Know The Feeling Hawaii - with Mahina Florence

Hawai’i is a place that is inextricably linked to and woven into surf culture. Historically, culturally, and within the sport itself, “surf” and “Hawai’i” are nearly synonymous terms, and there is an overwhelming sense of familiarity between the surf industry and the famed island chain…however, that familiarity tends to only scratch the surface of what surfing in Hawai’i is really all about-and all of the tradition, meaning, and stories that come with that.
First things first, we knew we’d need the right guide-someone whose personal connection to the islands would work as the key to help open broader conversations, and spark further curiosity and understanding of the complex experience that is surf in Hawai’i.
We knew Mahina Florence was the one for the job. Coming from a legendary family of watermen and women, Mahina’s knowledge and personal experience as a surfer and daughter of Hawai’i make her the perfect host to take us on this journey to learn a little bit more about one of surfing’s most iconic locations and some of the women behind it.
We'll start on the West Side with waterwoman Ha'a Keaulana and professional surfer Alessa Holloway (formerly Quizon). After that we'll make a stop at the famed beaches of the North Shore to meet up with Billabong WCT surfer Luana Silva and end at Waikīkī to learn more about surf school with Tammy Moniz.
With identity closely linked to tradition, these women’s experiences and stories serve as powerful portrayals of the meaning that surfing can bring to one’s life, and how their relationship to surfing in Hawai’i specifically, has played big role in understanding who they are.
DIRECTOR : SCOTT WYNN @PATTI_AGENCY
EDITOR: SCOTT WYNN @PATTI_AGENCY DOP: ANDREW SCHOENER @andrew_schoener
COPY WRITER: COLLEEN CONROY @PIGEON_RESEARCH
PRODUCER: AJA TOSCANO @AJMAILE

[@gmoney0077]

On top of being absolutely stunning, Mahina could be an award winning actress or news journalist! Props on her zen type ease and relatability in front of the camera.

[@treeknome2642]

I like what she’s said: ”There’s something very special and deep about surfing that most people can say they relate too.” I find that too. It’s almost a spiritual experience. Whether you’re doing it or watching it.

[@michaelwestu9663]

Would love to see more of these about people from the islands. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

[@sessionsinparadise7357]

@@koalee787 nah man. False. Hawaii is still Hawaii. Kanaka maoli are still here. Shooting to raise the bar. Not be defeated by its current heights. They can push me all they want. I will not falter. Neither should any of us. Financial freedom is possible. Succeeding in this life, here on the islands. Are possible. Malahini prove it everyday

[@jeffjeff4477]

O ahu is a magical place Yes tourists everywhere, but doesn't take away from the aloha spirit, feeling. I was there a couple months ago and really felt the connection for me, very much appreciated the place and rich culture Great segment Mahalo

[@user-xh5hm2ri9k]

As a Surfer for over 50 years I say Thanks so much Hawaii for the gift you shared with the world.

[@charlynnchock678]

Mahalo NUI Loa

[@tomtaylor9501]

As a Coast Guardsman that lived and surfed there in the early 70's I say wonderful tour and thanks for the memories. Malaho and aloha!

[@laughteraddict1003]

Surfing saved my life. A big Mahalo to George Freeth for that. If you're a surfer and aren't familiar with his story you should be

[@snowboardingisnotdeadjanis8358]

Thanks Mahina Florence. Been wanting to here your perspective as a local. Love the history. Your voice, the girls, their natural shape. THANK YOU

[@bernabemestanza3640]

Never stop, keep it going. Respect for the women of Hawaii. Native strong

[@a320nick]

This is Heavenly.🙏🌺 Brilliantly beautiful video 🤙🤙. 🤗 Great narration, and culture history.

[@CristinaFilms]

What a beautiful video! ❤️ And inspirational for all women!

[@TommyHackett]

What a beautiful look at a beautiful culture. I love the respect to the other origins of surfing at the beginning of the video too. The segment with Tammy Moniz was my favorite: "To understand surfing as a sport is one thing, but to understand surfing as a culture, and as a love... and something we will do for the rest of our life. There's not a day that goes by that I don't come to the beach and just think, my gosh I get to do this. This is a place I get to be a steward of, and to pass down our love for surfing, and culture, and aloha." 🙏

[@hbtvproduction]

I agree!

[@lawriewilliams6928]

Beautiful and informative and gentle…thank you 🙏

[@williamparker6649]

So much respect for the people who carry and live Hawaiian Culture and spreading Aloha🙏🤙

[@alysonsneyd3401]

Love this video. It’s nice to see local women featured.

[@earllll]

Awesome story telling and such strong beautiful women. More of this!

[@thomasanderson1783]

This add popped up. It was almost 12 minutes. I watched my first 12 minute ad! You are a special person. I noticed you on Nate’s vlog years ago! Would love to see more of you or your own vlog. Your very intelligent and interesting.

[@thomasanderson1783]

And the woman’s history of Hawaii is amazing!

