Think surfing ain't diverse? Think again!
Surfing has a reputation, I think, for being a
very white thing. Oh sure there are Brazilians and Fijians and
Hawaiians and Tahitians and Indonesians but the outward facing
representation is, more often than not, a blonde boy with blue eyes
and pouty lips.
In Southern California, where I live, “ethnic diversity” is not
the first thought that pops into my head when I paddle out each and
every other day.
And it would be easy to think that surfing here is mostly white
but guess what? It isn’t! A new story in LeBron James’s website
The Undefeated is titled Black People Don’t Surf?
This Org Proves That’s Not True.
Let’s read a few sections!
Four years ago, Detroit native Mimi Miller had never been in
the ocean. Now she’s a devoted bodyboarder, surfer and volunteer
for the Black Surfers Collective — a group that, according to its
mission, raises cultural awareness and promotes diversity in the
sport of surfing through community activities, outreach and
camaraderie.
On Aug. 12, you could find Miller standing on the shoreline
of Los Angeles’ Santa Monica State Beach, clapping and cheering on
newcomers who took part in the collective’s monthly free lessons to
introduce black people to surfing, called Pan African Beach
Days.
Miller and the rest of the collective’s members are part of
the proud if lesser-known tradition of black surfing,
which some would argue goes back to native Hawaiians (descendants
of Polynesians), who are credited with inventing the sport in the
first place. Among the legendary surf icons are Montgomery
“Buttons” Kaluhiokalani, a black Hawaiian whom Surfer magazine
called “the father of modern day surfing.”
L.A. has its own lore, beginning with black surf pioneer
Nick Gabaldon, who frequented the Inkwell Beach in Santa Monica in
the 1940s, where black beachgoers congregated during segregation.
Also, the late Dedon Kamathi, a radio host and onetime Black
Panther, was a surfing devotee, as was police abuse victim Rodney
King.
Pan African Beach Day was launched a few years ago because
too few black people in L.A. get to the beach, and they don’t
always have a background in swimming to enjoy the water, Rachal
explained. He credited the Surf Bus Foundation, a nonprofit that
promotes ocean sports and safety in L.A., for helping make Beach
Day a success by supplying the boards, instructing students and
providing additional volunteers. Beach Days are open to anyone,
although most participants are people of color.
So very wonderful but could we back up just a touch. Rodney King
was a surfer?
Mr. King was made famous for getting beaten by a pile of white
police officers in 1992. Their subsequent acquittal led to the
massive Los Angeles riots. He sued the city of Los Angeles and won
3.8 million dollars which he used to start a record label.
From 1993 on he got busted lots for drunk driving, won some
celebrity boxing bouts and appeared on various reality television
shows.
In 2012 his body was discovered at the bottom of a swimming
pool. Toxicology reports declared a combination of alcohol,
marijuana and cocaine contributed to his drowning.
A surfer indeed!
