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Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West
In the spirit of The Boys in the Boat comes the captivating true story of the Hawaiian cowboys who changed rodeo and the West forever. In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the world’s greatest rodeo. They had travelled 3,000 miles from Hawaii, where their ancestors had herded cattle for generations, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the Hawaiians left the heartland as champions—and American legends.
David Wolman and Julian Smith’s Aloha Rodeo unspools a fascinating and little-known tale, blending rough-knuckled frontier drama with a rousing underdog narrative. Tracing the life story of steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka’au’a, the writers delve into the dual histories of ranching in the islands and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, “Holy City of the Cow.” At the turn of the century, larger-than-life personalities like “Buffalo Bill” Cody and Theodore Roosevelt capitalized on a national obsession with the Wild West, and helped transform Cheyenne’s annual Frontier Days celebration into an unparalleled rodeo spectacle, the “Daddy of ‘em All.”
A great deal rode on the Hawaiians’ shoulders during those dusty days in August. Just a decade earlier, the overthrow of Hawaii’s monarchy and forced annexation by the U.S. had traumatized an independent nation whose traditions dated back centuries. Journeying to the mainland for the first time, the young riders brought with them the pride of a people struggling to preserve their cultural identity and anxious about their future under the rule of overlords an ocean away.
In Cheyenne, the Hawaiians didn’t just show their mastery of riding and roping, skills that white Americans thought they owned. They also overturned simplistic thinking about the “Wild West,” cowboys-versus-Indians, and the very concept of cattle country. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo brings to light an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West.
Includes maps and 25 pages of black-and-white photos.
David Wolman and Julian Smith’s Aloha Rodeo unspools a fascinating and little-known tale, blending rough-knuckled frontier drama with a rousing underdog narrative. Tracing the life story of steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka’au’a, the writers delve into the dual histories of ranching in the islands and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, “Holy City of the Cow.” At the turn of the century, larger-than-life personalities like “Buffalo Bill” Cody and Theodore Roosevelt capitalized on a national obsession with the Wild West, and helped transform Cheyenne’s annual Frontier Days celebration into an unparalleled rodeo spectacle, the “Daddy of ‘em All.”
A great deal rode on the Hawaiians’ shoulders during those dusty days in August. Just a decade earlier, the overthrow of Hawaii’s monarchy and forced annexation by the U.S. had traumatized an independent nation whose traditions dated back centuries. Journeying to the mainland for the first time, the young riders brought with them the pride of a people struggling to preserve their cultural identity and anxious about their future under the rule of overlords an ocean away.
In Cheyenne, the Hawaiians didn’t just show their mastery of riding and roping, skills that white Americans thought they owned. They also overturned simplistic thinking about the “Wild West,” cowboys-versus-Indians, and the very concept of cattle country. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo brings to light an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West.
Includes maps and 25 pages of black-and-white photos.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2019
296 people are currently reading
3811 people want to read
About the author
David Wolman
14 books63 followersDavid Wolman is a Contributing Editor at OUTSIDE and a longtime contributor at WIRED. He has also written for publications such as the New York Times, New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, BusisnessWeek, and Nature. His work has twice been anthologized in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series, and his feature about Egyptian revolutionaries was nominated for a National Magazine Award. His latest book, Aloha Rodeo, will be published in May, 2019 (HarperCollins).
David is a former Oregon Arts Commission fellow, Fulbright journalism fellow (Japan), and a graduate of Stanford University's journalism program. His other books include The End of Money, A Left-Hand Turn Around the World, Righting the Mother Tongue, and Firsthand. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @davidwolman.
David is a former Oregon Arts Commission fellow, Fulbright journalism fellow (Japan), and a graduate of Stanford University's journalism program. His other books include The End of Money, A Left-Hand Turn Around the World, Righting the Mother Tongue, and Firsthand. He lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and two children.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @davidwolman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
December 19, 2021
I loved this. Mahalo nui loa to the authors for a fascinating book. This one goes on the keeper shelf.
