We celebrate this International Surfing Day by welcoming home the Hōkūle‘a, a Hawaiian canoe that circumnavigated the earth by following the stars.
In one of several resurgences of Hawaiian culture that have occurred over the years, surfing became Hawaii’s most famous cultural export, thanks largely to Olympic gold medal swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, who became the first ambassador of surfing, introducing the sport to California in 1912 and Australia in 1914. While surfing is now a popular pastime throughout the world, this International Surfing Day marks another great milestone for Hawaii that deserves recognition and commemorates another revival in Hawaiian culture that began back in the 1970s.
There had long been debate over the origins of the Hawaiian people on some of the most remote islands on earth: the nearest populated islands were 2,500 miles (4,000km) away. Few believed that the Hawaiian people had intentionally sailed to these islands, postulating that it was likely mere chance.
At the time the Hawaiians claimed to have first sailed to Hawaii (more than 600 years ago), no other humans (aside from the Vikings) had braved any open ocean. In the 1970s, to prove that such navigation was possible, a group of Hawaiians formed the Polynesian Voyaging Society and learned the ancient art of “wayfinding” (navigating by the stars, moon, and sun) from one of the last six men on earth in possession of such knowledge, Mau Piailug of the Caroline Islands in Micronesia. A traditional Hawaiian wa‘a kaulua (double-hulled voyaging canoe) was built and named Hōkūleʻa, the Polynesian name for the star Arcturus meaning “Star of Gladness,” which leads sailors traveling north to Hawaii.
(Unnamed Woman) Surfing on the North Shore - near Sunset Beach | by jdnx
(Unnamed Woman) Surfing on the North Shore - near Sunset Beach | by jdnxSurfer in Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Surf Contest Waimea Bay Hawaii February 2016 | by Anthony Quintano
Surfer in Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Surf Contest Waimea Bay Hawaii February 2016 | by Anthony QuintanoUnnamed Surfers in Waikiki
Unnamed Surfers in WaikikiA dog surfing with unnamed surfer in Maui, Hawaii
A dog surfing with unnamed surfer in Maui, Hawaii