What are the origins behind outrigger canoe racing?
All that we know about outrigger canoe racing stems from the Hawaiian Islands. However records taken by early European explores confirm that canoe racing was indeed practiced in island regions of the Pacific where the canoe was used as the principal mode of transportation. Outrigger canoe racing in Tonga for example was very popular even during the 1830’s. Whilst it was also practiced in Tahiti it was not undertaken with any great regularity. During the 1880’s with the founding of the July 14th Bastille celebrations, canoe racing became a regular event, but it was the only time at which racing was practiced. It was not until after 1976 that outrigger canoe racing began to become a regular year round sport. However, the Tahitians have made up for lost time, being now considered the people to beat, refining the sport to a fine art, absorbing it into their culture with great enthusiasm. For the ancient Hawaiians, the outrigger canoe was a natural extension of their everyday life and so to
