Join us on our surfing safari, as we explore the roots of California surf music within the context of California history. More than any other sport, surfing has inspired a broad culture–of music, fashion, language, and life style, and it is the history of the music that has propelled our journey. Primarily targeted for 11th grade high school teachers and students as they teach and learn about California history and popular culture, this site, which grew out of our safari, also has interest for other educational levels, as well as for surfers and music enthusiasts.
Included within is a historical essay of California, written by a California historian and ethnomusicologist, from Captain Cook’s travels to the present, as it specifically relates to surf culture. Also, visit our other safari pages–from history and geography to references, film, and music, to sample lesson plans and ancillary teaching materials. Finally, take a look at who we are, where we started, and where we stopped along the way, for instance, at the local surfing museums in southern California, rich in resources, with a staff both knowledgeable and generous of spirit.
Our safari is part of a bigger project, Mapping the Beat, and is funded by the University of California Humanities Research Institute and the National Geographic Educational Foundation.
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