A quick island hop away, Hawaii is burning – but you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
There are not many destinations that can balance the horror of the Maui bushfire catastrophe and the tranquillity of palm trees, aqua water and a sacred beach front that is almost a religious experience – but Hawaii is special.
There is substance, culture and something rich in every grain of sand on the iconic 3.2km Waikiki beach stretch – and there is one man responsible for this phenomenon.
His name is Duke Kahanamoku – a man sometimes referred to as “The Lost American”.
A humble athlete that has transcended into a godlike figure – and every bit of the awe is justified.
Never has his influence mattered more than what it does now as Maui deals with the unimaginable tragedy where 115 people have died and 66 people are still unaccounted for.
Where the world has it so wrong about the tragedy is that Hawaii wants you.
Hollywood star Jason Momoa last month made global headlines when he told tourists to stay away from Maui right now — but the message has been lost in translation that Oahu and neighbouring islands are shining all the brighter because of it. Because of the people.
Again, this is where Kahanamoku comes into the tapestry.
The man, born in Waikiki in 1890, is described by those who know his story as an athlete the likes of which the world will never see it again – simultaneously the Kelly Slater and Michael Phelps of his time.
The famed aquatic freak is best known for his countless world records, three Olympic gold medals and his position as the so-called godfather of surfing.
His greatest achievement, however, is his undisputed position as a man that has helped shape the very fabric of the national psyche.
Nothing matters more than this – especially right now. This is the real Hawaii.
It is easy to see this when you take in the unique view of the Duke’s annual birthday celebration ceremony on the iconic Waikiki beach held in front of the imposing 10m statue of the cult heo. This year marking Kahanamoku’s 133rd birthday.
There are traditional dancers sliding, happy hymns that light up the faces of locals and community leaders that step up to the microphone – and one phrase stands out more than any of the vibrant displays. Kahanamoku is referred to as an “ambassador of Aloha”.
The term is the regularly misunderstood ideology that love and fellowship shines through from the very essence of one’s spirit – it is perhaps the only fitting explanation of the man.
Hawaiians believe there is no word in the English dictionary that captures the complex and profound sentiment.
It is why Australians have always got it wrong when it comes to the godfather of surfing. He is remembered and celebrated with a statue standing proud at Freshwater Beach on Sydney’s Northern Beaches – an honour given because of his position as the man who brought surfing to our shores during a momentous trip to Australia.
It is here that he dropped the jaws of the crowd watching on as he whipped magic on a board with moves hitherto thought to have been impossible. There are of course plenty who point out surfing was documented in Australia before his famed 1914 tour Down Under — but nobody had done it with the showman’s instinctive flair.
As you read above, there is so much more the man stands for than just a surfing evangelist.
It’s why his legacy continues to be celebrated annually at the Duke Kahanamoku Ocean Festival – which has partnered with Hawaiian Airlines to bring surfing to the community when it needs it.
Ugly, secret dispute behind Emmy film
While the outside world has largely forgotten the man, his legacy is finally being shared with the world in an Emmy-nominated film that has been plundering awards at international film festivals this year.
One of the men at the centre of the ‘Waterman’ documentary, associate producer Billy Pratt, says it all with a straight face, not a hint of hyperbole.
“The man was a god,” Pratt said.
“The guy was simultaneously the Kelly Slater and Michael Phelps of his generation. He was the biggest f***ing badass on the planet.”
Pratt has told news.com.au about the private battle that has gone on behind the scenes for the film that will be up for an award in the outstanding historical documentary category at the 44th Emmy Awards in January.
Despite Kahanamoku’s reverence in the country, the rights to his name has been a distasteful mess in recent years with extended family members in a long-running legal dispute with various companies that have controlled the intellectual property to the legendary surfer.
Producers of the Waterman have had to find a way to navigate the murky waters.
“In Hawaii we call it Kuleana, it means responsibility. It’s not just bout getting things right, but it’s also about sharing the Aloha spirit,” he said.
“It’s just a matter of fact that somebody, a business person, had an opportunity to buy the rights and Duke had no issue with it. The brand itself, he didn’t create it, the brand created it.
“However it went down, it is what it is. Our hope is that we share and express the spirit of Aloha and those that own the intellectual property rights, they too will see the reason and the power for this significant individual, for his power to be perpetuated here and around the world.
“Fortunately the owners do agree and that’s why we were allowed to make the film and share so many glorious images of duke, courtesy of Malama Pono (the parent company that controls the rights).”
How to fly
National carrier Hawaiian Airlines had its own team at the Duke’s Ocean Festival — made up of pilots and staff — another investment in the local community.
Hawaiian Airlines has five weekly flights from Sydney to Honolulu at a convenient night time flight that gets you on the ground in the middle of the day Hawaiian time.
The Covid pandemic ultimately resulted in the Airlines’ Brisbane route being shut down, but the demand for travel to the island paradise is on the rise and there are rumours the Airline could be making a move to offer direct flights from Melbourne.
Where to stay
One of the best spots to keep an eye out for is the snazzy, new-look Outrigger Waikiki Reef Beach Resort.
With one of the most stunning ocean views you’ll ever find, an $80 million renovation, completed in 2022, has turned the resort into a Pacific Ocean wonderland.
And that is just a taste of the magical island of Oahu — and the real treasure is the people who want you to be there.
“I just saw a beautiful quote regarding Maui that drove me to tears,” Pratt says.
“The quote was, ‘Aloho will never burn’.”
It won’t.
This writer travelled to Hawaii as a guest of Hawaiian Airlines