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He was instrumental in achieving statehood and was later appointed the new state of Hawaiis Official Ambassador of Aloha in 1960. After his successes at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, Kahanamoku's name started to gain worldwide recognition. Even an unofficial ambassador like Kahanamoku had a full plate. Kahanamoku easily qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team in 1912. Statue dedicated at Freshwater, Sydney, Australia. Duke was born in Honolulu into a world that valued integrity, respect, and harmony. Duke introduced the world his sport and to the Hawai'ian way of life, a way of being in the world that is still alive and relevant today. Undaunted, Kahanamoku won again. Duke Kahanamoku at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912. [21] He was a Republican.[22]. According to Sports Illustrated, his given name really was Duke. The City of Huntington Beach identifies with the legacy of surfing, and a museum dedicated to that sport is located here. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Men's Journal reports that a storm near New Zealand had created a large wave that rolled across the Pacific Ocean towards Oahu, hitting it from the south. Sports Illustrated reports that he also met with President John F. Kennedy and taught the hula to the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Re-elected 12 times, Official representative at Melbourne Olympics, Sheriff position abolished when Hawaii achieved Statehood and government reorganized, Appointed Hawaiis Ambassador of Aloha, Third visit to Australia to judge surf meets, First person inducted into both the Swimming Hall of Fame and the Surfing Hall of Fame, First annual Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surf Meet, Sunset Beach, January 22, 1968 died in Honolulu at age 78; Waikk beachboy funeral, Plaque and bust dedicated at Huntington Beach, California, Posthumously inducted into U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, Statue dedicated at Waikk on centennial of his birth, Duke Kahanamoku Way dedicated at Rockaway Beach, New York, Statue dedicated at Freshwater, Sydney, Australia, Biarritz, France, Surf Festival named in his honor, First name inscribed in the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame, Identification plaques placed on Waikk statue on his birthday. According to Sports Illustrated, his given name really was Duke. If they're in Honolulu, they can visit yet another statue of him at Kuhio Beach, says The Hawaiian Islands, not too far from his original home of Waikiki. Lived in Los Angeles and played in 30 Hollywood movies. [30], Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championships, Google Arts & Culture - "Duke Paoa Kahanamoku", Google Maps - Public Art "Duke Kahanamoku", List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men), World record progression 100 metres freestyle, World record progression 4 200 metres freestyle relay, "5 Things You Didn't Know About Duke Kahanamoku", "History of the Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge in Honolulu", "Kahanamoku Helps Save 13 in Launch. In the final, he was so far ahead that at the halfway point that he was able to look back and survey the field. Duke Kahanamoku changed the world with his athletic accomplishments, from competing in the Olympics to revolutionizing lifesaving techniques in the water. By then, Kahanamoku had decided to run for sheriff of Honolulu, an office he won and attained in 1935. As a son in a fairly privileged family, Kahanamoku's childhood was relatively untouched by the political controversies of the period. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC. Moreover, how was he going to keep bringing positive attention to Hawaii if he got into a financial scandal and lost his medals? Duke Kahanamoku was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 24, 1890. When his first-born son arrived, the elder Kahanamoku passed the name along. A large funeral is held in his honor at Waikiki Beach. Hawaiians called it he'e nalu (HEH-eh NAH-loo), or wave sliding. Five Are Drowned", "51-115-231 (2) | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum", "Athletes and other sport figures notable masons", "Athletes and Other Sports Figures in Freemasonry", "Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola (1890 1968)", "Duke Kahanamoku, Legendary Surfer and Swimmer, Gets Google Tribute", "Duke Kahanamoku Dies at 77. His Olympic [1] Her great wealth, luxurious lifestyle, and love life attracted significant press coverage, both during her life and . In addition to being raised around the water, his physique made him a natural athlete particularly suited to swimming. Birth date: November 22, 1912. There is a statue of Duke in Hawaii near . On August 24, 2002, the 112th anniversary of Kahanamoku's birth, the U.S. Today, Australia is considered to be something of a surfer's paradise, with many miles of coasts, great waves, and an enthusiastic surfing community. The 1916 Olympics were cancelled because of war, but when the Games resumed in 1920, Kahanamoku was there to defend his title. Duke was born on August 24, 1890 in Hawaii.. Duke is one of the famous and trending celeb who is popular for being a Surfer. Kahanamoku set three universally recognized world records in the 100-yard freestyle between July 5, 1913, and September 5, 1917 (53 seconds; broken by Johnny Weissmuller in 1922). What Longfellows Hiawatha and later Jim Thorpe had done for the American Indian, [Kahanamoku] did for all Polynesians, especially Hawaiians.. Though, as The New York Times reports, he starred in over two dozen movies, he was often relegated to side roles. Born to a family with a noble Hawaiian lineage, Duke Kahanamoku was already fairly unique at the time of his arrival. Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 - January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. In 1920, according to the Olympic Games, he won gold in both events at the Antwerp Olympics, where he also handily defeated world records. Established in 1996, The Foundation for Global Sports Development delivers and supports initiatives that promote accessible, fair, and abuse-free sport for youth, through grants, awards, and educational projects. Develops surfing and swimming skills; prefers traditional surf board constructed from native koa wood 16 long and weighing 114 pounds. Then, they proceeded to take Duke across town to Waikiki Beach for his sea burial. He added a third career gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay. At age 42, won a Bronze Medal as an alternate on the U.S. water polo team in the Los Angeles Olympics. superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen and it forever changed the way U.S. Except it was real. Later dubbed the Kahanamoku Kick, he used his variation of the Australian crawl in freestyle swimming events to easily beat the competition. For Kahanamoku, who stood over 6 feet tall and was a powerful swimmer, managing this style of board wasn't much of a problem. Being an Olympic athlete had a complicated side, as Duke Kahanamoku would learn. The inauguration of a Waikiki Beach bronze statue commemorating Duke Kahanamoku on the centennial of his birth. Later on, he was also officially paid for many of these duties by Hawaii. He lived to see the territory's admission as a state, and became a United States citizen. Dukes name inscribed in the Huntington Beach Surfer Walk of Fame. Many of these visitors went on rides in the waves with Kahanamoku, either on his surfboard or on a somewhat more stable outrigger canoe. The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports that he was at a bit of a loose end when the head of Union Oil in Hawaii asked the surfer if he'd like a job. A replica of Duke Kahanamokus surfboard is installed at New Brighton Beach, Christchurch, New Zealand to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his visit. Dukes heroic surfboard rescue of 8 drowning men pulled one-by-one from their capsized Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. His surfing exhibition at Sydney, Australia's Freshwater Beach on December 24, 1914, is widely regarded as a seminal event in the development of surfing in Australia. I hope one day, when people talk of Americas great sports icons like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Jim Thorpe and Muhammad Ali, that Duke will naturally be another name brought up in those conversations. Duke Kahanamoku at the Summer Games in Antwerp, 1920. His father was named by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop in honor of the arrival of Englands Duke of Edinburgh in 1869. A statue of Kahanamoku was erected in his honor on the Northern headland of Freshwater Lake, New South Wales.[12]. Surfer. He finished the 100 meters with a silver medal during the 1924 Olympics in Paris, with the gold going to Johnny Weissmuller and the bronze to Kahanamoku's brother, Samuel. He gathered up to three people on his 12-foot surfboard at a time, ferrying them back to the shallows and to safety. After his athletic successes in the 1910s and 1920s, Duke Kahanamoku moved to California to begin his pursuit of a film career. My inspiration for tackling Waterman Duke: Ambassador of Aloha comes from my uncle, Jan Fisher. In his continued presence at Olympic games, Kahanamoku is an official guest at the Tokyo Olympics. At the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, he won the 100-metre freestyle event, and he repeated that triumph at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, where he also was a member of the victorious U.S. team in the 800-metre relay race. Kahanamoku was typically enlisted to play "exotic" figures like Native Americans, pirates, South Asians, and Pacific Islanders. BIOGRAPHY. ", Duke Kahanamoku (USA) Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame, Undated photo of Kahanamoku from the Library of Congress collection. Why couldn't that translate to the screen? 1. At the age of 21 he won his first Olympic gold medal, then went on . He had even introduced a new style of swimming that combined a flutter kick and powerful arm strokes, bringing him all the more closer to Olympic legend. Competing in the 100m freestyle, he equalled the world record in a qualifying heat. 1/8 miles at Waikiki, the longest in modern times. According to the Christian Science Monitor, that wave arrived in an area far out from Waikiki, in an area already known for its good surfing. Best Known For: Tobacco heiress Doris Duke was the only child of American . "I said heck yes," Kahanamoku later reported. Made from the wood of a koa tree, it was 16 feet (4.9m) long and weighed 114 pounds (52kg). In 1920 Duke also represented the United States in water polo. Kahanamoku's name is also used by Duke's Canoe Club & Barefoot Bar, as of 2016[update] known as Duke's Waikiki, a beachfront bar and restaurant in the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach Hotel. The utility of surfboards as rescue devices became evident in 1925 when he witnessed a 40-foot sport fishing vessel get hit by a squall and capsize from the beach at Corona del Mar in Newport Beach, California. Major