Hawaiian lava sledding is a traditional sport of the Native Hawaiians

Native Hawaiians

Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...

. Similar to wave surfing

Surfing

Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

, hee hōlua involves the use of a narrow (12 ft (3.7 m) long, 6 in (15.2 cm) wide) wooden sled

Sled

A sled, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle with a smooth underside or possessing a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners that travels by sliding across a surface. Most sleds are used on surfaces with low friction, such as snow or ice. In some cases,...

 (papa hōlua). The sled is used standing up, lying down, or kneeling, to ride down man-made or naturally occurring courses (kahua hōlua) of rock, often reaching speeds of 50 mi/h or greater. In the past, Hawaiian lava sledding was considered both a sport and a religious

Hawaiian religion

Hawaiian religion is the term used to describe the folk religious beliefs and practises of the Hawaiian people. It is unrelated to, though commonly confused with, the philosophy of Huna....

 ritual for honoring the gods

Hawaiian mythology

Hawaiian mythology refers to the legends, historical tales and sayings of the ancient Hawaiian people. It is considered a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology, developing its own unique character for several centuries before about 1800. It is associated with the Hawaiian religion...

.

Sleds

Papa hōlua are composed of a pair of runners and a superstructure (platform). The runners are made from hard native woods, traditionally that of kauila (Alphitonia ponderosa

Alphitonia ponderosa

Alphitonia ponderosa is a species of flowering tree in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It is locally known as kauila, as is the related Colubrina oppositifolia.-Description:A...

or Colubrina oppositifolia

Colubrina oppositifolia

Colubrina oppositifolia, known as Kauila in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering tree in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It can be found in dry, coastal mesic, and mixed mesic forests at elevations of on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii . There is also one individual...

), uhiuhi (Caesalpinia kavaiensis

Caesalpinia kavaiensis

Caesalpinia kavaiensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. Common names include Uhiuhi , Kāwau , and Kea . It is threatened by invasive species, particularly feral ungulates.-Description:C...

), or māmane (Sophora chrysophylla). The runners have up-curved fore edges, straight aft edges, and rounded lower edges. Crosspieces keep the runners apart. The superstructure, two rails smaller in diameter than the runners and spaced apart by pieces of bamboo

Bamboo

Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

, sits on top of the crosspieces. The runners, crosspieces, and rails are bound together with sennit

Sennit

Sennit is a type of cordage made by plaiting strands of dried fibre or grass. It can be used ornamentally in crafts, like a kind of macrame, or to make straw hats...

 cordage. The rails are wrapped in white kapa

Kapa

Kapa is a fabric that was made by Native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs in the orders Rosales and Malvales. It is similar to tapa found elsewhere in Polynesia but differs in the methods used in its creation...

 cloth and the rail frame is covered in lauhala

Lauhala

Lauhala, lau meaning "leaf" in the Hawaiian language, refers to the leaves of the hala tree .-Uses:The hala tree is of great cultural, health and economic importance in many Pacific Islands. The fruit of the tree is used as a food source in many Pacific Islands. The fruits are oftentimes consumed...

 matting. Oil

Candlenut oil

Candlenut oil or kukui nut oil is extracted from the nut of the Aleurites moluccana, the candlenut or kuku'i. The candlenut originates in Hawai'i. The word kukui means "enlightened" in Hawai'ian. The oil contains 19% oleic acid, 41% linoleic acid, and less than 27% linolenic acid. Candlenut oil is...

 from kukui (Aleurites moluccana

Candlenut

Aleurites moluccana, the Candlenut, is a flowering tree in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, also known as Candleberry, Indian walnut, Kemiri, Varnish tree, Nuez de la India, Buah keras or Kukui nut tree....

) nuts coats either the course or the runners to provide lubrication.

Courses

A kahua hōlua foundation, which is made of rocks, is built in a depression on a hillside. The foundation is covered in packed-in dirt and an outer layer of pili grass (Heteropogon contortus

Heteropogon contortus

Heteropogon contortus is a tropical, perennial tussock grass with a native distribution encompassing Southern Africa, southern Asia, Northern Australia and Oceania. The species has also become a naturalised weed in tropical and subtropical regions in the Americas and East Asia. The plant grows to ...

) or kō (Saccharum officinarum

Sugarcane

Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...

) flower tassels. Courses are wide enough for a single sled and are not sloped at the bottom. A skilled rider can travel 150–200 yd (137.2–182.9 m) on the course, reaching the flat portion.