In the 1960’s surfing arrived in New Zealand not surfing as we know it but Longboarding. A few clubies were playing with hollow surf skis but not until 1959 did two Americans come in New Zealand and kicked alive a revolution and a culture.
However, surfing has always been a part of Māori culture, the practice was called whakahekeheke. It was carried out using a variety of craft, including boards, or kopapa, and even bags of kelp, but the Christian missionary ‘killjoys’ put a quick stop to that.
Surfing came back into focus
