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Dear Readers:
A famous statue of Duke Kahanamoku sits on Waikiki Beach, where he welcomes you in with open arms. People come from all around the world to pay their respects to the "Waterman," but it's especially meaningful to me as it was created by my uncle, sculptor Jan Fisher. As a Polynesian filmmaker, my uncle knew I was in a unique position culturally to tell Duke's story, which was an incredible weight, but also a dream come true. Somehow over time Duke has slipped under the radar, but Hawaiians and Polynesians from all the islands came out of the woodwork to help me bring awareness to his story. When we talk about great American athletes, how many have four monuments dedicated to them in three different countries? The only one that I know of is the Ambassador of Aloha, Duke Kahanamoku.
—Isaac Halasima, Director, American Masters: Waterman—Duke: Ambassador of Aloha
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