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Story: Lifesaving and surfing

A surfing demonstration

Image
A surfing demonstration

During his New Zealand tour, Duke Kahanamoku gave surfing demonstrations at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. This photograph shows him either body surfing or preparing to stand on a board in the surf at New Brighton beach, Christchurch.

Using this item

Canterbury Museum, Canterbury Times Collection

Reference: 1923.53.434

Permission of Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, New Zealand must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Lifesaving and surfing – The rise of surfing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7527/a-surfing-demonstration (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 2 March 2009.