Kahanamoku was a Hawai’ian who made a name for himself in competitive swimming, where he won two medals at the 1912 Olympic Games. Kahanamoku competed mostly against white athletes and had access to exclusive clubs. Kahanamoku’s racial identity was met with criticism from reporters, but was generally swayed by Kahanamoku’s temperament and demeanor. Duke Kahanamoku is regarded as the “father of modern day surfing”. Kahanamoku used surfing as a means of meditation and spiritual exploration. Surfing was appropriated by whites and molded into the sport it is today.
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