Tom Pōhaku Stone
Tom Pōhaku Stone paddles out to the break on his favorite surfboard – not a modern, fiberglass board, but a board he built with his own hands. Stone is an educator, craftsman and former pro surfer. He’s obsessed with reviving and perpetuating lost aspects of Hawaiian culture, like perfecting the art of crafting papa he‘enalu (surfboards) in the traditional Hawaiian way.
About a quarter mile from shore, he takes off on a small, playful wave. Tom wears his traditional malo, and seeing him surf here at Kahana Bay can make you feel like you’ve been transported 1,000 years back in time.
Tom Pōhaku Stone shaping a surfboard.
Why is surfing so special to Native Hawaiians?
Standing on a board originates in Hawaiʻi. Surfing is who we are as native peoples. We come from the ocean, we love to surf waves. We surfed waves for generations, and we surf waves still. And that's what those boards are about, it's about being able to constantly ride the waves of time. It's an endless wave that never stops."We’re not land people, we’re ocean people."
How did hand-crafting surfboards start for you?
I was a pain-in-the-butt kid, right? And I so wanted that beautiful shiny fiberglass board. And we come from a family that just didn't have that kind of money. My dad, he said he'd take care of it. He got a piece of wood, he cut it out. Started carving it in the traditional way.But at the end of it, I just looked at the board and told my dad I hated it. And in his anger, he just took the board, broke it, lit it up in the fire pit and burned it. And that's actually the number one regret I've ever had, and I've only had a few.
That was an awesome thing my dad did for me. I'm glad before he passed away that I really had the opportunity to express that to him. That I began to go down this pathway, that he had given me that gift, and that he saw the boards I made and he was pretty ecstatic. He was happy.
“When you stand up on a wood board, it's like listening to a beautiful symphony playing that's just soothing to your soul.”
What’s it like riding a traditional wood board?
When you stand up on a wood board, it's like listening to a beautiful symphony playing that's just soothing to your soul, and you just embrace it. It's a harmonization between the wind, the motion of the water, the breaking of the wave. I'm not in this time era, or this time point or era. I'm out. I'm in another place. And I love being in that place.
Why is carrying on what you’ve learned so important to you?
This isn't my knowledge, this is my kūpuna's (ancestors) knowledge that they gave to me and now my kuleana (responsibility) is to give to those that want to carry it on. That's what's important, passing that tradition on.Browse Hawaiʻi Adventures
Pāʻina Waikiki, a unique dinner party luau where the vibrant stories of Waikiki's legendary eras come [...]
Let the light from the flickering tiki torches and the warm tropical breeze set your o’hana spirit [...]
Join us for a Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise! See spectacular sunset and city lights views aboard [...]
Come early and stroll the Plantation's tropical grounds as you enjoy the late afternoon sun or walk [...]
No visit to Hawaii is complete without enjoying the experience of a traditional luau - and no luau is [...]
The background sound of the ocean surf against a soulful steel guitar. A welcome lei and Mai Tai. Tables [...]
The Sunset Luau overlooks the ancient fishponds of 'Anaeho'omalu Bay - As the sun sets over [...]
It's a celebration of life on Kauai at Smith's Tropical Paradise Garden Luau. Enjoy the local [...]
Activities at Still & Moving Center are also available online! Still & Moving Center is a local and [...]
With sweeping ocean views, tucked beneath the stunning Ko‘olau Mountains, Aloha Kai Lū‘au offers [...]
Join our ʻOhana for an exciting evening under the stars as we take you on a voyage across Ka Moana (the [...]
Experience Oahu's most authentic Hawaiian luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Ali‘i Luau. Set [...]