When it comes to water sports, surfing has always been number one. The thrill of riding and conquering the tall and large waves of the mighty sea has bewitched many people before. Now-a-days surfing has become a very common sport supporting many lives, and it is seen in almost all major coastal towns. Modern surfing takes place anywhere people can catch waves. But it wasn’t always just a recreational activity.
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitable for surfing are primarily found on ocean shores, but can also be found in standing waves in the open ocean, in lakes, in rivers in the form of a tidal bore, or in wave pools.
The term surfing refers to a person riding a wave using a board, regardless of the stance. There are several types of boards. The Moche of Peru would often surf on reed craft, while the native peoples of the Pacific surfed waves on alaia, paipo, and other such watercraft. Ancient cultures typically surfed on their belly and knees, while the modern-day definition of surfing most typically refers to a surfer riding a wave standing on a surfboard; this is also referred to as stand-up surfing.
Apart from all that, surfing has a super long history that very few surfers actually know about. The Moche civilization of the Pre-Incan era is where we find the earliest mentions of anything remotely resembling surfing. These people flourished during the Pre-Columbian historical period in what is now Peru, South America. The Moche civilization was noted for its reed-built, single-person watercraft. These boats were known as “caballitos de totora," which is Spanish for “straw seahorse.”
With a wooden paddle, these straw seahorses were mostly used to navigate the water. We now have confirmed references to “surf riding” from many hundred years ago. This dates back to the 700s in Samoa before contact and was more popularly known as “fa'ase'e” or “se'egalu.” However, the main distinction from the Moche civilization was the employment of single-hull canoes rather than paddle-powered reed boats. During this time, “surf riding” was mostly employed for fishing and warrior training, but it also became a well-liked pastime. The function and significance of “surf riding” were unaltered for those early Polynesian communities between 700 and 1400. From the 1400s on, the goal of “surf riding” started to change.
The original intent of fishing and warrior training started to be replaced by surfing's recreational component. During this time of transition, “surf riding” had changed from being a drudgery to becoming the “Sport of Kings." Traditionally, tribal chiefs had the nicest surfboards and were the best “wave riders” in the territory. Societal hierarchies began to form and the peoples ‘surf riding’ ability dictated where they could and could not surf.
As well as being a great way to maintain fitness, surfing was also a way to solve conflicts between two parties. Surfing was used as a way to prove yourself and gain respect within the upper class. It was a way to show your strength, mastery of the waves, and skills. While the first surfers certainly felt the same adrenaline rush that modern.
Surfers do, back then it was no laughing matter when you rode the waves. The activity developed further, eventually incorporating wagering, tournaments, and even water festivities. These early Polynesian communities quickly gave the sport of surfing its own place. Around the year 1760, European explorers like Captain James Cook made the first known observations of surfing.
At this point, surfing had peaked in Polynesian culture. 'A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean', Captain James Cook's logbook, reached England in 1780 not long after his arrival. Hawaii quickly became everyone's next trip after it was published. Unfortunately, the old Polynesian islands did not benefit much from their newfound prominence or contact with Europe. Surfing started to fall into a 150-year decline.
The important spiritual traditions were deemed irrelevant by the new arrivals that forced a Westernized regime on these Polynesian societies. Still, surfing was such an essential part of Hawaiian culture that people never stopped doing it entirely. If there were waves to catch, the locals weren’t about to let the Europeans ruin their good time.
During this time on November 8th 1883, the first ‘Father of Modern Surfing’ George Freeth Jr was born in Hawaii. Freeth spent his youth surfing the waves of Hawaii and one afternoon was spotted by American journalist John ‘Jack’ London, who was so dumbfounded by his surfing skills that he mentioned George in great detail in his book. After London's’ book was published,
Freeths’ fame soared, and he was head-hunted by businessman Henry Huntington. Huntington saw an opportunity in Freeth and convinced him to come back to the U.S. to be shown off as the ‘Hawaiian Wonder’. Freeth altered the course of surfing history in 1907 on the California coast. Twice daily, George would demonstrate his exceptional surfing prowess to bystanders, capturing their attention. Before he knew it, surfing began to spread around the California coastline.
Around the end of the 19th century, tourism began to develop in Hawaii, and surfing started to make a huge comeback. One of the most prominent early players in modern surfing was Duke Kahanamoku. Born in 1890, “The Duke'' was one of the best surfers of his time and also an accomplished Olympic swimmer.
Duke was born and raised in Hawaii and embodied the ‘Aloha Spirit’ with a huge passion for surfing. Duke chose to embark on a global tour to promote surfing and show off his abilities once his athletic fame had reached a certain level. He toured, surfed, and attracted the attention of tens of thousands of curious bystanders from California to Australia.
He was responsible for spreading the Hawaiian surf culture worldwide. However, it was not so simple; surfing did not become popular overnight. There were a few significant variables that helped surfing become popular all around the world once it began to develop as a sport.
Due to the oppression that European settlers imposed on the Hawaiians, surfing was heavily discouraged during the 19th century. This resulted in a widespread lack of enthusiasm toward it, and this time is referred to as the “dark age” in the history of surfing. Still, it never entirely died out, and people continued to do it. Hawaiian tourism started to pick up in the late 1800s, and lots of people travelled to the islands to take a crack at surfing. As interest in surfing increased, notable authors like Jack London and Mark Twain even gave it a try. It was like everyone wanted a piece of this exciting “new” sport. This influx of popularity resulted in huge advancements in surfboard technology.
During the 1930s, 40s and 50s, the history of surfing experienced a monumental shift in technology. The technological advances that happened during this period made surfing more accessible, more fun, and at a lower cost to the public. Surfboards also became lighter and more agile, meaning surfers could push the sport to new boundaries. In the 1970s, surfing started to become more professional and commercial.
A new age of professionalism in surfing began with the establishment of International Professional Surfers (IPS). In 1995, the International Surfing Association (ISA) received official recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as surfing's governing organization. With the IOC's official recognition of the ISA, surfing moved one step closer to participating in the Olympics.
25 years later, on September 28, 2015, a successful bid for inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was submitted. As was to be expected, there was a lot of international attention in surfing throughout the Olympics. This turning point was unquestionably a significant moment in surfing history, and the contest will return to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Surfers represent a diverse culture based on riding the waves. Some people practice surfing as a recreational activity, while others make it the central focus of their lives. People all around the world love to surf as a way to challenge themselves, get active, be close to the water, and experience the thrill of riding on waves. This is not just a sport, because for most people it has become a spiritual journey and until human history remains, this sport will never vanish.
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