Statewide County HI Archives News.....Hawai'ian Cowboys - Part 2. August 24, 2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/hi/hifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 September 3, 2008, 7:43 pm Keepers Of The Culture, A Study In Time Of The Hawaiian Islands August 24, 2008 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 August 24, 2008. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collections o Hawai'i Keepers of the Culture A Study in Time, of the Hawai'ian Islands Hawai'ian Cowboys - part 2 by Darlene E. Kelley ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Many years ago in 1908, World Roping championship in Cheyanne, Wyoming went to Ikua Purdy, Ikua remains one of Hawai'i's famous paniole. Ikua was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1873 in Waimea. He was the second son, one of nine children of William Purdy and Anna P. Waipa. As the Hawai'ian-Irish offspring of Anna, he was a great-grandson of John Palmer Parker, founder of the Parker Ranch, and Kipikane, grand-daughter of Kamehameha the Great. Ikua learned to ride and rope on the grasslands and upland forests of Waimea and Mauna Kea. He was a working paniolo who competed in roping events on the Big Island, O'ahu and Mau'i An invintation read : " Bring your saddle and lariat; Horses will be provided at the Rodeo." Conditions in Cheyanne was especially cold and were difficult to the Hawai'ians who were not used to such weather. Eben Lowe was a successful rancher and proud of the skills of Hawai'i's paniolo, so he secured the invitation for Purdy. The Hawai'ians were an instant curiousity with odd, slouched hats and colorful hat bands, peculiar saddles and bright clothes, --an exotic blend of Hawai'ian and vaquero influence and tradition. What's more, they spoke a foreign language -- native Hawai'ian. Cheyanne didn't know what to make of these strangers. They looked like they didn't have a chance. after all-- they were riding borrowed mounts. But on the day of competition, Ikua roped his steer in fifty-six seconds flat. It's not surprising the Wyoming hosts were caught off guard by the Hawai'ian contenders. Few, to this day, understand that Hawai'i had an early, and thriving, cowboy culture. The first horses arrived in Hawai'i about 1804 and in 1832 the Vaqueros were invited by Hawai'i's King to teach theHawai'ians to ride and rope wild cattle, and by 1836, Hawai'i had working cowboys, Eben Lowe states; " Our paniolo had to catch wild cattle. They would set up ropers at the edge of a kipuka ( a densely overgrown piece of land entirely surrounded by newer lava). The cattle would run on the fly and the cowboys had to be ready with horses in good condition. They'd only get one swing of the lasso to catch a longhorn or it would get away. Therefore, when Hawai'ians first encountred rodeo-style roping of fast running cattle, it was what they did everyday." Purdy's friend and companion's Archie Ka'au'a took third place in the world championship that same year and Eben Lowe was unable to compete due to his asthma. +++++++++++++++ In 1831, the same year that Dr. Dwiight Baldwin arrived in Hawai'i, another interesting man arrived, this one from Mexco, Joaquin Armas was hired to be the Kings bullock catcher, and for ten years, that is just what he did on the Big Island. The natives called him Wokene or Huakina Paniolo, in an attempt to say his name. He would sometimes stay up in the mountains for several months, waiting for the King's messenger to press him fr a specific number of hides to be used for trade. His brother, Felipe, joined him in Hawai'i and by 1841, they both came to Lahaina on Mau'i. Huakina, who most likely first met Dr. Baldwin in Waimea on the Big Island, hooked up with him in Lahaina. Baldwin secured a pasture lease for Armas on the northern coast of West Mau'i at Honokohau and Kahakuloa, where the brothers could hold their bullocks for slaughter after they were caught. ( There is a surfing beach near this area still called " Slaughter House." ) Armas cut a very colorful figure with his wide-brimmed hat, bright bandana, polished buttons down the sides of his trousers, and jangling spurs. Huakini and Felipe would frequently lead their captured cattle through the streets of Lahaina on the way to the slaughter house by horse. At times, the cattle would get loose from the horses and " clear the streets." as Baldwin related. One time the good doctor was forced to take a plunge in the canal from the bidge near his mission house, leaping to safety away from a furious bull. His children were very amused. It would take most of the 19th century before there were organized ranches in Hawai'i, handling cattle and fencing off areas for them to graze. In 1888, Henry Perrine Baldwin and a group of businessmen put their interests together and about $120.000 to form what we now know as the Haleakala Ranch. That was the beginning of the Baldwin Families multi-generational ranching on Mau'i. The Balwin Family can truely be called pioneers of Mau'i, having participated in the missionary era of the 1830s to the monarchy period of the late 19th century and from World Wars I and II through the plantation era to the present. Six generations later, te Baldwins legacy trail makes for a fasinating ride. 1- Reverand Dwigh Baldwin --1798 to 1886. 2- Henry Perrine Baldwin -- 1842-1911. 3- Harry A. Baldwin -- 1871-1946 4- Samuel A. Baldwin -- 1885-1950 5- Richard H. " Manduke " Baldwin 1911-2002. 6. Peter Baldwin - Owner " Piiholo Ranch 7. Chris Baldwin - Cattle Manager "Piiholo Ranch." ++++++++++++++++ ULUPALAKUA Ranch. The name of thsi area ' Ulupalakua " is most of often translated as " breadfruit ripened on the back. Legend has it that an ancient Hawai'ian chief would send his messengers to Hana fro breadfruit. By the time they resumed, on foot of course, their precious cargo would hve ripend . But much of Hawai'ian history is sketchy, at best. The reason is a practical one. Until the missionaries arrived, Hawai'ian was exclusively a spoken language and therefore, the Hawai'ian historical traditional is an oral one. According to one of Mau'i's respected cultural authorities, Hokulani Holt-Padilla, the commonly accepted meaning of 'Ulupalakua is probably correct " because of nearby ahupua'a or land division is called Ka'ono'ula or " the desire for breadfruit.' In 1875, King Kamehameha III leases Honua'ula -- an approximately 2000 acre portion of the great district we know as 'Ulupalakua to L.L. Torbet for the purpose of growing and processing sugar cane. In 1856, Captain James Makee acquires the Torbet plantation at Honua'ula which includes the land, sugar mill, buildings, impliments, and more than 1600 head of livestock. The Captain moves to Mau'i and names his new home " Rose Ranch" after his wife Catherine's favorite flower, Mau'i's Lokelani Rose. The ranch quickly becomes one of Mau'i's showplaces -- famed for its hospitality as well as its agriculturial prowess. In 1874, King Kamehameha and his Queen Kapi'olani visit the RoseRach. the King becomes so frequent a visitor, a cottage is bult for him on the property. Known for good reason as Hawai'i's "Merrie Monarch." the King's poker games and his taste for champagne, are legendary. His cottage still stands and is currently the wine's tasting room. In 1879 Captain James Makee dies and in 1883 The last sugar crop is processed at 'Ulupalakua Mill and the area becomes a working cattle ranch, with much of its 20,000 acres remains to this day. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/hi/statewide/newspapers/hawaiian46nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/hifiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb