You may have heard that the ukulele was invented by Portuguese immigrants to Hawaii. Credit has been given to Manoel Nunes, Augusto Dias, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Joao Fernandes for its invention though the actual details of who did what are a little murky. The Madeiran Machete The ukulele is derived from the Portuguese…
Category: Heritage
The Artistry of Madeiran Embroidery
Several years ago, I was visiting with my sister-in-law and her sister. They showed me the beautiful tablecloth that was purchased on the island of Madeiran and had been in their family for years. The artistry is amazing. An Example of a Madeiran Embroidered Tablecloth Before spondylitis destroyed my fingers, I used to do embroidery….
Unukupukupu Halau Hula Performance
The Library of Congress has added a new entry to it’s it’s YouTube collection. This video is a traditional hula performance from the Hula School of the Community College of Hilo, Hawaii. The presentation is an hour and ten minutes long. Enjoy this performance of traditional dancers…
Women Worked Too!
[Originally posted on YourIslandRoutes.com. Reposted for Fearless Females–Women’s History Month, March 12th: Working Girl] After piling over my research notes for the last 10 or more years, I’ve come to the conclusion that women worked much earlier than movies, television, and books lead us to believe. While many joined the work force during the depression…
Advent Calendar: The Lost Pajamas
(Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Day 10: Gifts) As I wrote about my doll, Tippy Toes, for the Smile for the Camera Edition #19, I thought I’d bring back my story about Grandma’s pajamas. Though the pajamas weren’t necessarily my favorite gifts to receive (what five year old dreams of pajamas?), but they do bring…