Surfers remember hula, fire dancer Chief Kamu during paddle-out ceremony

A paddle-out was held Friday evening by the Surfrider Foundation in honor of Samuel H.B. Kanekoa, better known as Chief Kamu or Chief Sam, a native Hawaiian who lived in Surfside Beach.

Kanekoa passed away on April 10 at the age of 43.

Kanekoa hosted The Chief Kamu Fire and Hula Show, during which he performed the hula dance and the ancient fire knife dance. He also taught hula to others.

He met his wife, Mary, in Hawaii and they moved to Surfside Beach in 2004. They have two daughters, Mahealani Maryjane, 15, and Nanea Samantha, 11.

The paddle out was held near the Surfside Pier after a memorial service at Belin Memorial United Methodist Church.

From staff reports

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Surfers remember hula, fire dancer Chief Kamu during paddle-out ceremony."