Henry Lulu Rafael
Year Inducted: 2015
Kahua Ranch | Hawai'i
Kalapala Ranch | Hawai'i
McCandless Ranch | O'ahu
Henry was born on July 3, 1914 in the upper lands of Kohala on the banks of Honokoa Stream in the area called Keawewai. Growing up and being raised by his Hawaiian/Puerto Rican father and Hawaiian mother in the heart of cattle country on Hawaiʻi Island, it is no surprise that Henry eventually made his way to working for and ultimately retiring from nearby Kahua Ranch, Ltd.
Henry’s father, Wilson Rafael worked for the world famous Parker Ranch. As a young man, Henry learned the skills and ways of the paniolo. Though the exact timelines are unclear, in the mid to late 1930s, Henry eventually found his way to Kalapana Ranch in the Ka’u district. He was there for several years. It is also known that between 1943 and 1946 he worked in the Makua Valley on Oʻahu for the McCandless family.
In 1946 Henry returned to Kahua and over the years rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the cowboy supervisor. Known for his quiet handling of cattle, Henry was well ahead of the pack in embracing low stress handling long before its importance was recognized. He was gentle but firm and this was reflected in his horses, the cattle, and the men that worked under him.
With a passion for competition, Henry ran race horses in the cowboy races of the day and was an avid competitor in rodeos as evidenced by his Hawaiʻi Saddle Club Big Island Rodeo Team Roping Champion award of 1956. He wore his trophy buckle from that event until his retirement. In the 1960’s and into the 1970’s it was his job by choice to give the Blackleg vaccinations at branding. During the infancy of Herd Health Management, Henry’s efforts validated the importance of vaccinating to prevent disease and started setting the stage for our present involvement in comprehensive herd health programs.
On any given morning, Henry could be found in the stable awaiting orders. Though Henry was a man of very few words, an affectionate “Morning, Jack” was his greeting to those that knew him best. Always known for his signature very fast Palomino horses, in his later years and on any given day, Henry was riding the ranch lands… nānā`aina…checking grass, water, and the cattle herd conditions. He spent his twilight years in cattle management on the open range.
Henry continued his profession full time until his retirement in the early 1980’s. Even then he did not stop. Though he was officially retired, he continued his nānā`aina duty in a part time capacity several days a week, doing what he did so well: riding the range and “checking” until his death in 1987.