Perhaps many people don't associate rodeos with Hawaii. But, the tradition of the
paniolo (cowboy) in the islands goes back to the 19th century when the paniolos roamed the ranges of Maui and the Big Island, herding cattle and running the ranches.
And, where there are cowboys, there will be rodeos. In fact, in 1908, three Hawaiian cowboys went to the great World Rodeo Championship in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Ikua Purdy was given a standing ovation as the World Champion while Archie Ka`aua took third.
But, the ranching and rodeo tradition is not all about men. In 2006 74 year old Maui cowgirl Rose Cambra Freitas was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum's Cowgirl Hall of Fame, the only Hawaiian woman to be nominated. An article in the Honolulu Advertiser gives a fuller account of her career leading up to that historic event.
"The Makawao 4th of July Rodeo was founded in 1956 by the Maui Roping Club, an organization founded in 1955 by Harold "Oskie" Rice, George Manoa, Sr., and other local cowboys. The club presented the first Makawao Rodeo in 1956, and since 1966 a Paniolo Parade in Makawao Town has welcomed spectators to the Makawao Rodeo." ~~Hawaii for Visitors
The rodeo is primarily a local event with some families participating for several generations. The Big Island of Hawaii always has a good representation of participants as well.
The parade has become in important part of the rodeo weekend, with riding groups, local civic groups and businesses, floats and antique cars, and even a bagpipe band. On parade day there is no parking in town, and visitors are encouraged to park at the rodeo grounds and take a free shuttle to the parade area.
Ka'ahele Hawa'i gives this account of the origins of the paniolo tradition:
"In 1793, British sea captain George Vancouver gifted the Hawaiian King, Pai`ea Kamehameha, with long horned cattle. Kamehameha place a kapu (royal sacred protection) on the cattle, allowing them to roam and breed freely.
Within two decades, the animals had formed huge herds, eating native crops, and stampeding through villages, causing destruction and terror. Similar to the famed Texas Longhorn, the Hawaiian cattle were smart, wily, and very dangerous. The kapu had to be lifted to allow the capture of these animals.
John Parker, a New England sailor who jumped ship in 1809 and remained on Hawai`i, became a friend of Kamehameha. Parker did set sail one more time, but returned to make the islands his home 1812, and talked the king into granting him the right to hunt the wild cattle. Once the kapu was lifted, other people also began hunting the wild cattle, beginning the Hawaiian ranching industry.
By the 1830s, ranching was an important part of the Hawaiian economy. Hawaiian hides, tallow, and beef were important in international trade, and even supplied many outfits during the California Gold Rush.
At that time, King Kamehameha III decided to take a world tour, to meet other heads of state so that Hawai`i could take her place among the nations. On that tour, the King was impressed with the skill of the Mexican-Spanish Vaqueros. He requested the King of Spain send vaqueros to Hawai`i to train the Hawaiian in ranching, to modernize the industry and to make it more productive."