Crack Seed and Checkers and Pogo
Some combination of websurfing last night brought back a flurry of childhood memories. Not quite sure how I got there. But I managed to stumble across a few things that reminded me of when I was a kid and dad was stationed in Hawaii, in the late 1970s. Every day, after school, me and my sister would watch Checkers and Pogo, a show I’d honestly forgotten the name of until I somehow stumbled across it last night. There’s even youtube videos of it.
Then, that got me to thinking about other things there. One of those things was my favorite candy as a kid called Salty Seeds. It was made by a company called Yick Lung. And whenever mom took us to the commissary, she’d give us a dollar to buy candy. And you could get 5 various candies for that dollar. I’d get five packs of salty seed. Loved them. In 1999, I started working in public accounting. One of my co-workers was from Hawaii and I asked him if Yick Lung still made Salty Seeds. He got me some. Just as good as I remember. We’ve lost contact and I’ve not been able to find any since. Until I discovered this site. May have to order some.
Then, further searching lead me to pictures of Rabbit Island and Turtle Island, which we could see from one of the beaches we used to spend our weekends at.
If Hawaii wasn’t such a racist place, I might go back to visit.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:45 am
Do you remember “Beat Up A Haole Day” in schools?
March 18th, 2010 at 11:46 am
kill haole day wasn’t much to worry about on base.
March 18th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
When we were stationed there we got hooked on lemon & orange peel, and I LOVED the rock salt plum. Still do.
T’anks for da kine.
March 18th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
You bring back sweet memories, I was ni=uts for the rice candy w/ the wrapper that melted in your mouth. Were was your dad stationed? We were stationed at FT. Shafter in the late 70s.
March 18th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
schofield barracks
March 18th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Makes my mouth pucker just thinking about them, but they sure were good.
Have you ever tried double-salt licorice from Holland? Same taste family.
It is fun watching people try these.
March 18th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
I lived at Camp Smith in the mid-70s. My brothers’ scout troup got to visit the Checkers and Pogo set once, and I, of course, tagged along. I ended up getting separated from my mom and wandered on stage while they were filming. Oops. I remember seeing a guy dressed up like Mr Peanut (from Planters Peanuts) along the freeway near the Honolulu Airport. Funny, and strange recollections! Thanks for reminding me!!
March 18th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
My father was also station in Hawaii in the 70s. Specifically, Scholdfield barracks. However, we lived in Mililani Town. I went to Kipapa Elementary from 76-79. Wow, what a time in my life. Stay out all day picking mangoes, Lychees, Guaves and having a generally good time without the worry of child molestors. Playing kickball (baby bouncy, slow and smooth)or playing what we called ‘Sham Battle’ known in the Mainland as Dodge Ball. Anyways, I use to go to the Pay-N-Save and buy the Yick Lung seeds..they were great!!!
I never did go on the Checkers and Pogo show. But I watch it religiously. I remeber a camera man had his arm broke by a Hippo at the Honolulu Zoo on a segment title “Checkers and Pogo: On the Go!”
What a fabulous time in my life. Thank you God.
“I use to be a little boy..”
Disarm
Smashing Pumkins
March 18th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
We were there at the same time. My dad probably knows your dad.
March 18th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
You can buy your stuff here
http://www.cybersnacks.net/
March 18th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Such a small world, I was stationed at Camp Smith, ’77-’80
March 18th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Now uncle, don’t you remember your PC handbook? Only caucasians can be racists not any other group.
March 19th, 2010 at 6:01 am
there’s a whole class of candies that I can’t recall the name right now… sourced from Norway. They’re ‘salted’ with sal ammoniac, apparently gives it a unique flavor.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Holy shit. “Checkers & Pogo”. I’ll be damned. I haven’t even heard those names in almost forty years. They were on TV every damned day after school, and I even went to the KGMB studio to see that show live, once.
I really enjoyed Pheniks’ soft rice candy with the melty wrapper, but my thing was li hing mui. I bought some nearly every single day, walking home from school: take a right hand turn at the end of Waiahole Valley Road and there was a little store right there next to the poi factory.
We were windward kids. Dad commuted to Hickam every day between October 1969 and April 1971.
That’s the fat sweet-spot of my childhood: snorkeling out on the reef in Kaneohe Bay (in the water with sharks bigger than our boat — I’m twelve years old), surfing Kahana Bay, childish constructions with endless bamboo in the backyard jungle… there was no trouble that we couldn’t get into and we got into all of it.
It was my first experience with racism, and I was the bull’s-eye. {shrug} All was explained to me by wise parents, and it did not bend me. The very first rock band that ever had me as a member included Filipino and Japanese friends who I will never, ever forget until I’m dead.
In fact, it looks like I’m going to Honolulu next month, and I’m going to try to dig ’em up.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Excuse me: that was October 1967. We were there for over three years. It was wonderful.
March 19th, 2010 at 9:54 am
salty seed was their particular brand of li hing mui. I ordered some last night.
March 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Hawaii beats the hell out of India. We visited on our way out in ’67…
March 19th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Maui (Kihei) 66-69. Maybe I was too young or too early, or on the wrong island, don’t remember the racism.
http://www.paxparabellum.com/2010/03/hawaii-kids-tv-shows-racism.html
March 19th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Wow. What a blast from the past. I lived in Kailua for five years in the late 60’s early 70’s.
It was paradise then….
March 19th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Small, small world. I was there from 76-79, then 82-84. Going back for 36 months (-howevermany in Afghanistan) this July. Will try to bring back some Yick-lung for GBR in 2014.