Nick Gabaldon: history, race, and surfing at Malibu

I just watched this over at The Surfer's Path. You should watch it too...



More than a lovely story of an interesting person and life, it's thoughtful in the ways it touches on a lot of interesting stuff that is only just emerging in discussion of surfing and surfing culture, including risk, place, race, myth and human rights. These are great conversations and I am enjoying learning from them as they emerge and develop and grow.

What is also interesting, is that Nike made this, which does lead to it being a slightly odd hybrid between documentary and promotional clip. I'm not quite sure what to say about that though other than, Yeah, I noticed the product placement and the use of your sponsored "family", Nike. Oh, and the inspiration talk is particularly irritating. Anyway, I'm not sure if I should be, but I'm confused that Nike is able to take a person from the past, someone who had nothing to do with the industry as it exists today in any tangible sense, and brand them. I mean honestly... how?

Nonetheless, take a look.

Comments

  1. Really interesting. Amazing how reproductions of history are still haunting us today, but great to see this film. Love the old pictures too. P.S. My grandpa was one of those guys shown at 2:10.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow. Nice one grandpa!

    x

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Einstein was a surfer

I hate Noosa Heads and Surfing*

Laura Crane has skin in the game: a surf story in five parts*