Happy Birthday Eddie Aikau (May 4, 1948 )

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(image caption: Google Doodle from May 4, 2019)..................


Lit 306, Literature of Hawaiʻi & the Pacific Islands, begins the celebration of Eddie Aikau with an examination of the effects of colonization on Hawaiʻi for the lesson Colonialism Through the Lens of Surfing. 


Students first responded to the following prompt: think about what has interested you so far about this documentary Hawaiʻian the Legend of Eddie, Aikau (ESPN 30 for 30, Season 2, episode 9). For this assignment write down and submit one or two points you would like to discuss about the documentary.


From what we have watched in the Eddie Aikau documentary so far, I was heartbroken at how the Native Hawaiians were not welcome on Waikiki, their own land. One of the effects of colonization was that it eventually brought tourists, whose growing numbers threaten the culture, the land, and the identity of Native Hawaiians. Tourists are often not aware of how they overtake and under appreciate the native culture. I would like to discuss more of Eddie Aikau's accomplishments as a surfer and lifeguard, and how his love for his people, his culture and his land allowed him to become such a legendary part of Hawaiian history.—Janay Wooten


How the native Hawaiians were pushed to the side so that there would be room for hotels. To me this is something that is weird to think about because I have gone on vacation to Hawaii and stayed in these hotels and I never thought about what made it possible for others to visit.The answer is that those who were living there were basically pushed out of their homes so that there would be room for tourists—Madison Jessup


How Eddie was fearless enough to not only surf big waves, but become the very first 

lifeguard at a dangerous beach, and also leave the Hokuleʻa to save people’s lives without 

hesitation. He was just a normal guy with a waterman’s talent and passion, but he was always 

willing to put others before himself. —Courtney Yamaguchi


 I would love to learn more about the Hawaiian culture and how it ties back to 

surfing. @ Hawaiian folks, how does surfing bring special bonds between people? How far

back can one trace surfing through their genealogy?—Oscar Pardo


Media: The Eddie Aikau Story:

https://youtu.be/QAH5HYpu3so


Comments

  1. UnknownAugust 29, 2021 at 1:38 PM

    I loved how a non native hawaiian view was incorporated into this assignment because it gave comparison to what others see versus how it may be perceived for the natives. I as well never realized how negatively impacted the Hawaiians were by tourists travelling to their homeland.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrez DayapMay 19, 2022 at 7:00 PM

    After having watched the same documentary, I too developed an unwavering respect for Eddie Aikau. The selflessness and courage we saw in the short documentary is unmatched by many others. As someone who is from a colonized country, Eddie was an inspiration and motivation to protect the land and culture that makes up our heritage.

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