The complicated history of surfing - Scott Laderman

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: S Sung

For some, it's a serious sport.

對一些人來說，這是項嚴肅的運動

For others, just a way to let loose.

而對於其他人，它只是種放鬆的方式

But despite its casual association with fun and sun,

儘管它與樂趣和太陽之間 有非正式的關聯

surfing has a richer and deeper history than many realize.

衝浪的歷史比許多人意識到的 更為豐富和更深層次

What we today call surfing originated in

我們今天所說的衝浪

起源於太平洋的波利尼西亞島嶼

the Polynesian islands of the Pacific Ocean.

We know from various accounts

從各種說法我們得知

that wave riding was done throughout the Polynesian Pacific,

整個太平洋的波利尼西亞 都有乘風破浪的活動

as well as in West Africa and Peru.

西非和秘魯也有

But it was in the Hawaiian archipelago in particular

但在夏威夷群島的衝浪最為先進

that surfing advanced the most,

記錄最為完整

was best documented,

and, unlike elsewhere in Polynesia, persisted.

且和波利尼西亞的其他地方不同

持續存在著

And for the people of Hawaii,

而對於夏威夷人來說

wave sliding was not just a recreational activity,

在波浪上滑動不是只是種娛樂活動

but one with spiritual and social significance.

還具有精神和社會的意義

Like much of Hawaiian society,

和夏威夷的很多社會一樣

nearly every aspect of surfing was governed by a code of rules and taboos

幾乎每一衝浪層面 都受制於規則和禁忌

known as kapu.

這規則被稱為卡普（kapu）

Hawaiians made offerings when selecting a tree to carve,

夏威夷人選擇要雕刻的樹時奉獻貢品

prayed for waves with the help of a kahuna, or an expert priest,

在 kahuna 或 專任牧師的幫助下祈求波浪

and gave thanks after surviving a perilous wipeout.

並在倖存滅頂之災後獻上感謝

Certain surf breaks were strickly reserved for the elite.

某些衝浪只嚴格保留給精英階級

But it wasn't just a solemn affair.

但衝浪不僅僅是件嚴肅的事

Surfers competed and wagered on who could ride the farthest,

衝浪者通常彼此競爭和下注

誰衝得最遠、最快

the fastest,

or catch the biggest wave with superior skill,

或誰憑藉出眾的技巧登上最大的波浪

granting respect,

給予尊重、社會地位

social status,

and romantic success.

和浪漫的成功

Though it was later called the sport of kings,

雖然衝浪後來被稱為國王的運動

Hawaiian men and women of all ages and social classes participated,

夏威夷的男女老少 和社會各階層都參與

riding surfboards shaped from koa,

做衝浪板的木頭有寇阿相思樹

breadfruit,

or wiliwili trees.

麵包樹

和夏威夷刺桐

Many Hawaiians road alaia boards,

過去許多夏威夷人用 alaia 板

which were thin, midsized, and somewhat resemble today's shortboards.

它薄，中型大小，有點像今天的短板

Some mounted paipo boards,

有些人登上 paipo 板

short, round-nosed boards on which riders typically lay on their stomachs.

前端圓形的短板，通常腹部趴在上面

But only chieftains could ride the massive olo boards,

只有酋長才能用巨大的 olo 板

twice as long as today's longboards.

是今天長板的兩倍長

Unlike most modern surfboards,

與大多數現代的衝浪板不同

all boards were finless,

從前的衝浪板沒有飛邊

requiring surfers to drag their hands or feet to turn.

衝浪者得用手或腳來轉動方向

We don't know exactly when wave sliding was invented,

我們不知道衝浪被發明的確切時間

but we know that it had already been practiced in Polynesia for centuries

但我們知道威廉安德森 在 1777 年描述它的時候

by the time it was described in 1777 by William Anderson,

波利尼西亞已有 數百年的衝浪歷史了

a surgeon on Captain Cook's ship "Resolution."

