Sunday, March 31, 3 p.m., Eastsound Fire Hall
— from Carol Kulminski —
The Orcas Island Historical Museums present “Kanakas, Pickett, and the Royal Marines of English Camp: The Story Behind Mist-chi-mas,” a history matinee with awarding-winning author and historian, Janet Oakley. Oakley will read from the novel and talk about the history behind the story. Mist-chi-mas, A Novel of Captivity is a 2018 WILLA Award finalist and a 2018 Will Rogers Silver Medallion winner.
Janet Oakley has been going to English Camp on San Juan Island since she was hired to write a curriculum for the San Juan Island National Historical Park in 1986. Soon, she was coming to demonstrate 19th century culinary at both American and English Camp, finally joining the English Encampment as Miss Libby, a 19th century schoolteacher. From her love of English Camp and the twelve year military occupation of San Juan Island (1860 to 1872), she wrote Mist-chi-mas: A Novel of Captivity, an ode to that history, and especially, the unknown story of the Kanakas or Hawaiians who lived on the island. A University of Hawaii Manoa grad, she has always wanted to write about Hawaiians in the Pacific Northwest.
This History Matinee will be presented Sunday, March 31, 3 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall. This is a free community event.
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