What is a palaka shirt?
The palaka is a traditional Hawaiian shirt that finds its origins in the shirts worn by English and American sailors landing in Hawaii (known to them as the Sandwich Islands) in the early 1800s.
What is palaka fabric?
An iconic plaid fabric, palaka is known as Hawaii’s plaid. It is one garment in particular, a sailor’s shirt or “frock” as it was called, that was apparently transliterated as palaka, and the name shifted to mean the coarsely woven fabric from which the shirt was made.
Where did palaka come from?
WHAT IS PALAKA? Palaka is a 4×4 woven checked pattern, usually created from cotton. Use of palaka in Hawaii dates back to the 19th century during the time of King Kamehameha. It was named by Hawaiians and first-generation Japanese immigrants, and soon became a ubiquitous fabric in local closets.
What is palaka in Hawaiian?
While the garment’s name refers to its inimitable pattern, the word palaka is actually a Hawaiian transliteration of the English word “frock.” It comes from the loose-fitting, long-sleeved work shirts that Western sailors wore when they first appeared in the islands, starting with Captain Cook in 1778.
Where did the Palaka shirt pattern come from?
The Palaka shirt checkered-patterned fabric dates back to the time of King Kamehameha the great, when explorers were infrequent visitors to Hawaiian shores. The pattern made it’s way in the late 1900’s when Americans ordered tons of checkered-patterned thick cloth from England to make the uniforms for the field workers.
Can you wear Palaka shirts with Hawaiian shorts?
Today palaka shirts are a great addition to your Hawaiian shirt wardrove and are available in long and short sleeves for men. We also have palaka shorts with the same checkered fabric, unisex design with elastic waisband drawstring and two front pockets. Wear the shirt and shorts set to create the perfect palaka match!
Who are some famous people who wear Palaka?
Artists like Cecil & Kapono or The sons of Hawaii started to wear palaka regularly as a means of showing off their native roots; while Eddie Kamae made the pattern his calling card, even on his most recent album “Yesterday and Today” which sports the pattern flauntingly on the cover.
Who was the largest mass producer of Palaka clothing?
This is also when the largest and most well-respected mass-producer of palaka clothing emerged. Goro Arakawa was just a baby when he remembers people in the village begging for the repairs and custom palaka clothing from the end of the Arakawa’s family sewing machine.