Na Paniolo o Hawai‘i

In 1838, at the request of Kamehameha III, Spanish-Mexican vaqueros came from California to teach Hawaiians how to manage the wild herds. The vaqueros became "paniolo," a word derived from "espanol" or "Spanish." The name was also given to the new Hawaiian cowboys. Paniolo music, dress and arts are uniquely Hawaiian.

The Hawaiian paniolo, our Island cowboy.

The first cowboys in Hawai‘i were the American vaqueros.

Central to paniolo heritage is an appreciation of nature, music, and the skills of artisans who created saddles, lau hala hats, featherwork, braided rope, flower lei and other items. Island cowboys favored 'ukulele and kika (guitar) music and songs written in Hawaiian. Though the cattle industry has declined, paniolo traditions remain popular in local culture today.

Cattle ranch, Kualoa, windward O‘ahu.

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