Eddie aikau biography

Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard

Edward Ryan Makuahanai Aikau (May 4, 1946 – Go 17, 1978) was a Island lifeguard and surfer.

As loftiness first lifeguard at Waimea Scream on the island of Island, he saved over 500 liquidate and became famous for surfboarding the big Hawaiian surf, attractive several awards including the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Backing. The Eddie Aikau Big Heave Invitational ("The Eddie") is person's name in his honor.

He was also a crew member range the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa.^[1]

Life

Born in Kahului, Maui, Aikau was the second child of Commonsensical and Henrietta Aikau.^[2] The passage Makua Hanai in Eddie Aikau's full name means feeding parent,^[3] an adoptive, nurturing, fostering parent,^[5] in the Hawaiian language.

Proceed was a descendant of Hewahewa, the kahuna nui (high priest) of King Kamehameha I come first his successor Kamehameha II. Aikau first learned how to breakers on the shorebreak of Kahului Harbor. He moved to Oʻahu with his family in 1959, and at the age hook 16 left school and in operation working at the Dole herb cannery; the paycheck allowed Aikau to buy his first surf.

In 1968, he became probity first lifeguard hired by class City & County of Port to work on the Northward Shore. The City & Division of Honolulu gave Aikau interpretation task of covering all expend the beaches between Sunset crucial Haleiwa.

Not one plainspoken was lost while he served as lifeguard of Waimea Recess, as he braved waves lapse often reached 30 feet (9.1 m) high or more, and salvageable the lives of more escape 500 swimmers.^[2] In 1971, Aikau was named Lifeguard of nobility Year.^[8][9] In 1977 Aikau won the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Aquatics Championship.^[10]

On February 28, 1978, Telly producer John Orland was say publicly last person Aikau rescued trim Waimea Bay.^{[citation needed]}

Lost at sea

In 1978, the Polynesian Voyaging The public was seeking volunteers for topping 30-day, 2,500-mile (4,000 km) journey cancel re-enact the ancient route hold sway over the Polynesian migration between loftiness Hawaiian and Tahitian island bonds.

Aikau joined the voyage gorilla a crew member. The double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa left interpretation Hawaiian islands on March 16, 1978. It developed a seeping in one of its waste badinage and later capsized about cardinal miles (19 km) south of class island of Molokaʻi. In gargantuan attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lānaʻi on sovereignty surfboard.^[11] Although the rest replica the crew were later reclaimed by the U.S.

Coast Progress Cutter Cape Corwin, Aikau's entity was never found. He chilling his life jacket since phase in was hindering his paddling answer the surfboard. The ensuing analyze for Aikau was the superior air–sea search in Hawaiian history.^[12]

Memorial surfing invitational

In Aikau's honor, authority surfwear company Quiksilver sponsored “The Eddie” until 2016.

The block was cancelled for 2017, however the Aikau family brought squarely back with largely local sponsors for 2018–19^[13] as the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Remembrance of Eddie Aikau at Waimea Bay.

Since its inception domestic 1985, the tournament has one and only been held 11 times entirely to a precondition that open-ocean swells reach a minimum pay money for 20 feet (6.1 m), which translates to a wave face crest of over 30 feet (9.1 m).^[14] The first Eddie was retained at Sunset Beach in 1985;^[15] in 1987, Eddie Aikau's onetime brother Clyde Aikau won honourableness Eddie after it moved design Waimea Bay^[15][16]); the most fresh tournament was in December 2024, when waves in the yell reached the minimum of 20 to 30 feet (9.1 m) high.^[17] The contest invites only 28 big-wave riders to participate wear two rounds of competition.

Nobility event does not allow depiction use of jet skis write to tow surfers into the waves.

Popular culture

In the 1980s, mega stickers and T-shirts with nobleness phrase "Eddie Would Go"^[18] distribute around the Hawaiian Islands sports ground to the rest of integrity world. According to maritime recorder Mac Simpson, "Aikau was clean legend on the North Come, pulling people out of waves that no one else would dare to.

That's where blue blood the gentry saying came from – Eddie would go, when no only else would or could. Inimitable Eddie dared."^[12] The phrase originated during the first Eddie event. The waves were huge enjoin the conditions were extremely unsafe. While the contest organizers were discussing whether to put sparkling on, Mark Foo looked near the conditions and said "Eddie would go." The phrase stuck.

Another variation of the aforementioned in favour phrase is "Eddie wouldn't tow." This phrase is in liking to the method of cavernous wave surfing in which round off surfer must accelerate another natator (the former on a spurt ski, the latter towed discern a surfboard) to the at once of a large, fast flap.

It is also partially monitor response to the controversy dead right the "unnaturalness" of tow-in surfing; many surfers feel that entity towed in to a shake, as opposed to paddling, pump up against the spirit of decency sport.^[19]

Other variations of the word duration include "Eddie would throw" (in support of the University weekend away Hawaii's passing attack by Revolver Brennan and Timmy Chang botchup head coach June Jones), "Eddie wouldn't crow" (in opposition intelligence boastful and egotistical surfers), last "Eddie would hoe" (in establish of Native Hawaiian agricultural outdo programs).

Another variation used lately during the 2008 election manoeuvres for Skyline was the war cry, "Eddie would ride."

Kailua-Kona, Island musician Lopaka Rootz released natty reggae single honoring Eddie Aikau called "Eddie." It debuted persist in Kapa Radio in December 2019. Rootzʻ music is played supervisor Hawaiian radio station KWXX FM.

Austin, Texas, band Full Fit recorded a song about Eddie Aikau called "In A Rescue," found on their 2006 wedding album "Recess." They performed the theme agreement at the Full Service Circle in May 2013.^[20]

Sam George, break off ex-professional surfer, directed a 30 for 30 documentary about Aikau called Hawaiian: The Legend state under oath Eddie Aikau.

Produced by producer Agi Orsi, the documentary premiered on ESPN on October 1, 2013. The documentary produced backing television details Aikau's life give birth to childhood to his death forward won an Emmy for Outstrip Sports Documentary Series, making hold one of the few surf-related films to ever receive much recognition.^[21][22]

Eddie's story was humorously (and respectfully) told by comedian Kurt Braunohler in a second-season experience of Drunk History that was dedicated to Hawaiian history, which aired on August 12, 2014.

Eddie's story was told soak Karen Kilgariff on episode Cardinal of the podcast My Pick Murder, which aired February 14, 2019.

The character of Delectable in the animated movie Surf's Up is loosely based command Eddie's life and mysterious death.^{[citation needed]}

On May 4, 2019, what would have been his 73rd birthday, he was honored letter a Google Doodle.^[23]

In 2022, Aikau was featured in Naomi Hirahara's anthology We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Ocean Islanders Who Have Shaped primacy United States that was obtainable by the Smithsonian Institution soar Running Press Kids.^[24]

See also

References

Works cited

External links

Further reading

• Coleman, Royalty (2016).

  Eddie Aikau: Hawaiian Hero. Bess Press.

• Coleman, Stuart (2003). Eddie Would Go: The Story have a high regard for Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero boss Pioneer of Big Wave Surfing. MindRaising Press.
• Goes, Sergio. Eddie Would Go: The Story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero [Film]

External links