The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-28
WORK FOR
HAWAI|ANS
Plans to Engage in the
Making of
Hats.

| A plan is on foot to go very largely
| into the manufacture of Hawaiian hats
| for the export trade
For years the need of distinctively
| Hawaiian industry which would be
adapted to the natural talents of the
Hawaiians has been felt. Work to
which the natives of these islands
would be attracted, and which would
employ them along the lines especially
suitable, is suggested by the skill
shown ny them in the weaving of ar
tiStiC braids and woven hats.
The Hawaiian men and women need
and want work. AS with every other
race. the employment must be such
as can best bring out the proper re-
suits necessary for the establishing on
paying basis of a permanent indus
try
shoe factory was to have been
started here by a philanthropic gen.
tleman some time ago. All of the
labor was to have been Hawaiian. 1t
was given up because the attempt to
force Hawaiian energy along lines for
eign TO the native temperament stood
in the way. The present experiment
in lace-making, while some beautiful
designs are being turned out, has yet
to prove itself success such as is de-
nIanded for Il national enterprise.
Weaving is distinctively a Hawaiian
art. The working processes of the
materials ana designs have been hand
ed down by generations of weavers.
1t can not be said truthfuIy that the
Hawaiian will not work hard. 1t is
true that the native does not take
readily to many of the openings af-
fCrded. The average American woman
would consider it very hard work in
deed to do what the natives accom-
piish in the preparation of materials
and the weaving of the same into
hats.
Up to the present the weavers have
been at the disadvantage of not being
able TO strike the popular fancy very
often. When their work has to wait
for a customer very long, they tire of
trying to please. To work in haste is
against their ideas, and SO quick or
ders are unsatisfactory to both weaver
and buyer.
Designs by a designer, an assurance
of steady work, good clean work.
houses, a place where the children may
be cared for during work hours, the
best Of materials, good food at noon
day, and ready cash for all work COM
pleted at the end of a fve-day week,
make up the solution of a late investi-
ga ton into the subject.
Some of HonOluiu'S best representa-
tive business men are interested in
the future welfare of the Hawaiians
as a race and an effort is being made
TO develop and organize their latent
talent and convert them to practical
commercial purposes, thus furnishing
the means of placing hundreds of in |
digent families in a prosperous and !,
condition.
A national pride is growing, educa-
ton and all the advantages afforded |
during the past fifty years have chang |
ed the Ha,Waiians, and no doubt they |
will rise to the occasion, especially the |
younger generation, with awakened |
ambition
To the few already interested, the |
of the labor with it's |
necessary rules and regulations has |
been given out. Further informa ton
the formation of huis for |
starting a Hawaiian national industry
will be cheerfully given by Mrs. Staar
Iapu, Hale Aloha Kawela, Vineyard
street.