Hawaii is often cited as the birthplace of surfing, so it comes as no surprise that surf culture is deeply embedded into the way of life on these islands. We dip into the cultural, spiritual and manufacturing history of this Hawaiian national pastime, and chat with a couple of lifelong Carving the waves fanatics who even today, continue to craft Hawaiian surfboards in the traditional way By Maria Kanai Photography Tony Novak Clifford of the session – when my throbbing arms and aching legs are about to give up – I manage to catch a wave. It’s a thrilling, indescribable feeling. My knees wobble violently beneath me as the wave rushes me all the way back to shore. Saltwater peppers my face, and I hear Glenn cheering me on in the distance. As the wave breaks, I let myself fall off the on’t put on sunscreen,” cautions Glenn, my board and into the water, sporting a huge surf instructor. “It’ll make you slip off the grin on my face and an adrenaline high that board.” We’re at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki, persists long after I’ve made it home. There, Dthe famously crowded and tourist-friendly sitting on my couch and unable to move neighborhood on the island of Oahu. The my sunburnt limbs, I realize why there’s an waterfront isn’t quite packed with tourists entire movement and following dedicated yet, but I spot numerous people laying to this most Hawaiian of pastimes. down their colorful beach mats for a day Surfing is an integral part of Hawaiian of lazy lounging. It’s early enough in the culture and history, and can be traced back morning for the stretch of white sand – the state’s early Polynesian settlers who which will soon warm up under the sun’s deeply cherished the ocean and embraced blazing heat – to feel cool under our feet. surfing as a way of life. They were also Three tanned local boys sporting board responsible for creating the uma, or chest shorts are somersaulting off the walls, as surfboard – the 2ft-long forerunner to larger palm trees and towering hotels speckle surfboards which would later be made by the skyline. Just down the street on the region's ancient Hawaiians. Kalakaua Avenue stands the bronze statue Back then, surfboards were painstakingly of Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Paoa carved by hand using unwieldy hardwoods Kahanamoku – the man responsible for and redwoods, without the use of machines popularizing surfing in the early 1900s. or templates. The largest boards, called Taking Glenn’s advice, I set down the olo, were reserved for Hawaiian royalty. The sunscreen. My blue-and-white surfboard, biggest olo on record is a redwood board handed to me by Glenn, is constructed from that measured a staggering 27ft in length. polyurethane foam, a lightweight material The ancient Hawaiians valued surfing THIS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP that supposedly makes the board easy to so much that they set up numerous heiau A view of the tourist maneuver. Our destination? The breaking – Hawaiian temples made from raised hotspot Waikiki Beach; a whitecaps out beyond the glistening water. stone structures – in its honor. These were statue commemorating legendary Hawaiian After 15 minutes of paddling in the chilly places of sacrifice, prayer and offerings surfing ambassador ocean, I realize how sorely out of shape I to the Hawaiian gods. Unfortunately, most Duke Paoa Kahanamoku; am. Back on land, Glenn had showed me of the heiau were torn down during the a surfer challenges the waves at the world how to pull myself up onto the board, but I reign of Queen Kaahumanu, the favorite famous Bonzai Pipeline can’t seem to replicate the movement out wife of King Kamehameha I, who converted on the North Shore on the water and quickly lose track of how to Christianity after the first missionaries many times I fall off. Finally, close to the end arrived in the early 19th century. 76 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 77 “Hawaiian surfers would pray to their gods for good water conditions and friendly sport among the chiefs" Billy Fields, a Hawaiian stone mason The typical modern surfboard has a and heiau restorer, claims there are two polyurethane foam core with a fiberglass particular sites on Hawaii’s Big Island that cloth and polyester resin outer shell. It’s were constructed as homages to surfing: light, easy to manufacture on a large scale the Kuemanu in Kahaluu and Keolonahihi in and cheap, with companies like Channel Kamoa Point. They have never been restored Islands Surfboards, LOST Surfboards or reconstructed, but were places where and Firewire Surfboards (a favorite of the ancient Hawaiians would visit