The Hawaiian Historical Society invites everyone to a presentation on Hawaiian surfing traditions at its annual meeting Thursday, May 3, 2012, at the University of Hawai‘i Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies Auditorium. The program is free and open to the public.

John Clark’s illustrated lecture will center on examples of the six traditional Hawaiian surf-riding sports: surfing, bodysurfing, canoe surfing, body boarding, skimming, and river surfing. Clark’s book, Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions From the Past, a history of the traditional sport narrated primarily by native Hawaiians who wrote for the Hawaiian-language newspapers of the 1800s, will be available for purchase at the program.

Clark is a former lifeguard and is a retired deputy chief of the Honolulu Fire Department. He is the author of eight books on Hawai‘i’s beaches published by the University of Hawai‘i Press. Clark is a past president and a current trustee of the Hawaiian Historical Society and is editor of The Hawaiian Journal of History.

Clark’s lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m., following the Society’s annual business meeting, which begins at 7:00 p.m. The business meeting will include the annual report of Society president Glenn E. Mason and election of trustees for 2012–2015.

The Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies is located at 2645 Dole Street, just off the UH Mānoa main campus, next to Kānewai Community Park. Parking is available in the adjacent parking structure for $6.00.

For further information, contact the Hawaiian Historical Society office, 560 Kawaiaha’o Street, Honolulu, Hawai’i 96813. Telephone (808) 537-6271. E-mail hhsbarb@lava.net.