The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-14
CAKEMALK FOR
WEDDING MARCH
Tells How Victorious Couple Are
Married and All Cakewalk
in Church.

| ~ Tie yClAoWCSt VI GA JSA1S" 49,
nails, has reached out its hano
and taken in the Islands. Nearly every
leountry of the word has figured in Its
columns, and the people represented
have found themselves decked out IN
yellow clothing and besmirched with
yellow paint, but thus far the Hawaiian
Islands had escaped.
/ The natives of HIo had better stick
to their fayorite hula, and not digress
from the old steps and genufecuons. for
siif they do the Examiner correspondent
win interpret the new steps into cake
walk and have them oolng all SORTS OF
funny things.
The latest thing that the residents of
Hilo have been guilty of according 10
the last Sunday Examiner to reacn this
City, is "cakewaik wedding.
/ "a cakewalk cCnlest where cupid mace
the cake and Hymen was the Judge,
Isays the Examiner. lis the newest ,'rc-
Iduction of the Hawaiian Islands. Con
! tinuing, the yellow journal goes on:
| "A cakewaik contest where Sueio :il;lde
! the cake and Hymen was the iidSe is
the newest production of the Hawaiian
Islands.
| OF all the ingenious ways of entering
the uncertain portals of matrimony tHat
surely none can be compared with tae
lcakewalk wedding which recently united
1.-TWO natives of Hilo, Hawaii. The tradi-
tional solemnity of such occasions ,qas
tbhthely put aside and br de and groom
ieakewalked out Of single blessedness tiiIo
marriage.
! The events which brought about this
uncommon wedding ceremony are of as
much interest as the celebration itself.
! The natives of Hilo, Hawaii were Iv-
ling in their prosa-c. easy-golns way,
seeking amusement in their traditional
hula hula when inclination moved them.
One evening the spirit of progress in
vaded the town in the form of profess
sional entertainer, his show cons sting
mainly in the performance of the cake
walk in all its sinuous evolutions.
| These ragtime eontortions were some
thing entirely new to the kanaka audi
ence, but they seemed to take it with the
same avidity that they take to their
poi AT the conclusion of the show,
when the entertainer announced his In
tention of remaining In the town to in
struct those who desired In the intrica-
cies of the cakewalk, he received tree
mendous burst of applause.
His classes were too large to manage
Everybody desired to become familiar
with the new genuflactions. The hula
hula was neglected and almost discard
led. But the skill at their native dance
made the natives apt pupils at keeping
fancy step to ragtime.
The cakewalk ran riot. There was no
quarantining it. Even stolid Cinnamon
would unbend and take a turn at this
new dance that everybody was trying.
People would be seen on the principal
streets with heads tilted back, aiiily do
ing some new step wnIle friends played
a musical instrument Entering a store
| to make a purchase, person would see
> RI n1a n W
| a swayback glide to ask his wants.
But the seabeach seemed to be the
Mecca for cakewalk devotees. There m
the sand, with light bathing suits for
costumes, the natives would travel rap
turously up and down in this exotic
dance. There would be seen:
The dancing pair that simply sought re-
nown
BY holding out to tire each other down.
Where there vas so universal an indu!-
gence in this newly introduced pastime.
It was natural rivalry should spring
up among certain factions. To decide the
much-mooted question of superiority the
gentleman who was responsible for this
dancing mania made arrangements for a
genuine cakewaik.
About fifty couples participated in this
great try-out and on account of the gen.
eral excellence Il was especially difficult
to award the prize.
The decision was finally given in favor
Of Maura, Young native business man,
and Melalhoa Akaua, one of the acknowl
edged bellies III Swagger kanaka society.
In grace of execution. In vim and dex-
terity displayed, IN cleverness of new
turns performed, this tawny couple
earned their laurels.
They had Joined hands in this triumph
al contest. Why hot join hands and
hearts in lifes battle? Maura found the
winning of his Kanaka sweetheart an
easy task
But now for the marriage ceremony.
With the memory of their victory fresh
in their minds, the idea of cakewak
occurred to them. They had shown the
town that they were the champions in
this. mode Of dancing. Now, why not en-
ter wedlock by the eakewalk route?
There were difficulties in the way The
securing Of a preacher who would con-
sent to this strange, new ritual was
hard task. A good many shook their
heads in emphatic negation, deeming the
whole course very sacrilegious AT length
a divine was secured who had no OBJ
jections, and, indeed, who had a secret
tfondness for. the cakewalk himself.
| When the wedding guests had congre-
gated In the church a sight met their
eyes which was without question the
queerest ever seen in religious edifice.
The bridal party entered. No fcnd faith
er was to be seen leading his trembling
uduSnter 10 the waiting groom at the
altar. But down the long broad aisle
came the 1.-THE and graceful bride and
groom, executing the cakewalk with
lconsummate ease. 1t being a somewhat
difficult task to accommodate ragtime to
lMendelssohn's wedding March, the
organist played "A Georgia Camp Meet
ing, a far more appropriate piece
| Following closely behind the smiling,
dancing couple came the four brides
maids, elegantly gowned. airily doing the
lcakewalk with four groomsmen
J When the minister appeared the audi
ienee was surprised to detect in his tread
faint suspicion of the ragtime
/ When the procession arrived at the al
tar scene was enacted in keeping with
the surroundings. Bride and groom
started In to show the guests that they
We're indeed without Their peers in the
realm of cakewalking Back and forth
/ In front of the altar they went. doing