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ancient hawaiian surfboards: #4

ancient surfboard design and construction
part 4

4. POST CONTACT ILLUSTRATIONS OF HAWAIIAN SURFBOARDS : EARLY19th CENTURY.
European visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in the early 19th century were mostly explorers, Christian missionaries or those commercially exploiting the region - whalers and sealskin or sandalwood traders.
By the end of the century, as Hawaii was beginning to build its reputation as a tourist destination, the indigenous culture had all but disappeared.

3.1 One of the earliest 19th century desciptions of a Hawaiian surfboard is an illustration by Jacques Arago, "The Houses of Kraimokou, circa 1819", who visited the Hawaiian Islands when circumnavigating the world 1817 to 1820. (1)
A wonderfully detailed illustration of Hawaiian dwelling with the chief in ceremonial dress and his wife beating
tapa cloth, a large Olo board takes a central position in the drawing and presumably a similar culutural position.

Given the scale of the illustration, the board is approximately 15 feet long, 20 inches wide and, less accuarately, three inches thick.
The template is foiled with a round nose and square tail, the later possibly indicating a convex bottom profile.
While the rails appear square, this possiblly is an artistic compromise to give the board perspective.
The print, below, shows the board constructed from a light-toned timber, perhaps indicating willi willi rather than the significantly darker koa wood.

Jacques Arago,
Engraving by
Alphonse Pellion:
"The Houses of Kraimokou", circa 1819.
(2)
Finney and Houston (1996) Page 37..

First image of an Olo board.

3.2 A far more active but idealised image, also attributed to Aargo, from the same visit shows boards approximately 5 foot and 24 inches wide with a round nose, square tail and square rails. (3)
The round nose, foreground left, is only vaguely suggested but there is a possiblity that the printed image has been cropped.
This may be only confirmed with access to an original or uncropped version of the drawing.
The board reasonably conforms within the paramters of previously noted surfboard descriptions, see 2 above.

The buildings closely resemble a house initally drawn by John Webber in 1779 titled "An Offering before Capt Cook in the Sandwich Ilses".
An engraving, based on the drawing by S. Middleman and J. Hall, was included in Cook's published journals in 1884. (4)

Jacques Arago :
"Wahine, Hawaii", circa 1819.
(4)
Finney and Houston (1996) Page 38.

While the image focuses on (for the period) the erotic representation of two bare breasted women (5) depicted in classical European style, it may illustrate the earliest representation of surfriding activity.
The female in the foreground is possbly riding a wave (and angling to her right?) in a sitting position, as recorded by Rev. William Ellis, below (4.1).

3.3 Ellis's published account (4.1) included a drawing by F. Howard, titled "Sandwich Island Surf-riders", circa 1830. (6)
Although it is probably the first reported Western image of standing surfriding, correctly identifying the stance, the depiction of the boards is crude and they appear, given modern surfriding experience, to be too small for succesful riding.

F. Howard :
"Sandwich Island Surf-riders", circa 1830.
(7)
Finney and Houston (1996) Frontpiece.

The first reported Western image of surf-riding,
it correctly identifies stance.

3.4 Similarly, Francis Olmsted's drawing,"Sandwich Islanders Playing in the Surf" circa 1841 (8), is light on board detail and the perspective and positioning in the wave makes any estimation of board dimensions impossible.
Note however that Olmsted's drawing accompanies his acount of his (Pacific?) whaling experiences in the early 19th century.
It is currently unknown if, as might be expected, there are surfriding references in the text.

Francis Olmsted :
"Sandwich Islanders
Playing in the Surf,
circa 1841."
(9)
.Lueras (1984) Page 39.

First image by the same writer
and artist.

3.5 Frenchman, Charles de Varigny, recorded his visit to Hawaii circa 1850 (4.?) and his published work features two images of surfriding activity.(10)
Their status is questionable and they may not be a record of direct observation but possibly based on oral and/or written reports.
The artists may also have had access to previously published images, unpublished sketches or (highly improbably) photographs. (11)

Of the two, E. Riou's (1833-1900) "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing) is a wide seascape that views the boards from a considerable distance. (12)
Leuras (1984) page 52, notes that that the illustration has "a Tahiti-like backdrop"and there are several standing riders apparently riding away from the beach.
There are some similarities with Howard (1830), particually the attire.
At best, the boards could be estimated as flat, six feet long and 20 inches wide.

