Eric Alfred Knudsen
Encyclopedia
Eric Alfred Knudsen was an American author
, folklorist, lawyer
and politician
. He is most known for his writings and collections of short stories of and about Hawaiian folklore and culture.
, Hawaii
. He grew up and lived on Kauai
. His father was Valdemar Knudsen
, a west Kauai
sugar
plantation
owner. He was educated at Mason's School in Auckland, New Zealand and Chauncey Hall in Boston, Mass. He graduated from Harvard in 1894 and Harvard Law School
in 1897. Knudsen was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association
in 1898. He subsequently returned to Hawaii in 1900 where he was admitted to bar but did not practice.
He became manager of Knudsen Bros ranch. He served in the Territorial House of Representatives, the Hawaii Senate
and on Kauai as School Commissioner and as Chairman of the Kauai Board of Supervisors. He was also a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
and served as its Speaker from 1905-1907. Knudsen was a delegate
from Kauai
to the 1904 Republican National Convention
in Chicago, Illinois. He retired from politics in 1932.
Away from politics and at home on Kauai, Knudsen would return to the pastimes he liked best - hunting and enjoying the unspoiled outdoors - and he probably knew the mountain trails of Kauai better than anyone in his day, blazing one of the earliest trails to the summit of Mount Waialeale
.
Later, during World War II
(1939-1945), which brought thousands of soldiers, sailors, and Marines to Kauai to train before going to war in the western Pacific, Knudsen traveled from military camp to camp with the local USO, telling mainland-born GIs his Hawaiian tales and legends. Knudsen became known as the "Teller of Hawaiian Tales," when his placid voice could be heard in the Islands over KTOH
radio, located on Ahukini Road in Lihue, while he narrated his tales of Hawaiian cowboys, and ghosts, and journeys into the mountains of Kauai, and those legendary times when the Hawaiians and their gods mingled on a daily basis.
So popular was Elika's radio program, that its sponsor, the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Honolulu, offered to mail reprints of each story he told over the radio, and over the course of one year, 50,000 reprints were mailed.
Knudsen had visited Iolani Palace with his father when he was about 12 and meeting the "Merry Monarch," King David Kalakaua, who was a good friend of his father's. In 1911, during his heyday as a politician, he had the honor of taking Queen Liliuokalani to lunch in Honolulu. No ordinary lunch, according to a newspaper account:
, the Hawaiian Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) of Wellington Ranch still raise cattle on the south side of the island of Kauai.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, folklorist, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He is most known for his writings and collections of short stories of and about Hawaiian folklore and culture.
Biography
Eric Alfred Knudsen was born in Waiawa, KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He grew up and lived on Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. His father was Valdemar Knudsen
Valdemar Knudsen
Valdemar Emil Knudsen was a sugar cane plantation pioneer on west Kauai, Hawaii.-Background:Valdemar Emil Knudsen was born in Kristiansand, in Vest-Agder county, Norway. He was college-trained in botany and science in Copenhagen. Knudsen was successful both as a publisher in New York City and as a...
, a west Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
owner. He was educated at Mason's School in Auckland, New Zealand and Chauncey Hall in Boston, Mass. He graduated from Harvard in 1894 and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1897. Knudsen was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association
The Massachusetts Bar Association is a voluntary, non-profit bar association in Massachusetts with a headquarters on West Street in Boston's Downtown Crossing. The MBA also has a Western Massachusetts office....
in 1898. He subsequently returned to Hawaii in 1900 where he was admitted to bar but did not practice.
He became manager of Knudsen Bros ranch. He served in the Territorial House of Representatives, the Hawaii Senate
Hawaii Senate
The Hawaii State Senate is the upper chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The senate consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands. The senate is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently...
and on Kauai as School Commissioner and as Chairman of the Kauai Board of Supervisors. He was also a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Hawaii House of Representatives
The Hawaii House of Representatives is the lower house of the Hawaii State Legislature. Accord to Article III, Section 3 of the Hawaii Constitution, amended during the 1978 constitutional convention, the House of Representatives consists of 51 members representing an equal amount of districts...
and served as its Speaker from 1905-1907. Knudsen was a delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
from Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
to the 1904 Republican National Convention
1904 Republican National Convention
The 1904 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in the Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on June 21 to June 23, 1904....
in Chicago, Illinois. He retired from politics in 1932.
Away from politics and at home on Kauai, Knudsen would return to the pastimes he liked best - hunting and enjoying the unspoiled outdoors - and he probably knew the mountain trails of Kauai better than anyone in his day, blazing one of the earliest trails to the summit of Mount Waialeale
Mount Waialeale
Mount Waialeale at an elevation of , is a shield volcano and the second highest point on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Averaging more than of rain a year since 1912, with a record in 1982, its summit is one of the rainiest spots on earth....
.
Later, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1939-1945), which brought thousands of soldiers, sailors, and Marines to Kauai to train before going to war in the western Pacific, Knudsen traveled from military camp to camp with the local USO, telling mainland-born GIs his Hawaiian tales and legends. Knudsen became known as the "Teller of Hawaiian Tales," when his placid voice could be heard in the Islands over KTOH
KTOH
KTOH is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Kalaheo, Hawaii, USA, the station serves the Kauai area. The station is currently owned by Hochman Hawaii-One, Inc.-History:...
radio, located on Ahukini Road in Lihue, while he narrated his tales of Hawaiian cowboys, and ghosts, and journeys into the mountains of Kauai, and those legendary times when the Hawaiians and their gods mingled on a daily basis.
So popular was Elika's radio program, that its sponsor, the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Honolulu, offered to mail reprints of each story he told over the radio, and over the course of one year, 50,000 reprints were mailed.
Personal life
He married Cecilie Alexandra L'Orange on September 15, 1905, in Oslo, Norway. They made their home at Kiahuna in Poipu. They had five children. Knudsen died February 12, 1957 in Lihue on Kauai.Knudsen had visited Iolani Palace with his father when he was about 12 and meeting the "Merry Monarch," King David Kalakaua, who was a good friend of his father's. In 1911, during his heyday as a politician, he had the honor of taking Queen Liliuokalani to lunch in Honolulu. No ordinary lunch, according to a newspaper account:
Queen Liliuokalani was resplendent in an imported creation of lilac brocade draped with silver platinum lace veiled by chiffon ... jewels were worn, fashioned of Indian tiger claws, filigree gold and pearls, a neck piece, drop-earrings, brooch and tiara
Eric A. Knudsen Trust
He established a trust in 1922 to provide stewardship over 3000 acres (12.1 km²) from Mount Kahili to Poipu Beach on the south side of Kauai. Located on Knudsen lands from Koloa to Hawaii Route 50Hawaii Route 50
Route 50 is a road that stretches from Route 56 at the junction of Rice Street in Lihue to a point approximately 1/5 mile north of the northernmost entrance of the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the western shore of Kauai. It is the longest numbered road on the island of Kauai is named...
, the Hawaiian Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) of Wellington Ranch still raise cattle on the south side of the island of Kauai.
Selected works
- Hawaiian tales told by Teller of Hawaiian Tales (1945)
- Kanuka of Kauai (1945)
- Spooky Stuffs: Hawaiian Ghost Stories (1974)
- Teller of Hawaiian Tales (1946)