With your kind permission, we’d like to try something a little different with today’s installment of our occasional First Contact series: an account of a civilization’s initial experience with written language, rather than its introduction to an alien people.
We initially planned on posting something about the development of the Hawaiian alphabet—we’ve long been fascinated by [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Hawaii'
First Contact: Hawaiians and the Written Word
October 28th, 2009 · 9 Comments
“Step Into My Dojo…”
June 25th, 2009 · 2 Comments
This morning’s sumo-related post stirred up memories of another Hawaiian-born legend of the sport: Konishiki, aka “The Dump Truck.” Though he never attained the exalted rank of yokozuna—perhaps due to anti-foreigner prejudice among sumo’s elite—Konishiki never let the disappointment get in the way of his artistic ambitions. As evidenced by the above video, the truly [...]
Scouting for Hawaiian Titans
June 25th, 2009 · 5 Comments
The sumo world is saddened by the passing of Larry Loyes Kukahiko Aweau, the man most responsible for the sport’s “Hawaiian invasion.” A judo black belt whose cousin was among the first Americans to wrestle in Japan, Aweau spent decades combing the 50th state in search of sumo talent. His greatest scouting find was an [...]
In Pace Requiescat
May 25th, 2009 · No Comments
We hope the vast majority of our American readers are enjoying the Memorial Day holiday outdoors, and thus won’t be reading these words ’til much later. Microkhan, alas, won’t be barbecuing with y’all—this is just another work day ’round here, as the screenplay deadline looms. We’re gonna devote the bulk of today’s energies to that [...]
Tags:Hawaii·Herman Perry·India·Now the Hell Will Start·NtHWS Extras Month·Washington Post·World War II
Paint the Far Corners
May 8th, 2009 · 1 Comment
In the process of prepping a special series on first contacts (which will launch next week), Microkhan recently became acquainted with the work of John Webber, an English painter best known for accompanying Captain James Cook to Hawaii. Fortunately for us, Webber did not share Cook’s bummer of fate, and went on to create some [...]
Tags:Alaska·anthropology·Captain James Cook·First Contact·Hawaii·John Webber·painting·tattoos
