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chapter 33 “Ancient Sports of Hawaii: Such as Surfing, Jumping, Sledding, Betting and Boxing” (1865) J. Waiamau This article, first published in the Hawaiian-language newspaper Kuokoa, preceded a number of writings that described traditional Hawaiian culture , including surfriding, by Samuel Mânaiakalani Kamakau (in Ke Au ‘Oko ‘a from 1866 to 1871) and John Papa ‘Αî (in Kuokoa from 1868 to 1870). Interest in preserving Hawaiian language and cultural traditions led to contemporaneous works such as Lorrin Andrews’s A Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language (1865) and Abraham Fornander’s An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origins and Migrations (1879). Here the author presents new information on surfboard materials and surfriding competitions between chiefs. The commentary on coed surfriding— “Such riding in of the man and woman on the same surf is termed vanity, and results in sexual indulgence”—reveals a missionary influence and the dual legacy of their presence in the Islands, which included both the suppression of native traditions and the means to record those traditions for posterity through literacy and education. ve r y m a n y w e r e t h e p r a c t i c e s i n ha wa i i here relative to this subject of pastimes, which has been termed the ancient sports of Hawaii here, such as those named above. Those are the sports it is desired to have described, therefore it is best perhaps for me to explain them singly, and their nature. Of Surfing, that is a most popular sport of Hawaii here, from the chiefs to the common people. It is practiced in the following manner. The [surf] board is first prepared, it may be of koa (Acacia koa), kukui (Aleurites moluccana), ohe (Tetraplasandra Hawaiiensis), wiliwili (Erythrina monosperma), or some other wood suitable to furnish a board. In its first preparation, it is hewn while the wood is green, after which it is left to 115 season, then it is worked down to a finish, with the smearing it with the black substance and well covered with kapa and put up in some suitable place till the time of surf sports arrive, when it is ready for surfriding. This however is the procedure: at the time of swimming out to reach the line of surf breaking, then watch for the surf suitable of landing [you], then enter it and be carried to the shore. There are three places in which to take the surf: to race with its spume, or surf at its end, and the third, surf in on top of the wave, and the [surf] board suitable for the top of the surf will not allow the wave to engulf the men. If the surfing contest should be of chiefs, it is done in this manner: They go to the seashore, place the dog in the underground oven while the chiefs go surf-riding, on finishing that surfing contest they return, when the oven of dog baking is uncovered and all the chiefs have their meal, then go surf-riding again. Such is the surfing continued till their desire is satisfied. If the surfing should be a contest of pride, it is done in this manner : The men are girded with red-dyed kapa malos, as they go leisurely and stand, looking fine, girded tight, like a company of soldiers of that day. Of women also, they are dressed with red-dyed kapa skirts, then they go and join together with the men in surf-riding. In their surfing, a man and a woman will ride in on the same surf. Such riding in of the man and woman on the same surf is termed vanity, and results in sexual indulgence. Surf-riding is a means of deception with some people, and this is the way some charge their parents: “I am going with my sight-seeing companions , if you hear that I am dead on account of stealing, or other cause perhaps, then grieve both of you, but if you hear that I am dead through surf-riding desire, do not sit and mourn, nor indeed drop your tears.” There are many things related to this pastime, but perhaps this unfolding thereof is sufficient in this place, so we will speak of leaping. 116 | j. waiamau ...

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