This past Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah a film debuted at the X Dance action sports film festival called Whitewash, directed by Ted Woods. Although you may not have heard of it yet, Whitewash, the documentary, is a film exploring the complexity of race in America through the struggle and triumph of the history of black surfers. It is narrated by Ben Harper and Black Thought, and tells the story through the eyes of black surfers and historians from Hawaii, Jamaica, Florida, and California. The film is being scored by The Roots, with music from Erykah Badu as well. Let's hope it hits the big theaters soon so we can all catch a glimpse of this historic exploration of race, identity, and surfing culture.
that sounds like big news.
congrats peoples.
OMG(goodness) this is a good look!! I’ve never been surfing(I love the Ocean) but I’m all about surf culture(yes I’m black) I hope this does hit the theaters or at list a DVD distribution because I would most def support this. I know that soundtrack is sick!!!
Hooraaay!! This sounds like we’re finally shedding some light on the other, more ‘diverse’ facets of black culture. Sounds good to me! ; D
About Time, I’m Jamaican and been surfing for years.
That’s Wassup. I’ve been surfing for years. I’m Black from NYC but I lived in LA for a minute.
I can’t wait to see it. I’m a black snowboarder and I can look forward to this story! Black people, we can do whatever we put our minds too!
http://www.myspace.com/christopherbbluez
yo for real i from Cape Verd but i live here in the states. where i’m from all the surfers are black. some of the world top windserfers move there to live. the worlds champion of Kiteserfing is capverdian and black. and i liver in the north east in the winter im at the mountains snowboarding and summer at the ocian. gots to stay active
I spent the majority of my life in San Diego after finishing my Navy stint. It is there where I learned to surf and I love it, man. I also snowboard. We don’t have to be confined to basketball courts or football fields to show our athletic prowess. Anything we set our mind to, we can do, as evident by the remarkable event of yesterday. Surf’s up, my brothas and sistahs.
I love the idea of the History of Black Surfers, but the undertones that somehow, in the present, Black surfers recieve more ‘looks’ and descrimination than anyone else in the water is a joke. And the idea of “bringing” an African American Spin on surfing and rejecting the white surfing culture is close minded. You don’t “bring” anything to the ocean, you recieve from the ocean. Word.
I’ll never forget…Inside the NBA cuts to a live scene in Hawaii with two dark-skinned dudes in the ocean surfing. In the background you hear Charles Barkley go, “Black people don’t SURF!!” and everyone was trying (unsuccessfully) to not laugh…I gotta admit that was pretty funny, but much respect to these cats, man…much respect…
I have always been facinated by surfing and surfers. But my only fear is SHARKS! If I could overcome that, i would love to hang ten!
To Soul Surfer:
Your statements about the documentary seem to be based on “your” idea of the film. I don’t know if you have seen the film yet. I also don’t know that it rejects “the white surfing culture”. However, in that statement alone you acknowledge that there is some distinction between black surfing and white surfing. That realization alone is the grounds for an interesting documentary about the sport that I am willing to bet a lot of people (especially black people in the US) no little to nothing about. I also don’t see anywhere in this post where it mentions that black surfers receive more “looks” than anyone else. Is this another one of “your” ideas?
Although you say you love the idea of a film like this, it seems that you don’t really like it at all because you see no reason for the film. However, any report that exposes the general public to an esoteric segment of life has some purpose.
You don’t “bring” anything to the blog, you receive from the blog. Word.
Damn, someone just got verbally Manny Pacquiao’d…
stupid idea for a film.
i think ill pass
great idea for a film. i think i won’t be a fucking idiot and pass.
Love it George NeYo Nick Catchdubs Nicolay Nikki-Jean No I.D. Notorious B.I.G. Novel NYOIL Oddisee OkayplayerTV Opio OutKast P. Casso Pacific Division Panacea Panama Peedi Crakk People Under The Stairs Pete Rock Peter Hadar Peter Rosenberg Pharoahe Monch Pharrell Phife Phonte Pl
PEACE,FROM THE BAY
“WHITEWASH”=GROOVY WAVES OF EXPRESSION!
COME VIBE;
KIN CAMELL(GOOGLE THAT)
MYSPACE.COM/KINSNSPACE
KIN CAMELL@IMEEM.COM
PEACE TO YOU & YOURS
so psyched on this from many angles.
forget the sharks…theyre not interested in us if we’re happy in the water
its all about the stoke
As someone who’s worked with sharks and loves the water and also happens to be black, I am glad someone finally made a film like this so, I don’t feel like i am the only one anymore
what’s with the negative vibes?
erics80, what kind of work do you do with sharks?
Hey does anyone know how I can get a copy of this Documentary.. I live in Australia and doubt it will be screened here!!
This is one of the greatest documentary films I have ever seen! Truly enlightening, historical, cultural, and social history and the enjoyment of the ocean presented in a lyrical and creative manner. I am a surfer, a student of film, a historian, and a multicultural human being and this film speaks to all parts of me. I STRONGLY urge everyone to see it even if you don’t share all or ANY of these identities. I’ve been waiting two years for the film to be distributed, now it is here, TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!! GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!