Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World’s Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West

In this immersive history, Wolman (contributing editor at Outside magazine) and Smith (Crossing the Heart of Africa) aim to “overturn simplistic notions of cowboys and Indians” and “explore questions of identity, imperialism, and race” by telling the story of Hawaiian cowboy culture. Drawing on oral histories and other primary sources, the authors recount how, in the 1830s, King Kamehameha I invited vaqueros to teach Hawaiians how to rope and herd cattle; “Hawai’ian cowboys called themselves paniolo, a local twist on the word espanol.” The book flips between Hawaii’s ranches and Cheyenne Frontier Days, a rodeo show devoted to showcasing “life and sport in the West,” featuring such well-known characters as Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley. In 1907, paniolo (and ranching empire scion) Eben Low visited Frontier Days and offered American cowboys a trip to Hawaii to compete against him and his riders; the competition was a success, and Low and his riders were invited in turn to compete in Cheyenne, Wyo. In Wyoming newspapers, the Hawaiians were depicted as foreigners despite the annexation of Hawaii 10 years earlier, but they won “the rodeo equivalent of Olympic Gold.” This thoughtful look at Hawaii’s place in the Wild West will appeal to readers interested in underexplored elements of American history. Agent: Byrd Leavell, United Talent Agency. (May)