The rich history of surfing

While surfing is often associated with modern-day adrenaline seekers, its origins stretch back hundreds of years to ancient Polynesian culture. Far from being just a sport, surfing was once a deeply spiritual practice. Over time, surfing spread across the globe, experiencing both periods of decline and resurgence.In this gallery, we'll take you through the fascinating journey of surfing, from its roots in Polynesia to how it became the cultural phenomenon it is today.

The origins in Polynesia

The first references to surfing can be found in 12th-century cave paintings in Polynesia. These cave paintings illustrated people riding on waves. Via seafaring, Polynesians brought surfing to Hawaii.

A sacred sport

The boards were made of wood, and rituals were practiced during the surfboard shaping. During these ceremonies, people asked for protection and to secure their gods' goodwill.

The arrival of missionaries

Christian missionaries arrived as well, forcing Hawaiians to wear clothes and go to church. The native’s culture was considered immoral, including the practice of surfing. At the time, surfing lost its strong influence, but never totally vanished.

The reemergence of surfing

The reports about surfing caused great interest in the non-native population, and as Hawaii became part of the American territories, the natives were allowed to freely surf again. By the beginning of the 20th century, surfing had reemerged in the Hawaiian coasts, with natives and tourists alike participating.

"The Duke"

The most famous surfer was Duke Kahanamoku, nicknamed "The Duke." The Hawaiian native was a talented swimmer who competed in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, winning the 100-meter freestyle contest. The swimming champion used a crawl technique that he copied from surfing.

Surfing around the world

After his Olympic success, The Duke started traveling around the world and introduced surfing in regions like the state of California and the country of Australia. This caused great impact on the public, and a worldwide interest surged.

The invention of the first wetsuit

In the early '50s, the first wetsuit was invented by Jack O’Neill, which protected surfers from the cold Californian water.

A mainstream sport

In the 1960s, thanks to the wetsuit and smaller boards, surfing became a popular pastime sport for white, middle-class Californians.

Surfing on the big screen

Before the Beach Boys were playing on the radio, the big screen found a star in the film ‘Gidget’ (1959), about a California girl who surfed in Malibu.

The depiction of traveling surfers

Films like the documentary 'The Endless Summer' (1966) by Bruce Brown further helped depict the surfing lifestyle, bringing it to the broader public. In his film, Brown followed two young surfers around the world in search of the perfect waves.

The legacy of Rell Sunn

Rell Sunn was a native Hawaiian surfer who carved out space for herself in the male-dominated sport. She began surfing at the age of four in Makaha, and when older she entered in men’s competitions, as there weren’t many for women. Her given middle name, Kapolioka’ehukai, hinted to her success, as it means "heart of the sea" in Hawaiian.

Further technical adjustments

During this decade, Australian Simon Anderson created the 3-fin-system on the surfboard and the ability to dismantle them. This was the final essential change, making the surfboard what we know it as today.

Surfing as a lifestyle

With the development of surf culture, slang like "dude" and "rad" emerged, as well as the "shaka" hand sign, also known as the "hang loose."

The soul of a surfer

Surfing meant a healthy lifestyle, but also rebellious flair together with an adventurous spirit