exudes the Nembutsu teaching. I have experienced this feeling in my in- teraction with her at church every Sunday, and it was no different when I stepped into her comfortable home re- cently to interview her. I was most eager to dis- cover all that encom- passes my friend, Flor- ence Tanaka. Please join me now as we turn the hands of the clock back in time to meet a 14 year old girl whose ideas sur- passed beyond her years and who already pos- sessed strong aspira- tions to travel and see the world. She was born and raised in Wailuku, Maui, and was the eldest of three, thus she knew and therefore was willing to make sacrifices to help her parents provide for all of them. Her encoun- ter with music began with the knowledge that one of their neighbors hap- pened to be an excellent piano teacher. Florence and her brother both took Florence Tanaka lessons from Mabel Corley at another neighbor's home which fortunately had a piano they could practice on. In one instance, Florence fondly remembers playing a duet with her brother. Unbeknownst to her, the piano was to become an introduc- tion to more music that would eventually take on a major role in her life. During her high school years, she assisted at WHM by babysitting Mrs. Edith Izumi's sons. (Mrs. Izumi was the daughter of Bishop Ryuten Kashiwa). She also helped the church with clerical duties during conventions and meetings and teaching Sunday school classes. Following graduation from H. P. Baldwin High School, she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa, majoring in elementary education. While residing at the Honpa Hongwanji Mission dormitory during those college years, she became a member of the Honpa Hongwanji Choir. She also joined the university's Rainbow YBA club which consisted of dormitory students and also students from Oahu who were Buddhists. Enduring friendships among many in the club were formed. Mr. Kaoru Uto was the leader of the group and was well known for his influential role in propagating music in our temples for many years. Upon graduation, her first assignment was at Pu'ukoli'i School, a school practically unheard of at the time, which was located across of the Kaanapali area on Maui. Without a A PublicationA of the Honpa HongwanjiMission Hawaii of Office Buddhistof Education Music Committee car, transportation was difficult so she later transferred to King Kamehameha III School in La- haina thereby being able to carpool with friends. She recalls being (continued on page 3) MUSICALMUSICAL NOTES NOTES MUSICALMUSICAL NOTES NOTES Music Editorial by Francis Okano MUSIC’S POWER tle Burma – singing this song.” gear and Music’s ability to move “By this time we were no mov- men to acts of courage and hu- longer enemies. The battle ing manity in perilous times is some- never began. Before we quite into times recognized in history and knew what had happened, we posi- literature. One such example were all singing together and tions occurs in Michio Takeyama’s coming up to one another to in the 1964 novel, Harp of Burma, a shake hands. Finally we built a envel- tale of a group of Japanese sol- bonfire in the middle of the open oping diers who brave the end of space and sat around it singing dark- World War II, armed with a in chorus under the baton of our ness. heart full of song. Taught by the captain…. That night we learned As al- musician company captain to that the war had ended three ways, they end their singing with sing and harmonize, the soldiers days earlier. Having no way to their favorite song, Hanyu no practice whenever possible on let their ferocious enemy know, Yado, well within earshot of the the rugged Burma campaign. the British troops thought they encroaching enemy. Now quiet The soldiers are accompanied by might have to annihilate us in and braced to fight, the captain a gifted harpist, Mizushima, order to mop up resistance….” stops just short of giving the or- whose mysterious disappearance der to charge, when out of the to become a Burmese monk While the account is fic- forest soars a voice – a high dedicated to burying the battle- tional, it resembles a scene said voice bearing a clear melody. field dead poses the unsettling to have taken place in real life. “The voice in the forest was question of the novel: why war? In the scarred battlefields of joined by two or three more, and In describing the soldiers’ return France in World War I, German then by voices from here, there, home after the war, the novelist and British forces, within earshot and everywhere. It was Hanyu says the men of this company of each other, reportedly began no Yado sung in English: are the only ones to look cheer- singing Christmas carols on ‘Home, home, sweet home….’” ful, among the emaciated and Christmas Day. In short order, Soon, “the forest was full of exhausted. Without song, “they laying down arms and bearing singing voices…. We joined in would never have come home in white flags of truce, both sides and sang too…. One by one, remarkably high spirits.” gradually emerged from their shadowy figures came running trenches and sang together on out of that forest into the open Near war’s end, the the battlefield. Enemy combat- space. They were British sol- ‘singing company’ finds itself ants were friends for a day, de- diers…” for Hanyu no Yado one evening in a village clearing, spite language differences, be- was actually an old English mel- singing for its supper, as it were. fore returning to their positions ody that expressed nostalgia for In the middle of the “concert,” to resume fighting the next day. the joys of fond and distant the men suddenly realize that the homes. The British soldiers audience has slowly vanished, It is surely no coinci- were therefore “astonished and leaving the singers vulnerable. dence that music, which commu- moved to hear their enemy – the Sensing ambush, the captain or- nicates so powerfully, contrib- dangerous enemy they had sur- ders the men to continue singing utes so much to the Hong- rounded high in the mountains of while quietly donning their bat- wanji and indeed to all faiths. Page 2 MUSICAL NOTES Florence Tanaka (from page 1) acquainted with special teacher Ireland, Germany, Cairo, Nile the tenures of five ministers. friends like the late Emma River, Bethlehem, Damascus, Subsequently she completed a Farden Sharpe, famous hula in- Lebanon, Italy, Russia, Czecho- one semester stint at Kahului structor. Paia School was her slovakia, and Poland. In Japan, Elementary School and then de- following teaching assignment her exposure to various types of cided to retire in 1987 to focus for a year. At this point in life, art such as origami, lapidary, on devoting time to her mother Florence's longing to travel the sumi-e, wood carving, ikebana, who became a resident at Hale world grew more prevalent in and tea ceremony, added to her Makua Health Services. her mind. However, her fierce knowledge of art and art teach- Musically, besides play- desire to travel was curtailed by ing repertoire. ing the piano and organ, Flor- the reality of family priorities. In 1964, Florence re- ence was a member of the Maui In order to experience a new turned to Maui and taught for a Senior Harmonics where her place without having to spend year at Wailuku Elementary group would frequently enter- much money, she applied for an School. She then transferred to tain at Hale Makua, Roselani exchange position in the Los An- Benjamin Parker Elementary Place, the hospital, and at senior geles area and was able to reside School in Kaneohe in 1966. In centers. Her altruism did not with relatives. Her experiences the summer of 1967, the school end there as she, until recently, teaching in a rough area school sustained a fire and therefore continued to play favorite old are not pleasant memories but on needed to be rebuilt. Florence time songs on the piano for the weekends she was able to attend was approached by its school residents at Hale Makua and services at Los Angeles Bud- principal to help design the Roselani Place Senior Living dhist Church. Yearning for structures of the new school. facility. more travel, she then applied for Included was an art room com- Florence and the har- overseas teaching in Japan but pletely equipped with many monica group offered music at grabbed the more available sinks, huge supply of closets, a her mother's funeral services in opening in a military school in kiln, and a potter's wheel, purely 1993.