They surfed with incredible style and skill, totally in tune with the ocean. They rode prone, kneeling, and most famously, standing upright—what we call he’e nalu. Without leashes, wipeouts were serious business! They studied the swells, winds, and reefs like scientists. Surfing was part of their social fabric, from proving courage in huge surf to settling bets and romances on the waves. Their technique was pure flow, using their body and the board’s rail to carve across the wave face.