The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-11-06
Honolulu. September 20.


Editor Review: II seems as II one
might write forever about the won
drous tropical beauty OF these Hawaii
an Islands-the Paradise OF the Pacific.
There is 30 much here that appeals to
ones sense OF the beautiful and luxu-
RANT In nature. The languorous cli-
mate, the graceful, easy hospitality
that abounds, the magnificent vistas Of
deep green valleys. set off SO artisti-
cally by fringes of cocoanut trees, the
enormous sugarcane plantations, the
superb roads flanked by scenery that
would make any park in America fa-
nous. and the prodigality of nature on
every hand are only sample subjects
for chapters for any descriptive writ
ing from these South Sea Islands.
When these have been finished there's
still an ocean of material for endless
letters to people who know nothing of
the subtle idyllic charm of Hawaiian
life
Today I want to tell of the native
Hawaiians themselves. They are a
race unique in the world. They are a
vanishing race like our American In
dams. and 1 doubt not that many a
child now alive will live to see a scant
few kanakas left in the world. Con-
tact with the white mans civilization
spells decay and death to all races of
the South Seas.
The Hawaiians are a particularly
bland and cheerful race. A grabbed,
sour, unhappy old Hawaiian Is a rarity.
A scheming, grasping Hawaiian Is un-
known. The sunshine of youth ami
mates even the oldest among them, and
except for their white hairs and very
wrinkled. swarthy faces, one would not
believe the Hawaiians feel the touches
Of time when sixty and seventy years
OF life have passed over them.
1t is common to see gray -haired peo-
pie rolling and tumbling on the sward
in play with their grandchildren. An
aged grandparent and his dozen boy
grandchildren will go on fishing ex-
cursion with a common enthusiasm,
and all come home together like a
pack of hilarious schoolboys. Hawaii
an parents and their children will
dance, play simple games and plague
one another without thought of diff
erence in ages, for half day at
time. The natives are as improvident
for the morrow as little children.
Not one of then in fifty ever has
food provided a week ahead And why
should they? There is the sea and bays
all about the island teeming with de-
licious fish, the fields have never been
known through countless ages to be
tardy in producing succulent taro tub
ers for the national poi. Besides. there
are dozen varieties of fruits always
hanging on the trees for someone to
come and eat. Sorrows that would
crush the average person of the Cauca-
sian race fall lightly upon the Hawaii
ans. They love their children and par
ents as devotedly as any one can. but
death leaves traces of sadness behind
for only a few days. A Hawaiian home
may be plunged in the deepest of gen.
uine woe for day or two at the death
of a child and the following week 1t
will ring with gay kanaka songs and
maybe there will be a dance there.
Among any people but the Hawaiians
the horrible blight of leprosy would
create serious and saddened race.
Hundreds of homes in the islands have
representative or two among the
miserable beings who have been trans
ported to the leper settlement at Mo-
lokai island to remain there until
death relieves them from isolation and
disease. But one would hardly know,
unless he examined into the subject
concerning the prevalence of >leprosy
in the Hawaiian islands. The natives
never speak of the disease themselves,
no matter how much their hearts may
he breaking with pity for banished and
diseased members of their families.
They merely shrug their shoulders and
change the subject when conversation
veers that way.
The Hawaiians love music more than
any race in the South sea. The strum-
ming of banjo or guitar or the
clarion notes of a cornet will draw
throng Of natives at a time. If the
music Is gay the feet of the crowd Will
presently begin to move in time to the
| music. Four out OF five of the natives
| are able to play some musical instru-
ment, and as one rides along the roads
| in the outskirts of Honolulu at even
| ing when the days work Is done,
continuous strain of string music may
| be heard from the grass huts and low
! ly cabins of the natives
At the Claus Spreckels great sugar
plantation of Maui, 1t Is one of the
articles of agreement with the 1900 ma
tive laborers that they shall be pro-
vided with musical instruments and a
place to dance.
A dozen years ago hand organ man
invaded Honolulu and 1t is said he set
the natives about crazy with delight
at his novel and wonderful music.
Native men and women could not be
induced to work for days at time,
and thousands OF them followed the
hand organ man about all day long.
which amounts to about $4,000, 900, bu
kings mother and to the Duke of G
Aosta, so he is left with barely enou
Alfonso Kill, of Spain, has an
$l,430,000. Provision is made for men
SO that this sum is practically all his
Leopold H., of Belgium, receives
900, out of which $4,000 must be paid
to have keen business instincts, which
. | paid to him by the state and to aeau