The original legend of the story “Van Hunks and the Devil” was written by Nelson Mandela in his book “Favorite African Folktales”. It was an audiobook to benefit children in South Africa orphaned and impacted by HIV/AIDS. There are several paraphrased versions of the legend across the internet. The one below was adopted by Vanhunks Boarding, a Kiteboarding, SUP, and Kayaking company whose origin is in South Africa and in recent years added the Vanhunks Boarding USA distributorship in Sarasota, Florida.
Vanhunks is a Legend
Vanhunks was a Dutch pirate and explorer extraordinaire. Legend has it he retired to the Cape of Good Hope near the tip of Africa to smoke his days away on a mountain overlooking the ocean. Old Vanhunks had an encounter with a stranger dressed in a black coat and a wide-brimmed hat. The stranger turned out to be the Devil, and Vanhunks was challenged to a smoking duel to see who could smoke the other into a stupor.
Everyone knew that no one could out smoke old Vanhunks. But the Devil, he tried. He tried with all his might to puff and drag his opponent to waste. But Vanhunks beat the Devil that day. And the Devil was a devilishly lousy loser. Losing made him furious. So he summoned up tremendous thunderbolts and frightening lightning and drove Vanhunks off into the tempestuous sunset.
Old Vanhunks was never seen again, but the puffy clouds of his billowing smoke fest return to that mountain now and again when the kite wind blows, and his legend lives on in quite a poignant way.
His legend also lives on in what we do here at Vanhunks Boarding. His competitive spirit, and his pursuit of victory over the elements, and triumph over challenges – those qualities drive what we do at Vanhunks Boarding every day.
Bare Naked Kayaks is proud to be a Central Florida retail dealer for Vanhunks Boarding USA. We will strive to carry on their spirit in representing their excellent line of kayaks and products.
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