often, to professional surfing legend Kelly Slater) pray for good conditions. the main players in the global foam board “When we surf today, we hope for good industry. Thanks to them, surfing is now a surf – the Hawaiians were not much different popular global sport. Anyone with access and surfing was a truly spiritual sport,” Billy to the ocean can grab a board and ride the THIS PAGE reveals when we chat. “They would pray to waves. Or like me, at least try to. Billy Fields, a Hawaiian stone their gods for good water conditions and But there are still numerous individuals mason and heiau friendly sport among the chiefs.” who cling to old traditions – they not only (temple) restorer at According to notes written by the ride wooden surfboards, but also craft them a heiau dedicated to surfing archeologist John Stokes in the 1800s, by hand. Tom “Pohaku” Stone is a native these heiau are “water-worn stones with a Hawaiian carver, waterman and guru on all very attractive appearance” that are still in things Hawaii-related. I had the pleasure good condition despite the wear and tear of of taking his Hawaiian Studies class as a centuries. “My job now is bringing the heiau college student seven years ago. He was back to life and making them into living passionate about Hawaiian history back sites so that they [are able to persist in the then, and still is, even though he’s quit future],” Billy adds. teaching to become a full-time carver. 78 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 79 “Pohaku now carves both surfboards and sleds at his workshop. It’s a spiritual, ritualistic process from step one" THIS PAGE Tom "Pohaku" Stone builds traditional wooden surfboards in his home workshop Pohaku is also a rock-sliding enthusiast – other than surfing the waves, he also surfs the mountains on a papaholua, or a Hawaiian sled. It's an extreme pastime and rarely seen or heard of nowadays, but he does it regularly, calling it his “thrill” sport. Pohaku now carves both surfboards and sleds at his workshop. It’s a spiritual, ritualistic process from step one. His home on the island of Oahu doubles as the workshop. It’s a sprawling outdoor space with patio and garden, bordered by the majestic Ko’olau Mountains on one end and a view of the Pacific Ocean peeking out from behind lush green fields on the other. I ask about his carving technique. “You begin by studying the wood,” Pohaku says. The experienced can make out the shape of the surfboard in the wood. “You look at it and see the different patterns in the wood, the grain. It becomes spiritual." GET WET, EAT HERE Where to go Pupukea Grill Da Cove Health Bar & Café Duke’s Waikiki after you've Tuck into glistening raw cubes After your surfing session in the Duke Kahanamoku’s namesake gotten your fill of of freshly caught tuna, doused South Shore, head here to grab restaurant is right by Waikiki Beach. with a special sauce and served Da Cove Bowl – an acai bowl You can’t drop by without trying its the salty ocean over a warm bowl of rice. It’s topped with fresh strawberries, signature dessert, Kimo’s Original the quintessential Hawaiian dish bananas, organic granola and Hula Pie, with its chocolate cookie and need to feed that is currently taking over the honey. It’s a heart-healthy and crust, macadamia nut ice cream, hot world: the poke bowl. Eat it after refreshing treat that’ll quickly fudge, toasted macadamia nuts and your belly your North Shore surf in Haleiwa. revive your energy levels. whipped cream. Need we say more? pupukeagrill.com dacove.com dukeswaikiki.com 80 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 MABUHAY | APRIL 2017 81 There’s focus and dedication to his the wood, giving the board elasticity and craft, and you get the sense that through strength, and making it possible for a his intricate and tireless work he’s paying wooden board to last for roughly 100 years. homage to his ancestors. Pohaku can spend Pohaku’s personal favorite board is a kikoo years dedicated to working on a single board, which is the most popular among the board, and he makes a total of nine styles: traditional styles. It measures about 8ft long uma, olo, onini, paha, omo, kioe, alaia, and 10 inches thick, and weighs 35 pounds. puua and kikoo. Ranging from 2ft to 27ft He also has a koa board that’s 9ft long and long, these traditional surfboards represent 11 inches thick, and clocks in at 100 pounds. 2,000 years of tradition. Pohaku has no use for templates – Take the alaia, which literally means everything is done completely by hand. “path of the fish”. It’s a flexible, dynamic “The wood can be very finicky,” Pohaku and traditional shortboard with straight reveals.