North Shore NewsDuke Kahanamoku’s birthday is coming up August 24th. He will be 133 years old. We celebrate him because he symbolized the people of Hawaii to the world. He brought the real aloha spirit to everyone he met. Here is part of the eulogy from Duke’s funeral by Arthur Godfrey in 1968. “Duke was the soul of dignity…but he could be a mischievous, delightful boy at heart…He was unassuming, reticent, almost shy…Flattery rolled off his back like spume from a wave…It was the wonderful world of water that gave Duke his relaxed, enviable peace of mind… That great physical strength alone would never have won those titles for him…He had know defeat but he had preserved with great courage.” I found this in Sandra Kimberley Hall’s book, “Duke the Great Hawaiian”. A great account of the surfer we celebrate at the Duke’s OceanFest that is coming up August 18 through August 27th. It celebrates a life well lived with the activities he cherished!
