Why does the Region of Peel Archives have a photo of a Hawaiian man’s band in playing Toronto?

When Ben Hokea’s Orchestra toured around southern Ontario in the 1920s, one of his band members was Cecil Chinn. Some years later, Chinn came to Brampton where he became a professional photographer.

The two possibly connected because of their shared interest in photography. Hokea was a commercial photographer in the 1920s.

The Palace Theatre, pictured, was located at 664 Danforth Ave., in Toronto, near Pape Avenue. The building has since been replaced with an office tower.

Moving to Canada when Hawaii was still a territory of the United States, not a state, Hokea became Canada's "King of the Hawaiian Guitar."

After a gig playing on a cruise line, he toured with Charlie Clark's Royal Hawaiians. The group played in Toronto for several years, beginning in 1915, and Hokea remained in the city afterwards. Hokea was a music educator and performer, and appeared both on radio and television.

Hokea's public performances in Toronto date back to at least 1918, when he performed at Massey Hall in a variety show.

The steel guitarist recorded commercially with His Master's Voice Records, Victor, Columbia, and Starr Co. of Canada.

The Cecil Chinn fonds, which include this photograph and an assortment of small posters for Hokea, along with thousands of photos taken at Chinn Photo Centre, are available for public access at the Region of Peel Archives. Admission into this part of the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives is free year-round, please email pamaarchives@peelregion.ca

For more information, visit https://www.pama.peelregion.ca/en/pamascollection/archivesresearch.asp