The Gold Coast’s Surf World Museum at Currumbin is now home to Australia’s first Caballito de Totora - a Peruvian reed board. The ancient reed watercraft was constructed and demonstrated by Huevito Ucanan from Huanchaco in northern Peru during a recent tour of Australia.

Surfing history was created by Huevito and his Peruvian countrymen when they toured the East Coast performing exhibitions on the Caballito at the invitation of the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve during February and March this year.

The delegation was headed by 72-year-old Felipe Pomar, Peru’s first world champ and a Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve (WSR) Ambassador. Felipe was joined by Carlos Antonio Ferrer, a representative of the Huanchaco WSR committee and a member of the Vision Council, the international panel that selects WSR’s on behalf of Save the Waves Coalition.

The unique cultural tour began at Bondi then drove north to Noosa before finishing on the Gold Coast.  In all it took three weeks. The tour was jointly sponsored by Peru’s biggest surfing webpage www.Olasperu.com thanks to co-owner Roberto Muelas Meza and his amazing IT accomplice Luis Tantajulca who documented the historic visit.

Luis produced four mini movie clips in all. The films from Bondi, Crescent Head, Noosa can be viewed on their webpage. A fourth clip, shot at Snapper Rocks during the Quiksilver Pro, can be seen below.

For the first time outside of Peru, the Caballito de Totora was built and surfed in Australia thanks to the amazing craftsmanship - and showmanship! - of Huevito the King of the Caballito. Huevito not only constructed two reed boards while in Australia but performed sensational stunt demonstrations along the way.

As the old saying goes, “It’s no show without Punch!” Huevito Ucanan single-handedly stole the show much to the delight of his fellow Peruvians. 

The 43-year-old fisherman, is a father of three who grew up surfing and fishing at Huanchaco. Some of his most entertaining moments from the tour will be aired next week on Bondi Rescue. Tune in on Tuesday, 26th April, from 7.30pm on the TEN TV Network.

Thanks to our Gold Coast Federal member Karen Andrews whose office contacted the Department of Agriculture and advised how to bring in the Totora reeds into Australia. Fortunately the reeds were not a threat but had to be sufficiently sprayed to pass quarantine.

Surf World Surf Museum Currumbin is now the permanent home for the Caballito de Totora and holds the distinction as the only exhibitor of a Peruvian reed board in Australia.

(Homepage photo by Carlos Antonio Ferrer)