Support for American Masters provided by. Also known as: Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku. Hawaii music promoter Kimo Wilder McVay capitalized on Kahanamoku's popularity by naming his Waikiki showroom "Duke Kahanamoku's" at the International Market Place[28] and giving Kahanamoku a financial interest in the showroom in exchange for the use of his name. At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, he won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle, and a silver medal with the second-place U.S. team in the men's 4200-meter freestyle relay. Served as Sheriff of Honolulu. It could have been a disaster for the U.S., but Cecil Healy, an Australian swimmer, was part of a group that argued for a re-do. establish Southern California a water-sports mecca. Major Support for American Masters provided by. Kahanamoku was also a powerful swimmer. Nearly every board-riding sport we know today was inspired by Hawaiian surfing, and the evolution can be traced back to Duke Kahanamoku. Newports police chief at the time called Dukes efforts the most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen. It also caused U.S. lifeguards to begin using surfboards in their water rescues. "I'm not too proud to pump gas.". Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was born on August 24, 1890 in the Kalia District of Honolulu to Duke Halapu and Julia Paakonia Lonokahikini Paoa Kahanamoku. Duke Kahanamoku. The Kahanamoku family moves to Kalia, Waikiki. His most famous work as a sculptor is the statue of Duke, which sits on Waikiki Beach. How Native Hawaiian surfers used the ocean as sanctuary. Dole established a republic on the islands in 1894 and in 1900 all Hawaiians were made United States citizens. In the postwar period, he also appeared in a number of television programs and films, such as Mister Roberts (1955). Competing in the 100m freestyle, he equalled the world record in a qualifying heat. Removed from the genuinely busy commercial center of Honolulu, Waikiki operated at a more leisurely pace. Kahanamoku was involved with the Los Angeles Athletic Club, acting as a lifeguard and competing in both swimming and water polo teams. Despite this pause, he won by two metres. In 2015, it launched its media division, Sidewinder Films, to inspire and educate audiences through films that highlight remarkable, untold stories of sports and life. Growing up on the outskirts of Waikiki, Kahanamoku spent much of his youth at the beach, where he developed his surfing and swimming skills. This swimmer invented the freestyle stroke and set the stage for Duke Kahanamoku, Honoring one of the most famous Hawaiians in the world, Duke Kahanamoku biography and life timeline, Hawaiian words and cultural concepts everyone should know, How Native Hawaiian surfers used the ocean as sanctuary, 6 ways Duke Kahanamokus athleticism changed sports, 13 nearly forgotten Hollywood films that feature Duke Kahanamoku, Clip | Duke's incredible rescue mission while on a surfboard, Clip | How Duke broke the swimming world record in Hawaii, Clip | Overcoming the distinct challenge of indoor swimming. The work paid off when Kahanmoku made the U.S. Olympic swim team less than a month after his arrival. Demons received an MTV/VMA nomination for Rock Video of the Year. Kahanamoku died of a heart attack on January 22, 1968, at age 77. On June 14, 1925, the Thelma boat was capsized in Newport Beach, California. Kahanamoku is inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Updates? Doris Duke. The director subsequently discovered, and devoured, a 2015 book, "Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku," by author David Davis, which provided a comprehensive biography from which . By the time he reached adulthood, Kahanamoku stood at six feet and weighed one-hundred-ninety pounds; his greatest asset in the water, however, was his size-thirteen feet, which he used as a propeller in the water in a flutter kick. Hawaiian words and cultural concepts everyone should know. I hope that this film helps to create better awareness of Duke in the country he represented on the worlds biggest stage for sports. This was no easy feat, as the boards had to be handcrafted out of solid wood, making them heavy and difficult to pilot through the waves. Watermanreports thatThe Beachcomber, a film made soon after the 1912 Olympics, was a casualty of the situation. On August 12, 1911, Kahanmoku participated in Hawaiis first American Athletic Union (AAU) sanctioned swimming competition, and handily took first place shattering the 100-yard freestyle world record by 4.6 seconds, and the 50-yard by 1.6 seconds. The result was dubbed Shangri La and it remains one of the world's most beautiful and. Appointed the new state of Hawaiis Official Ambassador of Aloha. That was a bigger job than one might expect, as unofficial as it was. