1900s

1901 Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers perform at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. 

                                     

Lui Thompson, Duke Kahanamokuʻs uncle, gets his start in Mekia Kealakaiʻs orchestra at the fair. 

                                    A bandmate, William Coelho, returns to be a founder of the  University of Hawaiʻi and is elected to the Territorial Legislature.

1901                           Keoneula Boys Reform School is renamed Waileʻe Boys School and is moved to North Shore, current location of Crawford’s Convalescent home today. Henry Berger continues to teach students music there. 

1904 Joseph Kekuku begins teaching the steel guitar in San Francisco; starts performing the next year.

                                    Lui Thompson and the Honolulu Students / Royal Hawaiian Troubadours record for the American Record Company in New York.

1905-6 The Royal Hawaiian Band and the Kawaihau Glee Club under the direction of Mekia Kealakai perform at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon. Many musicians remain for years on continent performing on the Chatauqua tent show and vaudeville circuits, as well as touring into Canada and Mexico. 

                                    Ernest Kaʻai publishes first ʻukulele instruction method.

1907                            Bergstrom Music Co. in Honolulu sends Hawaii-made ukuleles to the Martin Guitar Co. to copy, but rejects them when received. 

1908 Toots Paka’s Hawaiians (July Paka and his haole wife Hannah Jones) successfully perform in New York City, and record the next year. Joseph Kekuku joins them from 1909-1912.

1909 Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers perform at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, Washington.