Nalu: History, Legends, and Wisdom from 1,000 Years of Hawaiian Surfing by Marie Alohalani Brown and Ian Lendler
A great big Mahalo to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and
NetGalley for sharing the wonderful and beautiful book Nalu: History, Legends, and Wisdom from 1,000 Years of Hawaiian Surfing by Marie Alohalani
Brown and Ian Lendler. I had the pleasure of visiting Hawaii recently, and I
was amazed not just by the natural beauty of the land, but also on the
stewardship and care that most Hawaiians display of their land and sea. During
out trip, we also visited the Polynesian Cultural Center and were able to learn
more about the various cultures that comprise Polynesia and Pacific Islands,
learning more about their distinct and shared beliefs and practices from which
indigenous Hawaiian culture descends. I was also amazed at the interest and
pride in Hawaiian culture around the islands, since it’s not something I new
much about prior to visiting. I’m grateful that Dr. Brown and Lendler’s
research and documentation in their book Nalu adds to the body of
knowledge about Polynesian and Pacific Islander culture, history, with a
specific focus on the practice of surfing in Hawaii.
I loved the way this book examines history, culture, and
mythology to identify the ways that a cultural practice has evolved over time
to become a modern sport and pastime for many people around the world. The authors not only identify early instances
of the practice of Nalu in Hawaii and other Polynesian islands, but also
examine the cultural relationship that Hawaiians have with the water, often
stressing how essential it is to their daily lives. It’s a beautiful reminder
of our own need to reconnect with nature and to emphasize how we are part of
our environments. The authors not only identify cultural beliefs and practices,
but also share myths that demonstrate and explain the origins of these beliefs
into how waves formed, and how different gods and goddesses utilized waves and
surfing to travel from island to island, to show off or to demonstrate their
own mastery over nature, with a reminder about the power of nature and the need
to respect it as well. In addition, the authors provide glossaries of terms
related to oceans and surfing, to further educate readers about indigenous
Hawaiian beliefs. It’s fascinating to learn the variety of terms to describe
waves and the parts of waves and surf. These sections are accompanied by both
historical drawings and texts, sometimes coming from early encounters with
indigenous Hawaiians, as well as beautiful color photos in the ocean of
surfers.
Other sections in the book present the history of modern
surfing and the different kinds of boards that have been used over time. This
was also a fascinating section to learn more about how surfing spread through
tourism and Duke Kahanamoku, the Olympic swimmer who brought surfing to the
mainland and encouraged others to find a board and catch a wave. I loved
learning more about him, since I wasn’t familiar with his or his brothers’
swimming accomplishments as Olympic athletes. There are other sections as well
that detail some other integral figures in the world of surfing including Rell
Sunn and Eddie Aikau, and how their contributions to surfing helped to further
increase interest in surfing. For example, Rell Sunn became one of the first
female surfing champions and established female surf competition divisions. Her
story shows how integral the ocean is to Hawaiian culture. I also didn’t
realize that the major annual surf competition, The Eddie, was named after Eddie
Aikau, who took part on the sailing of The Hōkūle’a, a traditional
Polynesian craft that set sail from Hawaii and was part of the second wave of
Hawaiian cultural renaissance. The Hōkūle’a encountered rough waves,
eventually flipping, leaving the crew clinging to the side of the boat. Eddie
Aikau set off on his surfboard to find help but was never seen again. The crew
was rescued, but Eddie’s body was never recovered. Eddie’s brother, Clyde,
created the Eddie surf competition to commemorate his brother’s love of big
waves and to celebrate the Hawaiian cultural traditions of surfing. There are
some cool and touching stories about sea turtles helping to lead winning
surfers to big waves, and Clyde believed the turtles somehow represented the
spirit of Eddie. Brown and Lendler detail their contributions
to surfing in helping to not only maintain some traditional Hawaiian practices,
but also to share the love of being out on the ocean and spending a day riding
the waves. I loved the way that Brown and Lendler don’t just recap these stories,
but really frame them in an educational context, reconnecting their importance
to Hawaiian culture and providing context, examples, definitions, and other
essential information to ensure that non-native Hawaiians understand the
cultural and historical significance of these individuals, myths, practices,
and beliefs. The authors make learning about Hawaiian culture not only
educational but also engaging and fun.
Nalu is a fabulous book filled not only with
beautiful pictures and images from history, but also incredible stories and
myths highlighting Hawaiian culture, beliefs, and values. While Nalu reinforced
my appreciation and love for Hawaii, it will surely spark interest in traveling
there if readers have yet to visit. Although I read the digital version, I can
only imagine how striking the physical version of the book will be. Highly
recommended as a book for those interested in culture, mythology, history, and
travel.
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