Surfing through the generations: Malia Kaleopa'a

Photo by Tommy Pierucki.

When did you start surfing?

I’ve been surfing since birth. When you live on the ocean in Hawai’i you learn really quickly how to surf. I can’t really say what age I started at. You just learn how to swim, then how to bodyboard, then how to play in the water and then how to surf.

My dad is from New York, and he was stationed in Hawai’i as a marine when he met my mom. She actually taught him how to surf. She grew up surfing Waikiki. But, he’ll say that she didn’t teach him. By the time I was born, both of my parents surfed. 

I was born in ‘85, and I was already competing by ‘90. I was definitely doing competitions by the time I was five.

What was surf culture like when you were young in Hawai’i? 

I lived in Hawai’i ‘til I was ten. Then I moved away, and I moved back at 18. The Menehune division was a mixed 12 category; there wasn’t a separate one for boys and girls, and there weren’t competition groups for ages 4-6, 7-8, 9-10. It was just this fun little mixed event. I feel like the competition part was way more relaxed, and there were a lot less girls. Compared to now, it’s crazy the amount of people that are surfing, especially girls. 

Wakiki was still super busy even when I was a kid, but it was just a different kind of busy. Families came back year after year that we got to know pretty well. The environment of the beach was really different too. There were a lot more places to sit along the sidewalk; there were benches and picnic tables. Waikiki was still a place where locals could come and enjoy a family beach day. Over the years, it seemed like things that made it convenient for families to come just went away, and it really started catering to tourism and tourism only. That’s been the biggest shift at Waikiki. Recently, because of Covid, there have been no tourists. All the local families from all over the island come and set up their easy ups (pop up canopy tents) for the day, and have the best time. It’s been really nice to see Waikiki the way it was intended to be-- for local families to really enjoy our beautiful space. That was something that I never expected to see in our lifetime. It was really cool.

Were there any interesting reflections from local Waikiki families during that time of how Covid impacted them or united people?

I think if you live in Waikiki and you’ve made it your home, you have always understood the specialness of Waikiki. People around the rest of the island weren’t normally getting to experience Waikiki because it’s always so over packed with tourism. When they were able to take their family down there, and finally… experience it... I feel like they started to see how special it was. 

Photo by Tommy Pierucki.

Back to what you mentioned earlier about learning how to be in the ocean, then bodyboarding, then surfing. What does it mean to you to build a relationship with the ocean before you learn how to surf? 

Surfing is so overcrowded now, but it’s not that overcrowding is the issue. The majority of the new surfers that are out there haven’t taken the time to really learn how scary the ocean can be, what currents do, where waves break, and where the safest place is at a certain time of day on a certain position on the board. As well as understanding etiquette. It’s just a natural progression. 

People need to have an understanding of the safety and the etiquette around surfing because then it doesn’t matter if there are a hundred people in the lineup. If everyone knows what they’re doing, then everyone is cautious and everyone is sharing waves. It’s a kind of lack of awareness saying that surfing is just: grab a board, paddle out, catch a wave. There is so much more behind it, if you want to enjoy the true meaning of surfing. 

What does respect in the water mean to you back then versus now?

I mean it’s definitely changed. There is less respect in the water as a whole. But, we still have some elders that are willing to speak up and be painted as “the bad guy” so they can instill respect in the youth. We maintain a good lineup at Waikiki. Other lineups may not have that, and if you don’t have the elder group that is willing to speak up and say, “Hey this isn’t right. This is how you approach the line up,” it’s just going to die away. The best you can do is work with your own group and try to make sure you keep passing on that respect to the line up. Respect the ocean, respect the elders and go from there.

How has Hawaiian surf culture shaped your worldview?

That’s hard to quantify because it’s just a part of who we are. You’re going to view the world by what you grow up around and your surroundings. If you grow up in this place—where you’re taught to share, to be kind no matter what, to give aloha—then that’s how it’s going to be. 

