English
Etymology
Borrowed from the Hawaiian, paipo#Hawaiiaan|paipo.
Noun
en-noun|-
- Any prone-ridden surf-craft which aren't either inflatable mats or traditional finless soft bodyboards.
Hawaiian
Noun
paipo
- A short or small board. The use of a "Paipo" board is probably the oldest form of "board" surfing.
Usage notes
It's recorded Captain Cook saw the Hawaiian villagers riding paipo when he came to Hawaii in 1778. The boards he witnessed were about 3' to 6' and were ridden "prone" on the belly, or on the knees. The original paipos were finless wooden boards developed in Hawaii. By the 60's the world of paipo had grown to include small foam/fiberglass bellyboards with surfboard fins. Both types still exist today although in very small numbers.
References
My Paipo Boards and More
Category: Hawaiian nouns
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