Duke's OceanFest celebration underway at Waikiki Beach
Brian Keaulana & Kathy Terada : photo mozophoto.com
With arms outspread in a gesture of welcome to all, the larger-than-life
bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku on the shores of Waikiki Beach delineates
where the pavement ends and the ocean that Duke loved so much, and mastered
so well, begins.
This week Waikiki will come to life with the annual Duke's OceanFest celebration. If the "father of surfing" were still around today, he'd be honored to see his beloved sport and all its offshoots being practiced and enjoyed by so many.
Among this week's full slate of Duke's OceanFest activities, three of Duke's favorites will be featured: tandem surfing, stand-up paddle surfing, and longboarding.
The World Title of Tandem Surfing, presented by Tsunami's Waikiki, the C4 Waterman Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) Surfing Invitational, and the Roxy Jam Honolulu women's professional longboarding championship will run concurrently starting Wednesday, August 22nd, and conclude with the finals of each on Saturday, August 25th.
While there will be the usual points and prizes associated with surfing competitions, the essence of Duke's OceanFest transcends titles.
"When I think of Duke Kahanamoku, I think of someone who was so personable and who willingly shared his knowledge, his abilities and his aloha in a way that represents the heart of Hawaii and what it means to truly be a waterman," says Makaha's Brian Keaulana, who is defending champion of the World Title of Tandem Surfing along with partner Kathy Terada, and will also feature in the C4 Waterman SUP Invitational and paddleboard race.
"One of my favorite memories is of sitting in Duke's lap as a young boy. He was already of an old age at that time and I recall him coming out to Makaha in his white tuxedo suit as a guest at the Makaha International. He influenced so many people in his prime and throughout his lifetime."
Keaulana is just one of a long list of surfers - one that includes his father "Buffalo" Keaulana and many uncles, who were so impressed by Duke's waterman skills and spirit of aloha that they chose to follow in his footsteps.
"There may be
competition, but essentially all the different (surfing) sports we do are
for relaxation," said Keaulana. "For me, it's about having fun and going out
there to challenge myself. What Duke represented was way beyond competition
and that's what I try to keep at heart. It's all about a deep sense of
balance; physical balance, cultural balance, spiritual balance. That's what
surfing is. That's what Duke was all about."