Sunday, 12 August 2012

Surfing Traced Back to Hawaii

By Willis Christopher


The Beginnings of Surfing: From Polynesia to Hawaii

The earliest European Visit to the small islands of Hawaii

The earliest ever European trip towards the islands of Hawaii was in the year 1778, lead by Captain James Cook along with his crew to their third journey towards the Pacific. Cook reached a stopover at the Great Island of Hawaii which caused him to end up being slain by the Hawaiians after he had a risky attempt to kidnap the Hawaiian's High chief. Captain James Cook is identified currently as being the well-known European Explorer who found the Hawaiian islands.

Upon his death, Cook's authority was succeeded by First Lieutenant James King who was handed with the obligation to finish off the narrative stories in Cook's writing accounts. Lt. King dedicated his life on the journey which actually directed him to observe the earliest individuals who practiced surfing. On his writing, Cook stated in full detail exactly how these individuals (Hawaiians) deemed surfing as an important aspect of the Hawaiian culture, religion as well as stories of the islands. And it became the very first printed account on surfing.

In two extensive pages of the journal, he revealed surfing as employed by the men and women within Kealakekua Bay on the Kona coast of the Major Island. He stated it as the "Sport of Kings", an old Hawaiian practice that requires lying down or standing on extensive, hard wood surfboards plus driving on huge waves within the sea in an amazing speed.

In the year 1779, Surfing wasn't solely a sports activity or a mere leisure hobby for the Hawaiians; it is actually more of a form of art which is intensely rooted within their lifestyle. Hawaiians call it he'e nalu that translates to wave sliding. Mastery of the skills made typical citizens within Hawaii popular with the way they control themselves within the ocean waves.

Several chiefs of the Big Island have been strongly regarded for their surfing skills. During these periods, the chiefs or ali'i have specified reefs and beaches exactly where they they would surf. However, there had also been reefs and beaches where commoners may surf. Commoners typically rode the ocean waves on surfboards which reach 12 feet high, whereas the ali'I rode the waves using surfboards that had been as extensive as 24 ft.

The moment Captain Cook hit The hawaiian islands, surfing had been far rooted in the Hawaiian culture and legends. There were places branded after renowned surfing incidents, there had been precious chants created by the expert surfers ("kahuna") for you to baptize brand new surfboards, as well as to help men and women who challenged the great ocean waves. There had also been famous legends shared regarding the lives risked, heroic ocean deeds by chiefs and commoners, love couples created and broken due to surfing




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