THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 1, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
NYTimes
New York Times
19 Jul 2024
Will HigginbothamJake Michaels


NextImg:Telling Hawaii’s Stories, One Hand-Carved Surfboard at a Time

Leleo Kinimaka grew up in Kauai, where the Pacific Ocean provided routine and rhythm to his days. “I’d wake up and I’d go surfing all day, maybe swim or canoe,” he recalled. “I’d only come home for lunch.”

It’s fitting, then, that the Hawaiian native, still vibrantly athletic at 61, has carved out a career as a woodworker whose creations — primarily the intricately designed surfboards known as alaia boards, which have been used by islanders to shred waves for centuries — both reflect his upbringing and celebrate his culture.

On a recent weekday, Kinimaka was in his light-filled studio, which is nestled in the verdant Koʻolau Range on Oahu, shaping a piece of wood with a planer that sent wood chips flying. Half a dozen finished boards rested against a wall, their lacquer shimmering in the morning light, but what immediately caught the eye were the intricate patterns embedded in their facades.

ImageA smiling man in glasses and a blue baseball cap who has his hands resting on an unfinished piece of wood.
Leleo Kinimaka estimates that he has produced some 2,000 surfable boards, though some, expressly designed to be art objects, never see the water.

“When I make boards incorporating Hawaiian symbols and stories, that’s my absolute favorite,” Kinimaka said, admiring his handiwork. Running his fingers along the surface, he added: “See this curly golden grain here? That represents the god of the sea, Kanaloa. These triangles? They represent shark teeth, a symbol of power. The three diamonds intersecting here? That represents ohana — family.”

With no fins and less volume and floatability than many surfboards, most modern surfers find alaias a challenge to ride. “You’re really just body surfing but on this small piece of wood,” Kinimaka said. “It takes a strong person to catch a wave, but once you get on it, it is so different.”


Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.