Surfing. When someone (typically in the Western world) hears
this word, images of the golden California coast immediately take form. Not for a moment would people think of South
Africa and even then, would they have thought of a black surfer. That is what
makes Ayuvile "Avo" Namase’s achievements all the more
commendable. In South Africa, surfing is typically thought of as a “White”
sport, especially due to the effects of apartheid, in which segregatory laws
were put in place to ban non-whites from public places such as parks, public
transportation, and beaches. Even after apartheid was lifted, many blacks are
still wary of the water, which could be due to the culture and financial
struggles.
At the age of 21, Namase has become a
promising up-and-coming black surfer in a field overwhelmingly dominated by
blacks. He notes the reactions of those who see him enter the water with his
board as disbelief, seeing that most blacks in the area shy away from the
water. In addition to the obvious challenges presented to him based solely on
his race, Namase lost his brother in 2011 to a shark attack and took him months
to recover. After finally getting back in the water, Namase notes the
significance surfing has had on him to heal and as a form of therapy, deciding
to volunteer with Surfers not Street Children to help disadvantaged children
cope with trauma. Despite having faced insurmountable odds, Namase proves to be
a promising force in the surfing world.
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