All hail "The Big Kahuna"! This is just one of the many nicknames for Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, known across the globe as the "Father of Modern International Surfing." Surfing is a central part of Hawaiian culture and Kahanamoku is known for organizing and participating in the first surfing exhibitions outside of the islands. He modelled wave riding with a solid surfboard in Australia at Sydney's Freshwater Beach and the mainland United States in Santa Cruz, California. Credited for spreading the Aloha spirit outside of Hawai'i, Kahanamoku introduced the sport to a whole new generation of boarders.
Kahanamoku was born August 24, 1890 and raised in Waikiki (near the present-day Hilton Hawaiian Village). Demonstrating impeccable swimming talent at an early age, at 21 he set his first world-record in an amateur freestyle competition. The following year he joined the United States Olympic swimming team. Across the span of his career, Kahanamoku would win three gold and two silver medals at the Olympics for swimming and be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In October 1999, Surfer magazine named him "Surfer of the Century" and he was also one of first people to be inducted into both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the International Surfing Hall of Fame. Kahanamoku also served as sheriff of Honolulu from 1938 to 1960 and found the time to play a few notable roles in Hollywood films!
Today, Kahanamoku's legacy lives on. He has his very own monumental statue on the shores of Waikiki beach. To celebrate the legendary surfer, fans adorn his statue with leis. Even nearby restaurants like Duke's Canoe Club & Barefoot Bar, a beachfront bar and restaurant in the Outrigger Waikiki On The Beach Hotel, take part in the remembrance of a great surfer by displaying portraits, posters and other memorabilia in their restaurants.
