8/22/09

Pinch me, I'M DOING THE HULA


I have an album of photos of a woman named Jean who took a trip from San Francisco to Hawaii aboard the S. S. Manoa back in the late 20s or early 30s. The Manoa was part of the fleet of ships owned by Matson Lines. I'm just not sure exactly when the trip took place. I have no other information about her except for shots of her standing in front of things in Hawaii or aboard ship. There are also some snapshots of her friends. This shot is one of the more "wild" shots in the book. 

Go Jean, go! Shake it baby, shake it! Kick up your heels and let your hair down. Go native and feel the lahala mat beneath your bare feet. Catch the scent of a plumeria as the tradewinds blow by. What happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii...except for the gossip the whole way home aboard ship. 

Jean doing the Hula_tatteredandlost

I'll just call this the Vernacular Photography Hula. It is a category. I must hunt for more.

Additional silliness: I just found this and had to add it. It fits the fun feeling of women out on their own taking a cruise to Hawaii.

6 comments:

  1. Do you think that was taken at
    Co Co Joe's hut?

    She'll have to kick OFF her heals before she can feel the lahala mat.

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  2. Wow not just one photo but an album.
    Look on her hand and see if she has a wedding ring in any of the photos.

    She was perhaps a university student because Minoa, Hawaii is where the University of Hawaii is.

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  3. That was my first thought, but it's much bigger than Coco Joe's. Also I have a couple other photos of him, one where he looks like he's working in a taro patch. But then between the time Jean was there and we were there, who knows. I remember dad saying that in the 40s Waikiki was just a big messy swamp. When I first went there, in I think '53, it was already the sidewalk along the beach in front of the Royal and Moana. No swamp.

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  4. I can't see any wedding ring, but I think she was single. Looks like she stayed at the Royal Hawaiian because there is I believe a partial picture of it. I don't think she was a student. There is a card in the front of the album from a friend wishing her a nice trip and how much she'll miss her. So I think this was just a trip of a lifetime for her.

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  5. She is obviously having a very good time.

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  6. And this is the most casual she looks in any of the photos. In each photo she's all dressed up. That time has certainly passed. Frankly, I know how humid Hawaii is and to see her always dressed up I just know that she was used to San Francisco weather and suddenly was dying in the heat.

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