E. Riou :
"Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing), circa 1873.
(13)
Lueras (1984)
Page 53.

Probably reconstructed from reports
or sketches.

3.6 The second illustration in de Varigny (4.?), by Emile Bayard, (1837-1891), is also titled "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing). (14)
The board dimensions are approximately 9 feet long and 18 inches wide.
Note that the steepness of the beach and the significant backwash do not confirm to what modern surfriders would normally regard as suitable surf conditions, especially for boards of this length
The image indicates extremely pointed nose profiles- these do not correspond with any other images, or indeed with any known examples.
Similar nose profiles did not appear in common surfboard design until the 1950s.
The weight of the boards is indicated by the two riders lifting the board, right.
As with Riou's illustration (3.5), there are some similarities with Howard (3.3), particually the attire.
The side pespective is unique, the wave detail possibly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints.
See The Wave in Art.

Emile Bayard :
"Jeux Havaiens"
(Hawaiians playing),
circa 1873.
(15)
DelaVega (ed, 2004)
Page17.

Probably reconstructed from reports or sketches.

3.7 Knox's book includes a engraving titled "Surf Bathing, circa 1873" by Com. William Bainbridge Hoff :

Illustrations: 19th Century*

	Arago 1819	Arago #2 1819	Howard 1830	Bayard 1871	E. Riou 1871	Hoff 1873
Location	Hawai'i		Hawai'i	Hawai'i	Hawai'i	Hawai'i
Design	Olo			Surfriding	Surfriding	Surfriding
Length	15 feet	5 teet	6 feet	6 to 7 feet	6 feet	Long
Width	20 inches	20 inches	16 inches	24 inches	20 inches	Narrow
Thickness	Thin	Flat	4 to 5 inches	Thin	x	x
Weight	x	x	x	x	x	x
Template	Foiled	x	Foiled	x	Oval	Parrallel
Nose	Round	Round	Round ?*	x	Round	Round
Tail	Square	Square	9 inches	x	Round	Round
Rails	Square	Square	Bevelled to1 inch	x	x	x

* All dimensions are estimations.

END NOTES: 3. POST CONTACT ILLUSTRATIONS OF HAWAIIAN SURFBOARDS
1. The image was originally printed in
Arago, J : Narrative of a Voyage round the World, in the Uranie and Physicienne Corvettes,
Commanded by Captain Freycinet, During the Years 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1820.
Treuttel and Wurtz, Treuttel, Jun. and Richter. London. 1823.
. . . With Twenty-Six Engravings . . . . :
Folding frontispiece map and twenty-five lithographed plates after Arago.
and
Freycinet, L : Voyage autour du mode ... 1817 - 1820. (Voyage around the world ... 1817 - 1820.)
Chez Pillet aine, Paris. 1825,
Volume 2, Part 2, Book 4, Chapter XXVII, Pages 517 to 622 (?).
Dela Vega (ed, 2004) page 20.
Also
Arago, J : Recollections of a Blind Man
Cited by Finney and Houston (1996) Page 38.

De Rienzi, Domeny (1789-1843) & Gregoire Louis
Oceanie; au cinquieme partie du monde revue geogrophique et ethnogrophique de la Malaisie, de la Micronesie, de la Polynesie et de la Melanesie; offrant les resultats des voyages et des decouvertes de l'auteur et de ses devanciers, ainsi que ses nouvelles classifications et divisions de ces con trees (The Universe, History
and Description, of All the People) 3 Volumes (Paris: Firmin Didot 1836-7) vol. 2, plate 115. "Habitations" Image of house and surfboard (See next page bottom). French cultural anthropology book. No surfing content.
DelaVega page16

2. Finney and Houston (1996) Page 37.
The image, in various sizes and/or cropped versions, has been reproduced in many surfing books.
Finney and Houston (1966) Plate 12.
Margan and Finney (1971) Page 19
Nat's History (1983) Page 33 Badly cropped.
Lueras (1984) Page 35. Colourised, see below.
Kampion : Stoked (1997) Page 31. Credited as "Kraimoku Homestead" by Villroy. Bishop Museum.
Dela Vega (ed, 2004) page 20.

