Happy Women’s History Month Celebration

Happy Women’s History Month! March is Women’s History Month here in the United States, and on March 8 we celebrate International Women’s Day. 

At Shaka Guide, we do a lot of research for every tour– about history, culture, colorful local characters, and more.

And when it’s time to put together an overarching experience, we look forward to sharing stories covering a diverse mix of perspectives.

This includes the contributions that women have made to our communities, our national parks, and beyond. 

So for Women’s History Month, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite stories celebrating the women in our Shaka Guide tours.

• Queen Ka’ahumanu: A Hawaiian Trailblazer
• A Hawaiian Change Maker: Queen Ka'ahumanu
• Orlean Puckett: The Appalachian Granny Woman
• Emma Gatewood: Conquering the Appalachian Trail
• Grandmother of the Everglades
• Dolly Parton: East Tennessee’s Generous Icon

Queen Ka’ahumanu: A Hawaiian Trailblazer

J. J. Williams, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In some of our Hawaii tours, you learn about the political history of Hawaii’s indigenous population. It’s quite a tale, with scheming, revenge, war, and peace between kingdoms, you name it.

One important figure in the saga is Queen Ka’ahumanu. As queen, she implemented a lot of changes to Hawaiian society, which you can learn more about here.

You can also check out this interesting story about Queen Ka’ahumanu's role in uniting Hawaii.

Orlean Puckett: The Appalachian Granny Woman

Orlean Pucket with her husband/ Wikimedia Commons

Often, our tours tell stories about pioneers or life on the frontier. And women did their fair share of the work.

Take Orlean Puckett, who spent much of her life as a ‘granny woman.’ That was someone in an old Appalachian community, usually an older woman, who provided medical and social advice.

They were best known as being midwives in remote communities with limited or no access to doctors.

Check out this link to hear about Orlean’s life, and how she overcame a sad situation to be a blessing to her community.

Emma Gatewood: Conquering the Appalachian Trail

CC BY-SA 3.0

Many years later, an impressive woman named Emma Gatewood made her own stamp on Appalachia. She became the first woman to trek the entire Appalachian Trail.

That’s outstanding enough on its own, but what’s even more amazing is that Emma Gatewood, or “Grandma Gatewood” as the media called her, was 67 years old at the time. Click here to hear more about her story.

Marjorie Stoneman Douglas: Savior of the Everglades

AbigailBWright

In our national park tours, we typically share how the park came to be. These stories often include a local champion of the park, someone who took it upon themselves to rally support for the protection of a beautiful or endangered ecosystem.

For Everglades National Park, that person was Marjorie Stoneman Douglas.

Click here to learn more about how Douglas saved the Everglades from being drained and developed.

Dolly Parton: East Tennessee’s Generous Icon

 Curtis Hilbun

And even if she didn’t put Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the map, the beloved Dolly Parton sure is an iconic figure in East Tennessee.

Check out this story about Dolly’s rise to stardom, and about her generous spirit. 

Inspiring Stories of Women’s Impact

These are just a few of the many stories in our Shaka Guide tours featuring notable women, and their accomplishments that made our world a better place.

What are some of your favorite stories?