Virtual Exhibit
Sports, Clubs, & Activities
During the plantation era, recreational sports and clubs thrived amongst children and adults alike. There were many opportunities to participate in fun activities for all members of the community, and the following photographs showcase but a handful of these sports and clubs.
Listen to our stories
This virtual exhibit is the product of the ongoing digitization of our archival collections and features photographs that have never been on exhibit in our physical museum space. As you view the photos, we invite you to listen to stories of Dean Del Rosario (whose father is the photographer of many of the following photos), Albert Morita, and Diane Preza, who all grew up during the plantation days and are deeply rooted to Lānaʻi. While their experiences are their own, we believe many who grew up during this time will find their stories relevant and of value to the greater story of Lānaʻi's community.
Little League
The Yankees were one of many community little league teams. Many organizations sponsored the teams, including the Young Buddhists Association, the Catholic Church, and the Lions Club.
Listen to Dean Del Rosario share about the little league teams:
Boy Scouts Troop 66
Boy Scouts were an incredibly active club in the plantation community. Here, Troop 66 is pictured during an outing on Lānaʻi Hale, with Maunalei Valley visible in the background.
Listen to Albert Morita (pictured on the right) share about the boy scouts:
Sea Scouts
Boy Scouts weren't the only scouts around. Aurelio Del Rosario led the Sea Scouts, a group of boys who learned seamanship and sea safety while being out on the ocean.
Listen to Dean share about the Sea Scouts:
Girl Scouts
Girls were not to be forgotten--there was also an active girl scout troop on Lānaʻi. Girl scouts participated in a myriad of activities in the outdoors and in the community, and the club continued for many years.
Listen to Diane Preza share about the Girl Scouts:
Bowling Leagues
Did you know the building in the center of Dole Park served as a bowling alley for many years? Still called the "bowling alley," the building once played host to four bowling lanes and was a central hub for community fun. Many community members formed teams and engaged in friendly competition.
Listen to Diane share about the Bowling Alley:
Lānaʻi Gun Club
In modern times, hunting has continued to be a favorite activity of Lānaʻi people. As avid hunters, the club's members utilized pistols, rifles, and shotguns. The club would host various shooting competitions throughout the year, including a special "turkey shoot" at Thanksgiving.
Listen to Albert share about the club:
Volleyball
There were many community activities held outdoors that invited the participation of all. While many sports teams focused on men at the time, women still joined in on the athletic fun. Here, Lānaʻi women play volleyball at the public park.
Lānaʻi Tennis Club
Lānaʻi City Band
Help us honor their legacy
Lānaʻi City has changed much over the past 100 years, but the values that emerged from the plantation community remain valuable. The shared experience of Lānaʻi people during the plantation days created the foundation of our local culture today. This virtual exhibit has been developed with the hope that people on Lānaʻi and beyond are inspired by the lives plantation people lived--vibrant lives that were so much more than just their work.
Our first ever virtual exhibit is part of the "Our Living History: Lānaʻi Digital Archive" project. We have diligently worked with our archivist to organize and continue digitization of our collections, and this exhibit is a product of our continued commitment to making our history accessible by all.
We hope this is just the beginning. If you have additional contextual information about the photos in this exhibit or your own Lānaʻi family photos to share, we invite you to reach out and join us in our journey to care for our island's rich history, culture, and values.