Sport and Spirituality: The Story of Surfing - Essay Example

February 4, Sport and Spirituality: The Story of Surfing Surfing is a water sport in which a person (or sometimes even adog) rides an object (the surfboard) on the top of a wave, moving toward the shore while keeping their balance in a standing, squatting, lying or acrobatic position. This sport is enjoyed privately, with companions, in competition, and by observers. It is a sport with a rich history and an identifiable culture of its own, and has made an impact across cultures, in many countries. This paper will consider the history, culture and cross-cultural impact of surfing. It will consider surfer spirituality and surfer theology, as a rejoining with surfing’s ancestral origins. Captain James Cook was the first European to make a documented visit to Hawaii, in 1778, but the outcome proved fatal when Cook, upset over a missing boat, kidnapped a Chief and was killed by Hawaiians (Marcus). Lieutenant King was assigned the task of continuing Cook’s travel journals, and he wrote the first known account of surfing, based on what he observed on the Kona Coast of the Big Island. He noted the impressive force and velocity, the skill of the men who surfed, the way they were praised most by others when courting and escaping danger, and he noted the great pleasure this sport gave the surfers (Marcus). What Lieutenant King did not apparently notice, however, was how surfing, more than a pleasurable exercise of courage, was woven into the history, religion and mythology of their people. Polynesians, who migrated to Hawaii in the 4th century AD, brought their tradition of riding belly boards, but standing upright on boards was a Hawaiian cultural specialty (Marcus). Hawaiians call surfing, “hee nalu “, which means “wave sliding” (Dornfeld) . Kahunas (priests) blessed surfboards and surfers with chanting. Chants included tales of daring, stories of surf love, heroic surfing deeds of kings and commoners, and appeals to the ocean (Marcus). Here is the earliest surfer photo, Hawaii, c. 1890, Bishop Museum archive (Marcus): Surfboards were prized possessions, made from one of three kinds of trees. Before the tree could be cut down, a special ritual was done, and prayers and fish were offered at the base of the tree (Dornfeld). Once in use, the waves the surfer rode upon were thought to be the result of prayers made by Kahunas to the sea, and the ritual dances done (Dornfeld). The laws of the people included regulations and instructions for surfing and surf conditions, and even the length of surfboards (up to 12 feet for commoners and twice as long for kings). Chiefs and commoners did not share surfing areas or waves, as this was taboo (Marcus). Social and legal disputes were settled by surfing contests (Dornfeld). European contact was not good for Hawaii and Hawaiians, nor for surfing. Europeans brought Calvinistic morality and values with the Christian missionaries, new diseases, commercial exploitation, new technologies, vices and other challenges, and an end to the old laws and gods (Marcus). Surfing lost its sacred connection. The country and culture were devastated, and surfing nearly faded out for 150 years (Marcus). In 1853, foreign businessmen and the US Marines illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy, imprisoned the queen, and annexed the islands as US Territory (Marcus). In 1905, a group of native Hawaiian social reformers, lead by Duke Kahanamoku, revived surfing and it has become increasingly popular (Dornfeld). The teenage “Beach Boys of Waikiki” helped drum up enthusiasm for surfing (Club of the Waves). Loyal surfers formed a group in California and now it is widely appreciated throughout the world (Dornfeld). Duke Kahananoku took surfing to Australia (Club of the Waves) where it has been quite successful. Emerging technology has played an historical role in the spread and development of surfing. The automobile made it convenient to drive up and down the coast, in a surfing safari, looking for good waves to ride. Lighter woods and eventually fiberglass led to lighter, more easily maneuverable surfboards. The invention of the wetsuit, in 1950, enabled surfers to stay in the water longer and practice year-round (Club of the Waves). The media also advanced surfing as a popular and respected sport. Dale Velzy did a lot of surfing promotions, such as contests, and traded boards for endorsements (Club of the Waves). Surfing movies, like Gidget, Beach Blanket Bingo, and The Endless Summer greatly increased the popularity of surfing and had a strong influence on fashion, music, and