Skateistan: To Live and Skate in Kabul
Culture — By admin on November 1, 2010 at 10:50 pmA moving documentary short about children, war and the love of skateboarding in Kabul, Afghanistan. Skateistan is a charity project that features Afghanistan’s first co-ed skateboarding school, run by a team of international volunteers. It supports poor children who are often untouched by Western aid programs.
Tags: Afghanistan, Kabul, Skateboarding
2 Comments
It took me a while to watch this documentary video having seen it to the side of the Documentary Stream web page, probably in fear of the damage and destruction I would see in Afghanistan.
Now after having watched it all I can say is well done. The team who put this together did a great job and it was great to see the kids having fun on their skateboards despite the destruction around them.
I grew up in Ottawa, Canada skateboarded myself all the time as a kid and then headed to Santa Cruz, California for a number of years where skateboarding is equally popular on their Santa Cruz boards.
Then it was off to Las Vegas where the rock band who lived beside me, managed a local Las Vegas skate park. Skateboarding by day and playing / practicing loud rock music by night. Does life get any better than that for a teenager / young man or woman. I don’t think so.
In May & June 2010 I traveled to Volgodonsk, Russia where the kids there love skateboarding just as much as the kids in Kabul. I was able to get some great video clips as the Volgodonsk teens performed their stunts for me. They were not always successful in their tricks, but they always tried.
I congratulate those adults and teens who have put together Kabul’s skate park. It was really fun to watch this video.
I am currently working on a financial project that I hope will change your lives.
In the mean time I look forward to another positive project like this.
It opens my eyes in the west as to what you are going through in Kabul Afghanistan. Why Canadians and Americans are fighting in Afghanistan and the damage the Taliban have done. Most people in Canada and the United States do not really understand what is going on in Afghanistan.
So these documentaries help a lot.
I agree that this documentary shows the human side of Afghanistan which is usually ignored in the mass media.
I’ve been skateboarding since I was a young teenager as well and it is definitely a great way to empower young people. I spent some time growing up near Ottawa, Canada as well. Thanks for the comments!