The authors do a superb job in blending a brief history of the frontier days of the West with a history of Hawaii's relationship with British explorers and US empire builders. The emphasis may have been on the cattle business, but all of the little extra observations are what make the book worth reading.
The authors do a superb job in blending a brief history of the frontier days of the West with a history of Hawaii's relationship with British explorers and US empire builders. The emphasis may have been on the cattle business, but all of the little extra observations are what make the book worth reading.
November 13, 2019
A fascinating history with some good pics in the HB edition. It really gave me a feel for the times & filled in a lot of trivia about the Wild West (the Show, rodeos, & general west) Teddy Roosevelt, & especially Hawaii's history. Very readable & in depth enough without bogging down. Highly recommended.
July 11, 2019
I saw another 2-star review that hit the nail on the head; it said the content was fascinating, yet the author’s writing style left a lot to be desired. I struggled with this one. First, as a horse lover I thought I’d read about cowboys who love their horses, but there’s some scenes of stomach churning animal cruelty (I’m not faint hearted and I get this is non-fiction, so I’m not knocking the author here, I just didn’t go in knowing what to expect). Second, it skips around A LOT. Like you’ll be in Hawaii, then suddenly in Wyoming and in one year and then another. I found the content of this one fascinating, just the execution was difficult, especially in audiobook form where I couldn’t flip back and see where exactly we were. Overall a quick listen and narrator did awesome job with Hawaiian names and locations.
May 6, 2021
If you are interested in the history of rodeos, cowboys, or American western culture, this book is for you.
This book tells the history of:
- How the cows came to Hawaii and the history of Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo.
- How the rodeo became popular in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Things I liked:
- I love Hawaii, so reading about the rich and interesting history is great.
- Fast paced and quicker read than a lot of history books.
Other interesting facts I learned:
- Wyoming wanted women to be able to vote in order to attract more women to the state.
- Wyoming's state motto is "Equal Rights"
This book tells the history of:
- How the cows came to Hawaii and the history of Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo.
- How the rodeo became popular in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Things I liked:
- I love Hawaii, so reading about the rich and interesting history is great.
- Fast paced and quicker read than a lot of history books.
Other interesting facts I learned:
- Wyoming wanted women to be able to vote in order to attract more women to the state.
- Wyoming's state motto is "Equal Rights"
April 10, 2019
An attractive book, it is extremely informative and educational. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the history of rodeo (or Hawaii). My copy was obtained from a Goodreads giveaway and I appreciate the opportunity to read & review it.
June 17, 2019
Wolman and Smith explore an inflection point in the story of the American west from a fascinatingly distinct perspective, I had a hard time categorizing this book - Aloha Rodeo is a biography. It's a sports story. It's unexplored and unknown popular history. It's about culture, the imperial era, the environment, and a story of the stories we tell ourselves, all captured from a poignant, intimate perspective.
If you think you know the best stories of the American West and cattle culture, think again and give Aloha Rodeo a read. Nearly every page seems to contain a hidden nugget that will challenge your assumptions about the time period. I listened to the audio version, and Kaleo Griffith is fantastic, expertly finding the depth and authenticity of the story in his performance. Highly recommend to anyone with even a fleeting interest or curiosity in Hawaiian history, cattle culture, and the mythos of the Wild West.
If you think you know the best stories of the American West and cattle culture, think again and give Aloha Rodeo a read. Nearly every page seems to contain a hidden nugget that will challenge your assumptions about the time period. I listened to the audio version, and Kaleo Griffith is fantastic, expertly finding the depth and authenticity of the story in his performance. Highly recommend to anyone with even a fleeting interest or curiosity in Hawaiian history, cattle culture, and the mythos of the Wild West.
July 26, 2021
Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, The World’s Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West by David Wolman and Julian Smith is book that promises too much—and that’s the problem. The book is a shallow dive into too many topics so instead of learning a lot about even one topic, you learn just a tiny bit. Ironically, that brevity (under 250 pages) is what saves the book from being utterly unreadable.
