Hawaiian lava sledding

The sled is used standing up, lying down, or kneeling, to ride down man-made or naturally occurring courses (kahua hōlua) of rock, often reaching speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h) or greater.

In the past, Hawaiian lava sledding was considered both a sport and a religious ritual for honoring the gods.

The runners are made from hard native woods, traditionally that of kauila (Alphitonia ponderosa or Colubrina oppositifolia),[2] uhiuhi (Caesalpinia kavaiensis), or māmane (Sophora chrysophylla).

The superstructure, two rails smaller in diameter than the runners and spaced apart by pieces of bamboo, sits on top of the crosspieces.

[4] The foundation is covered in packed-in dirt[2] and an outer layer of pili grass (Heteropogon contortus) or kō (Saccharum officinarum) flower tassels.