![]() Of course, the Friday surf labs are his favorite part of class. He catches wave after wave, moving up and down the longboard, flashing some fancy footwork. Dorian Ashmore, a UH Mānoa sophomore from San Diego, California, majoring in elementary education, has been surfing since he was 10. Not all Polynesian Surf Culture students are novices. Going to the places, the mythology comes alive. The sea that wears away at Kaʻaʻawa where we go surfing at Rainbows.” The real wind blows-the wild ʻĀhiu wind of Kahana. “Going to the places, the mythology comes alive. “It’s the experiential learning that is really the important vehicle,” Masterson said. He imparts his considerable knowledge both in the class and on the beach. He wants his students to gain a culture-based sense of Hawaiʻi and to recognize the importance of the environment. Masterson’s Polynesian Surf Culture class is about much more than the fundamentals of being able to safely approach the ocean, paddle out and successfully surf back in. ![]() ![]() He also teaches non-credit courses in ocean safety and recreation as the workforce coordinator for the Hawaiʻi Ocean Education Academy at Windward CC. Masterson holds a master’s degree in Pacific Island studies and taught a 300-level course in ethnography at UH Mānoa in 2017. He started developing and teaching curriculum for classes with titles like, “Pacific Surf Science and Technology” at Windward CC in 1999. That encouraging teacher is Ian ʻAkahi Masterson, a Windward Community College and UH Mānoa alumnus, skilled surfer and surfing historian, who has caddied for Uncle Clyde Aikau during the contest formerly known as the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Surfing Competition. “We have many people in our class who have never surfed before and they’ve gone out with a teacher that encourages them to not be afraid, and they’ve all stood up-every single person in our class.” Meet Ian ʻAkahi Masterson Ian ʻAkahi Masterson Everyone is friends and everyone is really stoked to be in class,” said Talita Stiles, a natural resources and environmental management major. “I think that we’re all just a really lovely cohesive group. Possibly because they are also earning college credit in the lab fieldwork portion of Anthropology 175 Polynesian Surf Culture. All are smiling and exuding a sunny vibe. About a dozen University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students are demonstrating varied proficiency at riding some relatively small waves-from barely standing to almost dancing on a longboard. The Eddie is relived each year on the North Shore of Waimea Bay by surfers, fans, friends and family. But this exclusive event isn’t about the competition or the title. It’s purely about big wave surfing. It’s about spirit, integrity and upholding the prestige and honor of the legendary Eddie Aikau.It’s midday in early March 2020 at Rainbows, a surf spot at the foot of the Koʻolau mountain range on Oʻahu. The legend of Eddie Aikau is best memorialized during the opening ceremony, when his story is told again and again. This is keeping with the tradition of Hawaiian culture and history being oral. Their customs and legends are not passed on by being written down. Now the 52 surfers that have been invited to compete in the acclaimed event face an anxious wait from December to February to see if conditions will be favorable to allow the event will go ahead. “The Bay Will Call The Day” is the phrase dedicated to the decision making process behind the event. When Wimea Bay roars to life, the contest proceeds. The Eddie big wave competition is the most important and respected surfing event in the world. It is only given permission to go ahead in the most pristine surfing conditions, including waves that meet a minimum 20-foot height standard. Over the past 32 years, there have only been 9 champions crowned, meaning that over the past 32 years the specific conditions have only allowed the contest to proceed 9 times. The exclusive and unique contest is also named ‘The Eddie’, after Hawaiian big wave surfing legend Eddie Aikau. Eddie was tragically lost at sea during a voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti. The double hulled voyaging canoe he was travelling in developed a leak and eventually capsized. All the crewmembers floated in the turbulent water for hours, not knowing when, or if, they would ever be found. Eddie, being a legendary surfer and strong swimmer paddled toward the island of Lanai on a surfboard in an attempt to seek help. Although the rest of his crew was later rescued by the U.S Coast Guard, that was the last time anyone would ever see Eddie Aikau. “Eddie would go” is a famous catchphrase amongst surfers the world over. Surfers and locals were recently elated when it was announced that this years Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational competition would go ahead as planned. This was after a long period of uncertainty following negotiations between the World Surf League, Quiksilver and the Aikau family over the event.
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