Surf Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Surf Culture - Research Paper Example Although surfing as we perceive it today became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, the sport is much older. Surfing was both a pastime as well as a training module and exercise regimen in the ancient Hawaiian culture, where priests would engage in ritual dances and chants to please the sea so as to provide good waves for surfing. Surfing for the ancient Hawaiians was also a means of resolving conflicts and they took great pride in testing their skills in fierce contests. As it became popular in California and Australia, in the early twentieth century, the invention of new varieties of lighter, better-designed surfboards with improved maneuverability made the sport more accessible to greater numbers of people. What revolutionized the sport perhaps more than any other invention was that of the wetsuit that allowed surfers to experiment with new and daring surfing maneuvers and enjoy the sport in all weathers. Today the subculture of surfing has become a way of life in many parts of the wo rld especially Hawaii, California, Florida and Australia. Surfing has numerous characteristics that tend to contribute to group cohesiveness. The beach which is the natural meeting ground of surfers is a place that all can share. Since surfers meet at particular places where the waves are rideable, their interactions help form connections on the basis of the shared interest, and the excitement and intensity of the sport adds a special bond of belonging to the group.