Interview with Girls Skate Nepal by Toby Brockelbank
Photos by Tirtha Lawati (@tirtharabinlawati)
Nepal has been in the news lots recently, for the recent floods which Girls Skate Nepal described as “devastating for many communities in Nepal” – there will be suggestions by the crew for supporting disaster relief at the end of the article. But Nexus have been working on this interview for a few months now, to showcase the emerging and rad skate scene growing in Nepal. We spoke to Girls Skate Nepal, which started in 2019 and are based in Kathmandu, about the scene, the challenges for women skating in Nepal, and the recent floods. They are @girls_skate_nepal on insta. Go check them out and support them, share their steez and admire their gnar.
Speaking on the beginning of the crew, Girls Skate Nepal shared that, “At that time, there were very few girls skating in Nepal, so we wanted to create a space and community for girls who were interested in skateboarding”. On her personal journey on a skateboard, she shared how “slowly it became much more than just a hobby”. Plenty skaters seem to have the same stoke as, “over the years, more girls have joined and become part of the community”.
On the wider scene she shared that, “The skate scene in Nepal is still relatively small compared to other countries, but it has a lot of passion. The community is growing, and people are really committed to building the scene despite limited facilities and opportunities” but that, “Seeing women on skateboards is also still unusual to some people”. Despite “fewer opportunities, recognition, and support for female skaters compared to male skaters”, “things are slowly changing, and the more girls who skate and become visible, the more accepted and supported women’s skateboarding becomes”.
Answering what are their biggest barriers to skating, “Access to proper skateparks, safe places to skate, and affordable equipment can also be challenging. We hope that as more girls continue skating and pushing the scene forward, there will be more equal opportunities for everyone”. Can we support your crew from New Zealand? “Absolutely! Even sharing our work, connecting with us, and helping create opportunities for the girls means a lot. Support doesn’t always have to be financial, building international connections and giving our community visibility can also make a big difference” – so wherever you’re reading this, connect and support the crew!
Girls Skate Nepal shared that the scene over there skate more street than ramps, “We started skating on the streets and roads because we didn’t have a skatepark in the beginning. The skatepark was only built after we had already been skating for a long time, so street skating is where we started and what feels most natural to us”. And answering the age-old, kickflip or heelflip? “Kickflip! Definitely a classic”. All skaters know how important media is to the scene, and Girls Skate Nepal want to send a “Big shoutout to genkii films and nepalskatemag who have been documenting Nepal skate scene. Their work is really important because it helps to preserve the history and the growth of community”. I also asked about last year’s protests, “It didn’t affect us that much because the acting government was trying to make things better and bring things back to normal. There were definitely some disruptions, but overall, we were still able to continue skating and doing what we do”.
When asked, what has changed for you guys over the years? Girls Skate Nepal shared, “The biggest change is seeing more girls becoming interested and confident enough to try skating”. And looking forward the crew said, “we hope more scenes continue to develop outside Kathmandu too”, and how, “The competitive skate scene in Nepal is still developing. There are competitions and events, but not as consistently or on the same scale as in countries with a bigger skate infrastructure. There’s definitely a lot of potential growth”. “We would love to connect more with girls’ skate crews and communities in other countries. Building connections and supporting each other internationally would be really amazing for Girls Skate Nepal and could create more opportunities for everyone.”
Given the recent catastrophe, I added some questions for the crew regarding the flooding. The current death toll sits above 1,300 but sadly is most likely much higher. See below unedited,
How have the floods affected you in Nepal?
The recent floods have been devastating for many communities in Nepal. Beyond the immediate damage, people have lost homes, belongings, and their sense of security. It has been a difficult time for the country, and it reminds us how vulnerable many communities are to extreme weather and natural disasters.
Are all the skaters and skater’s families safe?
As far as we know, our immediate skate community and their families are safe, but many people across Nepal have been seriously affected. We continue to check in on each other and stay connected.
How can we help from New Zealand?
You can help by supporting Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, which provides assistance to people affected by natural disasters. You can also help by raising awareness about the situation and supporting trusted local relief efforts that are directly helping affected communities. If anyone specifically wants to support the skate community or Girls Skate Nepal, we would be happy to connect and discuss ways to create meaningful support.
I asked the crew for their message to skaters here, “Keep skating, keep supporting each other, and keep your local communities alive. We would also love to see more connections between the skate communities in New Zealand and Nepal”. Girls Skate Nepal shared that, “We’re just really grateful that people from different parts of the world are interested in what we’re building here. We hope Girls Skate Nepal continues to grow and inspires more girls to step on a skateboard without feeling like they don’t belong.”
We here at Nexus are so grateful to Girls Skate Nepal for the opportunity to interview them and platform their rad scene. We are sending love and support to the entire Nepalese community for their ongoing disaster relief. Keep skating and sharing it with the world and we hope more kiwi and global skaters link up with you all.
