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Collectors show brings
the best of Hawaiiana

My favorite event of the year is coming up this weekend: da Hawaii All-Collectors Show at the Blaisdell, July 23 and 24.

I have been to shops and shows all over the country dealing with Hawaiiana and I gotta tellya, nothing equals a real Hawaiiana/collector's show in Hawaii. It's not a competitive thing. You meet the local Hawaiian dealers. You talk story with them. Malihini experience what is called "aloha spirit" firsthand.

The Hawaii All-Collectors Show is a welcome change for those who frequent collectibles shows, wherein they can buy and barter in the casual, friendly island fashion. If you are accustomed to collectibles events and shops on the mainland, get ready for something entirely different. Too often we are witness to grumpy buyers and sellers in hyper-competitive venues elsewhere. Buyers scan a booth without looking up or talking story or even sharing a simple greeting. They command, "I will give you this much for that." They launch right into a dollar amount, with no semblance of friendliness. Some with a lowball offer, adding insult to injury. No ho'omalimali. No talk story. Just attack like a stormtrooper. Where's the fun in that?

And they spout their unsolicited criticism or abrasive opinions -- "Oh, that's not a tiki mug," or "Jeez, I can get that for a dollar cheaper around the corner!" and they walk away with no further conversation or acknowledgement. And the mainland sellers, they sit there with a defensive, angry demeanor, looking like they were weaned on a pickle. When it gets too competitive, the heart and soul is lost from the adventure.

No, we in Hawaii prefer the ohana feel -- after all, we are one big family, in the collectibles arena. And we enjoy sharing our love for collectibles in general and our favorites in particular, trade stories, offer hints and tips on all aspects of the life of the hunter and collector.

speaking of arena, the great era of wrestling at the Civic Arena will be covered at the collectors show. This year's event features a multimedia display covering Hawaii's "Golden Age of Wrestling" from the 1960s and '70s. The display will consist of fan photographs, fabulous Super-8mm film/video taken at the matches, some audio of the wrestlers at interviews, wrestling memorabilia, a re-creation of the large wrestling TV cards, and special autographed 50th State Wrestling theme T-shirts, and -- newsflash! -- we have just received word that King Curtis "The Bull" Iaukea, one of the most popular and outrageous wrestlers from Hawaii's pro wrestling heyday, will be staging one of his famous 50th State Wrestling locker room interviews on Saturday at da show. Should be great fun!

We also will be witness to an amazing speed marathon build of two tenor ukuleles from beginning to end, only during show hours, by the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.

The Hawaiiana show is not a flea market. It contains numerous vendors of collectibles both high end and medium end of rare, fairly hard-to-find Hawaiiana (and non-Hawaiiana) representing all the eras. At least 200 vendors of pre-contact, monarchy, royalty collectibles, as well as the steamship-era tourist collectibles and '60s/'70s stuff.

This being the "All-Collectors Show" of Hawaii, they always seem to have a fabulous offering of all types of favorites from all eras, without those ridiculously inflated prices we see on the mainland. The show is an important venue as a source of Polynesiana in general. The appeal of Hawaiiana and collectibles in general is reaching an all-time high internationally. Let's continue to grow it. See you at da Hawaii All-Collectors Show this Saturday and Sunday!

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