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The History of Surfing - After the Western Invasion
Hawaiian culture changed dramatically after exposure to western culture and the colonization that followed. Immigration of people from the "mainland" brought the establishment of sugar plantations. These plantations were manned by workers from Asia as well as local Hawaiians. There was a conscious suppression of the Hawaiian culture and traditional beliefs, and protestant missionaries attempted to convert the locals to Christianity. Surfing, as part of the Hawaiian culture , was also frowned upon as a fruitless and impractical activity. As much as they tried, the "white" invaders of Hawaiian culture couldn't kill it off completely. 

With the immigration of plantation owners and missionaries word got out about the stunning beauty of Hawaii and it's people which fueled tourism of wealthy Americans. At one of the popular tourist beaches, Waikiki, these tourists occasionally saw locals surfing and wanted to give it a try. This spawned an interest in surfing and a resurgence of the sport. Famous writers of the time like Jack London and Mark Twain gave it a shot. In 1907 Jack also wrote an essay, "A Royal Sport", about his experience. World traveler and writer, Alexander Hume Ford, settled in Waikiki in 1907 and promptly became part of the local surfer community and founded The Outrigger Canoe and Surfing Club which promoted surfing. It did not, however, allow non-whites (or women) to participate so the local Hawaiians started their own club called Hui Nalu, meaning "Club of the Waves".  It was, however, George Freeth and Duke Kahanamoku,the first real surf icons, who became famous for practicing their traditional sport and helped spread it from Waikiki to around the world.

​George, who was born in Hawaii to a part Hawaiian mother and an Irish father, was discovered by a wealthy industrialist and brought to Redondo Beach, California in 1907 to show off his waterman skills as "The Man Who Walks on Water". He worked as a lifeguard until his death when, sadly, he died during the 1910 flu epidemic at the age of 35. He was buried in Oahu Cemetery in Hawaii and is generally credited as the "Father of Modern Surfing".

​Duke Kahanamoku  



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