The cover and title caught my eye and frankly, those are the best features of the book. Supposedly this book was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a finalist in two other book competitions and that makes me think the other books must have been particularly terrible that year. There’s no doubt the authors researched their topic, but the result is an unfocused, incredibly boring mess. I thought (based on the title and most of the subtitle) that this was about native Hawaiians and rodeos and a rodeo in Hawaii. And it is. Sort of. It also includes a quickie history of Hawaii (from its volcanic beginnings to the first islander to Captain James Cook and his eventual demise at the hands of offended Hawaiians). I can understand going back to how steers were introduced to the islands and the evolution of ranching because without steers there would be no cowboys (or in Hawaiian lingo: paniolos). But the authors do not stay focused on their topic. After introducing the main characters (the three Hawaiian cowboys), Wolman and Smith switch to Cheyenne, Wyoming and give readers historical background on the city and its financial ups and downs.
The range of topics also includes diversions into the racism and sexism of the West and a brief shout-out to African-American cowboys and women cowgirls who succeeded. Then attention flips back to the paniolos (who encountered not only racism due to their darker skin, but also hostility due to them being thought of as foreigners…even though Hawaii had been annexed and forced into the United States—pretty much against its will—by the time the Hawaiians compete against the Western cowboys) and their unique steer-herding techniques. The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy by American businessmen is another great topic that is touched on briefly then disappears.
I think the authors should have focused on the rodeo shows of the west, specifically Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show (because, yes, that’s another diversion, along with the discussion of the incongruity? Tragedy? Cruelty? Of his shows dramatizing historical events that just happened—battles between American soldiers and Native Americans—with actual Native Americans (who may have really been in these battles) playing their own parts—to entertain the hordes of white European-descended Americans) and the Cheyenne Frontier Days, which is where (eventually) the paniolos compete and kick the smug Western cowboys’ asses. Supposedly that’s the climax of the book. However, when I got to that chapter, it was very anticlimactic. Worse, the authors did such a terrible job of defining the men that they blurred in my mind and I couldn’t really distinguish one guy from another. I didn’t really feel their triumph. Worse, the authors followed up on the cowboys who lost to the paniolos and told me, well, this one was really an outlaw using an assumed name, this one went to jail, etc. That puzzled me. I’m sorry, was I supposed to care?
Aloha Rodeo is a great name for a book but it’s a terrible book. Some of the information (specifically, roping and cowboy techniques) is repeated. It’s also sooooo boring. Not only is the narrative unfocused and zipping between topics, the prose is so damn boring. The authors drone. It’s the printed book version of the teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Bueller? Bueller?” (Millennials: Google it.) How they could take such fascinating topics (rodeos, foreign policy trickery, Manifest Destiny, civil rights and Hawaii) and turn them all into a disjointed snooze fest is surely a feat worthy of an award. Maybe that’s what NPR was awarding? The Snooze Fest Book of the Year? (I no longer trust NPR’s book recommendations. I’ve been burned too many times.) I recommend this book only to get an introduction to the topic of Hawaii/rodeo shows history. It’s short and can be skimmed and contains an index and a bibliography (probably of better written books). A book could be written tackling all the subjects the authors raise and tying them all together (think: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s massive yet page-turner historical biographies Team of Rivals and The Bully Pulpit) but not by these guys. Definitely not.
The cover and title caught my eye and frankly, those are the best features of the book. Supposedly this book was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a finalist in two other book competitions and that makes me think the other books must have been particularly terrible that year. There’s no doubt the authors researched their topic, but the result is an unfocused, incredibly boring mess. I thought (based on the title and most of the subtitle) that this was about native Hawaiians and rodeos and a rodeo in Hawaii. And it is. Sort of. It also includes a quickie history of Hawaii (from its volcanic beginnings to the first islander to Captain James Cook and his eventual demise at the hands of offended Hawaiians). I can understand going back to how steers were introduced to the islands and the evolution of ranching because without steers there would be no cowboys (or in Hawaiian lingo: paniolos). But the authors do not stay focused on their topic. After introducing the main characters (the three Hawaiian cowboys), Wolman and Smith switch to Cheyenne, Wyoming and give readers historical background on the city and its financial ups and downs.
