Renowned Hawaiian waterman Duke Kahanamoku is being honored by local artists and entrepreneurs with a new collection of exclusive products that pay homage to his history and heritage.
Mana Up, a local business accelerator and venture capital fund, and The Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, a Honolulu-based nonprofit working to perpetuate his spirit and legacy, have partnered to collaborate with seven Hawaii-based companies on the initiative.
The collection just hit shelves last week. Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up, told Aloha State Daily in an email that it will only be available through July 31, and products are already going fast.
"This collaboration was inspired by the growing momentum to celebrate Duke Kahanamoku's incredible legacy — from the 'Waterman' documentary to other recent efforts shining a light on his story," she said. "Working closely with the Duke Kahanamoku organization, we developed a collection that honor's Duke's impact on surfing, water sports, sustainability and Hawaiian culture."
Born in Honolulu in 1890, Kahanamoku, an official Ambassador of Aloha and record-breaking swimmer, was an Olympian and Hawaiian cultural icon who helped popularize surfing outside of the Islands.
Kahanamoku qualified for the U.S. Olympic swim team and won a gold and silver medal in the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, according to a timeline of his life published by PBS. He introduced surfing to the East Coast in 1914, it notes. In 1920, he won gold medals in the Antwerp Olympics in Belgium, and took home a silver medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Kahanamoku also spent time as an actor and served as sheriff of Honolulu from 1934 until the post was abolished in 1960, among his other accomplishments. He died of a heart attack on Jan. 22, 1968, at the age of 77.
The new collection features products designed by seven local brands. According to a recent announcement:
— Ambassadors with Aloha, or AVVA, offers a collection of "functional, culturally rooted surfwear" that includes windbreaker jackets, graphic T-shirts and boardshorts that feature "reconstructed crests and emblems once lost to history."
“The name AVVA means Ambassadors With Aloha and it is with this spirit that we addressed this collection,” Founder Kekoa Cazimero, said in the announcement. “We were very honored to be able to work with the Duke Kahanamoku Foundation and we gave ourselves this challenge: What can we do to strengthen the Duke Kahanamoku brand while making sure that we honor, preserve, and protect his legacy? This artwork now becomes a part of the Duke Kahanamoku archive and will be able to be used by others to collaborate and promote the Duke Kahanamoku brand.”
— Meli Wraps offers an eco-friendly kitchen set that includes a three-pack of dishcloths and two-pack of kitchen towels with "vibrant, wave-inspired prints."
— Surf Shack Puzzles offers a limited-edition postcard puzzle, "designed as a sendable memento," with a vintage image of Kahanamoku.
— Jules & Gem Hawai‘i offers a 7-ounce soy candle, car freshener, reed diffuser and room spray infused with a maile lei scent. "As a Native Hawaiian, I am honored to be able to create this fragrance for Duke Kahanamoku," founder Lana Gronwald said in the announcement. "Growing up in the Islands and being a water girl, I have always looked up to him and admired his accomplishments."
— Aloha de Mele offers a limited-edition bucket hat by artist Jasmin Tanuvasa.
— Coco Moon offers a family-friendly line that includes a swaddle, infant coverall, polo shirt and a mama robe. A portion of proceeds from these sales support Nā Kama Kai and the Duke Foundation, the announcement noted.
— Nick Kuchar Art & Design Co. offers an 11-inch-by-14-inch print honoring Kahanamoku's 1957 appearance on "This is Your Life," in Kuchar's vintage style.
James said Mana Up selected the creators to participate by first identifying categories that aligned with Kahanamoku's legacy, things like surfwear, sustainable goods and items rooted in Hawaiian culture.
"From there, we reached out to entrepreneurs within the Mana Up community whose values, products and storytelling felt like a natural fit," she continued. "The creators who joined the collaboration all expressed a deep connection to Duke's legacy and were genuinely excited to interpret that through their own brands. It was important to us that this wasn't just a product collection, but a meaningful tribute created with heart and authenticity."
James said the collection has been well received and some items are already nearly sold out.
One standout is the windbreaker from AVVA, which features an inner lining filled with iconic imagery of Kahanamoku, she said. A sleek black candle from Jules & Gem, and a baby blanket and onesie from Coco Moon are also popular, as is Kuchar's print, she continued.
When asked what the ultimate goal for the collection is, James said Mana Up's mission is to "elevate Hawai‘i's unique stories, and bringing together local entrepreneurs to interpret Duke's legacy through their own creative lenses was pure magic."
Want to grab your own items before they're gone? You can visit Mana Up's retail shops, House of Mana Up, in South Shore Market in Ward Village or at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikīkī, or shop online HouseofManaUp.Com.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
