T.G.I.S

Skaters at uhuru park

                   Inboxes , status  updates and phone calls is   what precedes the most awaited day in Nairobi. T.G.I.S(Thank God It`s Seshday!!!)-what clicks to skatecrats minds. Once again the weekends is here and nothing beats the zeal of the sight of a bright sat/Sunday morning. It’s more of a family, or let me put it an army ,yeah! an army of cronies who find ecstasy having fun with gravity  if am to put it that way..... in the meantime reppin’ their art straight from the heart. The first rendezvous is at the sunken car park along `The agha khan walk’. This is not just a rendezvous but a jamboree as the skaters  chill,catch up...waiting  for others to arrive as they warm up on games of skate(berrics mode) as the zeal to hit the streets jeopardizes patience.
                  Once a solid gang forms, it’s time for a rude awakening to the chilled out Nairobi streets .Time to melt the tar binding the fine gravel with our polyurethanes sustaining us on our maple vessels of idiosyncrasy. what a perfect chance to rip all the obstacles and spots from parking lots to sidewalks and hill bombing as we head to the government podium where the president addresses the public on national holidays at Uhuru park (uhuru-freedom)-guess every day’s a holiday to us.
              On our cruise we come across the ups and downs of a skateboarder`s life, honks by motorists who thinks you insane or some arrogant guys with malnutritioned  I.Q .Not forgetting the perplexity imposed to the locals on their first sight of a free mind on a skateboard. Yep! the what the hell looks written all over the faces some with a mentality that first class countries youths and kids (how lame!)should  be doing this .Others take  you as a juvenile on a mischief mission and will even run away or  swerve of your so called `madness’. As a rider reckless abandon is never an option-you have to, as we keep our mind on the art!

                   For the ever budding skatecrats  uhuru park    serves/served as a peaceful rink to rip on the ledges, stairs and gnarly gaps. Here more skaters converge and the sesh is a blast! Warm up  tricks, waxing ledges, stairs sets to gap as some perfect tricks that have been on their nerves all week long making some anxious at schools and jobs for the weekend. Our sesh really plays a major role  in growing the Kenyan scene as different teams gather, share ideas and show what you got .Indeed a sense of wanting to grow is created as both riders and newbies want to  rise up to the challenge of a breathe taking friends` trick.

                 Contents to keep our pages live and kicking is done through filming and  photography as we ripp  hard  like on a skatepark. Talking of skate park, euphoria never ceases  as we await the official opening of the maiden` Shangilia skatepark’.Thanks to skate-aid int.  (Germany),Skateboarding society of Kenya(S.S.K) and SHANGILIA MTOTO AFRICA-an N.G.O who worked close with Tobben Oberhallam, Daniel Kluche ,Christian ,Al-ey ,all Kenyan skateboarders ,kyul engineering co and  every one who took part in making this dra areality.Most gratitude goes to` The Titus Dittmann  foundation’ and all donors-no token will be worth our appreciation as you worked hard to put Kenya in the international scene  which meant even quitting careers for skate activism. That`s a true skatecrat indeed!


                             Prior to all , the  Kenyan scene had its` noble beginning at Uhuru gardens(now a museum)before being kicked out by the city council on claims of annihilation of the structures(what a rink! Just imposes nostalgia).S.S.K was registered under` The registrar of societies’ and bam! Kenyan skateboarding reincarnated as we started to skate the city more after the disappointment .Daniel and Tobbenn left with a concrete proof of a scene in Kenya as they promised hard to convince sponsors for the park`s fund.  More skaters showed up and quitted chickening at their backyards as well as newbies .Back to our sesh we endure the cruel scorching afternoon Nairobi sun.
                       It`s dusk fall and once again it`s time we hit  the streets on different  avenues .One would mistake us for zealots  but it is the fun overwhelming us .Back after our cruise, we chill at the sunken car park as the fun continues in the stars. Sad we also live in a practical world of coffee and beer addiction so like  a ritual we sip. Sooner or later cronies part ways and commute to residentials longing for next days` sesh and thereafter a week long imposed nostalgia.
                        We believe skateboarding itself is a universal language no matter the  background difference or  origin  you`ll just click and have fun together .Riders feel free to have  sesh with us once you tour Kenya .This is our life ,the best life ,a skateboarders life-Nairobi we love skateboarding!!!!!!


                                   by skaterrazzi
                                     saitabau castro.