The range of topics also includes diversions into the racism and sexism of the West and a brief shout-out to African-American cowboys and women cowgirls who succeeded. Then attention flips back to the paniolos (who encountered not only racism due to their darker skin, but also hostility due to them being thought of as foreigners…even though Hawaii had been annexed and forced into the United States—pretty much against its will—by the time the Hawaiians compete against the Western cowboys) and their unique steer-herding techniques. The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy by American businessmen is another great topic that is touched on briefly then disappears.
I think the authors should have focused on the rodeo shows of the west, specifically Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show (because, yes, that’s another diversion, along with the discussion of the incongruity? Tragedy? Cruelty? Of his shows dramatizing historical events that just happened—battles between American soldiers and Native Americans—with actual Native Americans (who may have really been in these battles) playing their own parts—to entertain the hordes of white European-descended Americans) and the Cheyenne Frontier Days, which is where (eventually) the paniolos compete and kick the smug Western cowboys’ asses. Supposedly that’s the climax of the book. However, when I got to that chapter, it was very anticlimactic. Worse, the authors did such a terrible job of defining the men that they blurred in my mind and I couldn’t really distinguish one guy from another. I didn’t really feel their triumph. Worse, the authors followed up on the cowboys who lost to the paniolos and told me, well, this one was really an outlaw using an assumed name, this one went to jail, etc. That puzzled me. I’m sorry, was I supposed to care?
Aloha Rodeo is a great name for a book but it’s a terrible book. Some of the information (specifically, roping and cowboy techniques) is repeated. It’s also sooooo boring. Not only is the narrative unfocused and zipping between topics, the prose is so damn boring. The authors drone. It’s the printed book version of the teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Bueller? Bueller?” (Millennials: Google it.) How they could take such fascinating topics (rodeos, foreign policy trickery, Manifest Destiny, civil rights and Hawaii) and turn them all into a disjointed snooze fest is surely a feat worthy of an award. Maybe that’s what NPR was awarding? The Snooze Fest Book of the Year? (I no longer trust NPR’s book recommendations. I’ve been burned too many times.) I recommend this book only to get an introduction to the topic of Hawaii/rodeo shows history. It’s short and can be skimmed and contains an index and a bibliography (probably of better written books). A book could be written tackling all the subjects the authors raise and tying them all together (think: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s massive yet page-turner historical biographies Team of Rivals and The Bully Pulpit) but not by these guys. Definitely not.
July 7, 2019
A fascinating look at a subject I thought I had little to no interest in. Reads like a novel. Really well done.
September 25, 2019
An interesting look at the history of cattle ranches in Hawaii, and 3 Hawaiian cowboys who dared to take on the cowboys at the Cheyenne Frontier Days.
August 17, 2019
I admit that before I had the great, good luck to meet and speak with Julian Smith, co-author of ALOHA RODEO, at the Tattered Cover - Aspen Grove, I never knew that Hawaii has had a flourishing cattle ranching history longer than the mainland. I also never knew that three Hawaiian cowboys (paniolo) traveled to Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1908, to quietly, but surely take top prizes at the Daddy of Them All! Now, I know, and I am amazed at the great story of the Brits presenting King Kamehameha with a few "useful" gifts of longhorn cattle which were promptly set free to become wild; the eventual development of profitable ranching on the big island, and the development of expert cowhands trained by Mexican vaqueros, who not only wrangled huge herds in the mountains of the island, but drove them to the beach into the ocean, where they then swam them to the waiting ships. Longhorn steers! Swimming one by one to the ships taking them to market. Imagine the skill, the stamina, the focus! It is astounding; and great fun to read how these experts from the islands showed big, strong, blowhard Wyoming cowboys how to get the job done in record time.
You get the idea that the authors had fun researching this amazing tale. They visited the mountainsides of Hawaii, ate with present day paniolo, discussed the work, the challenges, the history behind their success. They also visited Cheyenne and surrounding ranches, studied cowboys on the mainland, then wrote an engaging, conversational, thorough history of a great event. All in all, whether Julian Smith is reading from the book, quietly discussing it, or you are reading it alone on your living room floor, you will feel you are there, 'round a campfire, recalling the events of an exciting day, a great rodeo.
