Ahmed Collier, surfing against apartheid

If you live in #CapeTown, you will be familiar with #Muizenberg and its Surfer's Circle Walk of Fame, a celebration of South African surfing legends. One of those honoured is Ahmed Collier, who peacefully passed away this month. He will be celebrated again this Sunday 26 November with a #paddleout from Surfer's Corner. This is why you should go.

Ahmed dedicated much of his life promoting equal access to waves and surfing opportunities for all South Africans. As a young #surfer of colour under #apartheid in the 60s & 70s, Ahmed regularly underwent police arrests for trespassing the 'whites only' beaches, the only beach he was welcome to go to, being the shark infested #9mile in the Cape Flats. Inspired by a trip to Hawaii and friendship with #EddieAikau (who was shocked to realise he was 'the first Black surfer to take part in a championship in South Africa'... as an 'honorary white'!), Ahmed came back inspired. He and a handful of other brave souls founded the #Wynberg Surf Club at the height of state of emergency in 1985, "the first surf club to rise from ranks of politically oppressed surfers" and later the visionary SASU, the South African Surfing Union where "people are not “black, Asian, coloured or white” but simply South Africans". Ahmed passed on his love of #surfing to many generations through coaching, lifesaving and the Colliers Swim School. His son #CassCollier became the first non-white South African to qualify on the ASP international circuit, the first (and to this day, only) non-white #bigwave world champion and himself a tireless advocate and enabler of black surfing.

For more details on Sunday's schedule, ☝link in bio or tiny.cc/colliermemorial. ✒: @_laurence_b 📷: unknown & @grant.scholtz #swellbound #freesurfspirit #reallifestoke