Pictured: Sheri Gon with her hula hālau at Normandy’s Omaha Beach, where one of the bloodiest battles of D-day took place. Carlyn Tani photos.
“We honored the residents of Normandy who endured the horrors of war. We honored the soldiers who carried out their mission to liberate France.”
Special to UH Med Now
By Sheri Gon, MPH, MLS, UH Medical Technology.
Voices call out to honor the many war dead at the Commonwealth Cemetery in a little town called Hermanville in Normandy, France. There are many marble markers lined up in this memorial park overlooking the Atlantic. The almost 1,000 markers represent British soldiers who lost their lives in the bloodiest battle in the 20th century called D-Day. How did a faculty member of The University of Hawaiʻi (UH) John A. Burn School of Medicine (JABSOM) Department of Medical Technology find her way to this part of France?
I’m Sheri Gon, faculty in the Department of Medical Technology and a graduate of this same program. I also earned my MPH in the University of Hawai’i (UH) School of Public Health many moons ago. Outside of my role as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and instructor, I’ve been a long time member of Hālau Mele, a school of music dance, and art founded by John Keola Lake. This summer, Hālau Mele was invited to participate in the Third Festival des Arts d`Hawaiʻi in Paris.
Sandra “Kilohana” Silve founded Hālau Hula o Mānoa in Paris so her daughter could learn hula and Hawaiian music. Expats from Hawaiʻi and the US continent, and Parisians curious about hula joined the hālau. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hālau Hula o Mānoa’s founding. It was an occasion to celebrate with hālau from Hawaiʻi and across Europe. Hālau Mele is regarded as a sister hālau of Hālau Hula o Mānoa since Kilohana learned chant under its founder, John Keola Lake. Since 2011, the two hālau have visited each other in Honolulu and Paris. We share knowledge through workshops (ukulele, hula, ʻoli, feather work, lei, etc.) in both locations.
Through word of mouth, the mayor of Hermanville learned about the gathering of hula practitioners. Hālau Mele and Hālau Hula o Mānoa were invited by the mayor to visit this historical part of France. It is not typical for residents to witness hula so far away from its point of origin. We performed at a reception hosted by the mayor and shared a few of our favorite ʻauana hula.
The ʻoli was for gratitude and recognition of the ultimate service each soldier committed.
We were accompanied by the mayor to Hermanville British War Cemetery which overlooks Sword Beach where the majority of these soldiers died on D-Day. Everyone lined up at the entrance to the cemetery and began to ʻoli (chant). The ʻoli was for gratitude and recognition of the ultimate service each soldier committed. The ʻoli also highlighted there is an obligation on the part of the living to remember these soldiers and their sacrifice. It was quite emotional for all the chanters and the mayor to express their gratitude in chant and finally a lei was draped to conclude this tribute.
Rows of marble headstones dot the landscape at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.
Most of us were teary eyed as we walked into the cemetery and viewed the marble crosses bearing names, rank, and the dates of birth and death. This beautiful memorial park is where 986 British, 13 Canadian, and three Australians are buried. Most of the war dead were young, ranging in age from 17 to 20-something.
The following day, we traveled by bus to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. The entrance has a wall with the names of over 300 missing soldiers. We couldn’t help but notice there was a missing soldier from Hawaiʻi. Anytime a missing solder is identified, a circle is placed after their name. We learned the remains of a soldier was identified the previous week so there was a fresh marker after his name. We learned he was buried with his twin brother in the cemetery.
We were stunned by the immensity of (The American) memorial park. It covers about 172 acres and contains 9,387 graves.
We were stunned by the immensity of this memorial park. It covers about 172 acres and contains 9,387 graves. Standing at the beginning of the memorial park, the many rows of marble crosses marking each grave appeared to stretch far to the horizon. At the end of the walkway to the back of the cemetery, we came to two sculptures. One represented America and the other France. It was here we did our ʻoli then placed lei at the base of the sculptures to represent our gratitude and obligation to remember. As we concluded our ʻoli, the chapel’s public address system chimed the Star Spangled Banner. This was followed by a recording of a 21-gun salute then a lone bugle playing Taps. It was a “chicken skin” moment and everyone took it as an appropriate sign of reciprocation.
The group presented an ʻoli and placed lei at the base of the sculptures.
We rode the bus down to Omaha Beach. When you stand on this beautiful beach, it is hard to imagine the bloodiest conflict of World War II took place all along this gorgeous coast. As we walked along the beach, you could see and hear people from different parts of the world. Visitors from Japan, Australia, Germany, India, and Spain express their awe and wonderment in their native tongue. Even though we couldn’t understand each other, we were all united in our respect for all the lives lost here and the hope we never see this happen again.
Most visitors to Normandy are motivated by curiosity and desire to experience this significant historical place. The intent of Hālau Mele and Hālau Hula o Mānoa was to offer our gratitude and recognize an obligation to remember the events that took place in Normandy. We honored the residents of Normandy who endured the horrors of war. We honored the soldiers who carried out their mission to liberate France. Finally, we honored this place called Normandy which has been witness to many events over the years as it healed from the trauma of D-Day. If health is the balance of body, mind and spirit, visiting Normandy and witnessing how it recovered after all these years will fill your spiritual well many times over.
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