Waikiki police substation to bear Duke's name

By Adrienne Ancheta
Advertiser Staff Writer

Exactly 111 years to the day that surfing legend Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born, the name that has become synonymous with Hawai'i and the aloha spirit will be officially placed on the Waikiki police substation.

The building, just yards from Duke's larger-than-life bronze likeness in the heart of Waikiki, will be christened the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Building next Friday.

Family members, friends and Councilman Duke Bainum, who introduced the resolution to name the station after Duke last year, will attend a 10:30 a.m. blessing. A display honoring Duke will also be opened at the substation, 2405 Kalakaua Ave.

"I'm elated over the fact they're naming (the substation) after him," said Jo-anne Kahanamoku-Sterling, Kahanamoku's niece and president of the Duke Kahanamoku Family Foundation.

"What better icon could we have than this Native Hawaiian who is a role model for the entire island?" Bainum said.

Naming the station for Duke was perfect, Bainum said.

Kahanamoku's father, Duke Halapu, was a captain on the police force. Kahanamoku was elected the first territorial sheriff, for the City and County of Honolulu, in 1934 and served until 1960.

Duke also was a state ambassador at-large and city official greeter from 1960 to 1968, when he died.

Duke is best remembered as an Olympic swimmer and the man who effectively introduced surfing to the rest of the world in the 20th century.