Captain George Vancouver landed the very first long-horned cattle on Hawa`ii Island in 1793, beginning the cattle ranching industry in Hawai`i. These first animals were presented to King Kamehameha I, who placed a kapu (taboo) on their slaughter so the animals could rapidly multiply. And multiply, they did! Soon, these enormous herds became a public nuisance, destroying crops, native forests and terrorizing everyone in their path.

In 1803, Richard Clevland brought the first horses to Hawai`i Island and Maui on the brig Lelia Byrd. These horses eventually would become the working companions of Hawai`i's cowboys.

The economy of the Hawaiian kingdom in the early 1800's depended upon trading, most importantly, sandlewood. As the forest of sandlewood.became depleted. other goods were needed for trade. The hides, tallow and beef from wild cattle all became sought-after goods. It wasn't long before wild cattle were spotted on all Hawaiian Islands -- even water-poor Kaho`olawe-transported by trade ships from their original herds controlled by the ali`i (royal families) on Hawai`i Island.

As the commercial value of the cattle increased, so did the need for experienced cattle handlers. Kamehameha III understood this need so he invited vaqueros from Spanish California to come to Hawai`i to teach cattle handling skills. They arrived on the Big Island in 1832 with their own cow ponies and intricate Spanish saddles. The vaqueros taught Hawaiians expert cattle handling techniques, saddle stitching skills, how to make kaula `ili (rawhide lariats), uepa kani (rawhide bullwhips) and kepa pele (bell spurs). These Hawaiian cowboys became known as "paniolo."

Vaquero expertise involved the use of horses and roping methods to round up cattle, as well as the basic concepts of herding and breeding cattle. The introduction of these skills to Hawai`i marked the end of the wild cattle hunters and the beginning of the cattle ranching industry.

Early on, some individuals such as King Kamehameha III, John Palmer Parker, Don Francisco Marin (later of Marin, California) and Richard Charlton selected the best wild cattle and began herds of their own. Some of the earliest ranches were Parker Ranch on Hawai`i Island, Marin's in Wai`anae on O`ahu and Charlton's attempt at Hanlei on Kaua`i. But many years passed before organized ranch operations dominated the cattle industry in Hawai`i.

Paniolo is the word for the Hawaiian cowboy, though it stands for so much more: history, culture, traditions, hard work, art, music, beauty. The most widely accepted theory on the origin of the word "paniolo" is the Hawaiian adaptation of the word Espanol, or Spanish. The word was used to describe the vaqueros that came from Spanish California to teach Hawaiians the art of handling horses and cattle in the early 1800's... 50 years before Western cowboy culture started.

Hawai`i's paniola history is a rich multi-ethnic story of hard work in rugged conditions, ingenuity, preserverance, love and respect for the land, and the unmatched relationship between paniola and their horses. Today, these same values are nurtured within the rural ranching lifestyle that is so much a part of the state. Time-honored arts of Hawaiian saddlery, feather lei and lauhala weaving have been joined by new ranch adventures and ecotourism.

When Hawai`i-born Ikua Purdy was proclaimed the world rodeo steer-roping champion in 1908, it placed Hawai`i on the cowboy map. In 1999, the whole state celebrated Ikua's installation into the National Cowboy Hall Of Fame. Today, there is more interest than ever in Hawai`i's paniolo history and culture, and ranches are opening their gates to share the experiance with residents and visitors alike.

Hawai`i Island has its rodeos, horse races and pageants from remote Ka`u to Waimea, and cattle drives along the old Keanakolu Trail. On Kaua`i, remote trails take horsback riders to breath taking Polihale. Lana`i's trail rides explore the island's highlands, valleys and open vistas. Maui's horseback adventures wind up the mountain of Haleakala. Moloka`i offers a fabled mule-train to Kalaupapa. Even on urban O`ahu, there is room for paniolo adventures in Wai`anae, Waimanalo and beautiful Ka`a`awa Valley.

From Hawai`i Island, where the paniolo story first began, to each of the other islands-Kaua`i, Lana`i, Maui, Moloka`i and O`ahu - There is a paniolo tale to share and so the story goes.

Up until World War II, paniolo would round up the cattle in the high pastures and drive them to ports. In most cases, the cattle boats were moored in the harbors, Paniolo had to literally run the cattle into the ocean, often losing some to passing sharks, and tie them up to a dinghy just offshore. Then, they were rowed out to the mother ship and hoisted onto cargo decks by rope slings.