You will like all the people you meet on these pages. You may wonder how you would fare, should you try to follow in their stirrups. You will absolutely be glad you read this book, then passed it on to someone else to enjoy as well.
You get the idea that the authors had fun researching this amazing tale. They visited the mountainsides of Hawaii, ate with present day paniolo, discussed the work, the challenges, the history behind their success. They also visited Cheyenne and surrounding ranches, studied cowboys on the mainland, then wrote an engaging, conversational, thorough history of a great event. All in all, whether Julian Smith is reading from the book, quietly discussing it, or you are reading it alone on your living room floor, you will feel you are there, 'round a campfire, recalling the events of an exciting day, a great rodeo.
You will like all the people you meet on these pages. You may wonder how you would fare, should you try to follow in their stirrups. You will absolutely be glad you read this book, then passed it on to someone else to enjoy as well.
July 30, 2019
Spoiler at end of this.
Mahalo!
I read a review and decided, "This sounds like my dad!" When he was in the Navy in the 70s, we lived on Oahu near Bellows Beach. Dad, being probably the most friendly person I have ever known, became close friends with all the locals - pig hunts and all. Anyhow, Hawaii has always had a soft spot. So, I read it and suggested it to him. He LOVED it. I liked it for the sheer fact that this was little-known history. I certainly had never heard of these guys nor the history of how cattle got to Hawaii. And I thought I knew a fair amount about Buffalo Bill's tour, but somehow this escaped me too. Dad enjoyed the history and reading about the Hawaiians "Hang loose" approach to rodeo. Anyhow, Dad passed it to a young neighbor who grew up out there and he too loved it. The way it ends is all very Hawaiian. The guys go home and things kinda go back to how they were, which is refreshing and endearing in this age of fame seekers. Quick read too.
Aloha.
Mahalo!
I read a review and decided, "This sounds like my dad!" When he was in the Navy in the 70s, we lived on Oahu near Bellows Beach. Dad, being probably the most friendly person I have ever known, became close friends with all the locals - pig hunts and all. Anyhow, Hawaii has always had a soft spot. So, I read it and suggested it to him. He LOVED it. I liked it for the sheer fact that this was little-known history. I certainly had never heard of these guys nor the history of how cattle got to Hawaii. And I thought I knew a fair amount about Buffalo Bill's tour, but somehow this escaped me too. Dad enjoyed the history and reading about the Hawaiians "Hang loose" approach to rodeo. Anyhow, Dad passed it to a young neighbor who grew up out there and he too loved it. The way it ends is all very Hawaiian. The guys go home and things kinda go back to how they were, which is refreshing and endearing in this age of fame seekers. Quick read too.
Aloha.
October 9, 2019
I enjoy books that highlight the unknown pockets of history - I had no idea about the cattle and ranch history on Hawaii. They had a cowboy culture before the mainland did. I also like stories about humble heroes who overcome the prejudice of their time. Even though I'm not particularly interested in rodeo this book still engaged me, probably because of the western history. I have visited the history museum in Cheyenne devoted to Frontier Days and, sure enough, these Hawaiian cowboys are featured.
Their story would make a good film.
Their story would make a good film.
March 24, 2019
Wow as a Texan let me say this is not my first rodeo, but by far it is my favorite. I already knew about this history of the rodeo, cowboys, longhorn cows and horses in the contiguous United States but it never crossed my mind about longhorns arriving and thriving in Hawaii. They are magnificent, beautiful animals with horns that can reach over ten feet from tip to tip for the largest recorded record. They are hardy and scary as heck when encounter. My favorite parts of the book where the history of Hawaii. I highly recommend this book.
July 30, 2019
Fascinating book especially as a follow-up to Sarah Vowell’s Unfamiliar Fishes
September 2, 2019
This is the story of Hawiian Cowboys and the the rodeo they participation,inthe rod do
June 3, 2022
A tale that combines the history of cattle in Hawaii, the paniolos, ranching in the West, Cheyenne Wyoming, an overthrow of a government, and the 1908 Frontier Days competition where three Hawaiian cowboys took on the best of the west and won!
