Pa'u riders
Pa'u riders (pronounced pah-oo riders),{{cite book|author1=Marcie Carroll|author2=Rick Carroll|title=The Unofficial Guide to Maui|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BHioZMXo4X4C&pg=PA45|date=4 May 2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-37998-1|page=45}} (sometimes written as pa-u riders), are {{Language with name/for|haw|wahine|women}} horseback riders who wear long, colorful skirts ({{langx|haw|pāʻū}}) and characteristically ride astride, rather than sidesaddle. This equestrian tradition's roots are from the early 19th century, when horses were introduced to Hawaii and aliʻi women dressed up to ride for formal occasions. It declined after the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, but was revitalized in the early 20th century with the establishment of formal riding organizations called Pa'u Riders. Today, they participate in Kamehameha Day floral parades and other parades and festivals throughout the islands.
History
The pa'u riding tradition began just after Captain Richard J. Cleveland introduced horses to Hawaii in 1803. Kamehameha disliked the creatures, partially on account of the amount of food they required, so western sailors began riding them along the beaches to demonstrate their capabilities. Hawaiian men and women quickly took to riding, establishing a long equestrian tradition that also includes the paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboy. As the early Western visitors to Hawaii were men, rather than women who might have introduced sidesaddle riding, Hawaiian women joined the men in learning to ride astride. Additionally, Hawaii soon established trade connections with Central and South America, where women often rode astride. This contact may have influenced the development of riding customs and dress among Hawaiian women."A history of pa'u" (April 5, 2007). Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
File:Adele Kauilani Robinson Lemke (PP-75-2-021).jpg
File:Pa'u Queen 100th Anniversary Kamehameha Day Floral Parade.jpg
The term pāʻū means skirt in the Hawaiian language.{{cite book|author=Roy Alameida|title=Stories of Old Hawaii|url=https://archive.org/details/namoolelohawaiio00alam|url-access=registration|date=1 January 1997|publisher=Bess Press|isbn=978-1-57306-026-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/namoolelohawaiio00alam/page/108 108]–}}{{cite book|author=Elizabeth J. Lewandowski|title=The Complete Costume Dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA223|date=24 October 2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7785-6|pages=223–}} Riders initially began wearing long skirts to protect their legs while traveling. Over time, as the riders took part in performances and displays, their outfits became more elaborate and elegant. English writer Isabella Bird visited Hawaii in 1873 and noted women riding astride, a notable difference from European custom.Jensen, Chelsea (April 11, 2011). "The pa'u tradition". Hawaii Tribune-Herald.{{cite book|title=Paradise of the Pacific|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4f7kAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA19|year=1906|pages=19–}}
As the Kingdom declined, so did this tradition. Attempts were made by the monarchy to revive the custom but were unsuccessful. In 1906, Lizzie Puahi organized the first association of women riders for a floral auto parade.{{cite book|title=All about Hawaii: The Recognized Book of Authentic Information on Hawaii, Combined with Thrum's Hawaiian Annual and Standard Guide|url=https://archive.org/details/allabouthawaiir00unkngoog|year=1904|publisher=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|pages=[https://archive.org/details/allabouthawaiir00unkngoog/page/n882 2]–}} Puahi began the Pa'u Rider's Club from her residence in Waikiki, Oahu, and began holding monthly gatherings. They recruited other women and practiced equestrianism.{{cite book|author1=Virginia Cowan-Smith|author2=Bonnie Domrose Stone|title=Aloha Cowboy|url=https://archive.org/details/alohacowboy0000cowa|url-access=registration|year=1988|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=978-0-8248-1085-6}} Soon afterwards, Theresa Wilcox began a riding society. Today, Pa'u riders are commonly seen in festivals and parades across Hawaii.{{cite book|author=Elizabeth Blish Hughes|title=Explorer's Guide Hawaii's Big Island: A Great Destination|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSzs8dac-RQC&pg=PA125|date=1 December 2008|publisher=Countryman Press|isbn=978-1-58157-091-5|pages=125–}}
The pronunciation of the word pa'u is in two syllables because of the use of the Hawaiian diacritic called the okina. This apostrophe-like symbol indicates a glottal stop and precedes a separate vowel sound. This keeps similarly spelled words such as pau (pronounced "pow") and pa'u (pronounced "pah-oo") from being confused.
In 1917 Jack London wrote in his work The Cruise of the Snark:
{{quotation|"Then there were the pa-u riders, thirty or forty of them, Hawaiian women all, superb horsewomen dressed gorgeously in the old, native riding costume, and dashing about in twos and threes and groups. In the afternoon Charmian and I stood in the judge's stand and awarded the prizes for horsemanship and costume to the pa-u riders".{{cite book|author=Jack London|title=The Works of Jack London. --: Martin Eden|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BswwAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA105|year=1917|publisher=Review of Reviews Co.|pages=105–}}}}
References
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Further reading
- {{cite journal|last=Ford|first=Elyssa|title=Paʻu Riding in Hawaiʻi Memory, Race, and Community on Parade|journal=Pacific Historical Review|location=Berkeley|publisher=University of California Press|volume=84|issue=3|date=August 2015|doi=10.1525/phr.2015.84.3.277|issn=0030-8684|oclc=6965418202|pages=277–306}}
External links
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