Sultans of the City: The Curbs of Kabul
Noorzai ollies in front of the Darul Aman Palace in Kabul. Photo by Jake Simkin Jake Simkin and used with his generous permission.
The whole world watched the fall of Kabul last August. When after 20 years of conflict and occupation, the US and its allies decided to wash their hands clean of a massively mismanaged situation, pull up their tent stakes and head home. The world watched, on TVs, laptops and Iphones, the Taliban crash like a wave upon the streets of the cities we had been assured they would not reach. The world watched and then moved on, to the next conflict, the next crisis, the next controversy and ordinary Afghans were left in that wake to try and comprehend a reality that overnight turned upside down.
Within that broader community of Afghans a smaller tribe exists. Those who during a period of relative peace found their identities on griptape, maple and urethane. The skateboarders who learned to play in the streets again. To slam, smile and keep skating. Through a simple kind of alchemy Skateistan found a way to transform a warzone into a playground and then a playground into a school for so many kids in Kabul and later Mazar-i-Sharif. Noorzai Ibrahimi was one of the kids who found skateboarding and skateistan as a child and found a voice, a purpose and place for himself in both. He recently spoke to me via the interwebs from Berlin.
Thanks for taking the time to do this, could you introduce yourself?
Yeah, my name is Noorzai Ibrahimi, I’m 27 years old. I’m from Afghanistan, grew up in Kabul and Masar-i-Sharif. I’ve been skating for 11 years.
How did you first discover skateboarding?
I was working in the streets of Kabul in 2008 and 2009 and there was this fountain close to where I was working and there was a person by the name of Oliver Percovitch and he was doing some skateboard activities there in the fountain with the children of Afghanistan. That was the first time I saw skateboarding and after watching for awhile I began taking part, skateboarding with them.
So before this encounter had you ever seen skateboarding before in any TV or media?
Yeah, exactly that was the first time. I’d never seen skateboarding in any other places.
What was it like, skating in Kabul at that time in your life when you’re a kid?
It was very difficult for me to leave my job for some hours to do skateboarding. when I started skateboarding one challenge was my work because the hours I was attempting to skateboard I was not earning money. That was the toughest thing. Also there was skateboards, no safety equipment, and not really a place to skate but it was still really something just to know about skateboarding.
Noorzai photo by Jerry Svensson and used with his generous permission
What were you doing for work at that time
I don’t know how to explain, I’ve done a lot of different jobs. I’ve been supporting my family since the very beginning. Since like I was six years old I’ve been working. At that time, when I started skateboarding I had a, uh weigh? I don’t know like a weigh, like weigh people.
Oh like a scale?
Yeah. I had a scale and was weighing people and other things around, at different places, so that was my job at that time. And before that I was selling magazines and car washing.
It also seems like safety could be an issue cause if you fall and get hurt, that impacts your job and your ability to earn money.
Yeah there was kind of that but I was also just very happy to be doing skateboarding, so that was all that mattered at that time. I wasn’t thinking about the safety as much then.
That’s a tough balance, wanting to skate and play as a kid but also having people depend on the money you’re making. But you did start skateboarding with Oliver in the fountain and that was like the beginning of Skateistan right?
Yes, definitely, that was the start of Skateistan. To tell a bit more about Oliver, actually he had no plan to create some organization like Skateistan when he came to Afghanistan, he was there for some other tasks but he brought his skateboard and when the children were seeing him do the skate, everyone was asking him to borrow it and try it. That was the start of the idea to do a project in Afghanistan to help children through skateboarding.
Oliver Percovich founder of Skateistan in the Kabul Fountain photo courtesy of Skateistan
Were there a lot of spots to skate in Kabul back then? Other than the fountain was it hard to find places where you could just go and skate.
Yeah, I guess as you can see, overall skateboarders just kinda skate everywhere. We will find places and make it a skate spot. But in Kabul at that time there was not any place besides the fountain to all gather and skate. well you could find some street spots to go and do tricks if you pushed around a bit. Eventually Skateistan built their own in door park, their own facility and that was an amazing, amazing place, better than anywhere else.
And eventually you started working at Skateistan?
Yes I started working there after one or two years of skateboarding, when it was still outside with the groups.
Noorzai bustin out a boardslide in the Makroyan fountain in Kabul where it all began. Photo courtesy of Skateistan
That must have been great because then skateboarding is a part of your job so you’re not having to stress about the times you’re skating and not earning money.