May 13, 2025
Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album has inspired me to seek out the vast history and richness of western culture that extends far beyond and prior to the white cowboys that have come to represent it today. Black and brown cowboys, tenacious cowgirls, and queer rodeos may be missing from most representations of the Wild Wild West, but their history is there and deserves to be explored. This book helps do just that. It offers a deep history lesson both of the Hawaiian Islands as well as the development of the Western Frontier in the mainland United States that I found very compelling. While scholarly, it's very accessible and engaging. Some details about the specifics of cow-herding might not have been necessary, but they're surrounded by engaging stories and characters worth knowing. I loved it and definitely recommend the history lesson.
November 10, 2019
An interesting and informative book centered around the entrance of cowboys from Hawaii as participants in the near-sacred "Frontier Days" in Cheyenne in 1908. A story that I never had a clue existed. Cowboys? in Hawaii? Wait, don't those guys just drink mai-tais, cook pork and "hang loose?" Well, apparently not. Hawaiian culture is much deeper.
It is more than that, though, it is a concise history of Hawaii from the arrival of the Europeans up through the (not really welcome) annexation (as a territory) into the United States. It also speaks of the feral cattle in Hawaii and how a special breed of cowboys brought them into domestication. That story, itself, is so cool.
But the cowboys were even cooler. Again, they invited to participate in the greatest rodeo of the day and (as the story would have it no other way) proved themselves equal to any other in the world.
I really like the story and the historical settings. However, I baffled by the use the modern expressions in the historical settings. For example "The Mainland" is a perfectly good terms that describes the contiguous United States, but that term meant nothing until after statehood. It is important to Hawaiians today to protect their equal connection to those in North America, and we all respect and embrace it. But then? Like New Mexico and Arizona, they were just a Territory.
That (and a few other) bits of "PC" aside, I really thought the book to be tightly written and easy to follow. I enjoyed the characters and learning of that special history.
It is more than that, though, it is a concise history of Hawaii from the arrival of the Europeans up through the (not really welcome) annexation (as a territory) into the United States. It also speaks of the feral cattle in Hawaii and how a special breed of cowboys brought them into domestication. That story, itself, is so cool.
But the cowboys were even cooler. Again, they invited to participate in the greatest rodeo of the day and (as the story would have it no other way) proved themselves equal to any other in the world.
I really like the story and the historical settings. However, I baffled by the use the modern expressions in the historical settings. For example "The Mainland" is a perfectly good terms that describes the contiguous United States, but that term meant nothing until after statehood. It is important to Hawaiians today to protect their equal connection to those in North America, and we all respect and embrace it. But then? Like New Mexico and Arizona, they were just a Territory.
That (and a few other) bits of "PC" aside, I really thought the book to be tightly written and easy to follow. I enjoyed the characters and learning of that special history.
June 24, 2019
This book was a refreshing entry into the history of a people that hasn't been adequately addressed. My view on an era of America that we've all seen: the wild west, was changed forever. The real American roughriders/cowboys were those Hawaiian guys riding and roping free range cattle on the treacherous slopes of Mauna Kea. They were doing it years before anyone in the continential US was doing so.
Three young men from Hawaii (Ikua Purdy (probably the best cowboy in history), Archie Ka'au'a and Jack Low) went to the "greatest rodeo show on earth" and simply dominated the "real cowboys". In fact at the greatest rodeo show of them all at Frontier Park in Cheyenne Wyoming they placed 1st, 3rd and 6th in steer roping. Of course historians would never report this or lionize these champions until now. Wolman in the process of adeptly chronicalling their history, also interweaves the history of Hawaii, black cowboys such as Bill Pickett (who used his teeth to bulldog steers) and Bertha Kaepernick who was a trailblazing bronco rider. You don't often hear about these heros in printed word or film. This book is great reading and full of information. It is a fun and quick read.
