LIHUE >> Ten new members will be inducted into the Kauai & Niihau Cowboy Hall of Fame tonight. Cowboy Hall of
Fame honors 10By Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.comThe Hall of Fame began last year with 10 inductees, one of which was a horse. An exhibit featuring the 2001 selections will be on display at the West Kauai Visitor Center through Sept. 15.
This year's selections include two Kauai cowboys already inducted into the statewide Hawaii Paniolo Hall of Fame: Harold Aiu and Eddie Taniguchi, Jr.
Aiu was born on Kauai in 1920. As a teen-ager, he began working at Kekaha Sugar Plantation Ranch roping wild bulls and tying them to trees. In the 1960s, rodeo became popular on Kauai and Aiu won the "All-Around Cowboy" title for Kauai eight times.
He also has competed in California, Oregon, and at the U.S. Team Roping Championship in Oklahoma. In 1995, Aiu won the team roping event at the Makawao Rodeo and in 1998 took home his third trophy in team roping at the age of 78.
Eddie "Junior" Taniguchi Jr. was born in Waimea and is the third generation of his family to work at Makaweli Ranch. At the age of 6, he began joining cowboys on cattle drives up Waimea Valley. Today he is the foreman for Makaweli Ranch.
His granddaughter, Jessica "La" Morris, became interested in rodeos, and Taniguchi has become her coach. She competed at the State High School Rodeo Finals held on the Big Island and represented Hawaii in the National Finals held in Illinois last July.
The other eight inductees include a polo player and the founder of one of Kauai's largest cattle ranches:
>> John "Johnny" Malina Sr. was born on Kauai in 1885 and was a cowboy for Kipu Ranch for more than 50 years. Malina's fame was earned as a polo player when many paniolo participated in the sport. He was also known for his skill training polo ponies. He died in 1940.
>> His son, John "Pili" Malina Jr., was born in 1906 and began working as a cowboy at age 12 at Kipu Ranch.
Malina was one of the few cowboys on Kauai who made his own rawhide ropes and whips. He would be on horseback every day including Sundays, when he would take his whole family riding. He died in 1968.
>> Norman Kalani Hookano was born in 1959 in Waimea and has been a paniolo for more than 25 years. He is a fourth generation cowboy and a regular participant in rodeos and parades.
>> His brother, Delbert "Kaipo" Kaipoleimanu Hookano, was born in 1968 in Waimea and is employed at Gay and Robinson's Makaweli Ranch. Kaipo has been a full-time paniolo for 13 years.
>> Manuel Andrade was born in 1918 in Kalaheo, Kauai and learned cattle ranching from his father and grandfather. He started his own ranch at age 17. At age 24, he won the title of "All-Around Cowboy."
>> His father, Manuel S. Andrade, was born in Lihue, Kauai in 1896 and began his cowboy career working for Gay & Robinson in Pakala. He later moved to Makaweli Ranch and established his own ranch in Kalaheo. He died in 1983.
>> Jose "Joe" Kanoa was born in Wailuku in 1900, served in World War I and returned to Kekaha to become a paniolo for the Knudsen brothers, driving cattle into the ocean at Waimea Landing to waiting steamships. He also went on cattle drives from Kalalau Valley.
In 1928 he was promoted to ranch foreman. He died in 1967.
>> Francis Gay was born in 1852 in Pigeon Bay, New Zealand. Gay and his cousin Aubrey Robinson formed a partnership as Gay & Robinson at Makaweli in 1889 for cattle ranching and sugar cane growing.
Gay's role in the enterprise was as ranch manager while Aubrey, a lawyer, managed the business interests. Upon retirement, Francis sold his interests in Gay & Robinson to his cousin. He died in 1928.