King David Kalakaua of Hawaii visited California and St. Matthew’s Military School in 1881. It met his approval and several young Hawaiian princes, David Kawananakoa, Edward Keli’iahonui and Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole, nephews of Queen Kapiolani, enrolled at St. Matthew’s.
During one one spring break, these Hawaiian princes went to Santa Cruz and made surfboards from redwood and surfed. They are considered to be the first to demonstrate surfing in mainland USA.
Two of the three original surfboards were brought back to Santa Cruz in 2015 for the 130th anniversary. You can read more about commemoration from the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History’s exhibit “Princes of Surf”.
