|
|
|
Caboverdeans in Hawaii
By Melody Lassalle
In 1800, very few foreigners had made their way to the Hawaiian Islands. No records exists for the pre-1800 inhabitants. Our only knowledges comes from ship logs and the journals of early sailors.
The American whaling industry began in the Pacific island region about 1819. By the early 1820s, Hawaii was the main supply port for ships making their way through those waters. After 1830, more ships with non-American crews could be found in the region. The Caboverdeans from Cape Verde were among those early whalers and sailors. According to an article in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, 70% of whalers were Black. Caboverdeans made up a portion of that 70%.
The earliest Caboverdeans to make Hawaii their home were crew members on whaling ships. Brava, Cape Verde was a major shipping port and became a prime location to find crew members. These sailors were among those wishing to escape the harsh realities of life at sea. They jumped ship at Hawaii and swam to shore. There they began new lives with their Hawaiian neighbors. Some Caboverdeans were brought to Hawaii by established relatives. There don't seem to be Capoverdeans among the numbers of laborers brought over during the sugar plantation era.
How many Caboverdeans were there in Hawaii? In 1872, the Hawaiian census shows 395 people of Portuguese descent living in Hawaii. No breakdown is given by Portuguese locality. In 1878, 120 Caboverdeans were counted by the Portuguese Consul of Hawaii.
The Caboverdeans made contributions to Hawaii. They built homes, ranches, and farms. They married Hawaiian women and raised families. They worked as laborers in the fields, masons, attorneys, bookkeepers, and so forth.. They owned businesses, farms, and ranches.
The largest contribution to the Portuguese community that Caboverdeans made may be the formation of the Sociedade de Santo Antonio (the Santo Antonio Society). The society was set up to help the Portuguese residents of Hawaii. Caboverdeans were among the founders and charter members of the society. The vice president was Ricardo Antonio Xavier, a native of Sao Nicolau, Cape Verde. The other Caboverdeans included: Antonio Joaquim Lopes of Boa Vista, Joao Vicente Gomes of Brava, Antonio Ramos of Sao Nicolau, Jose Mendes of Cape Verde, Aurelio Fortes Ramos (aka Archo Forts) of Cape Verde, Joao Pina of Cape Verde, and Manoel Antonio Barreto of Cape Verde.
While the Caboverdean contingency in Hawaii may be much smaller than the Azoreans and Madeirans, they were able to make many contributions. It's unclear how many Caboverdeans stayed in Hawaii or how many descendants of these early immigrants make Hawaii their home today. Their ancestors are sure to be counted by their influence and achievements in Hawaii's early history.
Copyright © 2003 Melody Lassalle
Sources:
1. Honolulu Star Bulletin, "Exhibit Asks For Historic Items of African Americans in Isles", By Leila Fujimori, 18 Sep 2000, (http://starbulletin.com/2000/07/18/news.story.html)
2. J.F. Freitas. "Portuguese Hawaiian Memories: 1930". Communications Concepts, CA : 1992.
3. "Portuguese Immigrants to Hawaii". Compiled by Edgar C. Knowlton, Jr. Maui Portuguese Cultural Club : 1993.
4. Edgard C. Knowlton Jr. "Portuguese in Hawaiian Before 1878". Hawaii Council on Portuguese Heritage : 1995.
Return to the IslandRoutes article index
Return to the IslandRoutes Main Page