My parents and their friends certainly knew how to party back in the day! Several old photos I ran across a few days ago confirm other earlier evidence, including my mother’s recipe for “scorpions for 20.”
The photos capture a BBQ complete with pig being roasted over open coals. It had to have been a special occasion. I believe it was either later in 1940 or early 1941 at the house my parents were renting at 1018 Kealaolu, much later the scene of the now infamous staged theft of then-HPD Chief Louis Kealoha’s mailbox, the faked crime that brought down the chief, his wife, and several HPD officers in what is considered one of Hawaii’s most significant corruption cases. At that time, there were farms or undeveloped land behind that house and others along Kealaolu. My parent’s dog, Kiki, seems in the photos to be very much at home, consistent with my belief that the party was at their home.
This was not long after my dad’s arrival in Hawaii, formation of the Hawaiian Surfing Association, and my parents’ wedding, all in 1939, and
the group seems to include a number early Waikiki beachboys.
The caption handwritten on the back of one photo identified the people gathered on the deck of the house. From left to right, they are identified as Joe, Ox, Charlie and Libana, and Fred.
Charlie Crabb and Libana Furtado were married in October 1939, two months before my parents. Libana and my mom became friends while students at the University of Hawaii, and my dad met Charlie soon after arriving in Hawaii in May of that year.
“Ox” was pretty easy to identify as Wiliam “Ox” Keaulana who was, among other things, a lifeguard at the Natatorium, and the uncle of revered waterman Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana.
I haven’t been able to identify Joe and Fred, or Eddie, who appears in another photo (according to its caption).
At the barbeque: Joe, Ox, Charlie and Libana Crabb, and Fred.
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- Kiki
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- Kiki on my dad’s lap
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- Eddie hard at it
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Good people, good times!
My mother Patsy May Pritchard lived near there on Kahala Avenue. At that very time, she was attending Punahou High School while uncle Barry was attending Roosevelt. My grandfather George Pritchard was a dentist at Palama Settlement while my grandmother Victoria worked in the Honolulu Book shops. That day, they might even have caught the aroma of that delightfully roasted pork, if the wind was right.
Years ago, the most incredible roast pork I’ve ever had was on a spit, much like the one in your picture. I was told it involved over-night manual rotating of the rotisserie mechanism, which involved shifts. One of the finer points explained to me was that the constant turning means the pig is internally basted and the fat doesn’t all drain out into the fire. Later, I saw a homemade motorized spit at a party on Maui. Same amazing roast pork resulted!
Fantastic old photos Ian!!! And priceless memories for you… Mahalo for sharing 🙂