Elks 616 - defenders of artistic freedom or crass opportunists? Feb 1911: Geisha and Hula dancers were to perform in public at fundraisers for Palama Settlement and the Elks Carnival. Controversy erupted when Rev. O. H. Gulick denounced the dancing as evil. Geisha danced at Palama, but hula dancers may have performed only within a historic play. Elks 616 offered both dance groups their uncensored Carnival stage. Did the crowds come? Did sin pay?
Establishment Advertiser and Star news stories show a clash of western religion vs. cultural expression. In other papers... O Luso’s Portuguese readers got a page one preview of “Semana de Gala” [Gala Week] plans at Palama, Floral Parade, and Elks Carnival. A week later Luso reported on “Carnaval dos Elks” with Tribunal (Hold-Up Court) “victimas” fined “uno ou dois dollars.” No mention of dance disputes. Nupepa Kuokoa and other Hawaiian language papers reported the Carnival, giving most mention, as did O Luso, to Pres. Taft “He kaomi ana i ke pihi” [pushing the button] to send electricity to light “na hana hoikeike a ka hui ma-lu Elks of Hawaii nei [the Elks Club of Hawaii Carnival].” A survey of Hawaiian papers shows no blazing headlines defending libeled hula dancers or enraged letters to editors. Princesses Kalanianaole and Kawananakoa wrote furious letters to the English language papers, but Hawaiian papers gave more space to the legislature and a visit from herbal tonic salesman Brother Benjamin than to hula.
In 1911 public entertainment hula was not new. 1893: dancers Annie Cooper, Kini Kalai, Nakai Kukelehiwa, and Pauahi Pinao appeared at San Francisco’s Wigwam Theater.[1] 1906: hula helped the Hawaii Promotion Committee host California travel editors visiting the islands during a tourism push. 1910: 1st Elks Carnival had an unprotested hula booth. 1911: Just days after Gulick’s anti-hula blast, students at Laupahoehoe School entertained East Hawaii school teachers with hula using violin, mandolin, banjo, ukeke (plucked musical bow), and ohe (nose flute). An Advertiser review of the Geisha treated worry lightly: “not a single shock could anybody get for his money.” Of the Geisha dances, Elks wrote “fear not if someone of greater import in the community sees you enter.” Elks chided critics the hula at the Carnival contained “no bunny hugging.” Ragtime dancing, popular among the ‘ruder classes,’ outdid any hula. The Judy Walk, Texas Tommy, Turkey Trot, and Bunny Hug were criticized for wiggling, shaking, and grinding of ____ against ____. (We’re a family oriented Lodge, sorry you have to use your imagination!)
Gulick reacted because he believed Palama Settlement should practice and teach Christian values. The planned ancient hula he associated with traditional Hawaiian religion. Geisha, he thought, were forced into pre-Christian, presumed unchaste, activities.
Rev. Orramel H. Gulick (1830-1923), a missionary son, was a complicated guy. He made himself very unpopular chiding missionary children that they’d lost their spiritual way. He left Hawaii for missionary work in Osaka rather than keep his school open on Government money with strings. He placed the first Volcano House Register, inviting visitors to write their observations, and as a result today there is a huge body of information available on the history of eruptions. He opposed the Masters & Servants Act binding plantation workers to jobs, and actual labor immigration. He wrote in fluent Hawaiian for Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. He opposed making property ownership a voting qualification (likely to disenfranchise many Hawaiians). Lastly, he was sure the dancing or viewing the hula was going to send you straight to hell.
He wasn’t alone. In 1911 Paradise of the Pacific noted hula was no longer religious, noting tourists expected a very un-religious hula. This tainted image of hula may account for Palama fundraising organizer Mrs. W. F. Dillingham’s amazing admission: she’d never seen a hula danced. She backed the performance based on Hawaiian booth Chairwoman Princess Kalanianaole’s “assured good taste,” she told the Hawaiian Star reporter.
Gulick knew the Elks Carnival promoters saw a hook for publicity: “Like the wild ass of the desert, they have snuffled the east wind.” He rightly recognized Elks as power players: “antlers so tall as to rattle the rafters of the Alakea Street wharf house as they land.” Of Carnival decision makers and Geisha/Hula committeemen, only 2 were pre-1900 residents. Most were raised and began careers outside Hawaii and perhaps were indifferent to this old battle. Hula booth partner H. E. Murray (ER 1906-07), a St. Louis College grad and married to local girl E. A. Holt, probably knew more background to the dust up. These men were managers and leaders, not used to playing by rules others set out. They were prepared to rewrite the rules as had E. W. Quinn, of the Hula booth. While serving in the Territorial Legislature in 1905, he initiated repeal of a law forbidding sports on Sunday
Did sin pay? You betcha! Both the Komagiku Geisha Girls and Hula Hula Aggregation [“Read the papers? This is it!”] performances were reported as drawing standing room only crowds. Despite this, little is known about the hula danced at the Carnival. E. A. Douthitt (ER 1909-10) was assistant stage manager of the earlier Palama fundraiser event and likely the same dancers performed at both. We know not the hulas danced, nor the dancers’ names, but they drew a larger crowd than the Geisha, who had performed at Palama. Depending on the ticket price (10¢ or 20¢), 2000-3200 people saw the hula and 1200-2400 saw the Geisha perform. Among the booths where performers were paid, the dancers were the most financially rewarding. The whole Carnival project netted the Lodge about $4700 [2006 value = $93,050]. The Hold-Up Court was pure profit, but booths run by volunteers also were very profitable. Soon the Elks of Lodge 616 would find that their wives’ volunteer help had a price of a different sort.
Anita Manning, Lodge Historian
Next: A Carnival Economy
References:
Advertiser 1906 Sep 12, 18, 1911 Feb 7, 8, 10, 19, 22
Bishop Museum Archives Album 1981.374.01
Evening Bulletin 1911 Feb 18 p 25
Hawaiian Star Jun 15, 1893 p5; 1911 Feb 7, 10
Honolulu Times Feb 1911 pg 6
Ka Hoku o Hawaii 1911 Feb 9 pg 4
Kuokoa Home Rula 1911 Feb 24 pg 3
Men of Hawaii 1917 p 219, 1921 p 293
Nupepa Kuokoa 1911 Feb 24 pg 8
O Luso 1911 Feb 18, 25
On the Rim.1992 Hawaii Natural History Assoc.
Putney, “God vs. Sugar” Hawn Jrnl Hist 2003 37:63ff
Riggs, J. Treasurer’s Report Elks Carnival 1911 Mar 21
Paradise of the Pacific Feb 1911, p 2
[1] Wigwam manager Albert Meyer arranged a pau clad, flower bedecked furious horse-back dash by the dancers on SF streets to Golden Gate. Residents hung out windows to see women ride astride, then unusual.
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