HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

41

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

recognizing march 17TH as "eddie aikau day" in honor of all hawaii's beachboys.

 

 

WHEREAS, after the sailing canoe Hokulea capsized in rough seas and high surf on March 17, 1978, Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau was last seen at sea attempting to reach shore to save his fellow Hokulea members; he was chosen to be a Hokulea crewmember based on his skill, expertise, and knowledge of the ocean; and

WHEREAS, according to tradition, beachboys were those individuals who perpetuated Hawaiian culture by displaying an in-depth knowledge of the ocean currents, wave actions, canoeing, surfing, and ocean survival techniques on the beaches of Hawaii; the beachboys were familiar not only with the beach and ocean, but also possessed knowledge of the ahupuaa concept and the interrelationship of the mountains and the ocean that had been passed down from generation to generation; and

WHEREAS, the expertise and knowledge of the ocean of brothers Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau and Clyde Anthony Kalalani Aikau was exemplified by their expert skills in lifeguarding, canoeing, sailing, and diving; their wisdom and understanding of the ocean have made Eddie and Clyde Aikau the finest big wave riders in the world; and

WHEREAS, Eddie Aikau's expertise of and love, commitment, and respect for the ocean is firmly rooted in the knowledge, nurturing, encouragement, and love that he received from his parents, Solomon "Pops" Aikau and Henrietta "Mom" Aikau, and his brothers Frederick, Solomon, Gerald, and Clyde, and his sister, Myra; and

WHEREAS, the Aikau family is a very close family, originally from Maui, with knowledge of Hawaiian culture and traditions learned from earlier family generations, back to their ancestor Kahuna Nui Hewahewa; and

WHEREAS, the respect and aloha for the ocean that Eddie and Clyde Aikau promoted to kamaaina as well as malihini is reflected in the numerous tributes to the Aikau family, in mahalo letters and letters of commendation; and

WHEREAS, as a Hawaiian beachboy, Eddie Aikau's skill and expertise as a surfer resulted in him being the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on Oahu's north shore, where he dedicated his life to saving over a thousand individuals from conditions from which rescue was considered impossible by others; and

WHEREAS, the book "Eddie Would Go" summarizes the life of the Aikau family's commitment to the ocean and service and is used as an active learning tool in our educational system; and

WHEREAS, Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau's legacy as a Hawaiian beachboy and surfer lives on in his family, Hawaii's young people, and all of Hawaii's beachboys; his contribution to perpetuating Hawaiian culture continues in the work of the Eddie Aikau Foundation and the Hawaii Beachboy Preservation Foundation; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, that this body recognizes March 17, 2004, and succeeding yearly anniversaries as "Eddie Aikau Day" in honor of all Hawaii's beachboys; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body commends and applauds the efforts and achievements of the late Edward Ryon Makuahanai Aikau, as well as those of all of the members of the Aikau family, for their significant contributions to the preservation and the sharing of the Hawaiian culture and the Aloha Spirit.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Eddie Aikau