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Duke-Kahanamoku, Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame and Cybermuseum - Biography of Duke Kahanamoku, Olympic.org - The Father of Modern Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). In addition, the ceremony was led by Reverend Abraham Akaka. He inspired people all over the world to follow their own sports journeys, but his impact as a source of pride for generations of Hawaiian and Polynesian athletes who would follow in his wake was particularly significant. Beyond a hello and goodbye, youll often hear Hawaiians talk about somebody being filled with Aloha and the Aloha spirit. For a lot of them, that can be more than just the feelings of love, sharing, humility and kindness, but also a literal spiritual presence that can grow within you. Later in his career, the innovation would become known as the "Kahanamoku Kick," a variation of the Australian crawl that he used in freestyle swimming events. Later Kahanamoku was elected to serve as the Sheriff of Honolulu, Hawaii from 1932 to 1961, completing 13 consecutive terms. In 1946, Kahanamoku was the pro forma defendant in the landmark Supreme Court case Duncan v. Kahanamoku. During his time living in Southern California, Kahanamoku performed in Hollywood as a background actor and a character actor in several films. Cook's misadventure in Hawaii did not dissuade other explorers and missionaries from coming to the islands throughout the nineteenth century. His feet were probably also a phenomenal asset in surfing, helping keep his weight more evenly distributed over the board and most likely making his elegant, upright stance easier to maintain. From 1932 to 1961 he was sheriff of the city and county of Honolulu. [5]:17 He attended the Waikiki Grammar School, Kaahumanu School, and the Kamehameha Schools, although he never graduated because he had to quit to help support the family.[9]. . His life represents far more than his unprecedented accolades in and on the water. Australians were fascinated by Kahanamoku, The Guardian reports. Duke Kahanamoku is a well known Surfer. He qualifies for the U.S. Olympic swim team and goes on to win the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and the silver medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Stockholm Olympics. Though he would eventually try some of the newer styles, he reportedly always returned to the classical surf boards that recalled Hawaiian history. and its Licensors Today, Waikiki and the statue dedicated there on the centennial of his birth - represents a sort of mecca for those who continue to honor Duke, his contributions to the world, and his spirit of aloha. He used this celebrity to help It was clear that the passengers and crew of the boat were in great danger. To prove it, they raised money to send him to the Olympic trials in Philadelphia. Here is an extensive timeline of the many milestones in the life of Duke Kahanamoku. Birth Country: United States. Its an act of giving part of your soul to another and sharing that spirit. : The battle for the trademark to Duke Kahanamokus name has been far less dignified than the man himself. Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born August 24, 1890 in Honolulu, Hawaii, the first of six sons and three daughters of Duke and Julia Kahanamoku. According to Britannica, Kahanamoku was born on Aug. 26, 1890, near what is now the ultra-popular tourist spot of Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Appointed Sheriff of Honolulu, Hawaii for the first time. THE HAWAIIAN Duke Kahanamoku is born in Honolulu, Hawaii. More threateningly, a slew of diseases cut the population of the islands from about 300,000 when Cook visited to just 40,000 in 1893. Kahanamoku also made headlines during his participation in the first Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) swimming event held in Hawaii, which took place in August 1911. Previously, Hawaiians' highly productive agriculture practices gave them plenty of time to spend at the beach and get really good at riding the waves. At the age of 77, Kahanamoku died of a heart attack on January 22, 1968. Photographer: Paul Thompson.165-WW-38B-32 ( NAID 20802740) Born in Hawaii on August 24, 1890, Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was a five time Olympic medalist who won three gold medals for the United States after competing in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, the 1924 Olympics in Paris, and being an . The showroom continued to be known as Duke Kahanamoku's until Hawaii showman Jack Cione bought it in the mid-1970s and renamed it Le Boom Boom. Without Kahanamoku's widespread renown, love for the sport, and awe-inspiring skill, surfing could very well have faded into the background. After all, when we talk about the great American athletes, how many have four monuments and statues dedicated to them in three different countries? Kahanamoku was born on August 24, 1890, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He wins the silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle at the 1924 Paris Olympics. [14] Two other surfers saved four more fishermen, while five succumbed to the seas before they could be rescued. P.O. Kahanamoku went on to win a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a silver medal in the 4200-meter freestyle relay at the Stockholm Olympics that summer, becoming a worldwide sensation and one of the most popular athletes at the Games. In 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th US State, Kahanamoku was officially named the State of Hawaii Ambassador of Aloha. Duke Kahanamoku, in full Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, (born August 26, 1890, near Waikiki, Hawaii [now in the United States]died January 22, 1968, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.), Hawaiian surfer and swimmer who won three Olympic gold medals for the United States and who for several years was considered the greatest freestyle swimmer in the world. Historically, the Hawaiian kings and nobles who surfed did so on wooden boards. First, there's his name. The Science of Beach Lifeguarding by Mike Tipton and Adam Wooler credits Duke Kahanamoku as the source of the introduction of the rescue board to lifeguarding practices. Halasima also directed "The Last Descent" (2016), which won two Utah Film Awards and