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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
 Posted - 08/19/2007 : 09:45:03 AM
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There seems to be an "Urban Myth" growing that suggests that the Slack Key Style was brought to Hawaii by the Vaqueros employed by King Kamehameha III in 1832, when he sent his High Chief to California (Then part of Mexico).
quote:
"Guitars were also brought to Hawai'i by Mexican and Spanish vaqueros (cowboys), hired by King Kamehameha III in 1832 to teach the Hawaiians how to handle an overpopulation of cattle. Many of them worked on the Big Island of Hawai'i, especially around the Waimea region.
In the evenings around the campfire, the vaqueros probably played their guitars, often two together, with one playing lead melody and the other bass and chords. This new instrument would have intrigued the Hawaiian cowboys, or paniolo, as they came to be called, who had their own strong, deep-rooted music traditions. However, given the strenuous work, the Hawaiians possibly didn't have time to learn a lot about this new music. When the hired cowboys returned to the Mainland a few years later, some of them gave their guitars to the Hawaiians."
Besides the obvious quote being from George Winston, John Marsden says that the first instance he can recall of the use of this type of story is its use by Raymond Kane in his shows etc.
The truth can be found documented by the newspapers of the period AND here :-
"Paniolo" by Joseph Brennan
ISBN O-914916-39-4
Page 51
And
"Aloha Cowboy" by Virginia Cowan-Smith / Bonnie Domrose Stone
ISBN O-8248-1085-6
Pages 14-16-17
The THREE Vaqueros names were :- Don Luzada, Mr. Ramon and Mr. Kussuth..and they came from California, that was at that time part of Mexico. They were professional wranglers and had large saddles ornately adorned with silver. The cattle were a BIG problem for the Hawaiians because they were quite vicious and not a bit like the domestic cattle of today. It’s also probable they DIDN’T play guitar or bring them to Hawaii.. there is NO substantiated account of them playing..Just the folklore that has built up since then. The likeliest way that guitars were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands was via the Missionaries and visiting sailors.
Conversely where are the missionary and Rancher reports from the era that contradict this, there aren't any.
Therefore without confirmation and proof positive of there being just three Vaqueros, how can the myth be continually perpetrated ? Especially considering that there is no mention of the three vaqueros in question even playing guitar. Their hands were probably knarled and chapped from all the roping and wrangling they did.
A more plausible source of origin could be found in Portuguese sailors visiting the Islands in the 1700's.
Possibly the tunings were developed by the Hawaiians not wanting to learn the fingering of a standard guitar tuning so they tuned them 'Open" in variants according to where and when.
Bob Brozman has stated that the Vaquero story is just that, a story.
As an aside John Marsden has the names of some of the cattle and copies of lots of documents from that particular era.
Thoughts Please, Mahalo.
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 10:00:45 AM
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| The Hawaiian royal court at the time wasn't exactly a backwards, savage lot - what is the likelihood that some ali`i were exposed to varied musical instruments, styles and tunings from their visits and exchanges with other nations of the era? Lack of documentation does not constitute proof of the non-occurrence of something. |
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sandman
Lokahi
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 10:03:26 AM
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| A source one might check is Dr. Ricardo Trimillos at the University of Hawai'i. |
Leap into the boundless and make it your home.
Zhuang-zi |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 10:15:00 AM
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Here is another wrinkle Henrique...
The guitars popular at the time are now referred to as "Parlor Guitars" (with a much smaller body that the now everpresent Dreadnaught Guitars). They were ofter played by the ladies as much or more that the gentlemen.
The most poplular TUNING at the time for most everyone other than strictly classical players was Open G. This is why Open-G is known as Old Spanish Tuning. The Spanish influenced countries, including Portugal adopted the popular Spanish Tuning for this Spanish instrument. Classical (standard) tuning was just beginning to be adopted by classical guitarists at this time in order to play in as many differing keys as possible without re-tuning, but it was not yet a very popular tuning. For folk guitarists, this was not an issue, a little bit of retuning between songs was no big deal (much like modern slack-key players).
There were no radios or TV (or course) so music was distributed person to person or by sheet music.
The MOST popuar music in New-Spain and even the non-hispanic U.S. at this time (1830-1860) were various Fandango's (a dance music form that dates back to Moorish Andalusia, and even further back to Rome). Fandangos in G were easy to play and dance along with, with lots of sliding notes and harmonies in third and sixths (much like Slack-Key). There is lots of documentation about many wild Fandango parties in New Spain at California Hacienda's at the very same time as the Vaquero's left to go help with the Hawaiian Cattle. (There are even Court records of drunken fights that broke out at a few of these Fandango's)
Since the Vaquero's came from New Spain and certainly one of these Hacinenda's, there is little doubt they were VERY familiar with the Spanish Fandango, and it is likely that at least one of them could play it, even if they did not bring a guitar with them.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 08/19/2007 10:16:31 AM |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 12:13:23 PM
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Hi Basil, nice to have you back.
This topic has been pretty extensively hashed out here, and lots of other places; so I'm not going to get in too deep (lest I find I've dug myself in...).
But, couple of random thoughts:
quote:
There seems to be an "Urban Myth" growing that suggests that the Slack Key Style was brought to Hawaii by the Vaqueros
Not so much an urban myth as a valued bit of Hawaiian oral history. It may be that you are atrributing the quote to George Winston and us mainland guys -- nope, it comes from the source. The story has been around a long time and is told by many families - I've heard it from Aunty Alice on an interview, Keola, Kevin Brown, Ray Kane, Sonny on record, Leabert Lindsey talking about his paniolo lineage, and many, many more.
