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 worlds 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 championsand American legends. David Wolman and Julian Smiths 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 Kaaua, 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 Cheyennes 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 Hawaiis 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 didnt 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. The extraordinary lost story of the native Hawaiian cowboys who became rodeo champions, challenging the mythology of the American West "An inspiring and impeccably crafted story of against-all-odds triumph. I loved this book, truly." ?SIMON WINCHESTER "Wolman and Smith's masterful Aloha Rodeo is like uncovering a beautiful fresco you never knew was there, each turned page revealing another vivid and colorful piece of a true American West story that had lain long buried until now." ?SALLY JENKINS In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the world's greatest rodeo. Steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka'au'a had travelled 4,200 miles from Hawaii, of all places, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the native Hawaiians would astonish the country, returning home champions?and American legends. An unforgettable human drama set against the rough-knuckled frontier, David Wolman and Julian Smith's Aloha Rodeo unspools the fascinating and little-known true story of the Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, whose 1908 adventure upended the conventional history of the American West. What few understood when the three paniolo rode into Cheyenne is that the Hawaiians were no underdogs. They were the product of a deeply engrained cattle culture that was twice as old as that of the Great Plains, for Hawaiians had been chasing cattle over the islands' rugged volcanic slopes and through thick tropical forests since the late 1700s. Tracing the life story of Purdy and his cousins, Wolman and Smith delve into the dual histories of ranching and cowboys in the islands, and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, "Holy City of the Cow." At the turn of the twentieth 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." The hopes of all Hawaii rode on the three riders' shoulders during those dusty days in August 1908. The U.S. had forcibly annexed the islands just a decade earlier. The young Hawaiians brought 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, they didn't just astound the locals; they also overturned simplistic thinking about cattle country, the binary narrative of "cowboys versus Indians," and the very concept of the Wild West. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo spotlights an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West The triumphant true story of the native Hawaiian cowboys who crossed the Pacific to shock America at the 1908 world rodeo championships Oregon Book Award winner * An NPR Best Book of the Year * Pacific Northwest Book Award finalist * A Reading the West Book Awards finalist "Groundbreaking. ... A must-read. ... An essential addition." —True West In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the world's greatest rodeo. Steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Ka'au'a had travelled 4,200 miles from Hawaii, of all places, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the native Hawaiians would astonish the country, returning home champions—and American legends. An unforgettable human drama set against the rough-knuckled frontier, David Wolman and Julian Smith's Aloha Rodeo unspools the fascinating and little-known true story of the Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, whose 1908 adventure upended the conventional history of the American West. What few understood when the three paniolo rode into Cheyenne is that the Hawaiians were no underdogs. They were the product of a deeply engrained cattle culture that was twice as old as that of the Great Plains, for Hawaiians had been chasing cattle over the islands' rugged volcanic slopes and through thick tropical forests since the late 1700s. Tracing the life story of Purdy and his cousins, Wolman and Smith delve into the dual histories of ranching and cowboys in the islands, and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, "Holy City of the Cow." At the turn of the twentieth 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." The hopes of all Hawaii rode on the three riders' shoulders during those dusty days in August 1908. The U.S. had forcibly annexed the islands just a decade earlier. The young Hawaiians brought 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, they didn't just astound the locals; they also overturned simplistic thinking about cattle country, the binary narrative of "cowboys versus Indians," and the very concept of the Wild West. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo spotlights an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West. "In August 1908, three unknown riders arrived in Cheyenne, Wyoming, their hats adorned with wildflowers, to compete in the worlds greatest rodeo. Steer-roping virtuoso Ikua Purdy and his cousins Jack Low and Archie Kaaua had travelled 4,200 miles from Hawaii, of all places, to test themselves against the toughest riders in the West. Dismissed by whites, who considered themselves the only true cowboys, the native Hawaiians would astonish the country, returning home championsand American legends.An unforgettable human drama set against the rough-knuckled frontier, David Wolman and Julian Smiths Aloha Rodeo unspools the fascinating and little-known true story of the Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, whose 1908 adventure upended the conventional history of the American West.What few understood when the three paniolo rode into Cheyenne is that the Hawaiians were no underdogs. They were the product of a deeply engrained cattle culture that was twice as old as that of the Great Plains, for Hawaiians had been chasing cattle over the islands rugged volcanic slopes and through thick tropical forests since the late 1700s.Tracing the life story of Purdy and his cousins, Wolman and Smith delve into the dual histories of ranching and cowboys in the islands, and the meteoric rise and sudden fall of Cheyenne, Holy City of the Cow. At the turn of the twentieth century, larger-than-life personalities like Buffalo Bill Cody and Theodore Roosevelt capitalized on a national obsession with the Wild West and helped transform Cheyennes annual Frontier Days celebration into an unparalleled rodeo spectacle, the Daddy of em All.The hopes of all Hawaii rode on the three riders shoulders during those dusty days in August 1908. The U.S. had forcibly annexed the islands just a decade earlier. The young Hawaiians brought 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, they didnt just astound the locals; they also overturned simplistic thinking about cattle country, the binary narrative of cowboys versus Indians, and the very concept of the Wild West. Blending sport and history, while exploring questions of identity, imperialism, and race, Aloha Rodeo spotlights an overlooked and riveting chapter in the saga of the American West." -- Amazon.com Traces The Role Of Three Hawaiian Cowboys Who Became Champions At The 1908 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, Detailing How Their Careers Influenced Post-annexation Hawaiian Identity, Island Ranching, And The Rodeo Culture Of Cheyenne. August 1908. Three Unknown Riders Arrived In Cheyenne, Wyoming To Compete In The World's Greatest Rodeo. Steer-roping Virtuoso Ikua Purdy And His Cousins Jack Low And Archie Ka'au'a Had Traveled 4,200 Miles From Hawaii To Test Themselves Against The Toughest Riders In The West. Dismissed By Whites, Who Considered Themselves The Only True Cowboys, The Native Hawaiians Would Astonish The Country, Returning Home Champions-- And American Legends. Wolman And Smith Show That The Three Paniolo Were In Fact The Product Of A Deeply Engrained Hawaiian Cattle Culture. The Young Hawaiians Brought The Pride Of A People Struggling To Preserve Their Cultural Identity And Anxious About Their Future Under The Rule Of Overlords An Ocean Away. -- Adapted From Jacket Introduction: Proving Ground -- High Steaks -- Ferae Naturae -- The Empire -- Holy City Of The Cow -- An Attractive And Novel Program -- Warriors To Wranglers --showtime -- The Rider -- Cowboy King Of The Islands -- A Royal Good Time -- Go Fetch Your Glory -- See America First -- Opening Day -- A Lesson In How To Handle Steers -- Gems Of The Sea -- Epilogue: On The Mountain. David Wolman And Julian Smith. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 225-231) And Index.