Why You May See the Hawaiian Flag at Olympic Surfing, Not the U.S. One

Hawaiian surfer Ezekiel Lau calls surfing “Hawaii’s gift to the world.” This summer, the sport will make its first appearance in the Olympics and in the process it will spotlight a longtime tension between the islands and their one-time occupiers: the United States. Hawaii, of course, is one of the fifty states and part of the US. Yet during surfing competitions in past years, winning Hawaiian surfers have proudly draped themselves in the Hawaiian flag rather than the American one. As one surfer explains, “I’m not anti-anything. I’m pro-Hawaii.”

Apparently, most surfers from Hawaii would rather have competed under the state flag, but that was never seriously considered by the sport’s governing body. So if you weren’t already, get excited to watch surfing in the Olympics. Not only will Japan’s waves make the show worth watching ... but now you can join me in wondering what flag the winners will be flying if they happen to be Hawaiian-American too.