NOTICE:
WE ARE SORRY THAT THE SURF MONKEY IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR SHIPPING. DUE TO THE HIGH SHIPPING COST AND FREQUENCY IN WHICH THE MONKEYS GET DAMAGED DURING SHIPPING, SURF MONKEYS ARE AVAILABLE FOR IN-STORE PURCHASES AND IN-STORE PICKUP ONLY.
The Surf Monkey. Made in Tijuana, Mexico of Plaster-Of-Paris, and irregularly painted. The classic, original SURF MONKEY stands 12 inches tall and 15 inches wide. It's a coin bank. It's a statue. It's a lawn ornament. It's a surfing icon.
Features:
- A soulful, causal stance
- A non-threatening expression
- A cool, classic one-piece stripped surf-suit
- A retro-style surfboard
- A slot in the back of his neck for your loose change
History of the Surf Monkey
The following is from our friends at Surf Monkey Fellowship (https://www.surfmonkeyfellowship.com). Visit their site for a wonderful site dedicated to Chango!
The Surf Monkey was birthed in the Tijuana border region 40 plus years ago and has resided almost entirely at the border crossing vendor booths awaiting adoption by gringos heading back home to the States. According to Steve, last name withheld, a regular at the Tourmaline Pacific Beach parking lot, “the monkey was at the border in ’69.” So the first Surf Monkey sighting we know about was 43 years ago.
The Surf Monkey is affectionately known as “Chango,” (male) or “Changa” (female), which is slang for monkey in Mexican Spanish. They have a relatively small natural habitat, stretching from the Tijuana/Rosarito/Tecate/Ensenada area. There has been stories of births occurring in States farther South in mainland Mexico, but it is our understanding that the monkeys no longer propagate outside of the border region. What is amazing about these little guys, is that even though they are a relatively fragile species, their dispersion throughout the country has been well documented and impressive. They are known to reside in at least 25 states and will probably turn up in all 50, when more research is collected. The Surf Monkey’s Facebook page is a good source of stories and pictures of Surf Monkeys throughout the country.
Southern California is their most preferred region. Thousands have made their home on lawns, shelves, and in the garages of these beautiful coastal communities, giving them the name “Southern California Lawn Gnome.” It is somewhat surprising to discover that these plaster primates seem to also thrive in many of our land-locked states. And colder climates have not deterred them, in fact, in snowy regions these highly adaptable creatures have been seen using their 15-inch boards as snowboards!