Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Waimea's Paniola Cowboys





Parker Ranch -(a great link here), in Waimea on Hawaii’s Big Island, was founded in 1847. It is one of the oldest and most historic ranches in the United States. Encompassing thousands of acres across the island, Parker Ranch is also among the country’s largest cattle ranches. It surrounds the town of Waimea/Kamuela and spans thousands of acres between the great volcanoes of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea towards the pacific

Way back in 1832, the first cowboys on the Big Island skirted the slopes of majestic Mauna Kea, but Hawaii's colorful far-far-west cowboy culture remains little known on the mainland. The American Southwest
is famous for its cowboys and Western folklore, yet the most western and southern state of the United States, Hawaii, boasts one of the oldest and least-known cowboy cultures in the nation. Hawaiian "paniolo" (cowboys) have played an integral part in Hawaiian civilization since the third decade of the 19th century.
Hawaii, also known as "the Big Island" of the Hawaiian Isles, is the birthplace of the paniolo and Hawaiian ranching, and was officially designated "Land of the Paniolo" in 1982.





Cows arrived on the island before horses or cowboys did, in 1793 when Captain George Vancouver, presented King Kamehameha I with 5 black longhorn cattle. The animals were in poor condition after the long sea voyage, and Kamehameha immediately put them under kapu (taboo, “hands off”), and freed them to range the island.
Horses arrived five years afterward in 1803. A few years later, in 1809, 19-year-old sailor John Palmer Parker, jumped ship to stay on the Big Island. He found favor with Kamehameha, and was in fact instrumental in assisting the king’s armies to conquer the Hawaiian Islands.
By 1832, Parker was desperate for help. He worked with King Kamehameha III to contract Mexican vaqueros, expert horsemen with plenty of cattle experience. They arrived with boots and saddles, a new language and a flamboyant new lifestyle for the island. Called “paniolo” (“Espanol”) by Hawaiians, the skilled cowboys trained local men to rope and ride a generation before their American counterparts in the Wild West. Their contributions to local culture included the guitar and ukulele, and a lifestyle of hard work, close-knit family ties and wonderful music that thrives to this day.
The beef business boomed and
Parker Ranch was born. Over the next century it grew into one of the world’s largest privately-owned cattle ranches: 150,000 acres raising 30,000 head of prime Angus and Charolais beef cattle. (At its peak it spread over half a million acres.)
Please check out the following link (you may not of seen already) which I posted on





Look the happy tree- leaning over to see his reflection?








This is the famous Tex Drive inn -(home of the hot malasada) below in Honokaa ..and "Ono Kine" is just one expression of divine indulgence! But no..you don't want to do this every day!



Think of a spur..





She gets a little impatient..

32 comments:

DeniseinVA said...

First of all, what another fantastic header!!!! Thanks for the great tour, it was very enjoyable to look through your photos and those statues are truly magnificent. Have a great weekend my friend.

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful photos, I enjoyed them and the story about the Waimea cowboys. Have a great weekend!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful series of images and a good story too. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Felt like being on holiday - thank you very much for this small escape in the middle of the night, as it is already after four in the morning. Please have a wonderful weekend and a nice new month as well.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I can relate to this.. I enjoyed your post, wonderful story and photos. By the way, your blog header, the horizon, is lovely.

Joyful said...

I love your header and I meant to tell you how much I enjoyed the last one as well. I enjoyed your history lesson of the Hawaiian cowboy. I had actually seen a show about this some years ago but had forgotten a lot of it. It was nice to be reminded. I didn't realize that the Hawaiian cowboys predated the ones on the mainland. That is really something.

Regina said...

Wow another amazing captures friend.
Great reflections too.
Thank you for sharing.
Have a lovley weekend once again.

xo

Anya said...

Love your new header Regina
so PEACEFUL :))))
Wonderful reflections !!!!
Nice to see moo Moo today
hugs for my woof woof friend
from Kareltje =^.^=

Have a lovely weekend
Anya :))

Cezar and Léia said...

Magnificent images!
Your blog is so beautiful,congratulations!
Léia - Bonjour Luxembourg

Maia T said...

