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ancient hawaiian surfboards: #1

ancient surfboard design and construction.
part 1

INTRODUCTION
An examination of ancient surfboard design and construction is limited to post-contact accounts, images, analysis and examples collected by cultural historians.
The earliest reports by members of Captain Cook's Pacific expeditions are relatively unencumbered by pre-conceptions or a surf riding cultural agenda that is occassionally evident in later accounts and must be given significant weight.
Several later reports are questionable in their authenticity and some appear to reprise earlier accounts.
These should not be considered as significant contributions.
Most images are probably not reliable or accurrate representations and many appear to be the work of artists who never left Europe.
Works described as 'analysis' comprise recollections by native Hawaiian historians (Malo, I'i) and the writings of cultural (Bigham, Buck) or surfing historians (Blake, Finney).
Finally, there is a significant number of ancient surfboards are held by cultural institutions, notably the Bishop Museum, that may provide data available from any other source.
This paper has been prepared in preparation for a visit to examine the ancient surfboards held by the Bishop Museum, Honolulu.
Until such an examination of the boards is completed, some conclusions are speculation.

1. THE FIRST REPORTS OF POLYNESIAN SURFRIDING
The earliest written reports of Polynesian surfriding activity were initially in Tahiti by members of James Cook's Pacific expeditions, before his visits to the Hawaiian Islands in 1778 and 1779.

"Cook's journals are the starting point for all studies of the history and culture of four major island groups in Polynesia (Society, Tonga, New Zealand and Hawai'i) and of eastern Australia, Vanuatu (New Hebrides) and New Caledonia." (1)

1.1 Joseph Banks, in company with Cook and Solander, reported in his journal, 29th May 1769:

"In the midst of these breakers 10 or 12 Indians were swimming who whenever a surf broke near
them divd under it with infinite ease, rising up on the other side; but their chief amusement was
carried on by the stern of an old canoe, with this before them they swam out as far as the
outermost breach, then one or two would get into it and opposing the blunt end to the
breaking wave were hurried in with incredible swiftness." (2)

This first report corresponds to a description of basic surfriding activity- the paddle out, the take-off and the ride.
In particular it notes the use of a craft to increase surf riding performance, albeit "the stern of an old canoe".
Although not detailed in any of the available literature, the recycling of damaged canoes into smaller craft may have been common practice in the formative era of ancient surfboard building.

1.2 On Cook's third Pacific voyage, a report of Tahitian canoe surfing was recorded by William Anderson, Surgeon 'Resolution' in August-September 1777.

"He went out from the shore till he was near the place where the swell begins to take its rise; and,
watching its first motion very attentively, paddled before it with great quickness, till (it) had
acquired sufficient force to carry his canoe before it without passing underneath.
He sat motionless, and was carried along at the same swift rate as the wave, till it landed him on
the beach.
Then he started out ... and went in search of another swell.
I could not help concluding that this man felt the most supreme pleasure while his was driven so fast
and smoothly by the sea." (3, 4)

1.3 About the same time, another member of Cook's crew, William Bligh, observed Tahitian surfriders using another rudimentary craft.

"The general plan of this diversion is for a number of them to advance with their paddles to where the sea begins to break and, placing the broad part under the belly, holding the other end with their arms extended full length, they turn themselves to the surge and balancing themselves on the paddles are carried to the shore with the greatest rapidity." (5)

This report, echoing Banks', notes the use of a craft to increase surf riding performance, in this case laying on the blade of a canoe paddle with the handle extended forward.
Similarly, the recycling of damaged paddles into surf craft may have been common practice in ancient surfboard building.
Consider the image right,
Hawaiian paddles, circa 1800, Bishop Museum Collection. (6)
The paddles (hoe) held by the Bishop Museum have an average blade (laulau) length of 23 inches and a width of 12 inches.
The large bladed paddle to the left is a steering paddle (hoe uli).
It is 7ft 4'' long with a blade 38 inches x 16 inches.
Most blade shapes "are slightly convex on both sides" however there is some variation. (7)
Note that the paddles were shaped from on piece of timber and a broken shaft would render the paddle unusable.

Any of the illustrated paddle blades would make a suitable prone board.
Also note that the blade shapes "are slightly convex on both sides", a feature in common with descriptions of ancient surfboards by some commentators.

END NOTES
1. THE FIRST REPORTS OF POLYNESIAN SURFRIDING
1. Campbell, I.C.: A History of the Pacific Islands
Canterbury University Press
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 1, New Zealand. 1989. Reprinted 1992. page 51.

2. Banks, Joseph: The Endeavour Journal of Joseph Banks 1768 - 1771
Edited by J. C. Beaglehole
The Trustees of the Public Library of New South Wales in Association with Angus and Robertson
89 Castlereagh Street, Sydney.
First published February 1962. Second Edition 1963.
Two Volumes. Volume 1, page 283. (1963)

3. Quoted in Warshaw, Matt: The Encyclopedia of Surfing
Viking
Penguin Books Australia Pty Ltd
250 Camberwell Road
Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia. 2004. Pages 134 - 135.

Warshaw contributes the quote to James Cook, as does Dela Vega (2004) who notes
"In (Cook, 1784) Vol. II, Chapter 9, 1777, Capt. Cook describes canoe surfing in Tahiti."Dela Vega, Timothy T. (editor): 200 Years of Surfing Literature - An Annoted Bibliography
Published by Timothy T. Dela Vega.
Produced in Hanapepe, Kaui, Hawaii. 2004 (ed, 2004), page 15.
For the full Cook (1784) reference, see below.

In a personal email, July 2006,Patrick Moser, Drury University, noted
"the famous description of Tahitian canoe riding by William Anderson (not James Cook) on Cook's third voyage"
Sincere thanks to Patrick Moser for his substantial contribution to this subject.

4. All reproduced text is in bold italics.
For screen clarity, the reproduced text and my own work has been adjusted to my standard online format, that is paragraphs are indicated by a spaced line (replacing indentation) and each sentence takes a new line.

5. Quoted in McGinness, Laurie. Photographs by Crawford, Peter: Wildwater - The Surfriding Way of Life
Jack Pollard Publishing Pty Ltd. Rigby Ltd Sydney 1977. page 1.
Awaiting confirmation of the full reference.

6. Holmes, Tommy: The Hawaiian Canoe - Second Edition
Editions Limited, PO Box 10558 Honolulu, Hawaii 96816.
First Edition 1981. Second Edition 1993. Second Printing 1996. page 59.

7. Holmes (1993), op. cit. pages 59-61.
Holmes devotes a (fully referenced) chapter to paddles, pages 58 to 63.
The second edition adds a further chapter, pages 203 to 205.

ancient surfboard design and construction: part 2