A piece of surf history is threatened!
As surfers, we are metaphysically connected to the Hawaiian islands and all that happens thereupon. To all the happy good days and shave ice and plate lunch. To all the darkened troubled days with floods or lava flows or contract disputes and right now there is a doozy taking place on the sands of Waikiki for it is there that the famed beachboys are being threatened with extinction.
And who are the famed beachboys you ask? Matt Warshaw answers in his masterpiece the Encyclopedia of Surfing (subscribe here!)
Lionized and mythologized band of easygoing Hawaiian surfer/waterman/hustlers who worked and lounged on the beach at Waikiki in the early and middle 20th century. The beachboy was both a cause and byproduct of the booming Hawaiian tourist trade; he earned a living primarily by lifeguarding and giving surf lessons and canoe rides, and spent his free time surfing, swimming, fishing, and playing music.
If you have been to Waikiki you have certainly seen the beachboys in action and you may even know one or two personally. Now, though, this rich history is being imperiled by a dive operation and let us read from Honolulu’s Star-Advertiser for more.
Supporters of two operators of Waikiki beachboys stands held a peaceful protest this morning after the city ordered them to vacate their concessions.
The order comes after the city awarded Dive Oahu last month a five-year contract to operate two beachboy stands on Kuhio Beach. Despite orders, Star Beachboys and Hawaiian Oceans continued operations this morning.
More than 50 people converged in front of the Duke Kahanamoku statue at about 6:30 a.m. today where some held signs that said “Save Our Beach Boys” and “No beach boys, no Aloha.”
The operators are disputing the way the contract was issued by the city. Aaron Rutledge of Star Beachboys said, “It’s nothing against the new company. It’s not his fault. The city should not have qualified a scuba diving company for a beachboy concession. It’s common sense.”
Among the supporters at the protest was legendary waterman Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana who said beachboys have a vast knowledge of the ocean.
“We were born by the water,” he said. “We share what we know and we know the water.”
The dive operation that took over the concessions, named Dive Oahu, had its Instagram overrun by beachboy supporters but have since cleaned the comments. More to come as things develop.
I was supprised at the militant behaviours on display with surf schools in Margaret River , the one at the river break looks to have taken over the entire beach.
Yes. Ben Fucking Marcus. Welcome aboard.
This would never happen if Elvis was still alive.
Yeah, can’t hate on the Moniz family. Good people.
All the boards down there are thrashed. More convenient than all the other board rental places a few blocks into town. They gave us free wax. Aloha.
Same act goes down in many beaches surf schools and beach rental operators, they hustle and hassel locals and non paying surfers of the beach , which they feel they own given they have a concession.
Its all being done by stealth but its a shakedown.
Shaka-down?
Maybe.
Lots of swirling interests and grasping goes on there. Can’t blame folk as it’s so fucking expensive. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Etc
‘Twas ever thus, but the shiny folk coming in and buying up vast slices of Hawaii either to turn a profit or just exclude lesser mortals is not helping the pressure cooker. Same as other nice places.
Fucking humans eh? Buncha assholes.
I totally agree, however let’s not forget that it was not all Disney-Moana rolling around in plumeria petals. The old Hawaiian class system was strongly enforced and the warfare rather brutal. No more than many other cultures, but definitely not sweetness and light.
The past is another country, and they were pretty fucked up in their own way. Don’t get too lost in the fog of nostalgia.
Oat bran, friends.
Haole-fication of Hawaii is a real thing
literally?
I reckon he got plugged by the blonde guy with the flame tattoo and he is treating this article as a halfway house confessional.
Get Sophie involved right away! She has vast experience dealing with permits in Hawaii.
Where are the surf school tourists going to hook up the killer crip and heavily stepped on booger sugar? The shame!
Ahh the good old days. Are you a baby boomer?
Or was it ever “noble/romantic”? Or was it always an exciting combo “of hustlers and ex cons” “holler[ing] at those “who get in [the] way” AND “instructors [who] are polite and have aloha”? Or, even more likely, was it that the instructors who usually were polite and had aloha also had side hustles and sometimes behaved ignobly? Man, that last group sounds a lot like surfers I know.
Shouldn’t “escort” be in their job description too? I can’t remember where I read it, but i believe that back in the day these tan warriors offered friendship to lonely female travellers. Warshaw will know.
I believe I saw an interview posted by the hui of a beach boy complaining, “They are going to hire me on, but make me wear a collar shirt”. The tradgedy! Being from a heavy touristy area in Florida I understand how beach service works. There is always someone new willing to pay more than the last crew for prized sandy realestate. Certain condo locations in my local bring several hundred thousand dollars a season. That’s alot of chair rentals, parasails rides, hut sluts, yellow weiner rides, waverunners, and certain black market trades made in small baggies.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
LOOK AT THOSE HOODLUMS! THEY NEED TO BUTTON THOSE SHIRTS UP, TUCK THEM IN AND GET A HAIR CUT AND A JOB!!!
I’LL BET THAT THING THEY’RE CARRYING IS SOME SORT OF DRUG!