Spurred on by a family tragedy, Margarida takes a leap of faith with her children to sail from the Azores and begin a new life in Upcountry Maui. The family becomes part of a wave of immigrants who labor in Hawaii’s sugar plantations in the 1880s. Witness to the forces of business expansion and political revolution, Margarida and her children persevere with their daily tasks, uphold their Portuguese traditions, and strive to secure an enduring home. The men labor in the fields for the planters and then create their own home farms and ranches, while the women help to make ends meet and serve the growing community with midwifery. Across three generations, the family contributes to building the Upcountry communities and maintaining them through times of adversity, economic depression, and war. Their story captures the power of family and fortitude in their journey toward fulfilling their dreams.
The author offers a blend of well-researched history and creative storytelling to bring to life the family saga. The book allows readers to walk in the shoes of the Azorean immigrants and authentically encounter the social and economic changes underway in Hawaii before World War II.
About the Author
Donna M. Binkiewicz is originally from Maui, Hawaii. Donna began her college education at Maui College, completed her B.A. in History at the University of California, Berkeley, and M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of California, Los Angeles. She teaches American history at California State University, Long Beach. She is married, with two children, and lives with her family in Los Angeles, California.
Her first book was Federalizing the Muse: United States Arts Policy & The National Endowment for the Arts, 1965-1980 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2004). She has also published numerous academic articles and reviews.
Her latest book Between the Sea and Sky: The Saga of my Portuguese American Family in Upcountry Maui, 1880-1940, explores the immigration of a Portuguese family from the Azores to Maui and their struggles to achieve a better future, set against the backdrop of Hawaiian and American history.
Book Details
Title: Between the Sea and Sky: The Saga of My Portuguese American Family in Upcountry Maui, 1881-1941
- Author: Donna M. Binkiewicz
- Publisher: Independently published
- Date of Publication: August 17, 2021
- Language: English
- Paperback: 235pp
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