18) Hawaii

The public image of Hawaii and Malibu is quite similar.  While Hawaii may give slightly more tropical feelings, both induce images of perfect waves crashing onto the beach, with just the right amount of sun in the sky.  Both places' geography has allowed them to gain a strong reputation for surfing paradise.

Surfing has long been tied to Polynesian culture and was popular all around the Pacific islands such as Tahiti, Tonga, and Hawaii.  It wasn't until 1907 that a land baron named Henry Huntington brought surfing to California.  While in Hawaii on vacation, he saw Hawaiian boys surfing and decided it would be a great way to attract people to his land in the Redondo Beach area.  Huntington hired a Hawaiian surfer named George Freeth to teach the locals how to surf.  From there, surfing made its way along Southern California's coast and became popular and recognizable amongst Californians.

The Malibu Surf Assocation was founded in 1961 and solidified surfing's spot in Malibu's culture.  Though not all surfers are members of MSA, it has helped grow the sport and continues to move forward today.

This video describes a bit about the history of surfing in Southern California:

As an aside, thank you for reading my blog and I hope you have found it informative and will look at Malibu a little deeper next time you pass through.

Ethan West

16) The North Pacific Coast

The greatest annual average precipitation on the continent is found amongst the North Pacific Coast region.  75 inches of precipitation annually is common and some areas record up to 230 inches annually.  All of this precipitation supports a rainforest that grows some of the largest trees in the world.

Although it is also located on the West Coast, Malibu is much further south, and as a result, receives an average of only 18 inches of rainfall per year.  Gone are the large rain forests found on the Northwest.  Instead, 18 inches of rain per year gives Malibu low-laying scrub vegetation.  Even if Malibu were to receive significantly more rain, it would not necessarily be a good thing.  Historically, when there is a large storm, the steep hillsides of Malibu become over-saturated and break up.  This results in mudslides that block roads and destroy property.  18 inches of rain per year for Malibu is plenty enough for its residents.

15) California

It is no secret that Malibu is located in California.  In fact, for someone not from California, Malibu is likely one of the first things they picture in their head when someone mentions California.  As Californians, I'm sure we've all encountered this.  Whether you are in another state or someone from another state is visiting, most people seems to have a notion that if you're from California, you likely spend most days in Malibu on the beach either surfing in the waves or tanning alongside some palm trees.

"Foreigners" are right for thinking this because in a way, Malibu is California and California is Malibu. Malibu embodies many things about California.  Aside from all of the physical similarities, many other things can be tied together.  Malibu has a pretty open-minded way of thinking and embraces it, much like the rest of the state.  Prices of everything in Malibu, from houses to coffee are quite high, even compared to the rest of the state, just like how prices of things in California are much higher compared to other states.  You could say that Malibu is the crown jewel of America's crown.  Maybe I say that because I'm proud of my state, and I'm sure there are many people out there who would disagree with that statement, but I can safely say that Malibu is the most Californian city in California.

14) The Southwest Border Area: Tricultural Development

In the Southwest, there is a very dense population of American Indians, compared to other regions.  In some regions of Arizona and New Mexico, American Indians comprise at least 70% of the population.  Some of the tribes that are predominant in this region are the Navajo tribe, the Apache, the Pueblo, the Papago, the Hopi, and the Utes.  Although these tribes are spread around the region, most are found around the Four Corners area.

Like the Southwest, Malibu also has a history with American Indians.  For 4000 years, Chumash tribes inhabited Malibu and its surrounding areas.  The Chumash can even be credited for naming Malibu.  They're name for the area was, "Humaliwo," which meant, "the surf sounds loudly," an apt name for the area.  The Chumash continued to inhabit Malibu until the early 1800's when Spanish settlers began to arrive in larger numbers.  The Chumash tribes were then pushed away towards different areas of the coast that were not yet settled by Europeans.