PACAF’s “Hana Hou” band performs at Vietnamese New Year celebration

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen
  • Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
HONOLULU, Hawaii --  Members of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific's "Hana Hou" ensemble performed at the Vietnamese New Year celebration festival Feb. 3 to welcome in the Lunar New Year for Vietnamese-Americans on Oahu.

The 11-member band played several genres of music including disco, pop, rock, rhythm and blues, and old school Motown sounds as part of the celebration. Master Sgt. Gary Noel, Air Force Band of the Pacific director of operations, worked with Paul Nguyen, Secretary General of the Free Vietnamese Organization, to plan the band's performance during the celebration.

"This year we felt we needed some Air Force involvement, and we heard (the Hana Hou band) was the best - they have the best reputation," Nguyen said. "We wanted our celebration to be more entertaining to both locals and tourists. We felt the band was the right choice."

Known to Vietnamese speakers by its shortened name, "Tết Nguyên Đán," the celebration marks the first day of the Lunar New Year, which officially begins Feb. 10. Many calendars, including the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese calendars, are all based on the 12 lunar phases of the moon.

Many Vietnamese use this celebration as an opportunity to worship ancestors, be with family, and forget the troubles of the past year, while hoping for a better new year. Nguyen said he could not think of a better way to bring together Oahu residents of all nationalities to join in the celebration.

According to Noel, Nguyen added the band to the celebration's line-up based on its reputation and ability to connect people bilaterally and generationally with music.

"A lot of (the band's opportunities) are based on the reputation we have. We're out in the public a lot and they know our product -- they know we're all professional musicians," he said. "(Nguyen) wanted us because he wanted a mix of different kinds of acts to celebrate the fact that they're not only Vietnamese, they're American as well."


Staff Sgt. Troy Griffin, a percussionist with the band, said that while locals who know of the band already think of them as "rock stars," increasing financial restraints will likely cause the band to focus even more on expanding engagements through local outreach opportunities.

"With limited (temporary duties in the Asia-Pacific region) now, we're really going take advantage of playing out in the (Hawaii) community and making sure people know that we're here," he said. "We've noticed that when we go to other islands like Maui and Molokai, we see people fly-in to see us play because they are not aware we play here in Oahu."

Concert attendee Lien Pham, a 16-year-old Vietnamese-American, said the performance was certainly one worthy of remembrance.

"They were super - really, really, really good. They were the best (band) I've heard all day," she said. "It's really cool to see them perform here integrating their culture with ours, celebrating with everyone. I'm videotaping it so I can watch it again later."

The Hana Hou band supports the Pacific Air Forces Commander in expanding engagements through building partnerships and relationships throughout Asia-Pacific region by harnessing the universal power of music to inspire immediate, positive and long-lasting impressions of the U.S. Air Force and the United States of America in the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.

The band has traveled throughout the Pacific supporting a number of airshows and exercises to enhance and lift the morale and espirt de corps of servicemembers and communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Some recent events the band has supported include the Singapore Airshow 2012, and the Chiefs of Defense Conference, where senior military leaders from 36 Asia-Pacific countries were in attendance. The band is scheduled to perform at the Australian International Airshow this year.