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"He'e Nalu" ~ The Sport of Royalty
The very roots of surfing, once the sport of Polynesian Kings and Queens, grow deep on the Islands of Hawaii, the birthplace of surfing. Hawaiian heritage is steeped in reverence and respect for the sea. The ocean has always been the life source for a proud but humble people. Hawaiian people are known as some of the most loving and giving people in the world. This grace by which they live is known as the “Aloha Spirit”. Every “soul surfer” around the world knows the meaning of Aloha, and gives tribute to the people of Hawaii for the gift of surfing.
The Hawaiian term for surfing is “he’ e nalu” which, literally translated, means wave sliding. The ali’ i (ruling class) became the best surfers in those early times because the best crafted surfboards and the premier beaches for surfing were reserved only for royalty. A person’s board became his mark of standing in society, a symbol of status and place. Therefore, it is not surprising that great and elaborate ceremony was attached to the crafting of a surfboard to be ridden on Hawaiian waves by the Kings, Queens, and those of high place among the ali’ i.
In his book, Kahanamoku (The Duke) relates, “In ancient times the Polynesians lay great spiritual importance to their surfing. The stages involved in selecting a proper tree, cutting it down, preparing the wood, treating it, and finally launching it as a finished surfboard, added up to a process that was fraught with labor, complexities, and ceremonies.“ After selecting the tree, a kumu fish was sacrificed and buried at the base of the tree trunk. After proper blessings by the kahuna (priest), the tree was cut down and trimmed into a log, and with the aid of primitive tools made of bone and stone, was painstakingly rough shaped to the point we might refer to today as a “blank”. At this point, according to Mr. Kahanamoku’s account, it was hauled to the helau (canoe shed) “where the prolonged, exacting work really began.”
Days of tedious scraping and cutting followed in order to obtain the wanted shape, depth, width and length.” After countless hours of exacting work, it was then smoothed and polished to”slickness”. Kukui nuts, banana buds, and ti plant roots were used to apply a finish that was eventually brought to a high gloss by the process of hand rubbing kukui oil into the wood. Before launching into the water, the board was dedicated by ceremony and prayers. The Duke stated, “By the time the surfer took the board into the water, it had taken on a personality and significance which enlisted reverence from its owner.” It is therefore easy to understand why such a board was forever more maintained and cared for as if sacred.
This is our heritage, the reference point from which every reverent surfboard craftsman begins his work. There is valued tradition to honor and perpetuate through our work. May those who ultimately connect with and own the products of our labors, share in the rich legacy of “Aloha”.
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