Haa keaulana biography of william

For the watermen and women of Hawaii, surfing is a way of life.

Haa keaulana biography of william james

And sometimes death. The rolling thunder of the infamous Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore can grab surfers off their board, slam them into the reef and hold their injured body underwater for more than a minute. It’s no wonder the ancient Hawaiians asked a priest, the kahuna, to anoint their boards and pray for good surf.

Modern islanders, such as Ha’a Keaulana, still observe tradition but are also more practically minded.

The 26-year-old surfer, from Mākaha in the west of Oahu, trains by diving 30 feet to the ocean floor, grabbing a boulder and running for more than a minute. She learned the technique from her father.

“I was very young and didn’t really know what it was for," Keaulana says. “It was just fun at first, and then I realized, ‘Oh, it’s training for if we get held under.’” With around 12 seconds between waves, being able to stay under for a minute after a wipeout can mean s