安德森是庫克船長 「決心號」船上的外科醫生

Although Anderson was in awe,

雖然安德森驚嘆不已

most of the American Christian missionaries who arrived in Hawaii

大多數在幾十年後抵達夏威夷的

美國基督徒傳教士們

several decades later

regarded surfing as sinful,

視衝浪為罪惡

不鼓勵衝浪以及其他方面的本土文化

and they discouraged it, along with other aspects of native culture.

The biggest threat to surfing, however, was the threat to the natives themselves.

然而對衝浪的最大威脅 是對當地人本身的威脅

By 1890, new illnesses introduced by Europeans and Americans

至 1890 年，歐洲人 和美國人帶來的新疾病

had decimated the Hawaiian people, leaving fewer than 40,000

已摧毀夏威夷人口到剩下少於四萬人

from a pre-contact population that may have exceeded 800,000.

而接觸外來人之前的人口 可能早已超過八十萬

At the same time, foreign influence grew

同時外國影響力也在增長

with white settlers overthrowing the native monarchy in 1893,

白人定居者在 1893 年 推翻了當地的君主制

and the U.S. annexing the islands five years later.

五年後美國吞併了這些島嶼

The end of Hawaii's independence coincided with surfing's native-led revival,

夏威夷結束獨立和本土導向的 衝浪復興時間點恰好相符

a revival soon exploited by the American colonizers.

美國殖民者很快利用了這復興

But first, some Hawaiians took surfing overseas.

但在那之前，有些夏威夷人 把衝浪帶到海外

In 1907, George Freeth, the so-called Hawaiian Wonder,

1907 年，喬治·弗雷斯 他被稱為「夏威夷奇蹟」

traveled to the west coast

前往西海岸

and gave surfing demonstrations in southern California.

在南加州示範衝浪

Then in 1914, Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku

然後奧運游泳運動員 杜克・卡哈那莫庫在 1914 年

made his way to Australia and New Zealand,

前往澳大利亞和紐西蘭

gliding across the southern Pacific waves

滑過南太平洋的波浪

and attracting rapt audiences wherever he went.

無論他去了哪裡都吸引大批觀眾

Shortly before Freeth went to California,

在弗雷斯去加利福尼亞之前不久

a South Carolinian named Alexander Hume Ford moved to Hawaii.

南卡羅來納州的 亞歷山大 · 福特搬到夏威夷

After learning to surf, he became a champion of the pastime.

學會衝浪後，他大力鼓吹 以衝浪做為消遣活動

But Ford may have had unsavory reasons

但福特的熱心鼓吹這項運動

for his enthusiastic efforts to boost the sport.

可能有私心

Like many settlers, he wanted Hawaii to become a U.S. state

像許多定居者一樣 他想要夏威夷成為美國的一州

but was worried about its non-white majority of natives and Asian workers.

但苦惱於大多數人是 非白人的本地人和亞洲工人

Ford thus promoted surfing to attract white Americans to Hawaii,

因此福特鼓吹衝浪 來吸引美國白人到夏威夷

first as tourists, then as residents.

先作為遊客，然後成為居民

He was helped by numerous writers and filmmakers.

無數的作家和電影製片人幫助他

Ford's demographic plan would fail miserably.

福特的人口計劃後來慘敗了

Hawaii became a state in 1959

夏威夷於 1959 年成為美國的一州

and remains the most racially diverse state in the country.

仍持續是美國種族最多元化的一州

But the promotion of surfing was a far greater success.

但衝浪的推廣更為成功

Today, surfing is a multi-billion dollar global industry,

今天衝浪是個數十億美元的全球產業

with tens of millions of enthusiasts worldwide.

世界各地有數千萬的衝浪迷

And though relatively few of these surfers are aware of the once-crucial wave chants

雖然這些衝浪者鮮少知道

過去至關重要的波浪吟詠或板雕儀式

or board carving rituals,

Hawaiians continue to preserve these traditions

夏威夷人繼續保存這些傳統

nearly washed away by history's waves.

差點被歷史的浪潮沖走的傳統