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Origin of Surfing |
| According to the explanation of Wikipedia, surfing is a water activity that the surfer rides a surfing board upon the wave. It is a rough sport. The main equipment of surfing is surfing board and the leash seized on the leg. Surfing is an old extreme sport, which has been developed for over a hundred years. There are many saying about the origin of surfing. For now the statement accept by most people refers to an invention by Polynesians, a tribe on a Pacific island. A rumor goes that “Surfing is an old culture of Polynesian. Their Chieftain, who uses the best surfboard made by the best wood, owns the best surfing skills in the tribe, heading all rank of tribe people and possessing the most wonderful beach. Normal rank people in the tribe are not allowed to enter the beach. But one can be promoted to have this privilegethrough improving their surfing skills.”Another saying is that “Polynesians paddles their outrigger canoes between the islands for moving, immigrating, living and playing. And then they progressively found the interest of this paddling way in the ocean, surfing.”
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Historical Surfing Photos (quote from surfingforlife website) |
| The earliest witness of surfing is European in 1767, recorded by the crew member of Dolphin in Tahiti. After which, Captain Cook, the first Europeanwho visited Hawaii, observed the Hawaiian standing on a plank and holding himself at the peak of the wave. Stunned by this scene, he immediately wrote on his deck log that “The gigantic wave send they out in an incredible speed. Extremely skillfully holding a plank, they keep themselves sustained at the front edge of the wave in a proper position and change the direction along the big wave. The brave and the ingenuity for performing these difficult and dangerous movements were so astonishing.” |
| Subsequently, surfing has begun to be prospered in Hawaii. It was once the exclusive sport of Hawaii Royal Family, Alii. So surfing is also called the imperial sport. The surfing boy namedDuke Kahanamoku from Waikīkī Beach, Hawaii, won the golden medal in the 100m freestyle and silver medal in the 200m freestyle of 1912 Olympics, which amazed the whole USA. Then Duke began to hold speeches around the world, telling the advantage of surfing, who has a mass contribution toward promoting surfing in modern society. He is also considered as “father of surfing” by the later generations. Today, near to Waikīkī Beach stands a statue of Duke Kahanamoku, with the arms opened like he is welcoming the tourist around the world. Many surfing beginners still learn how to catch their first wave at this beach. |
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Surfers at DongheRivermouth |
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