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Ronnie Chang is

Ronnie Chang was one of two brothers (ruddy and Ronnie Chang) born in Hawaii’s north shore to mixed raced parents; a mother ¾ hawiian and ¼ british and an American father 1/3 German. The Chang Brothers grew up contemporaries of surf luminary Gerry Lopez and like all Hawaiian kids their age started surfing the north shore. Ronnie idiolised North shore surf legend Paul Strauch and made it his life’s goal to master Strauch’s signature manoeuvre the cheater 5 or the Paul Strauch five. (The rider squats low on the board and stretches out one leg in front of the body.) It was during the brothers teenage years that they made the transition from shore to tarmac. The Chang family was one of low income and the teenage brothers found work early taking shifts at Kapu yard burger joint. It was hear that they started their friendship with Lee Kona and Paul Mahina Quinn. The four friends would take every opportunity during lunch hours constructing a half pipe at the rear of kapu yard and spend mornings, afternoons and evenings there skating. This was the birth of the first Hawaiian skate team Kapu Yard bonesmen.

Of the two brothers Ruddy was described as the Skate equivalent said to be of surfer Jose Angel gutsy and aggressive. It was Ronnie who caught the attention of the locals as he transferred Strauchs elegant style to the tarmac from the drink, the comparison to his idol was the greatest compliment to this young athlete.

As commercial interest grew in Hawaii’s surf scene the small band of skaters went largely unnoticed. Few stores imported the skate decks but the brothers were able to convince Bill ‘The Toucan’ Tooks, a surf board shaper at Lightening with Lopez built the bonesmen simple shaped decks for their skating. It was this partnership that formed the skateboard company “Blue Blaze Skates” (in tribute to the islands strong legendary marijuana Bluemoon which the bonesmen would often get stoned or blazed on during the afternoon). Financial patronage came from the Kapu Yard owner Rabbit Kekai (legendary Waikiki beach surfer) who saw the group as an investment as their gnarly skating had become a local legend and would attract local teenage audiences who would visit the establishment to watch them skate.

It was largely invisible to the outside world with attention mainly towards the islands skate scene and skateboarding focus towards California and Dogtown. Had the Chang brothers been living in Santa Monica who knows how the history books would read today?