[@thomasanderson1783]

Please make a video about it. I think it’s very interesting! So much more to the culture and no one ever hears from The women of the country/state. It’s really cool ! Just so you know, I’m a Indiana Midwest man. This story needs to be told!

[@hayleyh7655]

Such beautiful people and a beautiful culture

[@MTB_Rider_96]

Not a day goes by that I don't think about Hawaii. Can't wait to get back.

[@proconsumersafety]

Thank you for such an amazing short film. I grew up surfing and love it. for me surfing, its more about the feeling of being part of the wave. It really grounds you in the moment. This was such a great film. Thank you.

[@spants1058]

The Moniz family is legendary on Oahu and in the surfing community.

[@trevorleggo1777]

Gorgeous insights, thankyou ladies...true waterwomen.

[@foufdog]

This was absolutely beautiful 🌴 in everyway and you are all such beautiful women 😍, the only problem for me now is I want to live in Hawaii 🤙

[@kailuakidd1512]

Excellent presentation, thank you.

[@allanlhall1991]

😊I’m amazed only watched it because it came up after the interview you did with Nath your hubby , I really enjoyed it

[@curtisreynolds7708]

The roots run deep into that red soil clay lava scape hail to the local Natives thank you for sharing your beautiful Mana Aloha

[@shirleygines-de1et]

A beautifully-written video. Mahalo!❤

[@ethanmcalpin2]

That was so dope. Beautifully crafted and A1 info.

[@hml808]

Love this! Aloha.

[@Nomadicheadspace]

Aloha kanaka nation Hawaiian from California ❤

[@SASI1650]

Wonderful!! Thank you so much.

[@PakeSalmon]

This is so beautiful!

[@robertcovell2787]

Outstanding!!!

[@elleynorman1049]

Love!

[@MrAymardo]

This is plain beautifull, Mahalo ia 'oe!

[@nathanieldiazrua]

This was an amazing video.

[@teretoawild]

aloha be wise and know your culture 🌊🤙

[@michaelkrentzin]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Hawaiian culture is so unique and beautiful.

[@AK-ms5zk]

Love this

[@pricedives]

Such a beautiful video ❤

[@musicislife9131]

Truth indeed, thanks Mahina

[@oahusurffilms]

Keep the stories coming please

[@nino369]

Wonderful 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@ItatiaiaBR]

This Luana girl is Gabriel Medina little sister. Amazing to see her surfing so much

[@paulr5747]

She looks healthy, literally glowing

[@BigBoner808]

Love it Mahina... clap clap clap

[@talahlaurie6993]

I would love to watch a video that showcases some First Nations surfers in Australia 👏🏾🤎

[@mememinaa7052]

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Love Hawaiian culture. Love from East Africa 💗

[@user-hb2ku5oq5r]

Thank you¡¡Best..

[@asurfadventurelife2764]

Love it

[@Miki....................233]

Awesome!

[@katyparisworld8579]

This is so cool to put some lights on those womens. Thanks guys. The video is really nice, aloha.

[@moshebigelow5308]

Wow, thank You

[@cheekysmith]

Beautiful video

[@AN-hv1vm]

Blessed is blessed

[@thesilenceoflife453]

Beautiful 👌🏻

[@thebeautelife3471]

Beautiful. Mahalo

[@w3btwin]

Beautiful.

[@17th_Street_Preacher]

Real life Moana vibes🌊🌴

[@firedustman]

thanks for sharing

[@moomooclark7987]

Beautiful😊

[@emilmendez]

One Love

[@johnta17]

amazing, thanks for sharing. Beautiful girls.

[@ryanmiller6146]

That was very good. Bravo

[@svamateria9912]

wow

[@76Peninha]

😍

[@aderiley6592]

💙🤙

[@KneeJerk]

Wow, looks like the most beautiful women in the world live in Hawaii.

[@jennymauger]

SeaStars 🙏🧜🌊🌊🌊💓🌅🏝

[@technogov2]

Nate, you lucky dog!

[@carmenburgos1616]

This is real preaching , This is the real amotino Christ .. This is real ..!!

[@lutzchoco1]

its more about Know the feeling Mahina Hawaii

[@BenDover-vs7ih]

Nathan Florence you lucky son of a .....!!! What a freakin gorgeous lady.

[@pizzaenthusiast69420]

🤟

[@keithhunapo9794]

Ataahua🥰

[@roosdad1]

Damn, Nathan!

[@pcmuana5520]

lovely great boxer mahina, proud you. Be mare famous. I love you. Wish a merry Christmas

[@eeskeeverit8754]

I wuz really feelit

[@connideee]

verliebt und das nicht nur in die Insel

[@AntonKomarov]

Looks like the best place to find a wife 🤩😍

[@DeanMartinson-ci3lk]

Not really, I grew up in the big island 🏝 most females in Hawaii are nothing like mahina.

