History Of Surfing

The very first written account of surfboarding in the history of surfing was taken down by Lieutenant James King, who had arrived in Hawaii with Captain James Cook. He wrote about a two page description on surfboard riding after observing some locals at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island’s Kona coast. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Hawaiians did not have any written language, so there was no Hawaiian written surfing history; there was, however, a rich oral tradition in which surfboarding played an integral part.

Because of the absence of written records, the history of surfing doesn’t have much to say about the specific origins of surfing; most experts agree that the practice of riding the surf on boards was invented by the Polynesians who migrated and brought their customs to Hawaii around the fourth century AD. This tradition, though, most likely only involved belly boarding; standing up on longboards was either directly invented or drastically perfected by the Hawaiians.

By the time Cook’s ship arrived in 1778, surfing was a fundamental part of Hawaiian society; waves were ridden on long, hardwood boards either lying down or standing up. Surfing was not only a leisurely pastime, but played an important role in the religion, mythology and very fabric of Hawaiian society. Surfing was a way for chiefs to demonstrate their skill and courage and maintain their hold over their people.

There were kahuna, or experts, that recited special chants to “bless” new surfboards and surfers. The whole of Hawaiian society was governed by a code of kapu, or taboos, which extended over the surfboarding realm as well. Besides dictating how to construct a surfboard, these taboos also established that chiefs and commoners must surf in different areas and what types of boards commoners could use.

After European contact, however, Hawaiian society, including surfing, went into decline. Calvinist missionaries imposed oppressive restrictions in the name of religion, and surfboarding activities were affected. The code of kapu was also affected by European ideologies and this was another hit to surfboarding, as it lost its ritual significance.

Though surfing suffered a drastic decline, it didn’t die out altogether, kept alive by a few dedicated and passionate Hawaiians. Some teenage Hawaiian boys started a surf club, reintroducing the sport once the Calvinist grip on society had loosened. A Hawaiian also brought the sport to California in 1907. From that point on, California became one of the main surfing hot spots; an incredible range of experimentation of board materials, sizes and add-ons also occurred.

Indeed, surfboards have come a long way from the long planks of balsa wood that had originally carried Hawaiian royalty. If you’re interested in surf board facts and history, such as the history of surf boards, the history of longboard surfing, or even something like the history of surfers, there are many interesting sources online. What’s more, there are many books that talk about surf board history, as it is such a popular sport.