Three young men from Hawaii (Ikua Purdy (probably the best cowboy in history), Archie Ka'au'a and Jack Low) went to the "greatest rodeo show on earth" and simply dominated the "real cowboys". In fact at the greatest rodeo show of them all at Frontier Park in Cheyenne Wyoming they placed 1st, 3rd and 6th in steer roping. Of course historians would never report this or lionize these champions until now. Wolman in the process of adeptly chronicalling their history, also interweaves the history of Hawaii, black cowboys such as Bill Pickett (who used his teeth to bulldog steers) and Bertha Kaepernick who was a trailblazing bronco rider. You don't often hear about these heros in printed word or film. This book is great reading and full of information. It is a fun and quick read.
November 25, 2019
A "must read" for anyone interested in the history of Hawaii and of roping and riding in the USA, which actually began in Hawaii, many years before cattle ranching in the mainland west began. Hawaiian "paniolos" (a word derived from "espanol") learned their trade from Spanish vaqueros brought to the islands by Kamehameha, and worked under conditions so severe (and with longhorns so vicious they were used to fight grizzlies) that death and serious injury were not uncommon. Though I was born and raised in Hawaii, I had no idea what the paniolo had to do to bring a furious, vengeful cow in from the top of a mountain, riding through dense forests with treacherous lava pits and sharp lava that could cut and maim a horse. Paniolos used different equipment, for good reason (regular rope lariats would not hold up to the tropical climate and its challenges, for example) and when they showed up in Cheyenne for their first (and only) appearance in the Frontier Days Rodeo, they were an object of great curiosity and some scorn. That dismissive attitude didn't last long. Using borrowed horses that they only practiced on for 2 days, the Hawaiian cowboys won the crowd over....and one of them won the entire contest.
I couldn't put this book down.
I couldn't put this book down.
April 29, 2019
'Aloha Rodeo' is coming out in May (I got an ARC from work) and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting bit of nonfiction -- it's about Hawaiian cowboys, their ranching tradition, and how they came to win the Cheyenne rodeo at the beginning of the 20th century. For a short book, there's a lot here; it covers Hawaii's history as a colonized nation, how it adapted to the introduction of cattle and the impositions of other countries, the mythologizing of the 'Wild West' and how rodeos were a display and adaptation of cowboy culture, imperialism, racism, as well as just the difficulties of managing angry cattle in tropical forests and lava fields. It also does a great job of capturing the excitement and energy of the rodeo shows, without ever seeming like it's sensationalizing the history there. Even if you're not looking for this particular bit of history, I'd recommend checking it out -- it's a quick read, and a lot of fun just to discover a new corner of things I hadn't known about.
July 21, 2021
This book shines a spotlight on a bit of Western history unfamiliar to me. In 1908, three Hawaiian cowboys, known as paniolo, arrive in Wyoming to compete in the Cheyenne Frontier Days, already one of the most important rodeos in the country. Even more impressively, they leave champions who have earned the respect of observers ready to laugh at them for their presumptions. The no-nonsense, rugged paniolo are easy men to admire.
The backstory is laid out well. I was not aware that cattle ranching in Hawaii predated that of the West. Cheyenne's start as a "Hell on Wheels" town gets a quick, entertaining retelling, as does the story of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show. What's missing is a compelling event to take place in this time and setting. We barely get to know any of the trio of paniolo. The rodeo seems almost an afterthought, lacking much drama or excitement. After the buildup to these feats of derring-do, this letdown is quite frustrating. Excellent research and a so-so recounting equals three and a half stars.
The backstory is laid out well. I was not aware that cattle ranching in Hawaii predated that of the West. Cheyenne's start as a "Hell on Wheels" town gets a quick, entertaining retelling, as does the story of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show. What's missing is a compelling event to take place in this time and setting. We barely get to know any of the trio of paniolo. The rodeo seems almost an afterthought, lacking much drama or excitement. After the buildup to these feats of derring-do, this letdown is quite frustrating. Excellent research and a so-so recounting equals three and a half stars.
