Every year, Tokyo Midtown holds a Koinobori Gallery in the Midtown Garden, featuring around 100 koinobori (carp streamers) designed by artists from around the world, which are hung throughout the park. The theme and purpose of this gallery is to celebrate Kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day), a national holiday that honors the happiness, health, and growth of children.
This koinobori tells the mo'olelo, Holo Mai Pele (The Journey of Pele), which is about the goddess Pele's journey through the islands in search of a new home. A mo'olelo is a tale of history and a significant part of Hawai'ian culture. Mo'olelo are taught to keiki (children) of all ages, as they teach many lessons and connect to Hawai'ian cultural understandings. I chose this mo'olelo because it is known to teach how children grow from lessons and challenges presented in life, alongside the fact that we not only learn from our parents but from our siblings as well. In addition, it shows the strength and connection between people and nature. Today Pele's 'uhane (spirit) still appears at Kīlauea and reminds us of the mana (power, energy, and strength) the islands and their people hold. Sharing the Holo Mai Pele is also important, as her reminder of mana is present and something the people of Hawai'i hold onto amid the struggles of the recent fires on West Maui.
