Patrick Moser’s Waikīkī Dreams: How California Appropriated Hawaiian Beach Culture offers a well-researched examination of the intertwined histories of surfing in Hawai‘i and California, illuminating the sport’s cultural significance and the broader processes of colonization and appropriation that have shaped its evolution. Moser argues that this history can be traced back to “deep-seated cultural imperatives to both remove and replace Indigenous peoples” (p. 3)—a point he continuously underscores throughout the book. Moser adeptly traces the development of California’s surf culture, grounding it in its Hawaiian origins and embedding his analysis within the larger framework of American imperialism and settler colonialism. He analyzes how surfing—a once-sacred Hawaiian practice—was appropriated, commodified, and transformed by white surfers, highlighting the complexities inherent in this cultural exchange.
The book is organized into three distinct sections—The Builders, The Beaches, The Dream—which offer a thematic structure to trace the development and transformation of California’s surf culture, its contributors, and its world-renowned surf zones. Moser situates the transformation of California’s surfing culture within the broader histories of colonization and cultural displacement, revealing the intricate connections between surfing’s rise in popularity and the asymmetrical power dynamics at play in its development.
At the heart of Moser’s argument is the pivotal role of colonization in shaping the surf culture now emblematic of California. He emphasizes the historical displacement of Indigenous peoples in both Hawai‘i and California as white settlers sought to exploit and commodify coastal lands. In his analysis of Hawaiian surfing spaces, Moser critically examines the profound impact of colonization on the islands’ Native populations, refusing to romanticize the surf scene. Instead, he presents it as a product of cultural appropriation, where white surfers, captivated by the aesthetic and recreational appeal of Hawaiian beaches and waves, frequently contributed to the erasure of Indigenous traditions while simultaneously incorporating them into California’s surf culture.
Moser’s treatment of California’s surf history is equally incisive. He underscores how the transformation of coastal lands into celebrated surf breaks was often accompanied by the displacement of Indigenous populations, as California became increasingly urbanized and integrated into the United States following the Mexican-American War (1846–1848). This, in Moser’s view, was the precondition for the beach culture we know today. As such, his analysis positions the development of California’s surf culture within a broader context of settler colonialism, territorial annexation, dispossession, and resource exploitation. Surfing, in this framework, expanded alongside the systematic appropriation of Indigenous lands for recreational and leisure purposes.
A significant strength of Waikīkī Dreams is Moser’s continual emphasis on the debt California’s surf culture owes to Hawaiian knowledge and practices. He resists framing California’s surf culture as an isolated phenomenon, instead presenting it as part of a broader process of cultural exchange—albeit one deeply asymmetrical and fraught with the dynamics of colonization. Hawaiian surfers introduced their expertise and traditions to California, such as through surfing exhibitions by Duke Kahanamoku and George Freeth, inspiring generations of surfers. However, as Moser astutely observes, this exchange was often marked by a lack of reciprocity, with white surfers frequently adopting Hawaiian customs without engaging with their deeper cultural or spiritual significance.
Ultimately, Waikīkī Dreams is more than a history of surfing’s transmission from Hawai‘i to California; it is a critical interrogation of the colonial forces and asymmetrical power dynamics that facilitated that transmission. Moser offers a nuanced critique of the evolution of surf culture, demonstrating how the appropriation of Hawaiian traditions by white surfers shaped the modern surfing world. Through this lens, Moser exposes the often-overlooked histories of cultural erasure and exploitation embedded in the sport’s popularization.
Waikīkī Dreams situates the rise of California’s surf culture within the expansion of American empire and settler colonialism, while also connecting the modernization of surfing to World War II wartime technological advancements that influenced the industry. Although scholarly in nature, Moser’s accessible prose ensures that the work remains engaging for non-academic readers as well, making it a compelling addition to both academic and popular discussions of surf history.
University of California Press