Portuguese festa this Saturday in Hilo
On Sept. 30, 1878, the first Portuguese families arrived in the Kingdom of Hawaii from Madeira on the steamship Priscilla. These 120 settlers were ...
On Sept. 30, 1878, the first Portuguese families arrived in the Kingdom of Hawaii from Madeira on the steamship Priscilla. These 120 settlers were the first group of close to 25,000 Portuguese immigrants who would travel 15,000 miles by ship, on 29 voyages between the years of 1878 and 1913, to make Hawaii their new home. Madeirans brought their expertise in sugar production, others were skilled craftsmen, and many contributed to the labor force of Hawaii's sugar plantations. In 2002, the Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce established a 501(c)3 nonprofit to build a cultural and educational center to document, preserve and share their stories and contributions to the Hawaii we know today.