Skateistan, the film

November 12, 2010 1:23 PM

Skateistan - To Live and Skate in Kabul (9:16) is a short documentary based on the work of the NGO Skateistan (previously), who provide lessons in skateboarding, environmental health, information technology, art and language to hundreds of boys and girls in Kabul, Afghanistan. (via)

Some additional video, for those interested:
Semester Two: Environmental Health (3:10)

Some video diaries from the filmmakers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Official site for the film, with trailer embedded.

posted by Ufez Jones (5 comments total)

This is so cool. I am in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota, and this fits nicely into our narrative about Global Health. Thanks for posting, Ufez.
posted by Mental Wimp at 1:28 PM on November 12, 2010

This is definitely something I've been really excited about since I found out it existed. The simple fact that they're creating both a community and meaning for these kids through alternate means is really amazing, and I hope they continue growing and expanding the services they provide for these children. As odd as it sounds, skateboarding gives these kids a reason to get up in the morning, and definitely provides an alternate path to the dominant narrative of drugs and alcohol that seems prevalent in the interviews they show in their videos.

Rock on counter-culture skateboard dudes (and dudettes), you are loved and admired internationally.

(Also, let's all contribute! Between this and Wikipedia's current pledge drive, I don't think I'll have any cash left over for beer nights, but that's ok)
posted by kurosawa's pal at 1:55 PM on November 12, 2010

The music is great too. Apparently it is a group called Hiatus but the song does not seem to be on their album in iTunes. Anyone know where I can get the song that sounds like Miles Davis over a hip hop beat?
posted by casual observer at 2:05 PM on November 12, 2010

Thanks for sharing this. Pure awesome.

I like the play of language in the name "Skateistan" and the suffix "-stan" (as in something like "area of" or "place of" a group). So it's not a goofy construction of putting Afghanistan + Skate together, but rather it's saying that they're trying to create a place of Skate, as in for the people who board, in Afghanistan.

Great great stuff. ... where's my wallet ...
posted by barnacles at 10:58 PM on November 12, 2010

I just love everything about this story. (Except the war and the poverty and the treatment of girls and ... ) I just love everything the skateistan project stands for.
posted by headnsouth at 12:25 PM on November 13, 2010