Raft on the running water. Rafting was once a primitive way of wading. Rafting originated from the leather boats of the Eskimos and bamboo rafts of China, but at that time it was to meet people's living and survival needs. Rafting became a true outdoor sport and started to develop after World War II. Some people who like outdoor activities tried to use retired inflatable rafts as rafting tools, which gradually evolved into today's water rafting.