Definitely yeah, and I’m still working with Skateistan. I started there as volunteer, then became an educator and recently I was working as the program supervisor for the Mazar-i-Sharif center. Now my job is Programs Officer in Berlin.
After you started skateboarding were you able at some point to get your own board?
At that time I had no board actually, there were some boards everyone could use because Oliver was helping day by day to increase the number of the boards. But also the number of children wanting to participate was increasing every day so you’d have to wait for a board to be available. Always I was asking to borrow a board because even right now you would not be able to find a good quality one in the shops in all of Afghanistan. Like there are some skateboards like Chinese ones but those don’t really work actually for skateboarding. After a very long time, like a year or so of this I was able to get a board when I won the competition inside the skatepark. That was my first time having a board.
So until that you’re just using the boards they have there but you must have been progressing cause you’re winning competitions?
Yeah, and that was the point. Some of my friends they had boards, I guess maybe they were borrowing them and they would also let me use their boards. You know one night, a friend lent me his board and I was so excited, I even slept with it in my bed.
So you must’ve been so stoked once you finally got a board, I’m sure you slept with that one as well!
[Laughs] Yeah for sure I did. That was an amazing time as well.
Once you started skating and had some internet access through the program were there skaters you looked up to or loved to watch?
Cairo Foster and Kenny Reed. When I was a child I saw Kenny skating in Kabul in the fountain and Cairo Foster as well. They came over to Kabul to skate and support Skateistan. They were really my favorite skateboarders. They were professionals and doing really good tricks but also they were really kind. Like we were able to talk with them. I was also really following Tony Hawk’s skateboarding back then too because he was a famous guy and a celebrity so I would hear about him a lot. Like Tony Hawk game, Tony Hawk skateboarding and Tony Hawk clips so I was following him as well.
Do you have a favorite trick?
My favorite trick, actually I really love a frontside 180 and always I’m like doing it. Everyday I’m doing it, cause like whenever I can do an ollie I can do a 180 as well so that’s why I like it the most. I don’t know why but I love that trick.
When you think back on the times when you were learning are there any proud or important moments that jump out?
Oh yeah, let me tell you one story you’re going to not believe it. So the first time when I went to the fountain to skate there that was really amazing because my friend was learning kickflip but I was still in the stage of learning ollie. I was trying to learn that, trying to get the back wheels higher but I was focusing on them, the kickflip group. One of the internationalists was teaching their group and I was focusing on them. He was explaining the kickflip and like “your feet should be like that” and “do that” and they were all practicing but couldn’t land it. And I was practicing myself I ollied, flicked and landed back on the board and like “Wow I landed kickflip!” and people was shocked and like “How did you do that?” and the I tried again and again like a hundred times but could not repeat it.
Noorzai airing over the homies in Skateistan’s Kabul park. Photo courtesy of Skateistan
It’s such a riddle trying to teach your mind and body to do this thing
Yeah! I was following others and then I just did it myself. That was something like, I couldn’t even sleep that night trying to figure out how could I do the kickflip and then not do it again? Skateboarders are always happy even when they’re obsessing over learning a trick.
When you look back now, can you see ways that skateboarding really impacted your life? Like ways it shaped or changed you?
Definitely, skateboarding has like a different impact for everybody. For me it means a lot. When I started skateboarding and then got involved with Skateistan everything changed. That changed my life economically of course because I then had good, steady work. On a personal level though, for myself, my mind needs skateboarding like a medicine. Like when I’m getting tired of working on a computer or talking a lot or doing something else, skateboarding is one of the things that makes me happy and gives me energy. It’s like a cup of coffee. I can say let’s have a coffee meeting and it really means lets go skate! It means a lot to me.
How was teaching and coaching skateboarding when you started doing that?
It is actually my favorite job. I started by like teaching skateboard and I’m still doing it. For me it means a lot. And naturally when I see someone struggling with something or doing it wrong I jump the gun and say “you’re doing it wrong you should try it like this.” And when I’m doing wrong I’m looking for somebody else to tell me what I’m doing wrong and what do. It definitely makes me happy.
Noorzai is for the children! Teaching skateboarding in Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Skateistan.
Before your involvement with the Sultans of the City contest you did some skateboard coaching for the Asian Games in China?
Yeah, in 2019. Kenny was helping with this as well, helping me to coordinate somehow taking two skateboarders from Afghanistan represent Afghanistan in the OCA (Olympic Council of Asia) for like the Asian Games actually, the opening of the Asian games. I participated there as the coach for a boy and a girl from Afghanistan and we was there for like 18 days.
