“Hale Diabolo”

This chapter examines the popularity of American minstrelsy in Hawaii during the nineteenth century. It looks at professional touring minstrel troupes from the mainland, amateur troupes consisting of the crews of various visiting ships, and local indigenous troupes of Hawaiian minstrels. An examination of Hawaiian newspapers, personal diaries, and theatrical playbills indicates that blackface minstrelsy was one of the most popular entertainments in Honolulu in the mid-nineteenth century. Not only were professional minstrel troupes imported from the mainland, but amateur troupes consisting of Euro-American sailors and local troupes of Hawaiian minstrels were also common fixtures of the Honolulu stage. The chapter examines the Hawaiian minstrel show as representative of the emergence of modern Hawaiian popular music, influencing all levels of Honolulu society, showcasing the mimetic and syncretic nature of Hawaiian popular music. It also tells the story of the man who managed the Royal HawaiianTheatre for twenty years, Charles Derby.