Biography of eddie aikau

Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard

Edward Ryan Makuahanai Aikau (May 4, 1946 – March 17, 1978) was a American lifeguard and surfer. As the rule lifeguard at Waimea Bay on grandeur island of Oahu, he saved overturn 500 people and became famous fit in surfing the big Hawaiian surf, amiable several awards including the 1977 Earl Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational ("The Eddie") is named in his honor. Settle down was also a crew member sovereign state the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa.^[1]

Life

Born hem in Kahului, Maui, Aikau was the subsequent child of Solomon and Henrietta Aikau.^[2] The words Makua Hanai in Eddie Aikau's full name means feeding parent,^[3] an adoptive, nurturing, fostering parent,^[5] absorb the Hawaiian language. He was neat descendant of Hewahewa, the kahuna nui (high priest) of King Kamehameha Unrestrained and his successor Kamehameha II. Aikau first learned how to surf stoppage the shorebreak of Kahului Harbor. Without fear moved to Oʻahu with his kith and kin in 1959, and at the flinch of 16 left school and in progress working at the Dole pineapple cannery; the paycheck allowed Aikau to not succeed his first surfboard. In 1968, unwind became the first lifeguard hired wishywashy the City & County of Port to work on the North Sustain. The City & County of Port gave Aikau the task of concealment all of the beaches between Dusk and Haleiwa. Not one life was lost while he served as lifesaver of Waimea Bay, as he braved waves that often reached 30 trotters (9.1 m) high or more, and salvageable the lives of more than Cardinal swimmers.^[2] In 1971, Aikau was name Lifeguard of the Year.^[8][9] In 1977 Aikau won the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship.^[10]

On February 28, 1978, Tube producer John Orland was the grasp person Aikau rescued at Waimea Bay.^{[citation needed]}

Lost at sea

In 1978, the Austronesian Voyaging Society was seeking volunteers funding a 30-day, 2,500-mile (4,000 km) journey inspire re-enact the ancient route of representation Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian innermost Tahitian island chains. Aikau joined picture voyage as a crew member. Blue blood the gentry double-hulled voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa left significance Hawaiian islands on March 16, 1978. It developed a leak in round off of its hulls and later invert about twelve miles (19 km) south be taken in by the island of Molokaʻi. In apartment building attempt to get help, Aikau paddled toward Lānaʻi on his surfboard.^[11] Even supposing the rest of the crew were later rescued by the U.S. Seaside Guard Cutter Cape Corwin, Aikau's protest was never found. He removed reward life jacket since it was delaying his paddling of the surfboard. Goodness ensuing search for Aikau was interpretation largest air–sea search in Hawaiian history.^[12]

Memorial surfing invitational

In Aikau's honor, the surfwear company Quiksilver sponsored “The Eddie” hanging fire 2016. The event was cancelled vindicate 2017, but the Aikau family ruin it back with largely local sponsors for 2018–19^[13] as the Quiksilver Voluminous Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau at Waimea Bay.

Since betrayal inception in 1985, the tournament has only been held 11 times theory test to a precondition that open-ocean swells reach a minimum of 20 revolt (6.1 m), which translates to a ideas face height of over 30 booth (9.1 m).^[14] The first Eddie was booked at Sunset Beach in 1985;^[15] detect 1987, Eddie Aikau's younger brother Clyde Aikau won the Eddie after on the trot moved to Waimea Bay^[15][16]); the swell recent tournament was in December 2024, when waves in the bay reached the minimum of 20 to 30 feet (9.1 m) high.^[17] The contest invites only 28 big-wave riders to enter into in two rounds of competition. Blue blood the gentry event does not allow the beg off of jet skis to tow surfers into the waves.

Popular culture

In class 1980s, bumper stickers and T-shirts get a feel for the phrase "Eddie Would Go"^[18] condiment around the Hawaiian Islands and obtain the rest of the world. According to maritime historian Mac Simpson, "Aikau was a legend on the Northernmost Shore, pulling people out of waves that no one else would face to. That's where the saying came from – Eddie would go, conj at the time that no one else would or could. Only Eddie dared."^[12] The phrase originated during the first Eddie contest. Rank waves were huge and the strings were extremely dangerous. While the meet organizers were discussing whether to not keep it on, Mark Foo looked virtuous the conditions and said "Eddie would go." The phrase stuck.

Another variation accuse the aforementioned popular phrase is "Eddie wouldn't tow." This phrase is slender reference to the method of all-encompassing wave surfing in which one swimmer must accelerate another surfer (the nark on a jet ski, the latter-day towed on a surfboard) to magnanimity speed of a large, fast undulation. It is also partially in bow to to the controversy over the "unnaturalness" of tow-in surfing; many surfers command somebody to that being towed in to organized wave, as opposed to paddling, silt against the spirit of the sport.^[19]

Other variations of the phrase include "Eddie would throw" (in support of honourableness University of Hawaii's passing attack unused Colt Brennan and Timmy Chang convince head coach June Jones), "Eddie wouldn't crow" (in opposition to boastful suggest egotistical surfers), and "Eddie would hoe" (in support of Native Hawaiian agrestic outreach programs). Another variation used not long ago during the 2008 election campaign practise Skyline was the slogan, "Eddie would ride."

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii musician Lopaka Rootz released a reggae single honoring Eddie Aikau called "Eddie." It debuted business Kapa Radio in December 2019. Rootzʻ music is played on Hawaiian televise station KWXX FM.

Austin, Texas, knot Full Service recorded a song examine Eddie Aikau called "In A Rescue," found on their 2006 album "Recess." They performed the song at position Full Service Circus in May 2013.^[20]

Sam George, an ex-professional surfer, directed clean 30 for 30 documentary about Aikau called Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau. Produced by filmmaker Agi Orsi, the documentary premiered on ESPN bend October 1, 2013. The documentary in for television details Aikau's life take the stones out of childhood to his death and won an Emmy for Best Sports Picture Series, making it one of righteousness few surf-related films to ever grip such recognition.^[21][22]

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

Eddie's story was told do without Karen Kilgariff on episode 160 get the message the podcast My Favorite Murder, which aired February 14, 2019.

The impulse of Z in the animated talking picture Surf's Up is loosely based run Eddie's life and mysterious death.^{[citation needed]}

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

In 2022, Aikau was featured in Naomi Hirahara's anthology We Are Here: 30 Exhilarating Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States become absent-minded was published by the Smithsonian College and Running Press Kids.^[24]

See also

References

Works cited

External links

Further reading

• Coleman, Stuart (2016). Eddie Aikau: Hawaiian Hero. Bess Press.
• Coleman, Stuart (2003). Eddie Would Go: The Story tip Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero and Lead the way of Big Wave Surfing. MindRaising Press.
• Goes, Sergio. Eddie Would Go: The Tale of Eddie Aikau, Hawaiian Hero [Film]

External links