the English language. John Severson published a surfing photo book and a surfing magazine (Club of the Waves). Surfing identified clothing labels came into fashion and now the revived sport had its own culture, once again and surfing became big business (Club of the Waves). Each culture that is touched by surfing has a distinct contribution to make to the sport and its lifestyle. The Polynesians contributed the idea of riding a board, according to all but one reference I researched. That one reference, unconfirmed by any other, stated that Henning (founder of the environmentalist Surfrider Foundation) discovered evidence that the ancient Peruvians were the first surfers recorded (Henning). Even though no other references mention Peru, in relation to surfing, it is right to mention this, in an effort to be fair. The Hawaiians contributed the idea of standing up, while riding, and developed the board, a mythology, social organization, law and conflict mediation around it. They also brought it back from near-extinction. California developed a culture around it again, and turned it commercial. California has developed other innovative additions to surfing, such as an Ocean Therapy program to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans, through the experience of surfing (Bockman). Australia contributed a colorful and bold approach to surfing, which has been reflected in business and advertising (Club of the Waves). The first surfer in Germany started surfing in the 1950’s, and Munich contributed the sport of surfing down a river, in the middle of their city (Bockman). In Great Britain is an elderly pioneer of surfing, who contributed to the shaping of surfboards (Bockman). Brazil is now turning out some top competition surfers and is referred to as a “sleeping giant”, expected to yield some sporting surfer surprises very soon (DiMartino). Michael Scott Moore, who traveled around the world, interviewing surfers and former surfers, comments about a surfing universal: But the most interesting thing to me was that in every culture I went to, surfing was associated with freedom. That was especially poignant in the Gaza Strip, and in Africa, where you had people with almost no money, learning to surf and feeling somehow liberated...in Africa, it was the fishermen that learned to surf. The fishermen had a different culture from everyone else on the island. They considered themselves never to have been slaves, they considered themselves freer people in general than people who worked the land. There was just this association, it was not that they surfed in order to feel free—but there was this association with liberty, even on this remote island where they had very little contact with surfing pop culture (Bockman). I find this comment fascinating because I think that surfing’s association with freedom and liberation is a sign of spirituality. Surfing seems to be able to change how people think about their lives, enabling them to go beyond obvious limitations. When foreign Calvinist missionaries invaded Hawaii and took away surfing, as a cultural and spiritual center of life, they took away freedom, liberation and joy of living. They imposed an alien set of moral values that robbed them of both the freedom and social order they had through surfing, and their culture was nearly completely destroyed. They lost their spiritual center and enthusiasm for life. In the art of dream interpretation, surfing has deep meaning. Surfing is thought to represent euphoric experience. Surfing in the wind is said to indicate that the dreamer is competently riding on top of the wave of their emotions, but tempted by the intellect. Europeans note that if the dreamer remains on top of the surfboard, their emotional life is stable, but if they fall off, in the dream, this shows their emotions are unstable (Dreamomania). So, in dream interpretation, we also find the association of surfing with freedom and liberation. Perhaps it is this spiritual influence of surfing that gave it central religious, ritual and mythological significance to old Hawaii. Now, after all the years of surfing as sport and business, we can once again beginning to talk about its spiritual significance. Maybe it was there all along, and just not spoken of in those terms. After all, California, like the rest of the country, was trying to recover from World War II, and surfing got people into bikinis and put some joy and fun back into people’s lives (Heller). To me, that is spiritual. Surfing has been referred to as an “unrealized religion” (Andes). There are a number of religious organizations that seem