So with the Sultans of the City contest you’re helping to coordinate with skaters in Afghanistan who want to participate?
Yes, definitely. The contest is a very good opportunity for the people of Afghanistan. There are not many opportunities for skateboarders there right now so something like Sultans to encourage them is great. The situation in Afghanistan is not very stable at the moment and there aren’t many jobs, people are jobless. So I was able to contact friends and students of Skateistan, anybody who would be able to skate and I introduced them to the contest and was able to register them so they could be participate.
Is it difficult to communicate with them at this time?
Yeah, there is internet and stuff there still working but due to the economic issues going on many people still don’t have much access to it, or only a little access at certain hours. Often I’ll call one skater, talk to them and then he or she will go and call others to share the information, that’s kind of how we’ve been making it work. Then they are filming on their phones and then sending it to directly to me and I send it to Kenny who’s helping me as well.
With the skate schools closed down right now, are they able to find places in their communities to skate?
Yes they’ve been able to find some spots, but the other difficult thing for them is they have really, really old boards. Boards that have been around from the very beginning and that is another barrier, the equipment. Of course there is the greater challange of just earning money to eat and support their families as well. In Afghanistan families are bigger than in Europe or America so like normal family is like 8-9 person and if everyone is jobless then they’re not interested in doing other things or they simply can’t do other things.
Do you know if there’s any government prohibition on something like skateboarding right now?
Right now the situation for skateboarding is really difficult. Like it’s not possible for the girls, at all which is really troubling . For the boys it’s possible but there are some restrictions for the people to not put their focus towards their needs and towards prayer and religion. And like only wear traditional Afghan clothing which isn’t always the easiest to skate in. I hear this from the people I’ve been communicating with in Afghanistan. Some areas that are not like so controlled by the Emirate Islamic [the official name for current government of Afghanistan, ie the Taliban] where people feel safer and there’s more ability to skate and stuff. But yeah the economic issues for sure are also a real challenge.
That’s gotta be so tough for the girls and women for whom skating was such a big part of their lives (along with the education and community of Skateistan) to just suddenly have to stop completely.
Yeah this is really true. There are a lot of barriers people are facing.
Are there any safety concerns about posting these skaters skating on social media with the new regime in power there?
I was asking the skateboarders this question and they said there’s no problem because they’ve already been posting their videos on their facebooks and instagram accounts and there’s been no issue. The new regime is mainly focused on looking for the people who were high up authorities in the old government or who like worked for the military in the past. I haven’t seen any cases of skateboarders or other athletics being an issue yet. I mean I know they don’t have the freedom to just do as they did before but at least they are safe.
I saw on the Skateistan IG account that they were helping recently provide food and firewood to students families.
Right now we still have some of the staff in the field in Afghanistan so they are still working with Skateistan however it is allowed. They are helping with certain things like food distribution or building things or any negotiations with the Emirate Islamic. Yes, we recently did food distribution for almost a thousand students there in Afghanistan recently, including all the different programs Skateistan was involved in. We are making lists of all the students to try provide them with further food-aid. There’s going to be another distribution soon but that hasn’t been approved yet by like the local authorities.
The recent food bundles distributed to families in Afghanistan. Photo from Skateistan’s Instagram account.
So if people read this and want to help skateboarders and their families in Afghanistan, one good way would be through supporting Skateistan since they continue to already be on the ground in Afghanistan and have been working there for awhile?
Yeah, I think this is one of the ways that people can help and maybe there will be other organizations that can also start doing these types of things but I’m not sure. Skateistan is like trying to help the people there any way they can and they are all aware of the situation there as many of the staff were in Afghanistan during really evil times or hard times. So yeah supporting Skateistan would be one way of doing that. There’s also still Western Union and those types of things for when people want to send money there to support someone. In terms of boards and skate stuff I don’t know of many direct shipments going in and out of Afghanistan. I guess the best way to do this would be to ship stuff to Pakistan and then send it from there.
Noorzai at high altitude.
Eventually you had to leave Afghanistan, when Kabul fell to the Taliban after the Americans left last August?
It was a really evil time for me Adam, it was not easy. I have experienced lots of different evils through my life, since I was really young but I haven’t seen anything like I did at the airport during this time.