June 14, 2019
Fascinating read, of the history of Hawaiian cowboys. Excellent descriptions of cowboy type activities (roping, bronc riding, etc)
However, the authors (male?) mention Isabella Bird, and reference her problems with depression and insomnia. If I remember correctly she, from an early age, also had back problems and had a surgery to remove a tumor. The surgery was not fully successful, which may have contributed to the conditions mentioned. Isabella Bird is another captivating historical person, and she wrote about her travels on horseback around the world. To merely mention ‘insomnia and depression’ and not her back problems seems disrespectful to her, and not an accurate portrayal of what she dealt with.
However, the authors (male?) mention Isabella Bird, and reference her problems with depression and insomnia. If I remember correctly she, from an early age, also had back problems and had a surgery to remove a tumor. The surgery was not fully successful, which may have contributed to the conditions mentioned. Isabella Bird is another captivating historical person, and she wrote about her travels on horseback around the world. To merely mention ‘insomnia and depression’ and not her back problems seems disrespectful to her, and not an accurate portrayal of what she dealt with.
dnf
December 29, 2019DNF @ 33%
This was not the book for me, and it's 100% my fault. I thought it would be more of a biography of the "three Hawaiian cowboys". My mom is from Hawaii, so I was stoked to hear about historic Hawaiians being badasses. I'm sure the book would've eventually detailed their lives, but what I read in the first third of the book was more about the history of cattle in Hawaii and the history of cattle in the United States than I am interested in. That being said, I greatly appreciate that the authors discuss the colonization of Hawaii, which is a necessary component of any historical account of Hawaii.
TL;DR: Not the book for me, but not the book's fault.
This was not the book for me, and it's 100% my fault. I thought it would be more of a biography of the "three Hawaiian cowboys". My mom is from Hawaii, so I was stoked to hear about historic Hawaiians being badasses. I'm sure the book would've eventually detailed their lives, but what I read in the first third of the book was more about the history of cattle in Hawaii and the history of cattle in the United States than I am interested in. That being said, I greatly appreciate that the authors discuss the colonization of Hawaii, which is a necessary component of any historical account of Hawaii.
TL;DR: Not the book for me, but not the book's fault.
June 9, 2020
My first non-fiction book in ages! Not having read much non-fiction, it's tough for me to say if this is a good non-fiction book or not. Definitely provided interesting insight into Hawaiian ranching history and Wyoming frontier days, and the action scenes were tightly written and engaging. However, while I became familiar with the various players, I didn't form a deeper connection or understanding to anyone involved. While the retelling of Hawaiian annexation and land policy was detailed, I also wish that history was more critically analyzed, while also recognizing that may be beyond the scope of this book.
July 1, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! It was a different perspective of the American West and offered great information on the history of Hawaii. Hawaiian history is one of those subjects that not many people know about and I think that combining such an "American" thing as rodeo and cowboys with that history was a unique way to enlighten people. I received this book from a goodreads giveaway and I appreciate the chance to review it.
May 9, 2020
The idea of this book is really fascinating but the execution is pretty boring mostly I assume because the actual history is pretty thin. For example, they take four pages to describe the train trip from San Fransisco to Cheyenne as “ it would have been such and so” because they don’t actually have anything about the actual train trip. Lots of the book is like that. So, read the summary and you pretty much have the book.
March 22, 2019
This a very historical book which introduced me to cowboys in Hawaii. These men were true athletes, using their skills for work and love. Of course, if it moves, you race it was a part of their lives. I have always been fascinated with tough job strength, not just arena sports. I loved this book and was only sad that there weren't more pictures.
May 8, 2019
Love this book! Who would have ever thought of Hawaii as home to longhorn black cattle, and cowboys - called "paniolo" (Hawaiian version of the word "Espagnol")? Who would have thought of Mexico as the ancestry of Hawaii's cattle ranches and their paniolos? and how did those cattle get to the islands from Mexico, from far away across an ocean, anyway!
July 4, 2019
Such a goddamn pleasure to read. Every passage, every sentence, every chapter makes sense from one to the next. The writing drips with charm and tiny details that all flow from one to the other. For a non-fiction junkie like me, this book has it all: sweeping histories of Hawaii, rodeo culture, Wyoming, the building of the transcontinental railroad, and more.
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