Literary Analysis Essay on "The World in the Curl"

Introduction

According to Westwick and Neushul, long before the great explorer of America, Captain James Cook, had docked his fleet of ships on the shores of the Hawaiian Islands, the indigenous were already surfing. In the wake of 1779, an activity described as riding boards while either standing or lying down, the tradition of Surfing had already been embedded deeply on the roots of the Hawaiian people. Surfing was and is still is, part of their integral culture. Respected and renowned chiefs gained their title and respected from the villager's commoners by showcasing their prowess in Surfing. Their experiences were narrated down generations, with Surfing being the core and crucial point of reference. Chants had already been created and sang, with famous places being named after great surfers. After the arrival of Captain Cook in Hawaii, he quickly noted that the royalties strictly dictated everything. However, after the death of Captain Cook, various events transpired, paving the way for more explorers to head to these islands. The explorers came with new things such as religion and new cultures, which put the great sport of Surfing at risk. The intertwining of cultures and the introduction of various religions in Hawaii became significant factors that led to the demise of Surfing which was part of the Hawaiian culture.

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After Cook's journal was widely published, Hawaii became the ultimate destination for many explorers who brought in with them new cultures. It is stated in "The World in the Curl" that is hard to overstate the demographic collapse of the Hawaii and the people in the short space of a century. The sweeping epidemics devastated Hawaiian culture-not just by killing Hawaiians, but by undermining their community and customs" (Westwick and Neushul 27). The arrival of visitors reached its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries as the cultures of the foreigners and that of the locals collided. For instance, one notable event was the dinning of Liholiho, a renowned chief, with a woman, something that was utterly a taboo. As their cultures continued to intertwine, so did the importance of Surfing diminish. Commoners could now drop by at the chiefs convention at will or uninvited, without fear of their life. The great festival of Makahiki, a tribute to the god Lono, and which Surfing was an integral event, was no longer observed. As more festivals lost their meaning due to the collision of cultures, the death of Surfing grew more imminent.

The second factor that played a significant role, as Westwick and Neushul noted, was the introduction of various religions.in The World in the Curl a the authors states that, "formerly, old and young engaged in this sport, but now it is a rare sight" (Westwick 19). The statement shows the influence of missionary in the wake of 1820, Christian missionaries from England began to preach and convert the people of Hawaii, who were polytheisms, to Christians. Although the introduction of a new religion and a new god was met with resistance, the people of Hawaii eventually gave in, paving the way for Christianity to proliferate. Significant changes immediately took effect. The people were required by religion to wear more clothes. There were also taught how to read and write. The religion of Christianity also dictated that the locals work more and play less. The 'play' included the activity of Surfing, as they were encouraged to focus on serving god and work harder in their free time. The change was quickly notable to those who had visited Hawaii before with an anonymous visitor writing that the initial activities like surfing, wrestling, and dancing had all disappeared due to the introduction of the new religion.

The authors of the book "The World in the Curl" seek to explain the demise of surfing in Hawaii. The missionaries who landed in Hawaii introduced new life to the locals that made them too busy for them to get involved in surfing. Surfing became a leisure activity that was associated with idle individuals and referred by Christians as immoral. Christians encouraged hard work and avoided sports such as surfing. Also, new cultures diverted the attention of people concentrating in surfing. Individuals got more involved in other activities such as getting involved in the trade as there was the introduction of the cash economy.