CHICHI HAS SUNG LAST SONG 2007-2011

ChiChi - 2007 - 2011

'Chi-Chi', the Hilo Bay Hostel Lovebird, has sung his last song.  With great sadness it was discovered early this morn that Chi-Chi had died some time during the night.

To the thousands of folks who have stayed at the hostel, Chi-Chi would have been the unofficial greeter that most met while waiting for toast to brown or porridge to heat.  Chi-Chi's place of honour was on a perch just off the kitchen area of the hostel.

Quite the showman was our Chi-Chi.  He had a loud song and a clever little dance that sort of drew attention from one and all.  Many is the time guests could be spied crowded round his perch listening to his cheerful noise and light pecks upon the finger of folks who dared to draw near.

Chi-Chi was a wee bit bizarre.  Mind, he was a bird living in a cage in Hawaii and might have felt the need to vent a bit.

I will always remember the cheeky little dance Chi-Chi would do with a plastic barbell in the bottom of the cage.  One never quite knew how to take the dance, or what message Chi-Chi was sending.  So clever were his moves that many moments would slip by as one was glued to the spot, wondering what strange ritual it might be.  The more one stared, the more Chi-Chi gyrated with the plastic barbell.

For my part, the kitchen will seem a colder place without the warm greeting of Chi-Chi to greet each morn.