Gene "Genny" Olivera
Year Inducted: 2007
Kapapala Ranch | Hawai'i
Shipman Ranch | Hawai'i
SC Ranch | Hawai'i
Gene was 16 years old when he started working for Mr. Sumner at Kapapala Ranch in the volcano area on the Big Island. He was the 6th of 11 children and never got the opportunity to complete his high school education. While in the 9th grade he had to start working to help support himself and his family. It could have been a blessing in disguise, as he was hooked on the paniolo life with the first throw of his lasso, and he never looked back.
Genny worked side by side with paniolo like Bill Mainapo, Gordon Cran and Tom Lindsey. After two years he went to work for Mr. Shipman at Keahou Ranch, where he worked with his brother Tony and shared a bunk house with all the old time paniolo. Genny’s duties included rounding up cattle, breaking horses, mending fences and moving cattle between ranches over mountainous terrain from Pu`u O`o to Pukala. Genny was a cowboy by day and a pig hunter by night. He knew all the pig trails, watering holes and favorite wallows.
He worked for 33 years for Shipman Ranch, until Mr. Shipman died and the family gave up ranching. Although getting on in years himself, Genny still had a lot of paniolo left in him, and went to work for Dutch Schuman at SC Ranch in Pauuilo. Ranch Manager Walter Slater gave Genny a small ranch house. It was at the 5,000 ft. level on Mauna Kea, had no electricity, heat or phone. But to Genny, it was like living in heaven. He looked forward to every day atop his favorite horse, Pony, under the blue skies and panoramic views from the mountains to the sea. He and Mr. Slater worked together as friends for 8 years.
Genny lived and breathed ranch life for 43 years and would be the first to admit it was not an easy life. But he’ll also be the first to say that he wouldn’t have had it any other way.