RELATED SEARCHES
Sponsored Surfboard Results:
Hawaiian Surfboards: Ulu, Koa And Balsa Woods
By:
Published: October 30, 2006
The first surfboards were manufactured by native Hawaiians. He'e nalu or wave-riding was an integral part of the native's culture and religion and the surfboard served as a reflection of that.
Considered a Hawaiian's most prized possession, the surfboard was hand-shaped. The construction of the board, from selecting the proper tree to applying the final coats of stain, was highly ritualized. Rites, incantations and consecrations accompanied the process step by step.
The Hawaiian surfboard was constructed from one of three different trees: the wiliwili, the ulu and the koa. The style and type of the board would determine which variety of tree would be used. The wood from all three trees was considered the best on the island. The wood of the wiliwili was considered the lightest and most buoyant and used in the construction of the larger kiko'o board. Koa was the most dense and heaviest of the three. The wood of the Koa was used in the construction of the olo board.
Early surfboard makers made one of three different types of board. The shortest board was the olo. The olo tended to be thicker in the middle and tapered towards the edges resembling today's body boards. The kiko'o and alaia resemble today's modern longboard. The kiko'o, the equivalent of the modern longboard was from twelve to eighteen feet long and could weigh almost two hundred pounds.
The surfboard artisans used stone axes to cut down the trees. Before cutting down the tree, fish would be buried in the hole near the tree. The sacrifice would serve as a thank you and would be accompanied with prayers and chants.
After the sacrifice the tree would be cut down using a stone ax. The initial shaping of the tree into a surfboard would be done with bone and stone tools. The rough board would then be moved to the halau, canoe house. At the canoe house, artisans would use coral, pohaku puna or oahi, a rough stone, to abrade the surface smooth. Stains made from bark, roots, leaves or kukui nuts would be applied to the board lending the surface a dark, lustrous, smooth finish.
The practice of surfboard making would nearly come to an end with colonization of Hawaii by Europeans and Americans, especially the religious and cultural aspects of the art.
Although not made under the same religious and spiritual contexts of the indigenous people of Hawaii, today's surfboard are made with the same spirit and delicate practice.
The woods of the wiliwili, koa and ulu were initially replaced with lighter woods like balsa, but today are substituted with even lighter, sturdier materials. The modern surfboard is an amalgamation of polyurethane or polystyrene encased in fiberglass and polyester or epoxy. Some boards even utilize aluminum or carbon fiber. Considerations regarding hydrodynamics, including fins, have also been incorporated into the surfboard. It is still common practice for boards to be shaped by the hands of surfboard artisans.
Today, surfers have a variety of styles of boards to choose from. Beyond the original styles made by native Hawaiians, selections include shortboards, hybrids, retros, big boys, eggs, midrange and guns among others.
Hawaii Surfing. 2006. AV Productions. 16 Oct 2006. www.hawaiipoint.com
Past Feature Articles: Flora and Fauna. 2006. LBD Coffee LLC. 16 Oct 2006. www.coffeetimes.com
The History of Surfing. 2006. LBD Coffee LLC. 16 Oct 2006. www.coffetimes.com
The History of Surfing. 2006. SurfArt.com, 16 Oct 2006. www.surfart.com
From Polynesia with Love. 2006. Ben Marcus. 16 Oct 2006. www.surfingforlife.com
Considered a Hawaiian's most prized possession, the surfboard was hand-shaped. The construction of the board, from selecting the proper tree to applying the final coats of stain, was highly ritualized. Rites, incantations and consecrations accompanied the process step by step.
The Hawaiian surfboard was constructed from one of three different trees: the wiliwili, the ulu and the koa. The style and type of the board would determine which variety of tree would be used. The wood from all three trees was considered the best on the island. The wood of the wiliwili was considered the lightest and most buoyant and used in the construction of the larger kiko'o board. Koa was the most dense and heaviest of the three. The wood of the Koa was used in the construction of the olo board.
Early surfboard makers made one of three different types of board. The shortest board was the olo. The olo tended to be thicker in the middle and tapered towards the edges resembling today's body boards. The kiko'o and alaia resemble today's modern longboard. The kiko'o, the equivalent of the modern longboard was from twelve to eighteen feet long and could weigh almost two hundred pounds.
The surfboard artisans used stone axes to cut down the trees. Before cutting down the tree, fish would be buried in the hole near the tree. The sacrifice would serve as a thank you and would be accompanied with prayers and chants.
After the sacrifice the tree would be cut down using a stone ax. The initial shaping of the tree into a surfboard would be done with bone and stone tools. The rough board would then be moved to the halau, canoe house. At the canoe house, artisans would use coral, pohaku puna or oahi, a rough stone, to abrade the surface smooth. Stains made from bark, roots, leaves or kukui nuts would be applied to the board lending the surface a dark, lustrous, smooth finish.
The practice of surfboard making would nearly come to an end with colonization of Hawaii by Europeans and Americans, especially the religious and cultural aspects of the art.
Although not made under the same religious and spiritual contexts of the indigenous people of Hawaii, today's surfboard are made with the same spirit and delicate practice.
The woods of the wiliwili, koa and ulu were initially replaced with lighter woods like balsa, but today are substituted with even lighter, sturdier materials. The modern surfboard is an amalgamation of polyurethane or polystyrene encased in fiberglass and polyester or epoxy. Some boards even utilize aluminum or carbon fiber. Considerations regarding hydrodynamics, including fins, have also been incorporated into the surfboard. It is still common practice for boards to be shaped by the hands of surfboard artisans.
Today, surfers have a variety of styles of boards to choose from. Beyond the original styles made by native Hawaiians, selections include shortboards, hybrids, retros, big boys, eggs, midrange and guns among others.
Hawaii Surfing. 2006. AV Productions. 16 Oct 2006. www.hawaiipoint.com
Past Feature Articles: Flora and Fauna. 2006. LBD Coffee LLC. 16 Oct 2006. www.coffeetimes.com
The History of Surfing. 2006. LBD Coffee LLC. 16 Oct 2006. www.coffetimes.com
The History of Surfing. 2006. SurfArt.com, 16 Oct 2006. www.surfart.com
From Polynesia with Love. 2006. Ben Marcus. 16 Oct 2006. www.surfingforlife.com
Featured Surfboard Products:
