Genesis

The first European record of surfing in Hawaii comes from Lieutenant James King,[1], who completed the journals of Captain James Cook upon Cook's death in 1779. At the time, surfing had already been an integral part of indigenous Hawaiian culture[2] for generations. Native Hawaiian surfers rode waves lying down, sitting or standing on long, hardwood boards. Surfing was as much a part of native Hawaiian life as any major sport is part of western life today, if not more. It permeated every part of Hawaiian society, including religion and myth. Hawaiian chiefs would demonstrate and confirm their authority by the skills they displayed in the surf. The history of surfing is shrouded in the mists of time, as the origins of surfing are unknown. Jackson Crane, an American serving under explorer Captain Cook, was the first American to witness surfing in Hawaii in the late 1700s.
Surfing was a central part of Ancient Hawaiian culture. The chief was the most skilled wave rider in the community with the best board made from the best tree. The ruling class had the best beaches and the best boards, and the commoners were not allowed on the same beaches, but they could gain prestige by their ability to ride the surf on their extremely heavy boards.
When the missionaries from Scotland and Germany arrived in 1821, they forbade or discouraged Hawaiian traditions and cultural practices, including leisure sports such as surfing and holua sledding. By the 20th century, surfing, along with other traditional practices, had all but disappeared. Only a small number of Hawaiians continued to practice the sport and the art of crafting boards. wikipedia