Black Shorts, also known as Da Hui (which means group or club in Hawaiian), were established around 1976 as a group of local surfers from the North Shore of Hawaii, in Oahu. Eddie Rothman, who looks more like a mythological creature (one-tenth human and the rest irrational animal) than a human, is one of its founders and the main member of this crew.
Black Shorts is nothing more than a gang of local surfers, like the "Wolf Pack" also from Hawaii, Kauai, or the "Bra Boys" from Maroubra, Australia.
Initially organized to preserve and defend Hawaiian culture as well as the rights of the ocean, it began as a very romantic and heartwarming ideal, but quickly turned to the more violent side of things. They would beat up foreigners and even beginners, and also sabotage world championships. We actually find this last practice quite amusing.
In 1976, during the second heat of a world surfing championship in Oahu, Eddie Rothman and his Black Shorts crew sabotaged the championship by surfing the contest wave as if nothing was happening, much to the dismay of the participants who had their turns cut short. They did this to assert the rights of local surfers, as they were not allowed to participate in these events, not to mention the large sums of money being made from them.
What strikes us most about this crew is more their aesthetic and initial ideals than their violent attitude, which unfortunately served as an example for many other locals along the world's coasts.
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