The first time when I went to the airport it was so crowded, there were lots of rushes. People pushing and rushing to try and get in and then get through. Everyone was so afraid. I was there through the night time but I couldn’t make it onto a plane. I went back home and my father told me to not go back to the airport again because he saw some reports that there were going to be some attacks or something like that. So I said “ok I’m not gonna go.” but then I got a call saying “if you can make it, there might be a chance we can get you out.” So again I went to the airport, without telling my father and now there were like super rushes. It had only gotten crazier. I was in the small area where the explosions that you probably saw about on the new would occur. It took like 4-6 hours just to get up inside the airport and that was really difficult. Finally the Polish people found me and along with others who were on their list for evacuation. They took me inside of the airport and I spoke with them for a little bit and then they asked me if I could help them. So then I was helping to translate to other Afghans about what to do and what to not, for about 2 hours. Then the officials said “Hey there is a flight leaving for Poland in an hour do you want to stay or do you want to go?” I said “Is it an option for me to go? Because if it is I will go.” That was one of the first times for me that I feel like I decided not to help others, even Afghans. After I got to Poland I started to have second thoughts about leaving, like, maybe I should’ve stayed in the airport. Maybe that would have been better, to still be there helping others might’ve been the best thing I could do so why did I come to Poland? But at that moment I saw all of the problems in my way and coming my way so that's why I accepted to go as soon as possible.
That’s so intense man, so you were there when the explosion happened?
No, I evacuated one day before that.
And you ended up in Warsaw just with the few thing s you’d brought to the airport with you?
Yes, I was in Warsaw until for some months until I was able to get the proper documentation to travel around Europe. Then I came to Berlin and I will be working from here for Skateistan’s Berlin office. Eventually I hope to go to Canada because from Canada I am able to possibly bring my family over much quicker than I could in Germany or Poland.
Has your skateboarding helped you at all adjust to these new places or at least find a little outlet for all the things you have going on? I know sometimes skateboarding can be like it’s own language and if you have a skateboard you can find a community anywhere.
Yes, yes! I experienced it in action when I was in Warsaw I did not know anybody there and the only people I was introduced to was the other skateboarders around so even like, they were supporting me with skateboard or shoes. And also like Kenny was helping me too coordinate with Vans and Quiksilver to give me some stuff. So that was like amazing. Like no language but skateboarding, not any separation.
Still teaching no matter where he is. Noorzai in Warsaw working with the youths.
So you would just meet people in Warsaw by going out and skating?
Yeah that was one way another way was like the companies who were like selling the skate products were also helping me as a skateboarder.
Berlin is a great city too for just hoping on your board and exploring all over.
Yes I’ve started to see some spots but I have to figure out how to get around on my own, right now I need others to show me where to go so I’m hoping to explore more and learn. I have to learn the history of some of these places.
You mentioned your family still in Afghanistan, how are the doing? Are you able to talk with them?
Yeah they’re doing ok but when you’re in a safe place and you can see your family is not, it’s not a really good feeling. You can not feel open, ya know, like anything can happen and you can not forget it.
I’m really sorry you’re going through this man. I really hope you can make it to Canada or any place where you can be reunited with your family quickly. I hope that one day you’ll be able to go back and skate Afghanistan.
Yeah we’re all hoping that. I’m not feeling very good that I’m far from my country but I’m happy that I’m safe and at least and I can support others too. That’s the main thing that I’m focusing on. This is like my first year out of my country so it’s still fresh but after a year or two I’m going to get more used to it so always thinking like what’s going to be happening then? I never used to really follow the news but now I’m constantly checking it like what’s going to happen in the coming years.
Noorzai, skating the Makroyan fountain in Kabul. Photo by Jake Simkin used with his generous permission.
Thanks for taking the time to talk to me Noorzai, I really appreciate you sharing your story with me. Is there anything else you want to add?
I want to thank everyone who are still helping the children through any way they can or like through skateboarding associations or anything that makes children feel happy and brave. Even like reposting a videos of them on instagram is gonna give them more energy. So I’m really thankful for the organizers of this contest and for the people involved. Better for someone to have fun instead of thinking of evils. When you make people feel happy it spreads positive energy and that is the most important thing we can do now.
And thank you so much to you for asking me these questions and taking me back so many years. Getting to remember it all, that’s enjoyable for sure. I got to travel back like ten years!
Noorzai, Wais and Murza walk in the shadows of the Hindu Kush in simpler times. Photo by Johanna Nordin
Note: The Afghan skaters that appear in the videos above for SOTC are (in order of video) Walid Naderi; Qader Ahmadi; Abdul Satar
