ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

 

Since this project began in 1998, the aim has been to tell the story of a remarkably adventurous young woman who accomplished amazing feats of skill and daring and set many world records, yet has somehow been lost to history. Our research sent us in all directions, chasing the bits and pieces of Aloha’s life that had blown about the great wide world. And though we didn’t need to drive around the world, we have been assisted and encouraged by people on every continent.

The subject of this biography, in both her Idris and Aloha personas, assisted us in ways she would not have dreamed possible while circling the globe in a “flivver” ninety years ago. It’s to her that we offer our deepest thank you, not only for understanding the wisdom of keeping journals and notes and scrapbooks about her life and experiences, but also for actually living that astonishing life. She continues to be an inspiration.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the following:

Aloha’s two children, Valri and Nile, for so generously sharing your memories and memorabilia with two authors whose single-minded purpose was to return your mother’s legacy to its rightful place in history. She was a “first” in more ways than one.

Valri’s two daughters, Margaret and Leinani, and to Nile’s son, Richard, for sharing your stories of life with your mother and grandmother, your gracious hospitality, your family photos, artifacts, and for entrusting us with the telling. We hope this book introduces Aloha to a whole new generation.

Pat Reynolds and Ruth Stewart, librarians at the Long Beach Public Library, for your historical interest and excitement about the project, and especially for that surprise manila envelope containing Long Beach newspaper clippings.

Barbara Thompson, Laura Kotsis, and Paige Plant at the Detroit Public Library’s National Automotive History Collection, for unfettered access to the Aloha Baker Collection.

Jake Homiak, Daisy Njoku, and Pam Wintle of the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Studies Film Archives, and Amy. J. Staples of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, for access to tape recorded interviews with Aloha, copies of films, especially Last of the Bororos, her narration scripts, and assessments of the historical importance of those films.

Richard Peuser and the staff of the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland, for assistance in sorting through the mass of early twentieth century Department of Justice, military, and intelligence records on Walter Wanderwell and help in understanding their impact.

Daien Ide of the North Vancouver Museum and Archives, for helping us locate the Hall family’s original residence and some of Herbert’s business interests.

John Waggener of the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming in Laramie, for allowing us to be the first to open the Walter Baker Papers that detail so much of Aloha’s life post-1933.

Claude Zachary of the University of Southern California’s Doheny Memorial Library Archives, for access to Walter Wanderwell’s international police papers.

DeSoto Brown of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu, for access to Aloha’s film My Hawaii.

Deborah Griffiths, executive director of the Courtenay and District Museum on Vancouver Island, for continued encouragement and for help putting the Comox Valley’s early twentieth–century history, and the Hall family’s place in it, in perspective.

Deborah Chapman, curator of the Salmon Arm Museum, for helping to locate and assess the local residency records of Margaret and Robert Welch, and the marriage records of Margaret and Herbert.

The staff of the Historical Society of Long Beach for supplying much-needed background information on the city during the 1930s and especially for locating two “hidden” glass negative plates showing the burial of Walter Wanderwell.

Rose Katsuki, Police Services Specialist, Homicide Cold Cases, Long Beach Police Department, for digging into cold cases and unsolved murders to help locate pertinent files and information on Walter Wanderwell and others.

The late Joe Bell, columnist and staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and the Daily Pilot, for sharing reminiscences of his friendship with Aloha during the 1980s and writing so eloquently of her accomplishments.

David Coppen, Kodak archivist, for his fond memories of Aloha and his insight into working with her during the preparation of her mementoes and archives.

Miriam Ramos and the staff of the Los Angeles Superior Court Archives, for help finding the microfilmed court records and transcripts of the William Guy trial and intervening with Kodak when the microfilm disintegrated due to age.

Ranju Alex and the staff of the Oberoi Grand Hotel in Calcutta, for help in understanding the relevance of Aloha’s visit there. We hope to visit one day soon!

Toby Parker, archivist, Haileybury and Imperial Service College, for information on Herbert Hall.

Deidre Simmons, author and former archivist, and Christine Godfrey, archivist, for St. Margaret’s (and St. George’s) School for girls on Vancouver Island.

Patrick Dunae, PhD and honorary research associate (History) at Vancouver Island University, for clarifying aspects of the Vancouver Island education system at the turn of the last century.

Don Tarasoff, past president of the Society of Saanich Peninsula Museums, for an exhaustive analysis of handguns and ammunition in use in Southern California circa 1920s and 1930s.

Dan Hinman-Smith, humanities instructor at North Island College, for clarifying issues of US immigration policy between the two world wars.

Eileen Whitfield, author of Pickford: The Woman Who Made Hollywood, for the many wonderful, inspiring conversations and emails about Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks and for sharing your unique knowledge of Hollywood during the 1920s and 30s.

Ced Pearce, for pointing us in the right direction when trying to understand travel through Africa during the 1920s and for sharing your own materials on Aloha and Walter’s legacy.

The late R.H. Johnston, Vancouver Island native, South Africa resident, for details of the Wanderwell Expedition in Africa and a personalized copy of his amazing book Early Motoring In South Africa. Don’t give up the wheel, Bob!

To the staff of our publisher, Goose Lane Editions, whose enthusiasm and guidance was second to none — thank you . . . more than you know.

To our talented and perceptive editor, Susan Renouf, who, in a twist of fate worthy of Aloha herself, was the first to say “yes” and the last to say “done.”

And of course, Google.

On a personal level, to our friends and supporters:

To Richard Mackie PhD, historian and author, and Susan Safyan, editor and author, for guidance, contacts, limitless encouragement, and for insight on early drafts of the manuscript (and more than a few dinners), but mostly friendship . . . we think you know how we feel.

To Mary and Tom Reed, and Craig and Edie Roland, for your friendship, hospitality, and your fiery enthusiasm about Aloha’s story, and especially for keeping Windsong — Margaret’s Place — the spiritual escape it always was.

To Devra Robin and Jamie Baker, for your support, encouragement, and on one occasion, your sleeping quarters. We’re so glad you live in California!

And finally, to our own families and friends for supporting our work, weathering our absence, buying us a beer every now and then, and telling us they knew there was a good story at the end of the road.