[@Malama_Ki]

Mahina... beautiful woman. No ka oi da kine wahine

[@braddah_tyz8958]

Dats my brother with the blonde hair and Rainbow bridge

[@zikomo4news]

I’m going to find you and ask you to teach me the ways ❤

[@walterquick8649]

Thank the USA for PROTECTION!!

[@Sonofawildanimal4241]

HAVE A BABY!

[@grakkerful]

I thought the old Hawaiian chiefs wouldn't let non-royalty surf?

[@TheMasterFro]

Everyone could surf, but some locations were exclusive to the upper class or ali'i. Also, surfboards were difficult to make and expensive to buy, so that was another barrier for those in the lower class.

[@asurfadventurelife2764]

Mahina you are marry with my nephew I appreciate you so much

[@KoIwiArts]

He Mana wahine ki te Moana nui a kiwa.

[@davidsolvincent9511]

Beautiful video! But you pronounce hawaii wrong.... And ohau

[@niaedwards382]

Imagine telling a Native Hawaiian that they pronounce the name of their own homeland, in their own language, wrong 😂

[@jedinite241]

Surfing started in Africa and South America?? So an Australian Company is telling and changing Polynesian History just so it can sell beach clothes to a wider demographic? Why is a clothing store even mentioning History at all 🧐 seems fishy

[@zizzilock]

I may not be correct but I have heard evidence of people surfing in South America (can’t remember if it was Chile or Peru?) that predates Hawaii.

[@calisurfduuuddee8183]

Yes, waves are everywhere the ocean touches land but only one culture discovered how to ride a wave. And yes even though Hawaiians never stopped surfing, when the white man started coming to the islands to appreciate and learn more from the core of where they learned about surfing and then share how amazing it is with the rest of the world it was actually stolen. And let’s not forget, when you fall in love with a person with lighter skin you are being colonized by evil Europeans with absolutely no redeeming qualities.

[@boromirofmiddleearth557]

Why was surfing forbidden? Crazy? It's like forbidding swimming sailing skiing or sledding ice skating? Some of the colonizers were idiots. I hope you can continue this beautiful artform, care for the ocean the land the sky that I believe God created for us.

[@MrJoelrollock]

Am looking for a girl friend. I am a plumber electrician kitchens and bathrooms.

[@johhnmorgan8329]

Least someone is born n bred Hawaiian her family been since the 1800s like hemmings and ho family's not rocking up in the 1960s from the mainland in there teens saying I'm a Hawaiian

[@MB-rx9rb]

transgender ?

[@ponokealii]

Wait, what Mahina? "Africa and South America!?! Nooooooooooooooooooo! He Hawaiʻi ka ʻuhane o ka heʻe nalu - the soul of surfing is Hawaiian. By implying that surfing may not be Hawaiian - which IMHO is unproven and unprovable Western anti-Hawaiian propaganda and an example of genocide by deculturalization (the attempt to erase a people by denying or calling into question their history, origin story, social values, cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs) you are inadvertently and through no fault of your own parroting the Western false narrative designed to erase Hawaiians from existence by denying the very things that define us as a people so that we will become Westernized, lose our identity as a people and can become homogeneously assimilated into Western culture. My government, The Royal Hawaiian Monarchy government of The Hawaiian Kingdom, is preparing a number of legal cases in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) against the US and it's puppet regime, the fraudulent State of Hawai'i, charging them with genocide by denationalization, genocide by deculturalization and, in the ICC, the violation of the declared neutrality of The Hawaiian Kingdom (since 1854) - a serious international war crime. We will also petition the ICJ and the PCA asking the ICJ to acknowledge and uphold our inherent and exclusive right to the title, authority, jurisdiction and mālama 'āina stewardship management rights to all of the 'āina in ko Hawai'i pae 'āina based on the doctrine of The Primacy of Native Land Rights - which is a doctrinal thesis which I have authored and which will be submitted as primary evidence and the primary legal establishing premise of our case in which we will challenge the US claim to the title, authority and jurisdiction of our 'āina hiwahiwa in the PCA as well as challenge the US claim of the legal annexation of The Hawaiian Kingdom in the ICJ and the PCA. Mahina, I know you had only the best intentions in creating this piece. I only hope that you will support my goverment's efforts to restore justice for Hawai'i and make Hawai'i pono once more! Ponokeali'i Kūhina Nui Kuikāwa (Prime Minister pro tem) The Royal Hawaiian Monarchy government of The Hawaiian Kingdom

[@jimr6674]

Ugh

[@calisurfduuuddee8183]

“Your” government was learned from European peoples. You will never kick out the USA All of history people have been fighting and taking over and enslaving. What makes your white ass any less native than Simone that has been there since the 1800s? Am I a Native American because my family has been in the main land for 400 years? Or are we all human on one planet?

[@ItsYamisWorld]

Thank you very much for this video!🫶🏽 Motivates me to continue surfing as a beginner and even though I'm older as its so much more than the level of surfing that makes surfing so unique and beautiful❤