Surfing has always been at the core of Hawaiian identity and is one of its most successful cultural exports. Although the sport has been appropriated and commercialized over the years, the Indigenous roots of surfing can be traced back to the very founding of Hawaii.

Surfing was first practiced in the year 400 in Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, eventually making its way to the Hawaiian archipelago with the first Polynesian settlers in about 1100.

Historically, surfing was only practiced by the aliʻi, the Hawaiian royalty, giving it its nickname the “sport of kings.” By the 19th century, it was permitted amongst the commoners, becoming an egalitarian national pastime offering a spiritual connection to the ocean. 

As Western missionaries began encroaching and colonizing Hawaiian society in the mid-1800s, surfing was severely restricted as it was deemed immodest; often practiced in the nude and comingling with the opposite sex.

Surfing remained dormant until 1912 when it was brought onto the world stage by Hawaiian Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku. He travelled across the globe, from California to Australia, introducing the sport to many and kickstarting surf cultures everywhere.