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Duke Kahanamoku

National Portrait Gallery

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Object Details

Artist
Unidentified Artist
Sitter
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku, 24 Aug 1890 - 22 Jan 1968
Exhibition Label
Duke Kahanamoku transformed the Hawaiian pastime of surfing into a worldwide competitive sport. He first made headlines as a record-breaking swimmer who introduced the flutter kick to the sport. Having won gold medals at the 1912 and 1920 Olympics, he was arguably the best swimmer of his era, described by the press as a "human fish." When he traveled away from Hawaii, he often brought his surfboard and guitar; surfing and music were two pursuits that provided him a sense of escape. In 1912 he introduced surfing to California, and two years later he awed crowds in Australia with his board skills. Kahanamoku developed his own line of surf clothing and experimented with smaller, lighter boards, an example of which appears in this early photograph. An easygoing, modest man, he later served thirteen consecutive terms as sheriff of Honolulu and became a revered icon during a transitional period in Hawaiian history.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
c. 1915
Object number
NPG.2007.195
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Photograph
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Mat: 45.7 x 35.6cm (18 x 14")
Image/Sheet: 14.4 x 9.9cm (5 11/16 x 3 7/8")
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Exterior\Landscape\Coastal\Beach
Equipment\Sports Equipment\Surfboard
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku: Male
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Swimmer
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku: Olympic Medal
Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Surfer
Portrait
Record ID
npg_NPG.2007.195
Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4c2fc9423-5da7-41e6-9c77-61e7295e5cd8

Related Content

  • Asian Pacific American Heritage in the Collections

  • Explore America: Hawai'i

This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
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