I tell my kids who travel to surf that it is important to remember that when people travel, they are sharing a part of their world and their culture with everyone around them; it’s important to try their best to be good stewards of their culture and their ‘aina. I feel like I’m behind the scenes like a team mom reminding them, Hey don’t forget where you come from, you know? Your aunties and your uncles are watching; they’re super proud of you.

What is one of the biggest lessons the ocean has taught you about life?

Nothing stays the same. It’s an ebb and a flow, just like life is constantly a high tide or a low tide… waves for days or flat for days. It is a reflection of how to live your life. The ocean is always there; it's just constantly changing. You have to roll with it, and enjoy the days that you have waves, and then rest and relax on the days that you don’t. 

Have you had to overcome any obstacles as a surfer?

After having kids, it took me the longest time to get back in the water. I surfed a lot when I was pregnant with them, but after they were born, surfing was just very scarce up until Covid. I said to myself: I’m off of work, I’ve got nothing else to do.  And I’ve surfed everyday all summer long. I felt like I was a kid again! As a mom, you go through all these different mental obstacles, and you make excuses why you can’t get back in the water. There is always laundry to be done, or a kid that needs to be fed; you can really make it easy for yourself to just not go. I function so much better as a human being, as a mom, as a wife, as a daughter, when I get time in the water, even if it’s just to swim. I come back to my family way more refreshed and centered. You can really give from a much bigger place.

Photo by Tommy Pierucki.

What is one of your favorite surf sessions of your life?

That’s really hard. I have two, and they’re actually both during Covid. So I grew up in Waikiki with a group of female surfers and we would spend all summer just surfing all day and barbequing all night. Of course, it’s few and far between that we can all get together for a surf session. But, one day during Covid, a majority of us were surfing together, and it was the best time; it was just like old times, the same little jokes in the lineup. The cool thing about that day was my daughter and all of her friends were out. So, it was the next generation of the Waikiki girls also out surfing. We reflected on what our aunties must have felt like, and I wonder if they ever had this moment where they looked at us the way we were looking at our girls and went, “Man, Waikiki is being entrusted to a really great group of girls. They’re going to uphold the traditions and keep the memories alive.” It was so special to be out there with everyone! My other favorite session was when I got my mom back in the water. She hadn’t surfed for a really long time. Me, her and my daughter, Kelis, surfed an early morning session and she caught so many waves and had the best time ever. It was really special to have the three of us in the water, the three generations. My favorite sessions are when I have those special moments, and you’re so in love with your surroundings, everyone is laughing, and you’re just having a great time.

How do you see surfing as a tradition that is passed down through generations? 

While Kelis was growing up, I worked on the beach until I got my flight attendant job, so it was a natural progression. I’m not solely responsible for teaching her to surf, and neither is my husband ‘cause it’s this whole group. When you have a kid, you need to get a tribe around you and the village raises them. That’s what Waikiki is like to us—all of the aunties and uncles down at Waikiki have had a hand in raising our kids. They have helped us to perpetuate the culture and teach our kids about surfing and the ocean. While it’s truly special that I get to pass this on to my children, I find it more special when the aunties and the uncles are down there and get to step in and drop little tidbits of knowledge. 

How would you like for people to see and respect Hawai’i? 

I want people to come to Hawai’i with respect for the fact that it is other peoples’ home. A lot of tourists come here and don’t realize that there are people that live here. There is this ‘take mentality’: “Well, I’m on vacation for two weeks, so I’m going to take anything I want during that two weeks and get my money’s worth.” If they’re in the line up, they’re going to take every single wave because they’re only there for two weeks. I really hope that as travel starts to pick up, people tread cautiously, are respectful of this being a home, and absorb the beauty that is here without taking. But, I also hope our local companies here realize too that you can sustain a business on local people and not just tourism. Start catering towards the locals too! I would love to see Waikiki become a beautiful blend of locals and tourists.

Is there anything else you want to leave people with?

Surfing is fun. Don’t overthink it. But take the time to learn the etiquette, learn the safety, learn the line up, and enjoy! It brings so much peace and happiness.

Thanks to: Siggi Bengston, Maija Fiedelholtz, Sophia Knox, and Becca Kauffman for copy editing/editing help.