Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio – Hawaii Calls: Stamp Collecting

Date: October 21, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode is a classic broadcast from the “Hawaii Calls” radio program, recorded beneath the banyan tree at Waikiki. The show blends island music, Hawaiian stories, and a special feature about the centennial of Hawaii’s first postage stamps. Listeners are treated to live performances, cultural anecdotes, and an opportunity to participate in stamp collecting history by receiving a special centennial cancellation.

1. Main Theme & Purpose

• Celebration of Hawaiian Music & Culture: The show transports listeners to mid-20th-century Hawaii, featuring live music, local stories, and an authentic ambience with real Waikiki waves.
• Stamp Collecting Centennial: Highlighting the 100th anniversary of Hawaii’s first postage stamps (“Missionaries”) and inviting global stamp enthusiasts to join a special commemoration and obtain a unique postal cancellation.
• Listener Connection: Offers instructions for listeners to engage with Hawaiian history via mailed commemorative items.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. Setting and Atmosphere

• Host Webley Edwards welcomes listeners from multiple countries and sets the stage at iconic Waikiki, referencing a recent broadcast from Volcano House.
  • [01:26] Webley Edwards: “Aloha... North America, mainland states and Canada. And to Australia, all three nations coast to coast.”
• Authentic Hawaiian music is woven throughout, with performances by island luminaries like Alfred Apaka and Andy Cummings.
• The blend of live crowd sounds and nature (notably real waves) enhances the immersive experience.
  • [12:37] Edwards: “Are these real waves whose sound we hear from Waikiki? We're asked. Yes, that is so.”

B. Island Life and Music

• Discussion and performances revolve around the unique spirit of Hawaii:
  • Songs about Waikiki, the emotional resonance of places (e.g., Paua Kalani), and playful slices of island life (“Sunshine the Beach Boy”).
  • [07:09] Edwards: “Now you must know our Waikiki beach Boys have varied and colorful names... Alex Anderson, Andy Cummings and Francis Ott Chong have put together an engaging little song called ‘Sunshine the Beach Boy.’”
• Musical highlights include hula-accompanied performances and traditional fare like “Kealoha”, "Song of the Parting Days," and the classic “Kaimana Hila.”

C. Notable Observations and Community Spirits

• Emphasis on sharing “aloha” and community:
  • [10:02] Edwards: “The word aloha has many meanings ranging from hello to goodbye. But the word kealoha means but one thing.”
  • Listeners are encouraged to reflect on friends far and near, enhancing the inclusive, heartfelt nature of the show.
    • [12:37] Edwards: "...we invited each. Each is thinking this moment someone you know."
• Local events and traditions are spotlighted, including the Rose Festival and the famous "Shower of Orchids" for visiting dignitaries.
  • [15:14] Edwards: “…I want you to take these thousand orchids, the flowers of Hawaii have just flown over from Hilo. Barely shower them on those gentlemen... and then see to it that every single lady and girl here in Hawaii called gets an orchid.”

D. Stamp Collecting Centennial Feature (Main Special Segment)

(Starts around [21:18])

• Historical Overview:
  • The first Hawaiian stamps, known as Missionaries, were created in 1851 by American missionaries, printed with a rudimentary hand press.
    • [21:40] Narrator: "Just 100 years ago, the first postage stamps were printed here in Hawaii…"
• Centennial Exhibition Invitation:
  • Stamp collectors are invited to Honolulu for a global exhibition marking the milestone.
  • [22:04] Edwards: “Here's our invitation to you. Thousands and thousands of stamp collectors to come over and see us. June 27 and 30…”
• Commemorative Cancellation Offer & Instructions:
  • Listeners can receive a one-of-a-kind “Centenary of Hawaii’s First Postage Stamps 1851-1951” cancellation by mailing a self-addressed envelope or postcard to Hawaii Calls. Detailed steps and postal rates are provided.
    • [22:13] Narrator: “Just send us a stamp self-addressed envelope or postcard...We’ll have it specially canceled and mailed back to you…address to Hawaii Calls, post office box 5368...Honolulu, Hawaii.”
    • [23:08] Edwards: “I think I’ll say that again. Hawaii Calls, Box 5368, Honolulu, Hawaii...”
• Significance:
  • This segment masterfully connects the world of radio, Hawaiian history, and philately; fostering cultural curiosity and cross-Pacific engagement.

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Unifying Power of Music:
  • [04:09] Edwards: “Hawaiians delight in their lively songs. They sing of love and wear a dreamy look when they do it. But when they combine the love theme with a song of a place or region they love, then they're likely to sing with mist in their eyes.”
• On Hawaiian Hospitality:
  • [09:14] Edwards: “The kind of life to enjoy. Everyone is craving just to be behaving like sunshine, the beach boy.”
• On Stamp Collecting Centennial:
  • [21:40] Narrator: “Just 100 years ago, the first postage stamps were printed here in Hawaii. And the now famed and rare missionaries…this year, stamp collectors from all over the world will assemble here in Honolulu for a great Hawaiian centennial philatelic exhibition..."
• Listener Engagement:
  • [22:13] Narrator: “Just send us a stamp self-addressed envelope or postcard and we’ll take it down to the Honolulu Post Office and have it specially canceled and mailed back to you...”

4. Key Timestamps

• [01:26] Friendly international greeting and intro to the stamp collecting feature.
• [04:09] Reflections on the emotional core of Hawaiian music.
• [07:09] Introduction of “Sunshine the Beach Boy.”
• [10:02] Meaning of “Kealoha” and its use in song.
• [12:37] Real Waikiki waves featured; reflection on friendships.
• [15:14] “Shower of Orchids” and Rose Festival remarks.
• [16:17] Musical segue: “Uhoheni” and “Surf Riders.”
• [19:12] Emotional “Song of the Parting Days.”
• [21:18] Introduction of main stamp collecting centennial feature.
• [21:40] History of the “Missionaries” stamps.
• [22:04] Invitation to the philatelic exhibition.
• [22:13] Instructions for commemorative cancellation.
• [23:08] Recap of mailing address and instructions.
• [26:32] Show closes with farewells and a call from all the people of Hawaii.

5. Tone and Style

The show’s tone is warm, communal, and celebratory—evoking the golden age of radio, with friendly narration and musical interludes. The hosts speak with nostalgia and pride, blending history, personal anecdotes, and soft calls to action. The language is poetic yet approachable, steeped in the spirit of “aloha.”

6. Conclusion

"Hawaii Calls" transports radio audiences to the heart of island culture with music, local stories, and a uniquely inviting approach to audience engagement. Through its special focus on the centennial of Hawaiian stamp collecting, this episode bridges the worlds of philately, history, and hospitality, making listeners feel part of a community—no matter where they are.