Duke Kahanamoku was the quintessential American aquaman.
Labelled “The Father of Surfing,” he rode the wave of fame he garnered as an Olympic champion, emerging as the humble guardian of Hawaiian culture prophesied in a king’s final words.
“The ocean is my sanctuary, the waves my prayers,” Kahanamoku is famously quoted, embodying the unity surfing has with the waters.
“Every wave is an opportunity for rebirth.”
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He holds the title of the original “Big Kahuna” – a term with Hawaiian roots that denotes a person of great influence.
Kahanamoku’s extraordinary feats began to break through Hawaii’s vivid surf at record-setting speeds, relying solely on his powerful arms and legs.
Hawaiian swimming legends Duke Kahanamoku (left) and his younger brother, Sam, during the Olympic Pool tryouts in Long Beach, California, for the 1924 Summer Olympics. (Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
He secured five Olympic medals—three of which were gold—representing the United States even before Hawaii achieved statehood.
The Big Kahuna evolved into a global icon, gracefully gliding through the waves on his 16-foot, 114-pound antique longboard with breathtaking skill.
“For us, he’s the monarch of surfing.”
Surfing made its Olympic debut in 2020.
It returns to the Paris Games this week, with surfers globally recognizing Kahanamoku as royalty.
“For us, he’s the monarch of surfing,” said Kelly Slater, an 11-time World Surf League champion, in the 2022 PBS documentary “Waterman – Duke: Ambassador of Aloha.”
Kahanamoku displayed “superhuman” abilities during a legendary sea rescue, appeared in feature films, and spent his later years as Hawaii’s official “Ambassador of Aloha.”
Duke Kahanamoku executing a surf stunt at Corona Del Mar, California, while speeding at 40 miles per hour along the crest of the waves. (NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Kahanamoku was born during a tumultuous period in Hawaiian society and is often regarded as the spirit foretold in a royal prophecy.
“Before they vanish completely, one shall arise in my likeness, possessing all the glorious strength of a vanishing race,” reportedly proclaimed King Kamehameha on his deathbed in 1819.
“He shall be revered worldwide and shall bring fame to my people.”
‘A flutter kick and powerful strokes’
Duke Paoa Kahanamoku saw the light of day on August 24, 1890, in Haleʻākala, a renowned residence in Honolulu crafted from pink coral and historically linked with Hawaiian royalty.
But Kahanamoku did not come from a royal lineage. “Duke” was not a title, but rather his birth name. His father, also named Duke, served as a police officer, while his mother, Julia, was a devout Christian.
They had eight other children together.
Duke Kahanamoku with his board at an Australian beach in 1936. (Harry Martin/Fairfax Media via Getty Images)
The family later settled in Waikiki, where the beach has since become one of the most popular surf destinations in the world, beneath the striking backdrop of Diamond Head.
Kahanamoku first gained national attention in 1911 with a swimming performance that still astounds many.
As a newcomer to competitive swimming, he broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle during a swim in the saltwater of Honolulu Harbor, completing it in 55.4 seconds—4.6 seconds faster than the previous record.
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“AAU officials from the mainland were in disbelief and questioned the legitimacy of this time,” according to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum website. “But indeed, it was legitimate, as they would soon discover.”
Native Hawaiians surfing at Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the backdrop, circa 1925. (Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
Kahanamoku’s breakthrough was attributed to “a new swimming style,” as noted by the museum, which included a flutter kick complemented by powerful strokes.
The young swimmer earned a place on the U.S. Olympic team for the 1912 Stockholm Games, where he claimed his first gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle, while also securing a silver medal as part of the men’s 4×200 freestyle relay team.
“AAU officials from the mainland were baffled.”
He added two more gold medals in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp in the same two events.
Kahanamoku earned his last Olympic medal, a silver, in 1924, finishing behind fellow American Johnny Weissmuller, who went on to become a Hollywood legend, portraying Tarzan in 12 films during the 1930s and 1940s.
Kahanamoku would also become a popular face on the screen, but only after he created a worldwide wave of excitement with his surfing talent.
‘Superhuman rescue’
David Kalakaua, the last king of Hawaii, opened the islands to the world before passing away in 1891, just five months after Kahanamoku’s birth.
Duke Kahanamoku (left) and Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller, who famously portrayed Tarzan, on Waikiki Beach in circa 1927. (PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
Among the significant decisions influencing global events, the king approved a treaty in 1875, granting the United States exclusive rights to Pearl Harbor.
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External influences led to substantial shifts in Hawaiian traditions.
“By the close of the 19th century,” states Surfer Today, “foreign missionaries had nearly ‘erased’ surfing from the Hawaiian Islands.”
