tofuwatch.com

That writer is correct: Not even a tsunami can stop tofu – it can’t even stop tofu haiku

Back in February, I wrote about how the Kapolei Library in Hawaii was hosting what I thought was the mother of all good things – the convergence of tofu and haiku.

A daze, I called it. As in: An actual tofu haiku contest – officially named the Aloha Tofu Haiku Extravaganza - for kids.

But the earthquake that hit Chile sent a tsunami across the waters, alerting those around the Pacific Rim. It touched Hawaii and apparently postponed part of the contest.

Erika Tsuji, a reader of the Honolulu Advertiser, reminds us in her article that the grand finale of the tofu haiku festival took place on April 10.

As I’ve said before when I’m happy: Amen.

The judges awarded top honors to two students, Sarah Yamaguchi and Kapua Miller. Congratulations, of course, to both.

Here’s Sarah’s winning entry:

Happy Little Square
Sitting nicely on the plate
Delicious Tofu!

 

The Honolulu Star Bulletin had an article in March, giving more details about the contest, selection of winners and the timeline.

It’s not only the haiku that impressed me.

I liked what other food items showed up at the celebration in the form of tales from storyteller Nyla Fujii-Babb.

From Tsuji’s article: “spam, musubi, mochi, and of course, tofu.”

Speaking of Spam, it’s apparently so popular that there’s a museum devoted to it and on Saturday, people gathered in Hawaii for the annual Waikiki Spam Jam.

There’s a game named in its honor and after Monty Python’s famous skit with the food. Musicians have crooned songs after the food product, too.

I digress.

You might have known that I once lived and worked on Guam. I’ve traveled to Hawaii years ago for vacation. I’ve also visited Saipan and Tinian, two islands near Guam.

So, I’ve had some experience with living and traveling through some Pacific islands.

All these foods fit perfectly with places that are between Asia and North America.

Librarian Caroline Coleman, who works in the children’s section, came up with the idea while searching the Internet, Tsuji noted.

About 150 people celebrated the haiku at the event. Students submitted about 290 haiku poems.

Aloha Tofu sponsored the event – and get this, according to Tsuji’s article:

There was also an abundance of free tofu samples of many varieties.

It’s too bad the Seattle area and Hawaii are so far apart. I would have gone.

Finally, what did the grand prize winner receive?

Aloha Tofu kicked in a birthday party for 10 people at Wet’n'Wild, a water park in Hawaii.

Yes, there have been tofu contests and festivals before, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Toronto.

You really do have to like island style - there’s nothing else like it in the world.

Another nice fact regarding this haiku contest: It blended bean curd and a poetry form together.

Both are centuries old and they inspired kids in Hawaii.