played in theaters across the western United States. Another. How was he supposed to live in the meantime? Doris Duke (November 22, 1912 - October 28, 1993) was an American billionaire tobacco heiress, philanthropist, art collector, horticulturalist, and socialite. It is the showpiece of the Australian Surfers Walk of Fame. He set world records in the 100-yard freestyle three times from July 2013 to September 1917, bettering his previous number each time, until he got it to 53 seconds, a record that stood until Johnny Weissmuller broke it in 1922. [16], On August 2, 1940, Kahanamoku married dance instructor Nadine Alexander, who had relocated to Hawaii from Cleveland, Ohio, after she had been hired to teach at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. When it came to Australia, Kahanamoku also wanted to pay back a kindness given to him at the games, says The Sydney Morning Herald. After smashing the Amateur Athletic Union's world record in 1911, Duke Kahanamoku was brought from Hawaii to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to prove his talents in another race. The 100-yard freestyle event was held in between two piers in Honolulu Harbor on a temporary course set up just for the event. Duke Kahanamoku, in full Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, (born August 26, 1890, near Waikiki, Hawaii [now in the United States]died January 22, 1968, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.), Hawaiian surfer and swimmer who won three Olympic gold medals for the United States and who for several years was considered the greatest freestyle swimmer i. As a dark-skinned Pacific Islander, Kahanamoku broke through racial barriers with athletic accomplishments before Joe Louis, Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson; yet relatively few outside of Hawaii know the details of his inspiring story and considerable impact. Postal Service issued a first-class commemorative stamp with Duke's picture on it. But the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), in disbelief, would not recognize these feats until many years later. He was born towards the end of the Kingdom of Hawaii, just before the overthrow, living into statehood as a United States citizen. Men's Journal reports that Kahanamoku preferred ones made out of native Koa wood, often coming in at over 10 feet tall and weighing in excess of 100 pounds. Played small parts in about 30 movies, Heroic board rescue of 8 drowning men at Newport Beach, California, Rode a monster wave 1-1/8 miles at Waikk, probably longest ride in modern times, Los Angeles Olympics: awarded bronze medal as alternate on the U.S. water polo team, Elected City and County of Honolulu Sheriff. Witnesses reported that he was the first to respond, though other surfers began to help in the rescue effort. At the time the Newport Beach police chief called Kahanamoku's efforts "The most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen." Kahanamoku rescues eight men from the capsized Thelma in Newport Beach, California and recovers the bodies of many others who perished. Duke Kahanamoku is born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He proved that traditional activities like fishing and surfing had value and were admired in Hawaii, and now, around the world. A life in which giving and sharing was essential. bringing his natural glamour and physical presence to the screen. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. August 24, 1890 The Kahanamoku family moves to Kalia, Waikiki. In 1994 a statue of Kahanamoku by Barry Donohoo was inaugurated in Freshwater, NSW, Australia. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Major Support for American Masters provided by. Ambassador of Aloha was more than Dukes official government job and title in Hawaii until his death. [13] Using his surfboard, Kahanamoku made repeated trips from shore to the capsized ship, and helped rescue several people. He was perhaps most widely known for developing the flutter kick, which largely replaced the scissors kick. Kahanamoku also wasn't above playing a game of golf with visitors on the first courses on Oahu. My personal goals for this documentary are pretty simple. Swimmer Duke Kahanamoku of Hawaii made his first Olympic appearance in 1912. He was the first person to be inducted into both the Swimming Hall of Fame and the Surfing Hall of Fame. The Kahanamoku and the Paoa ohana were considered to be lower-ranking nobles, who were in service to the alii nui, or royalty. But youve gotta try right? Birth State: New York. Kahanamoku gave private surfing lessons to Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. and John Aspinwall Roosevelt, the children of Franklin D. If they want to pay their respects, they can visit one of a few statues worldwide, including a monument installed at Sydney's Freshwater Beach after his highly successful stint around Australia in surfing and swimming exhibitions. He was already primed to become a legend of the sport and Hawaiian history, but a fateful wave cemented his status as surfer extraordinaire. Birth City: New York. Twenty-two years after his death, Duke Kahanamoku remains Hawaii's greatest athlete. By then age 34, Kahanamoku won no more Olympic medals. Throughout his life as a surfer, Kahanamoku even made his own boards. They also discouraged and intentionally suppressed many cultural practices. A Native Hawaiian, he was born to a minor noble family less than three years before the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The following is based on a discussion guide created by The Foundation for Global Sports Development.