3. Jacques Arago (Engraving : ?) : "Wahine, Hawaii, circa 1819."
First printing in :Arago, Jacques : Recollections of a Blind Man
An account of a tour around the world, circa 1820.

4. Beaglehole, J.C.: The Life of James Cook
Stanford University Press Stanford, California. 1974.
Original publisher : A. & C. Black, Ltd. London, 1974.
Plate 41, between pages 672 and 673.

4. Finney and Houston (1996) Page 38.
Various resized and/or cropped versions are also printed in
Finney and Houston (1966) Page 43, Figure 5.
Margan and Finney (1971) Page 19.

5.The fascination with the naked female breast can be, perhaps, assessed by a desciption of a young aboriginal woman by Watkin Tench, a British Army officer posted to the initial occupation of Australia at Sydney Cove in 1788.
"She excelled in beauty all their females I ever saw.
Her age about eighteen, the firmness, the symmetry and the luxuriancy of her bosom might have tempted painting to copy its charms."
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/t/tench/watkin/settlement/chapter17.html
Rendered into HTML on Mon Nov 3 09:50:03 2003, by Steve Thomas for
The University of Adelaide Library Electronic Texts Collection.

6. F. Howard : "Sandwich Island Surf-riders", circa 1830.
Etching by W. Finden.
First published ... Rev. William Ellis : Polynesian Researches, During a Residence of Nearly Eighty Years in the Society and Sandwich Islands, Volumes I to IV..
Fisher, Son and Jackson, London, 1831. Title page to Volume IV (?)
The first reported Western image of surf-riding, it correctly identifies stance.

The "Sandwich Islands" was the name originally given to the Hawaiian Islands by Cook, for a patron, Lord Sandwich (as in the "invention" of a piece of meat between two slices of bread) and was used up to the late19th century.

7. Finney and Houston (1996) Frontpiece.
Various resized and/or cropped versions are also printed in
Finney and Houston (1966) Frontpiece. A particually poor reproduction, unlike the other images in this book.
George (1990) Page 21.
Dela Vega (ed, 2004) Pages 18 -19

8. Francis Olmsted (drawing) : "Sandwich Islanders Playing in the Surf", circa 1841.
Lithograph by Endicott, New York.
First printing ... Francis Olmsted, F.A. : Incidents of a Whaling Voyage...
Appleton and Co., NY, 1841. Page 222 or 223.
First image by the same writer and artist.

9. Lueras (1984) Page 39.
Various resized and/or cropped versions are also printed in
Nat's History (1983) Page 33
Dela Vega (ed, 2004) page 24.

10. de Varigny, Charles: "Quatorze Ans Aux Iles Sandwich (Iles Havai)" (Fourteen years in the Sandwich Islands)
Le Tour du Monde Volume II, 1873, Pages 224, 237and 238.
Reproduced in Dela Vega (ed, 2004) Page17.

11. I have been unable to locate any record of Bayard or Riou, the illustrators of "Voyage Aux Iles Sandwich (Iles Havai)", visiting the Hawaiian Islands.

12. E. Riou : "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing), circa 1873.
The first printing acompanied
de Varigny, Charles : "Voyage Aux Iles Sandwich (Iles Havai)"
Le Tour du Monde (A French magazine) Volume II, 1873, Pages 224,237 or 238.

13. Lueras (1984) Page 53.
Various resized and/or cropped versions are also printed in
George (1990) Pages 12 -13
Kampion (1997) Page 42 - 13 (cropped).

14. Emile Bayard : "Jeux Havaiens" (Hawaiians playing), circa 1873.
The first printing acompanied
de Varigny, Charles : "Voyage Aux Iles Sandwich (Iles Havai)"
Le Tour du Monde (A French magazine) Volume II, 1873, Pages 224,237 or 238.

15. DelaVega (ed, 2004) Page17.
Various resized and/or cropped versions are also printed in
Finney and Houston (1996) Page 20
Margan and Finney (1971) Page 14.

20. Knox, Thomas W. (1835-1896) :The Boy Travellers in Australasia.
Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to the Sandwich, Marquesas, Sociey, Samoan and Feejee
Islands and Through the Colonies of New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria,
Tasmania and South Australia.
New York Harper & Brothers 1889.
Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1902.
Charles Tuttle Co, Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, Japan. reprinted1971.
Paul Flesch & Company, Melbourne.1971 pages ???

ancient surfboard design and construction: part 5