We usually associate American cowboys with states like Texas, California and New Mexico…not Hawaii. So it may come as a surprise that Hawaii has its own cowboy tradition dating back to the 1800s.
It all began in 1798 with a gift of cows from Captain George Vancouver to the King of Hawaii. They thrived so well that the fertile land was soon overrun with wild cattle. Not knowing how to deal with them, the Hawaiians called in the experts: Mexican vaqueros. They came to the islands and taught the natives their cowboy skills. Known locally as the ‘Spaniards’ or ‘espaniolos’, the word – pronounced Hawaiian-style – transformed into ‘paniolos’ and, nearly 200 years on, Hawaiian cowboys are still called paniolos.
The Big Island of Hawaii today has a strong cowboy community, the heart of which is based around the small town of Waimea in the north west of the island. In fact, it’s here you’ll find the largest privately owned ranch in the USA, Parker Ranch.
Sonny Keakealani Jr began working for the ranch in the 1970s. Even though he’s now retired, he still lends a hand with jobs like breaking in new horses. Sonny’s just received the Silver Spur Lifetime Achievement Award from the Paniolo Preservation Society for his contributions to paniolo heritage. He’s been telling me about life as a Hawaiian cowboy.
First broadcast on Outlook, BBC World Service, 13th March 2012