It was a question that I
had been asking myself for some time in different ways, spawning from my
perception of the lifestyle and culture of where I have been learning to ski in
Courchevel, France. The hyper opulent, commodity ruled ambience of the station
area could not be further from the atmosphere of the mountains, nor. Spending
time analyzing the terrain and texture of the snow, scrutinizing the angle of
the drop, and judging whether the wind will carry away the clouds soon enough
to have some visibility are the glorious anthropocentric nuances of ski. Surviving
out there does require pricy gear, but the reputation of what is necessary is
exaggerated. Brilliantly enough there are already strongly stitched lines
between black culture and mountain gear, a point I will revisit shortly.
I subconsciously produced
exceptional black athletes that could be amazing skiers because of their
dynamism and coordination, and their star quality. As with other sports featuring
black mega-stars, skiing would require the transcendence of a star, or a
celebrity to take its torch and carry it into the dark. Realigning the
perception of segregation often takes an anomaly, and like any sport the
relation of blacks to skiing is a matter of geography, history, economics and
stereotypes.
Historically, black people
do not originate from snowy mountainous areas, which prevents skiing from being
a black pastime or family tradition. Presently in the US, African American
communities are concentrated around urban settings and seldom in resort towns
or in the proximity of skiable terrain. Skiing is also a relatively
expensive sport to participate in – transportation, ski rental and buying
passes add up. The reputation perceived by urban black youth is instantaneously
that of “crazy expensive” without having explored the options for access. On a
case by cases basis, proximity and money are limits to black engagement. In
terms or popular intrigue, without a comparable idol the idea of skiing swiftly
loses interest and fades. There is exposure, but the X-Games in between college
basketball on ESPN are skipped over more often than golf…(golf you may now
thank Tiger, again).
Traditionally skiing is a
method of travel performed by leather-clad men whose genes classify in the yeti
spectrum of the human chain. Moving forward in time accessibility has evolved
alongside technology, and ski gear prices escalated in suit. In concurrence the
haut monde began to view skiing as a luxury few could afford. In the
last couple of decades ski has become more financially friendly, which has
created another ripple of wealthy feeling compelled to set themselves apart
from the herd. The upward spiral of displays of wealth strengthens the capitally
intensive stereotype of the skiing community. This is particularly interesting
phenomena in France, where the population is increasingly racially diverse, but
the vacationing ski community remains chiefly European-Caucasian. It is
important to keep in mind always that being in the mountains offers a range of
opportunities, different activities and hundreds of thousands of kilometers to
take advantage of.
However all seeming
deterrents, black popular culture marks mountain culture without the physical
presence of black people. Example: when approaching a snow park feel your
chairlift seat pick up a consistent bass vibration. Yes, that is Kid Cudi, or
Rick Rozay Ross. Descend into the snow park and notice the oversized, low-waist
riding style that exposes just as much boxer print as the same look in Harlem.
Young skiers and snowboarders have fully embraced the love of hip-hop culture,
its style and expression and it has been this way for years – transforming the
style and attitude of a generation. Since the 80s, younger skiers have brought
the spirit of youth with them to the mountain. This wave is another affirmation
the openness of the sport to being cool and equally of hip-hop’s global
arrival. Slope swag is a real thing.
