Is surfing a sport of the white Western world? What was the last non-Christian surfer you've met? Have you seen a Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu surfer lately?
Surfing has always been one of the true sports of the world, as a global community of many nationalities, races, religions, skin colours and gender. Surfers travel the world and are usually keen to discover the cultures, societies and landscapes of the four corners of the planet
I'm wondering what the true root cause is for an under representation of black surfers. Do we blame it on the media for not highlighting black surfers that already exist? Does there need to be a message blasted out to each community saying that surfing is cool, you should do it? For mine own part, I got into surfing not because I saw cheesecake glossed between RIP CURL board shorts in a mag, but shit it seemed like it was fun and challenging. The media had absolutely no bearing on my decision. Honestly I'm just so sick of blaming the media for everything. So far we have skimpy bikinis being mandated by the media, in lieu of the more practical burka, and now race under representation. Shit article too for mixing race and religion within the same breaths, probably just for taste. YUMMY CONTROVERSY.
Every black surfer that I have met or saw in the water freakin' rips! If you ever been south of Jack's House on big days, that one black dude who always comes out is always the standout in the lineup. Plus, he's super humble about it.
Surfing was appropriated by whites from polynesians. The image of a "surfer" is a white male (for the last 10 years with optional beard), with the mannerisms and accent of a southern Californian or perhaps Australian. The surf industry, its spiritual center somewhere in Orange County, is in turn centered around selling that image to other whites (mostly male). These are some reasons surfers of color are invisible in the media.
However, you can certainly go down to the beach and find some.
Probably the only way black surfers will get visibility is by starting their own magazines and contests and all the rest. I imagine that will begin in South Africa, where black Africans (formerly banned from the beaches) are discovering that waves are very fun indeed. Keep your eyes on that place.
Yeh, the writer mistakenly mixes two different issues regarding race/religion. Personally, within my circle of surf-buds I have a handful of Muslims, several buddhists, a couple of Hindus, and a plethora of various forms of Christianity. All of them started "losing their religion" when they began surfing...and then surfing became their religion. Metaphorically speaking, of course.
It's no curiosity that more black folk don't surf. Little or no opportunity is one reason, issues with water and lack of swimming instruction is another, and the fact that surfing became popularized, as tehedly mentioned, by white male nonconformists during the 50's and 60's left most of the brothers out of the loop. Sure, they can rip. And some are even kooks...just like white or brown or sunburn red people.
Unless you're one of ######unate few who were able to witness and discover surfing first-hand while at the beach, you learned of it through some form of media, print, movie, TV or whatever, even though the media may not have compelled you directly to take it up.
Much of the talk about surfing today is concerned with its loss of soul, the localism, the mass consumption and commercialism...but surfing just reflects the same problems that plague society in general. The best thing, besides how good it makes one feel while doing it, is how remarkable and so totally cool it is that surfing has morphed into a truly international recreational sport/lifestyle. Through surfing I have met and have friends of virtually every stripe and color.
anyone whos seen endless summer would know they have potential in surfing. tribes men caught one wave after their first time and i know people who can barley stand after a years worth of experience. but its rare here cause most blacks dont like the ocean(ive asked). ive seen a guy black guy with a pink board at steamers who was ripping it up so i never thought that blacks couldnt surf. i just never see it. the last black guy i saw surfing was last year he had a foam top and couldnt get past the white water. almost had a altercation with him cause he kept drifting into me while i was paddling out.
I frankly am sick of the racial polarization. Why should race or skin color have any bearing on surfing? This sport isn't some segregated country club and we're obviously (and quite thankfully) not living in the racist south of the 1950s. At this point in time, I think the people who are so overly conscious of everyone else's race are the real problem. There are good people, a-holes, kooks and experts of all different backgrounds out there. Enough with the race baiting. Just friggin surf & enjoy and quit worrying about how many of this color person vs how many of that color person are in the lineup.
Oh, and same goes for religion. I mean, WTF? Last I checked, you couldn't tell a Christian from a Jew from a Muslim from a Buddhist from an Athiest out there. And I've yet to see anyone ask or care.
Fuck yeah everyone better be your brother when it's DOH+ and you're out there!
I just watched that film last night. It's sort of cool, but about twice as long as it should have been. It is very, very repetitive. They should have had an editor involved. Also, it is weirdly all about blacks, whites and Hawaiians. American indigenous peoples don't rate a mention. Heck, the Chumash indians loved to surf Malibu and Rincon in their canoes, among other tribes that surfed.
Someone even refers to Columbus discovering America.
@Piss that's what I'm talking 'bout! Brotha from anotha motha when it is going down!
"...surfing world arena, as black surfers struggle to triumph in a white Anglo-Saxon circus" . Huh? I'm not sure what he means by surfing world arena. Pro surfing? Fine, I'll give you that. There well may be some prejudice along race lines for pro sponsorship.
For any other surfing, please, just STFU and get in the water. Surfing isn't about race or religion.
For some reason the description of the movie really rubs me the wrong way.
As a brown surfer, I support the whitification of surfing. You think the line-up is packed now? Wait until all the brown folks discover surfing :P
It's going to be four people catching the same wave together... on the same board. There'll be a curry shop on every beach. That might actually rock. Sharks will stop eating people because they had a really spicy one last year... and their ass is still burning... that.. might also rock.
Seriously though, in the last five months I've made a bunch of friends while surfing and they're from all over the world and represent most of the races out there. All they like to do is surf, and no one seems to be worried about the lack of representation of their particular flavor of biped.