Though technology has taken some of the danger out of paniolo life, a high degree of skill is required to tend to the ranch, and unlike many modern day professions, the paniolo of today readily identify with the skills of their forbears. Many of the techniques the original cowboys perfected have been passed down from generation to generation and are vital to the paniolo's work today.

A typical day in the life of the paniolo, rain or shine, consists of branding and tagging cattle, patrolling the herds, overseeing cattle breeding and feeding procedures, maintaining and shoeing their horses, mending and caring for saddles, tack, ropes and fences. There are specialized skills for breaking and training young colts and yearlings as well as long hours of trail riding and endless cleanup duties in the pastures, barn and paddock.

In 1908, Hawaiian paniolo Ikua Purdy, Eben Low and Archie Ka`aua traveled to Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming and successfully clinched a spot in history. Much to the surprise of the local western cowboys. Purdy became the world rodeo steer-roping champion whose record has never been bested. Word of this upset spread throughout the cowboy world, and Honolulu soon became a stop for wild west shows.

Eighty-eight years later, Purdy was the first Hawaiian nominated to the National Cowboy Hall Of Fame. These days, an average of 25 paniolo each year represent Hawai`i on the national rodeo circuit.

In a song that has been written by Eliza Ha`aheo and sung by many "Kaula Ili". And if I may quote from the late great Sonny Chillingsworth " If you ever should fall off your horse in life...... Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and ride again.

These rough riding men will never be forgotten but will be echoed through Hawaiian paniolo songs that pay tribute to the "Hawaiian

Rough Rider" and the Ha`i of Helen Lindsey Parker's "Waiomina" A song which celebrates the journey of the Parker Ranch paniolo's to the famous 1908 rodeo held in Wyoming.

***Note: If you love Hawaiian music than you'll certainly enjoy a great music compilation by Mr. Clyde "Kindy" Sproat

In his later years, Ikua Purdy, moved to the island of Maui for many years where he was a foreman at the Ulupalakua Ranch.

Hawaiian paniolo are well known for wearing lei and beautifully made lauhala papale or hats. Jack Purdy is credited with launching the custom of paniolo wearing hats decorated with pansies. Many say these hats festooned with lei served a utilitarian purpose, namely holding down the hats while riding. Lei materials were often gathered from the area the cowboy was working that day. Each island, and even each area of the island, developed it's own preferred lei materials.

Hawaiian women loved to ride horses, particularly bareback at breakneck speeds. In the 1880's, theses wahine would drape themselves in a simple cover-up to keep the dusts and mud away from their clothes. Riding sidesaddle was never popular in Hawai`i, so in order to sit astride their horses, women would drape 12 yards of fabric fastened with six kukui nuts, similar to loose pants or culottes.

These once simple protective garments are today elegant satin gowns prougly worn along with massive horse lei, embroidered shirts and saddle pads in legendary pa`u parades. The parades have a strict protocol and etiquette for horses and expert riders, down to the rules for "poop scoop brigades," at which every aspiring pa`u rider must take a turn.

Hawai`i's most famous paniolo falsetto singer and storyteller is Clyde "Kindy" Sproat, who shares his Hawaiian cowboy songs and stories with audiences from remote Pololu on the Big Island to Carnegie Hall in the Big Apple.

Long days, loved ones, arduous work, breathtaking scenery and good fun inspire the poetry of paniolo music. Special occasions often brought about paniolo serenades, a joyful memory for many. The romatic image of a Hawaiian cowboy, bedecked in leis, strumming his `ukulele lingers.

Paniolo music centers on song in the Hawaiian styles of guitar playing anf the Hawaiian stringed instrument, the `ukulele. Typically, paniolo music includes lyrics about a personality, an event or a place raleted to ranching. Often, there is a secondary meaning, or kauna, that relates to the sensual delights of Hawai`i's natural beauty.

Hawaiian is the historic language of the paniolo. Though ranching brought together native speakers of Hawaiian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese, ranch terminology and communication continues to be in Hawaiian, especially in more rural areas.

pipi cattle	laho`ole steer
keiki / kamali`i calves	lio horse
kumulau cow	`ilio dog
laho bull	Pa`eke corral
kau ka lio ride horse;command to begin work.	`oni time to move out, to start work
hemo ka puka open the gate.	pani ka puka close the gate
`awiwi hurry up, move faster	malia malia go slow and easy