Duke Kahanamoku Statue

Bronze statue of the man who gave modern surfing to the world

The bronze statue of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku stands on Kuhio Beach in Waikiki, his arms outstretched and hung with leis. Duke was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming and is credited with popularising surfing internationally. He is also Waikiki's patron saint — born here in 1890 — and his likeness is the centrepiece of the tourist district he helped create.

The statue is the standard gathering point on the beach and the backdrop for countless photographs. Outrigger canoe operators work from the beach immediately in front. His birthday, August 24th, is celebrated as Duke Kahanamoku Day, and leis are piled on the statue.

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A story
Duke Kahanamoku won Olympic gold medals in swimming in 1912 and 1920, but his greater legacy is surfing. When he demonstrated the sport on Australian and Californian beaches in the 1910s and 1920s, he introduced an essentially Hawaiian activity to the rest of the world. Without Duke, the global surf industry of today — worth over $10 billion annually — might not exist. He was also Honolulu's sheriff for 26 years, and his statue looks out at the ocean rather than inland, which Duke himself said was the only correct direction.

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