Wade in the WaterWade in the Water

'Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture reclaims the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing. Braiding historical accounts with modern-day testimonials, the film dismantles the racial barriers of conventional surf culture, delves into the overlooked history of Black surfing's legacy, and honors its current movement--inspiring the next generation of Black surfers."--Film website
Led by historical experts and community leaders in the BIPOC surfing movement, Wade in the Water resurrects the thousand-year-old Black surfing tradition, stirring the next generation of Black surfers. The film explores the neglected history of Black surfing's heritage by charting the origins of African aquatic culture and examining the evolution of Black surfing through the modern day. The journey begins with the first written account of surfing in the 1640s, from Africa, 200 years before Europeans described surfing in Oceania and the Pacific Islands. Advancing into the 20th century, Nick Gabald̤n is highlighted as a surfing figure who is as significant as he is overlooked. We then learn of the shameful histories of weaponizing eminent domain and acts of white supremacist terrorism that drove Black communities and businesses from America's shores in places such as Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica. And finally, we bear witness to the reclamation of aquatic culture with the contemporary wave of young Black surfers.