Duke Kahanamoku "Father of Surfing"

Duke Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968), he was born three years before the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He lived to see the territory's admission as a state and became a United States citizen. He is known as the legendary father of surfing and known around the world was a Native Hawaiian competition swimmer, lifeguard, waterman, and surfer. He transformed the world of surfing and was a pioneer, a ocean spirit as some say he was born with the ocean in his blood, sunlight in his grip, and the wind on his shoulders. Kahanamoku joined fraternal organizations: he was a Scottish Rite Freemason in the Honolulu lodge, a Shriner, law enforcement officer, an actor, beach volleyball player, and a businessman. 

Long ago before the world had ever heard of his name, he was but a boy from the neighborhood area of Honolulu at Haleʻākala, the home of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, which was later converted into the Arlington Hotel. Born as Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku he would grow up near Waikiki, a native Hawaiian boy who had salt in his hair, the ocean in the distance, and the area as his playground. He grew up with eight siblings, five brothers (Sargent, Samuel, David, William and Louis), three sisters (Bernice, Kapiolani and Maria), and his family all participated in competitive aquatic sports. 

"Duke" was named after his father, Duke Halapu Kahanamoku, who was christened by Bernice Pauahi Bishop in honor of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was visiting Hawaii at the time. His father was a policeman. His mother Julia Paʻakonia Lonokahikina Paoa was a deeply religious woman with a strong sense of family ancestry. The Kahanamoku's were a prominent Hawaiian Family of Lower-Ranking Nobles, Alii Descendents, who were in service to Alii Nui Royalty as his grandparents were descendents of Alapainui. His paternal grandfather was Kahanamoku and his grandmother, Kapiolani Kaoeha were Kahu Retainers, Trusted Advisors of the Kamehameha House, which they were related to.

In 1893, his family moved to Kālia, Waikiki (current Hilton Hawaiian Village), to be closer to his mother's parents and family. Kahanamoku grew up on the outskirts of Waikiki with much of his youth being spent at the beach. That is where he would develop his swimming, his surfing, and his love of the ocean with the traditional Hawaiian surf board the most traditional of surf boards the "Papa Nui Surf Board". These surf boards were based on what were called "Olo Boards" made of Koa Tree Wood and could be as long as 16 ft and 114 pounds. During this time he would attend the Waikiki Grammar School, Kaahumanu School, and the Kamehameha Schools, but he never did finish. Destiny was upon him and destiny doesn't wait for a perfect moment, it happens when your not looking, and that moment was going to happen.

In 1911, August 11, a high-school drop out who supported his family would decide to step into the waters at Honolulu Harbor. Duke was about to enter his very first swimming competition where he went to the water and swam 100-yard freestyle in 55.4 seconds — the time had shocked people as it was unheard of and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) officials on the mainland thought it impossible, made up, a mistake... he had just beaten the world record by 4.6 seconds. The AAU initially claimed that the judges must have been using alarm clocks rather than stopwatches and later claimed that ocean currents aided the boy.

The Truth was that Duke was a powerful swimming, so he had to show the world his swimming. He was brought to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that same year to prove his world-record-breaking talents, it was his first time swimming in an indoor pool. This experience was a shock to his mind and body. Having grown up swimming in the warm, open salt waters of Honolulu Harbor, the cold, confined environment of an indoor pool was completely new to him. It affected his performance in that initial mainland race, leading him to lose and to be rescued, as he couldn't finish. The mainland press, skeptical of his earlier record-breaking times in Hawaii, reportedly "snickered" and dismissed him as a "myth".

He would be back at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Philadelphia, he won the 100-meter freestyle. Then came Sweden, Stockholm, 1912 Olympics, he would represent Hawaiians on the world stage, Hawaii, and the United States. The world was watching as this Hawaiian newcomer sliced through the water with a revolutionary strong flutter kick, rhythmic strokes, claiming gold in the 100-meter freestyle and silver in the 4×200-meter relay. Next up Belgium, Antwerp, 1920 Olympics, Kahanamoku wins gold again bettering Pua Kealoha in the 100 meter. After that France, Paris, 1924 Olympics he won silver and bronze to Samuel Kahanamoku his brother. He wasnt done yet as he would serve as an alternate on the U.S. Water polo team in the 1932 Summer Olympics. His talents were evident and could no longer be ignored, no longer a myth, he became a swimming champion among champions.

And that was only the beginning.