to totally realize it, however. In Michigan is a Foursquare Gospel church, meeting in a café at Weko Beach, in Bridgman, led by a surfing pastor. He preaches from a surfboard pulpit and surfing is a foundation for what he has to say (Fritz). Pastor Bill White also preaches from a surfboard pulpit, in Huntington Beach, California, at the Surfer’s Chapel. A typical sermon is, “Resin, Catalysts, God and You”, about how God sands and polishes the heart, just like a surfboard is repaired (The Post and Courier). Bola de Neve is also a Christian surfing church, Pentecostal. They originated in Brazil, and the surfboard is their most sacred object. They emphasize that Jesus was the first surfer without a surfboard, considering he walked on the water (Moutot). With more than 100 temples in Brazil, and surfing churches in Sydney and California, they have an evangelistic enthusiasm for spreading the message of surfing Jesus. Here are images of their Jesus (Moutot): Pastor Bauer is a surfer missionary. He says, I realized that surfing was a calling and with God and surfing in the same equation, then life made sense (Ireland). He notes that only 30 countries in the world are landlocked, and that all the other countries are surfable. Through his Hawaii-based organization, Surfing the Nations, young surfers are taken to surfable nations to use your surfing for God (Ireland). They are active in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, among other locations. Bauer thinks surfers make ideal missionaries, due to their willingness to eat anything, sleep anywhere, go anywhere (Ireland). Another Christian surfing ministry, Walking on Water, makes a variety of Christian films, combining surfing footage, music and Christian testimonies. Like Bauer, Jennings (WOW founder) takes promising young surfers to various countries, on tour. They are given the opportunity to meet well-known surfers and to serve God through surfing (Moring). The theology of surf culture is heavily influenced by the Jesus movement (baptizing in the ocean, worshipping dressed as you are, making use of rock music and altered consciousness experiences, making God relevant). It presents a challenge to Western ideas of time as something to not waste on non-productive pursuits, by emphasizing the importance of fun, living in the moment, the bliss of feeling free (Dawes). For surfers, the ocean is like God, a mystery far greater than any individual (Dawes), and is our ancestral mother-womb (Andes). Surfing the ocean is a mystical experience, a peak experience (Dawes; Andes), an altered state of consciousness that leads to spiritual awakening (Andes). The vocabulary surfers use to describe the ocean and surfing is very similar to Biblical terminology about God and religious experience (Dawes). Surfing-centered spirituality is a reflection of how modern day society is turning back to nature and seeking deeper nature immersion experiences (Andes). In doing so, we return to and reconfirm our ancient roots. Works Cited Andes, Sophia. "Soul surfing: An unrealized religion." 2 June 2011. Trance, Shamanism, Body and Soul. 2 February 2012 . Bockman, Marcus. "Surfings place in other cultures prompts book." 2 June 2011. Manhattan Beach Patch. 2 February 2012 . Club of the Waves. "History of surfing." nd. Club of the Waves. 2 February 2012 . Dawes, Michael. "A theology of California surf culture." 18 November 2011. Everyday Theology. 3 February 2012 . DiMartino, Jay. "Brazil: Surfings sleeping giant." 17 December 2011. About.com. 17 December 2012 . Dornfeld, Jim. "Hawaiian surfers paradise -- The story of surfing in Hawaii." nd. Ezine Articles. 2 February 2012 . Dreamomania. "Dreams Interpreter." 11 September 2011. Dream Dictionary. 3 February 2012 . Fritz, Matt. "Surfing pastor at new church leads unpredictable service in Bridgman." 10 November 2007. South Shore Fellowship. 3 February 2012 . Heller, Greg. "Surf culture." March 2010. Surfline. 3 February 2012 . Henning, G & Taylor, B. "Surfing." Henning, G & Taylor, B (eds). The encyclopedia of religion and nature, 1st edition. London & New York: Continuum International , 2005. 1607-1612. Ireland, Michael. "Ministry uses surfboards as pulpits with astonishing results." 22 December 211. Breaking Christian News. 4 February 2012 . Marcus, Ben. "From Polynesia, with love." nd. Surfing for Life. 2 February 2012 . Moring, Mark. "CTentertainment Blog." 1 March 2011. Christianity Today. 4 February 2012 . Moutot, Dora. "Jesus surfed for your sins." 2009. Vice. 3 February 2012 . The Post and Courier. "Surfboard Pulpit." The Post and Courier 1 September 1996: 68. Read More