What a generous post with so many great subjects.
I like your time travel a few centuries back and the great story about the cowboys.
The reflection on the still water surface are breathtaking and the hot Malasada made me really hungry.
I am trying to load your side for a few minutes and it was really difficult to get in.
Your new header photo is gorgeous but (I hope you don't mind letting you know) it it the wrong size and it pushed your right sidebar down. Maybe that is why the browser Firefox) stops it loading.

Unknown said...

Great information, great statue shots, beautiful reflections and macro photos as well! Wonderful post, Regina! And I have to mention the cute dog, of course! :-)

MadSnapper said...

you outdid your self on this post, History that I never heard of before in my life, wonderful photos and of course my favorite the Impatient Pup.... thanks for all the western info. i had no idea about cattle ranching or cowboys in Hawaii, i thought they were only in the WEst and Australia.

cieldequimper said...

The reflections are pretty cool but how cool is the cowboy story and statue?!

James said...

Great pictures and a very interesting post. The reflections a great and the cowboy statue reminds me of some that I saw in Texas.

I also love your header photo!

Beth Niquette said...

What marvelous reflections. I loved reading the history behind the statues. Wonderful!

Flat Creek Farm said...

I enjoyed your pictures as always, Regina! And the story was just wonderful. I never knew *any* of that about Hawaii. So awesome to picture cowboys in Hawaii :) And we have Angus cattle here on the farm. -Tammy

EG CameraGirl said...

Well that was a bit of history I had never heard before! I NEVER would have associated cowboys with Hawaii. Thank you!

The Write Girl said...

What an amazing trip and photos...fabulous!!

elvira pajarola said...

Let's start with the miracle of this magic header: This landscape is dreamingly wonderful.....it seems out of world; fantastic!!!!!

...What a great history of Hawaii; I just loved reading it........!

...The tree which looks at its reflection ....enchanting!!!!!!!!....and the great shot of this sweet ;( I am a passionate of cookies and cakes.... mmhh....)and your beauty-doggy-friend......soooooo qute!
(Besides your lovely question about my picnic: My picnic was just for two; dear Regina; sometimes a little romantic picnic is just like a honeymoon....!)

have a wonderful sunny sunday, cara Regina!
ciao ciao elvira

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Beautiful photos, and I enjoy reading the information! Your header is fantastic..

Ginny Hartzler said...

How have I missed these last two posts of yours? I think my blogger sidebar hasn't been recording them, so I have an icon for you now, and I will check that every day. I see there's a post below this one, too!! The cowboy culture there, who knew??? An amazing story. I never would have thought of Hawaii and cowboys! But I have heard of KONA BEEF! So that would mean ranchers. And that confection looks so yummy, kind of like a New Orleans beniet. Pictures are stunning , as usual! I'm checking out your next post now, I'll comment on that as well.

Ocella Side Effects Lawyer said...

Very good photos. Thanks for capturing these Hawaiian spots and nature photography.

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

Hello,Dear friend!Very interesting post.Beautiful photos!

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

The new header is very beautiful!

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

Excuse me,our telefon line was closed.

Kilauea Poetry said...

Greetings Amin..oh, I thought you were just taking a break but I'm glad your back on and everything is fine!! I will visit shortly- my very best to you!!

Lisa (Mountain Photog) said...

Nice photos, Regina! Though, as much as I love the foliage pics, I think my favorite is the pastry/doughnut. Man that looks good! LOL! I love, love, love your new header photo! Beautiful!

Kilauea Poetry said...

Thank you Ginny..mine does the same!
Serious Lisa? How funny! Thanks..strange but as much as I think I eat pretty good and what have you, somehow I notice there are pleasures like this one (we) allow..must not be the only one, lol?

Lisa (Mountain Photog) said...

No, you're definitely not the only one. LOL! I'm a sucker for anything bread-like--especially if it's sweet. :)

Kilauea Poetry said...

Now your going to think I've been going for broke woofing this type of thing down after you read the reply from that lemony lime drink.. Promise..I've been doing some things right, ha!

Short Poems said...

Beautiful series of photos and a good story as wel :)
Marinela x

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

Thank You very much Dear friend for Your beautiful words!
Be Happy!!!

Let's be perfectly clear- the war on free speech is spiritual!