I have learned from personal experience that it is not polite to dismiss oral traditions -- as one Ute friend put it many years ago: "there are truths, and then there are truths..."
quote:
The THREE Vaqueros names were :- Don Luzada, Mr. Ramon and Mr. Kussuth..and they came from California, that was at that time part of Mexico.
Yep, those were the first three. But they appearantly weren't the only ones- it seems other cowboys sailed & worked in the islands later. So more research might turn up something that substantiates the "Vaquero-slack key" connection. Or not, eh?
BTW: Kossuth (the spelling I'd found) is a Hungarian name. Go figure.
Lawrence is correct about musical parties in Alta California and the extensive documentation that is yours for the searching. I even recorded a bit of Californio music a couple of years ago.
Dennis Lake and I have spent many a happy hour discussing Californio traditions and musical instruments. He created a guitar in the style of an 1830's Alta California instrument and brought it to camp in June. Check out the "40th Anniversary Guitars" link on his website: http://www.konaweb.com/mahina/. I played it using a bit of sloppy Mexican technique (not that Mexican technique is sloppy -- rather I'm lousy at it.) It sounded amazing.
quote:
A more plausible source of origin could be found in Portuguese sailors visiting the Islands in the 1700's.
Or laborers of the 1900s. If memory serves, in the Dave Guard interview Gabby dismisses the vaquero story and says it was Portuguese who brought the guitar.
Add to that the parlor guitar craze mentioned by Lawrence, as well as the fact that numerous Hawaiians worked on ships and in the goldfields of California and Oregon (I live down the road from "Kanaka Flat," an old mining camp) in the 19th Century. Oh, and don't forget that there are open-tuned, finger-style guitar traditions all over Polynesia.
So what's it all mean? Well, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.
Happy sluething!
Mark |
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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 3:35:30 PM
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Aloha Mark, I wasn't meaning to be impolite by questioning, OK to call it an 'Urban Myth' is probably a little strong, but so is stating it as a fact as in the article on the Dancing Cat records site. That's dismissing the possibility of word of mouth being elaborated and altered in the way that we all know it can be. Isnt that why the Hula was used to strengthen the oral and be a corroborative statement ?
Next time you see Dennis, say Hi from Pat and myself. The Ukulele he made for Pat is outstanding. It's one of his "Island Jazz Cutaway" ones.
Greg with Pat's ukulele :-
Pat and Dennis :-
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On the same trip we met a lovely person (Below) who sang with us at the Marriot and danced beautifully whilst we played. :-
Myself, Pat and our new friend Tootsie Cazimero
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Edited by - Basil Henriques on 08/20/2007 02:56:10 AM |
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Bill Campbell
Akahai
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 5:44:13 PM
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| Basil, no apology is needed. Everything you said is backed by fact. Lot of us would rather argue with emotion, but fact usually wins. BTW, what a fine piece of machinery that Greg is holding in that photo. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2007 : 6:39:17 PM
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| My grandmother played a slack tuning from northern Sweden. My friend Hans' dad new another tuning from Austria. I've encountered another tuning, from the midwest. Let's face it: The standard tuning needs help. G tuning was found in German lute tablature from 400 years ago. A lot is lost from generation to generation. All the more important to jus' press. |
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Basil Henriques
Lokahi
United Kingdom
225 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 02:53:49 AM
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Thanks Mahalo Bill, the "fine piece of machinery that Greg is holding in that photo."
is a superb Island Jazz Cutaway with the built in electronics "three dimensional" bridge pick-up system. The electric(?) (non acoustic) sound is comparable to a miked up one, UNLESS you are using the very best of mikes in the very best of rooms.
Then it is celestially ethereal.
'Tone to the Bone'
Easily bettering the "Standard Issue" Polynesian Cultural Centre one in this picture with my friend Dorian Moe :-
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Edited by - Basil Henriques on 08/20/2007 02:57:41 AM |
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Cthulhu
Aloha
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 04:55:15 AM
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| Is anyone else struck by the fact that there are multiple traditions from multiple cultures involved here? Slack Key really is a unifying force in the universe... :) |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 08:23:54 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Cthulhu
Is anyone else struck by the fact that there are multiple traditions from multiple cultures involved here? Slack Key really is a unifying force in the universe... :)
Substitute "TaroPatch.net" for "Slack Key" in that posting - and you'd also be accurate. |
Edited by - Retro on 08/20/2007 08:24:05 AM |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 09:33:57 AM
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| I heard that George Winston invented slack key. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 09:59:31 AM
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| Craig, you got the wrong information. It think it was the slack key GUITAR that he invented. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 08/20/2007 10:00:04 AM |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 10:41:53 AM
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| Slack key invented George Winston. Jus pres. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 12:11:26 PM
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But rumors have been circulating that Burt Reynolds may have invented George Winston in 1973.
Bonus points to the first poster who can identify the convoluted (and totally imaginary) connection I am making here. |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2007 : 12:19:14 PM
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Toupees? The hots for Loni Anderson? Smokey & the Bandit? A good sun tan? Both from California? Went to college in California?
Dunno. I give up. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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