Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past

Hawaiian Surfing is a history of the traditional sport narrated primarily by native Hawaiians who wrote for the Hawaiian-language newspapers of the 1800s. An introductory section covers traditional surfing, including descriptions of the six Hawaiian surf-riding sports (surfing, bodysurfing, canoe surfing, body boarding, skimming, and river surfing). This is followed by an exhaustive Hawaiian-English dictionary of surfing terms and references from Hawaiian-language publications and a special section of Waikiki place names related to traditional surfing. The information in each of these sections is supported by passages in Hawaiian, followed by English translations. The work concludes with a glossary of English-Hawaiian surfing terms and an index of proper names, place names, and surf spots.

• John R. K. Clark, Author

  John R. Kukeakalani Clark is a former lifeguard and a retired deputy fire chief of the Honolulu Fire Department. He is the author of eleven books about Hawai‘i’s beaches, surf breaks, and place names, including Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past, North Shore Place Names: Kahuku to Ka‘ena, and Kalaupapa Place Names: Waikolu to Nihoa.