Roselani Highlight - No Wrestling in the Archive

Justin Martin, our Roselani and AMIA Pathways Summer Intern, shares about some of the unexpected and exciting things he discovered in the collections he has been working on.

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One of many things I have enjoyed during my internship this summer with ‘Uluʻulu was being able to come across footage of events and programs that can often be overlooked within the vast collection an archive holds. From production materials of Dr. Glen Grant’s Chik’n Skin Halloween special from the mid-1990s to home footage of a sumō wrestling match in ‘Aiea from the 1960s, both of which offer a glimpse into Hawai’i’s shared culture and history. However, throughout the countless hours of digitized KGMB news footage, one would not expect to come across coverage of a wrestling event that occurred in the mid-1980s.

While I was transcoding  DVD files of KGMB Electronic News Gathering (ENG) into reference files, I came across a news story from May 27th, 1985, covering a show promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Polynesia held at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. NWA Polynesia was a wrestling promotion owned by the late Peter and Lia Maivia, grandparents of superstar and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This was the first time I saw a mix of local talent like Superfly Tui and Farmer Boy Ipo on a card with notable names like Rocky Johnson and Bruiser Brody. As an avid archivist and fan of professional wrestling ephemera and history, it was exciting to finally have come across this pivotal point in wrestling where it transitioned from novelty to the cultural phenomenon of sports entertainment.

Although the news story is roughly two-minutes long, it showcased the multifaceted crowd who were in attendance. From parents, children, and even kūpuna yelling at the top of their lungs for their favorite wrestler, it amazes me how this interaction of performative combat has the allure to bring people from different backgrounds together. What I love most about this segment are the variety of responses by fans of what draws them to keep coming back to these shows. Some attend for the excitement and action of witnessing barbed wire deathmatches, while others have been attending wrestling matches as far back as they can remember.

In the 1980s, wrestling promotions began to recognize the value of cross-promotional events and international partnerships. Upon further research into other shows promoted by NWA Polynesia that happened during this period was a larger event called A Hot Summer Night: The ’85 World Invitational Wrestling Spectacular held at Aloha Stadium. This event included some of the greatest wrestlers of this era like André the Giant, Ric Flair, and Antonio Inoki, founder of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The larger-than-life personas and global appeal of these wrestling legends were vital in expanding the sport’s reach beyond traditional American audiences. 

Archives are full of stories waiting to be discovered and shared. I am grateful for the opportunity to have interacted with the unique material housed within ‘Uluʻulu’s collection. The discovery of a news segment covering professional wrestling in Hawai’i at its zenith among the KGMB news collection was a particularly intriguing surprise. This experience underscores the depth and diversity of archival footage and highlights how even the most seemingly obscure stories contribute to a richer understanding of Hawai’i’s cultural and historical tapestry.

Through the generous support of the Henry Ku‘ualoha & Muriel Roselani Giugni Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, and in partnership with the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) Pathways Fellowship Program, the Roselani Media Preservation Internship is offered each year at ‘Ulu‘ulu to give a student of merit who is committed to the preservation of our media history the opportunity to acquire practical experience in a moving image archive.