The Land of the Ukulele: A Visit to the Hawaiian Islands / Cartoon: High Cost of Living Part 3
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. “We’re off! Bound for the cross roads of the Pacific. Comfortably quartered on the palatial steamer ‘Great Northern’ we bid adieu to San Francisco and her gay farewells --” Crowded dock - crowds at rails of ship moving away from dock - ship under way. “The Hawaiian Island territory of the United States consists of a chain of islands in the north Pacific 700 miles in length.” Map. “There’s an old saying that everything that goes up must come down. Albeit the gentle Pacific ruthless in its reversal of the laws of gravity elects that everything that goes down must come up.” Man leaning over rail of ship. “Five days at sea and, Land Ho! Our good ship docks at Honolulu on the island of Oahu.” Waterfront, crowded dock, ship moving into dock - crowd on dock. “And this is Honolulu, where to be exact, Captain Cook landed just 141 years ago.” Business district, automobile, pedestrian traffic. “Dainty little Japanese folks always smiling and quaintly gowned in gay kimonos while young Mikados ride merrily behind.” Japanese section of city, Japanese in native dress on streets. “Our friends from Japan and there are 90,000 of them in the Hawaiian Islands group fill many important industrial activities -- a Japanese fruit store.” Small open-front store, customers. “Making ‘leis’ a wreath made from flowers and paper and worn by the Hawaiians signifying goodwill and friendship.” Street peddlers sitting on sidewalk, pedestrian traffic - woman making lei. “And every morning the smiling Japanese vegetable man leaves fresh fare for your table.” Man carrying vegetable baskets hung from pole across shoulders. “The Capitol of Honolulu and previously the Palace of Queen Liliukalani.” Large building on square. “The Judiciary Building housing the courts and department of education.” “This isn’t Old King Cole but Good King Kamehameha who years ago captured Honolulu and the surrounding islands.” Statue in front of building. “And here is the old statue Worshiper, a familiar sight to Honolulu tourists. He’s waiting for King Kamehameha to come to life -- he’s been waiting for 25 years and no sign of life yet.” Man posing in front of statue - traffic - pedestrians at low wall at side of road, trees and buildings in background. “And this is probably the first portable house ever made for in 1819 it was shipped via Cape Horn from New England for the use of the early missionaries.” White frame house. “The Mission Memorial.” Building with columned porch. “Honolulu school teachers receive their training in an up-to-date normal school.” Building, pedestrian traffic. “While the Honolulu kiddies master their ‘Three R’s’ in the little red school house.” Row of one room schoolhouses, children lining up, entering. “And of course a Public Library where he who runs may read.” Building. “The Old Coral Church called ‘Kawaiaho’ and constructed in 1822 by American missionaries.” “The home of the late Queen Liliuokalani.” Frame house. “Honolulu homes vine bedecked and surrounded with foliage bespeak the hospitality of the islands.” Views of palm tree-lined streets and houses. “On the beach at Waikiki.” Crowded beach, swimmers and small boat in water. “Beyond Waikiki rising majestically 800 feet above the sea, stands Diamond Head. A strongly fortified Government Station.” View from park. “Kapiolani Park.” Automobile, pedestrian traffic, horseback riders in tree-shaded park. “The famous Banyan tree. Years ago the Banyans or Hindu merchants gathered under its sheltering branches and it cane to be known as the Banyan tree.” Wide spreading tree. [1919] b. Animated cartoon of tropical beach, hut, coconut tree, volcano in background - man leaving hut, looking up at tree labeled ‘H.C.of L.,’ climbing tree picking coconut labeled ‘1901,’ taking it into hut - tree growing taller, fruit for ‘1910’, ‘1915,’ growing, disappearing, ‘1920’ coconut. “High Cost of Living is Causing Social Unrest.” Man leaving hut, looking up at ‘1920’ coconut, going back into hut, coming back with hatchet. “Come Down or be Cut Down.” Tree shrinking, man picking coconut. Pen writing, ‘Animated by Ford’ - ostrich picking orange off tree, swallowing it. [1920]
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