Nalu: History, Legends, and Wisdom from 1,000 Years of Hawaiian Surfing

A visually stunning and culturally rich exploration of surfing, the oldest sport in North America and an integral part of Hawaiian society that dates back more than 1,000 years.

Modern surfing culture has existed for only about 100 years. Even the word "surfing" was a Western invention created in the 1800s by early visitors to Hawaiʻi, who had no idea how to describe the sight of Hawaiians riding waves. Little did those Westerners know that Hawaiians already had a name for it: heʻe nalu, or wave-sliding.

For ancient Hawaiians, this indigenous pastime was more than just a sport or recreation; it was a vital aspect of their society. Heʻe nalu had its own rituals, holidays, shrines, and mythology. When the waves were right, entire villages would abandon their duties to play in the ocean. Men, women, and children would all dive in--riding, competing, flirting, and socializing in the water. Kings and queens claimed the best waves for themselves. Handcrafted boards would be blessed by in a sacred ceremony.

Containing a mix of gorgeous modern and archival surfing photography, surfing proverbs, ceremonies, and legends of ancient Hawaiʻi, and stories and advice from modern water-sport icons, Nalu provides a comprehensive look at surfing's mother culture and the people who have perfected it. Co-authored by Dr. Marie Alohalani Brown, a distinguished scholar of Hawaiian language and lifelong practitioner of Hawaiian water culture, and Ian Lendler, an award-winning author and dedicated surfer, Nalu draws from historical texts, many of which Alohalani has translated into English for the first time. A vibrant celebration of a time-honored tradition, Nalu is an essential read for those seeking a deeper understanding of surfing, and anyone who feels a connection to the ocean.

Author: Marie Alohalani Brown,Ian Lendler
Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers
Published: 08/04/2026
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.80lbs
Size: 10.10h x 8.10w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9798217034604

About the Author
Dr. Marie Alohalani Brown, Kanaka ʻŌiwi (Hawaiian), is one of the world's leading experts on Hawaiian mythology and one of a handful of scholars who focuses on primary Hawaiian-language resources such as nineteenth-century Hawaiian-language newspapers. She is a professor of Hawaiian religion at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the author of Hawaiian Myths, Gods, and Legends; Ka Poʻe Moʻo Akua: Hawaiian Reptilian Water Deities; Facing the Spears of Change: The Life and Legacy of John Papa ʻĪʻī; and co-author with Cristina Bacchilega of The Penguin's Book of Mermaids. In 2019, she was one of the thirty-eight kūpuna (elders) who were arrested while trying to protect the sacred mountain Mauna Kea.

Ian Lendler is the author of The First Dinosaur, which Kirkus Reviews named a "Best of the Year," and Alcoholica Esoterica, which was featured on NPR and in The Wall Street Journal. He has written many award-winning children's picture books and graphic novels, including The Fable Life of Aesop and The Stratford Zoo Presents series. His writing has appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, Mental Floss, and on CNN. He lives in Northern California, where he is an avid surfer.