Fueled by his passion for the sport and his legendary abilities, Kahanamoku played a crucial role in the resurgence of surfing.
A promotional illustration from Valspar Varnish featuring four surfers riding the waves off Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1922. (Jim Heimann Collection/Getty Images)
Kahanamoku trained for the Olympics across both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, also utilizing his time to surf.
His incredible rides, characterized by dolphin-like agility, captivated audiences internationally—especially in Australia.
“His highly publicized surfing exhibition ignited the popularity of surfing in Australia.”
“His aforementioned surfing exhibition on January 10, 1915, sparked the surfing craze in Australia,” Eric Middledrop, representing the Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club located just north of Sydney, informed Fox News Digital via email.
“The rest of the world soon followed suit.”
Ten years later, people from all walks of life closely followed the Big Kahuna’s surfing feats during an extraordinary act that captured global attention.
A portrait of swimming and surfing icon Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii, circa 1912. (Underwood Archives/Getty Images)
While surfing at Corona Del Mar, California, in 1925, Kahanamoku witnessed a harrowing event when a 40-foot yacht was overwhelmed by a massive wave.
Seventeen passengers were thrown into the water, many suffering injuries.
“I reached the screaming and gasping victims, grabbing at their desperate arms and legs.”
“I reached the screaming and gasping victims, grabbing at their desperate arms and legs,” Kahanamoku relayed in contemporary news reports.
He rescued eight individuals over four or more trips back to shore on his board; other surfers saved four more.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. and John Roosevelt are pictured with Duke Kahanamoku. President Roosevelt, along with his sons, made the first-ever visit of a sitting U.S. president to Hawaii in 1934. Kahanamoku gave private surfing lessons to the Roosevelt daughters. (Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum/Public Domain)
“Kahanamoku’s rescue efforts represented a superhuman act and the most remarkable surfboard riding displayed to date,” Newport Beach Police Chief Jim Porter commented to the Los Angeles Times in an account at the time.
“Many more would have perished if not for the swift actions of the Hawaiian swimmer.”
‘Ambassador of Aloha’
Duke Kahanamoku succumbed to death on January 22, 1968, at the age of 77 and was laid to rest at sea.
The Big Kahuna’s legacy continued to expand in his later years.
Duke Kahanamoku portraying a Native chief in the 1955 film “Mister Roberts.” Before turning to acting, he was an Olympic swimming champion and later served as Honolulu’s sheriff for 26 years. (Slim Aarons/Getty Images)
He appeared in 15 films, including “Wake of the Red Witch,” alongside another iconic American figure, his friend John Wayne.
In his leisure time, Kahanamoku played the ukulele, an instrument endorsed by Polynesian entertainers from Portuguese sailors, solidifying the instrument’s connection to Hawaiian melodies.
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“He was known for spontaneously performing hula,” recounts a Facebook post from Duke’s Waikiki, a well-known establishment in Honolulu named after the local legend.
“His larger-than-life character contributed immensely to America’s acceptance of Hawaii as the 50th state, integrating two cultures into one unified United States,” as noted on Discover Hawaii’s website.
A museum volunteer, Cisco Torres, hangs a replica of the United States postage stamp featuring surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku at the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum in California. (Glenn Koenig/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Kahanamoku was officially named Hawaii’s global “Ambassador of Aloha” following its statehood in 1959, arguably fulfilling King Kamehameha’s prophecy:
“He shall be revered worldwide and shall bring fame to my people.”
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The Big Kahuna continues to be remembered as he watches over the waves across the globe. He is commemorated with monuments on beaches in California, New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii.
His statue on Waikiki Beach stands as both a cultural and physical symbol of Hawaiian traditions.
The Duke Kahanamoku Statue at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Prisma Bildagentur/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The handmade surfboard he utilized to elevate surfing in Australia is hailed as a global treasure of the sport, and it even has a dedicated caretaker, akin to hockey’s Stanley Cup.
“This surfboard is likely the most significant artifact in the surfing realm, not only in Australia but perhaps worldwide,” expressed Middledrop from the Freshwater Surf Lifesaving Club.
The Aussie spokesperson’s digital signature underscores the deep respect for the Big Kahuna within surf culture. Middledrop’s official title is “Duke Kahanamoku Surfboard Caretaker.”
Duke Kahanamoku, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, was pivotal in popularizing surfing globally. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images; NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images; Slim Aarons/Getty Images)
Kahanamoku’s immense respect was echoed in the PBS documentary “Waterman.”
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“When you encounter something so genuine and admirable, you can’t help but reassess your preconceived notions about people,” remarked narrator Jason Momoa.
“He transformed lives merely by being himself.”
