Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Kahanamoku c. 1912
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | "The Duke," "The Big Kahuna" | |||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |
 United States
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| Born |
August 24, 1890 Haleʻākala, Honolulu, Kingdom of Hawaii |
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| Died | January 22, 1968 (aged 77) Honolulu, Hawaii |
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| Height | 6.1 ft (190 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Waikiki Beach Boys | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Native Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the ancient Hawaiian sport of surfing. He was born towards the end of the Kingdom of Hawaii, just before the overthrow, living into statehood as a United States citizen. He was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming. Duke was also a law enforcement officer, an actor, a beach volleyball player and businessman.
According to Kahanamoku, he was born in Honolulu at Haleʻākala, the home of Bernice Pauahi Bishop which was later converted into the Arlington Hotel. He had five brothers and three sisters, including Samuel Kahanamoku. In 1893, the family moved to Kālia, Waikiki (near the present site of the Hilton Hawaiian Village), to be closer to his mother's parents and family. Duke grew up with his siblings and 31 Paoa cousins. Duke attended the Waikiki Grammar School, Kaahumanu School, and the Kamehameha Schools, although he never graduated because he had quit to help support the family.
"Duke" was not a title or a nickname, but a given name. He was named after his father, Duke Halapu Kahanamoku, who was christened by Bernice Pauahi Bishop in honor of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was visiting Hawaii at the time. His father was a policeman. His mother Julia Paʻakonia Lonokahikina Paoa was a deeply religious woman with a strong sense of family ancestry.
Even though not of the formal Hawaiian Royal Family, his parents were from prominent Hawaiian ohana (family); the Kahanamoku and the Paoa ohana were considered to be lower-ranking nobles, who were in service to the aliʻi nui or royalty. His paternal grandfather was Kahanamoku and his grandmother, Kapiolani Kaoeha (sometimes spelled Kahoea), a descendant of Alapainui. They were kahu, retainers and trusted advisors of the Kamehamehas, to whom they were related. His maternal grandparents Paoa, son of Paoa Hoolae and Hiikaalani, and Mele Uliama were also of aliʻi descent.
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