Surfing in Hawaii is an activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. In ancient times, the ruling classes dominated the sport. Modern surfing took off in the 1950s and 60s.
Surfing may be considered by some as a modern recreational activity, but its origins date back hundreds of years to ancient Polynesia. In Hawaiian, surfing is known as heenalu or “wave sliding.” The first recorded mentions of the art were documented by Europeans in 1769 with the third voyage of Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavor.
Chiefs and other royalty (alii) made surfing an integral part of their culture, with the ruling class dominating the art. Commoners were not even allowed on the same beaches; however, the skilled surfers could move up the social ladder, if they adequately demonstrated their wave riding skills.
Ancient Hawaiians looked at surfing as a spiritual art form and prayed to their gods for protection and strength, when taking on the powerful ocean waves. Many alii even called upon kahunas (priests) to aid them when creating their boards and when praying for good surf. The original boards were made from island trees and ranged in length from nine to 18 feet, each requiring a different style of surfing.
In the early 1900s, Hawaiian surfing started shifting from being an elitist art form to a sport, driven by real estate and tourism development, initially in Waikiki. Duke Kahanamoku, famed Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and surfer, became the “Ambassador of Aloha” and helped bring surfing to the masses.
New board materials and wider exposure of surfing saw the sport slowly gain in popularity until about 1959, when Hollywood got into the act with the movie “Gidget” about an Australian surfer. An explosion of beach movies flowed in and surf music became hot with groups such as the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Safaris, and many more.
Surfing in Hawaii has been a way of life for centuries and a big part of ancient cultures throughout Polynesia.
From the fad years of the 1960s, interest in surfing and board designs evolved at a much more rapid pace. The “short board” was created for fast turns and “hotdogging” became the rule of the waves. Around 1975, professional surfing contests emerged and the rest is history.
Hawaii remains the “home” of surfing, although many other countries now embrace the sport. When visiting the Islands, surfing lessons are available on virtually every public beach. Cowabunga, dude!