Hawaii Okinawa Association sells 8,400 Okinawan doughnuts in 3 days

Hawaii Okinawa Association sells 8,400 Okinawan doughnuts in 3 days

Donna Kakazu frying sata andagi (photo credit: Ike Nagamine)


August 3, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo

By Hanae Gushiken Higa

The Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) set up a drive-thru for customers to pick up their pre-ordered sata-andagi, a traditional Okinawan treat, at the Hawaii Okinawa Center on July 19. The deep-fried Okinawan sweets are popular in Hawaii, and are simply referred to as andagi.

The HUOA began taking andagi pre-orders online on July 6, for a limited quantity (700 dozen, or 8,400 andagi). The andagi sale was advertised via the HUOA newsletter and its Facebook page, and sold out in just three days. As a COVID-19 precaution, the purchased andagi were picked up by customers in a drive-thru. The doughy treats were fried the same day by HUOA’s president-elect and andagi expert, Patrick Miyashiro and other members of HUOA on a volunteer basis.

HUOA members donned their masks and helped guide the customers through the drive-thru and handed off the andagi. HUOA President Lynn Miyahira said, “It was our first time selling andagi online and setting up a drive-thru pick-up, but it all went smoothy. The customers seemed happy.”

Every year, the HUOA organizes many Okinawa-related events, which were all cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Uchinanchu (Okinawan) community of Hawaii was especially shocked by the cancellation of this year’s Okinawan Festival, Hawaii’s largest ethnic festival, which attracts more than 55,000 visitors. The andagi is a staple of the Okinawan Festival, and about 130,000 are sold every year. Since the treat is an important source of income for the association, the cancellation of the festival was a financial blow; the andagi drive-thru was planned to help mitigate some of the lost income.

The HUOA is also vivifying traditional Okinawan culture through “YUNTAKU LIVE,” its talk and music show featuring uchinanchus in Hawaii, streaming every week on YouTube Live. The association is planning a ‘virtual festival’ for September.

The association is aiming for a thousand YouTube subscribers; show your support and subscribe to the HUOA YouTube channel “Hawaii United Okinawa Association” today.
　
(English translation by T&CT and Monica Shingaki)

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