Local News
'Steamy' Chow recalls Hilo life in new book
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Click Photo
to Enlarge Grace
Chao, Robert "Steamy" Chow and Kaholo Daguman read over "As I Recall," a
collection of Chow's stories about Hilo from the 1920s to the 1960s, and
artwork by Connections Public Charter School students. The book is due to
be released in late November. Below is a page from the book. - William
Ing/Tribune-Herald |
by Bret Yager
Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
For years, he told the stories to whoever would listen
-- yarns about his early years Hilo, flecked with the color of plantation life,
the smell of pork frying, the sound of roosters crowing and the roar of tidal
waves.
All along the Hilo streets that were so familiar to him, Robert "Steamy" Chow would tell the stories. And people would tell him he should write it all down so his encyclopedic memories wouldn't be lost the way so many of the streets and buildings of Hilo had been washed away by waves and time.
This fall, Chow will be releasing a compilation of those memories, "As I Recall," published by Friends of Connections Public Charter School and printed by Art Book Co. of Taiwan. Each story is illustrated with artwork by the Connections students he regaled so often with his tales of olden times as a featured kupuna at the school.
"I became a policeman on May 1, 1943. I've been involved in so many disasters," Chow said. "My first day of work, there was a twister out in the bay. When it came on land, it was a hurricane. Roofs came twirling off."
The book also contains a story on the interesting circumstances surrounding the Kuwahara Store, which was left standing as other buildings around it collapsed in the tsunami of 1946. But there are more than disaster stories. The book also includes Chow's cultural observations about life a half-century ago, like this one: "One good thing about the Filipinos, they would go in groups. They would pitch in and buy a car together. If you could drive the car, you were the driver. Those who piled in the back seat would lean forward on the back rests of the front seats. They always seemed anxious about where they were going and didn't want to miss out on anything going on."
"As I Recall" delves into portions of Chow's life, how he got his nickname, life in downtown Hilo in the 1920s-'40s, the lifestyles of different ethnic groups during plantation times, the end of the railroad, and the two tsunamis that washed through Hilo. The 12 middle and high school students who illustrated the stories, basing many of their color drawings and paintings on historic photos and personal interviews with Chow, also offer testimonials in the book.
Connections literacy and assessment coordinator Kaholo Daguman began compiling and editing Chow's stories just before Chow's 80th birthday in 2002.
"You cannot waste a treasure like this," Daguman said. "When you listened to his stories, he'd always say, 'As I recall... .' But I never had a paper and pencil. Then I decided I needed to get all of this down. Most of it is in this book, but if you sit down with him, in a half-hour you'll hear a story that's not in this book."
Grace Chao, multicultural education coordinator and art teacher at Connections, said Chow's generation is the backbone of the town, and that their stories should be told more often.
"I think this book will really enrich every person who lives here, either through remembering what life was like or gaining an understanding of this place we all call home," Chao said.
Chow wraps up the 60-page book with this: "I can still taste the crispy pork skin from Tung Ching's meat market. I can still remember Aunty Mabel of American Bakery giving me that day-old pastry and telling me that I was a good boy today. I can still feel in my heart the Aloha Spirit that pervaded the community of Hilo."
"As I Recall" sells for $30 and must be pre-ordered before Oct. 14. Those interested may pick up an order form at Connections in downtown Hilo or request that one be mailed by calling 961-3664. Checks should be made out to CBESS-Friends of Connections. The mailing address is 174 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, HI 96720, Attn: Grace Chao.
Books will be mailed to purchasers or can be picked up at the school during a book-signing at the Kress Art Gallery planned for late November.
A portion of proceeds will go to multicultural education projects and scholarships at Connections.
E-mail Bret Yager at byager-@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
All along the Hilo streets that were so familiar to him, Robert "Steamy" Chow would tell the stories. And people would tell him he should write it all down so his encyclopedic memories wouldn't be lost the way so many of the streets and buildings of Hilo had been washed away by waves and time.
This fall, Chow will be releasing a compilation of those memories, "As I Recall," published by Friends of Connections Public Charter School and printed by Art Book Co. of Taiwan. Each story is illustrated with artwork by the Connections students he regaled so often with his tales of olden times as a featured kupuna at the school.
"I became a policeman on May 1, 1943. I've been involved in so many disasters," Chow said. "My first day of work, there was a twister out in the bay. When it came on land, it was a hurricane. Roofs came twirling off."
The book also contains a story on the interesting circumstances surrounding the Kuwahara Store, which was left standing as other buildings around it collapsed in the tsunami of 1946. But there are more than disaster stories. The book also includes Chow's cultural observations about life a half-century ago, like this one: "One good thing about the Filipinos, they would go in groups. They would pitch in and buy a car together. If you could drive the car, you were the driver. Those who piled in the back seat would lean forward on the back rests of the front seats. They always seemed anxious about where they were going and didn't want to miss out on anything going on."
"As I Recall" delves into portions of Chow's life, how he got his nickname, life in downtown Hilo in the 1920s-'40s, the lifestyles of different ethnic groups during plantation times, the end of the railroad, and the two tsunamis that washed through Hilo. The 12 middle and high school students who illustrated the stories, basing many of their color drawings and paintings on historic photos and personal interviews with Chow, also offer testimonials in the book.
Connections literacy and assessment coordinator Kaholo Daguman began compiling and editing Chow's stories just before Chow's 80th birthday in 2002.
"You cannot waste a treasure like this," Daguman said. "When you listened to his stories, he'd always say, 'As I recall... .' But I never had a paper and pencil. Then I decided I needed to get all of this down. Most of it is in this book, but if you sit down with him, in a half-hour you'll hear a story that's not in this book."
Grace Chao, multicultural education coordinator and art teacher at Connections, said Chow's generation is the backbone of the town, and that their stories should be told more often.
"I think this book will really enrich every person who lives here, either through remembering what life was like or gaining an understanding of this place we all call home," Chao said.
Chow wraps up the 60-page book with this: "I can still taste the crispy pork skin from Tung Ching's meat market. I can still remember Aunty Mabel of American Bakery giving me that day-old pastry and telling me that I was a good boy today. I can still feel in my heart the Aloha Spirit that pervaded the community of Hilo."
"As I Recall" sells for $30 and must be pre-ordered before Oct. 14. Those interested may pick up an order form at Connections in downtown Hilo or request that one be mailed by calling 961-3664. Checks should be made out to CBESS-Friends of Connections. The mailing address is 174 Kamehameha Ave., Hilo, HI 96720, Attn: Grace Chao.
Books will be mailed to purchasers or can be picked up at the school during a book-signing at the Kress Art Gallery planned for late November.
A portion of proceeds will go to multicultural education projects and scholarships at Connections.
E-mail Bret Yager at byager-@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
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