New Zealand has a lot of great waves. It has a lot of great surfers, too, and the ocean plays a leading role in many people’s lives there. For some reason, though, there haven’t been too many NZ surfers on tour — Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb come quickly to mind — but Kehu Butler is hoping to add his name to that short list.
Red Bull recently created a short film about Kehu — full name Te Kehukehu Butler, which is “a name, not a novel” — and his relationship to his family and the sea. It’s an interesting look at a beautiful culture, with some extraordinarily good surfing added in for good measure.
Right now, Kehu is sitting in fifth on the Men’s Qualifying Series. He’s hopeful, of course, that he’ll crack into the QS realm, but even if he doesn’t (which, and you can mark our words, he will), it’s his outlook on life and his relationship with the ocean and his culture that sets him apart.
