The Growing Skateboarding Culture in Ethiopia

Thanks to the Make Life Skate Life, an NGO that helps build skate parks around the world. Skateboarding in Ethiopia has become influential in their youth culture. For young Ethiopians, skateboarding is the closest thing they have flying. Ethiopia Skate, a collective from the capital, are pushing the boundaries of the sport, with vision to connect Ethiopian skateboarders with the worldwide community. And coordinate opportunities for foreign skaters to link up with locals at skate spots around the country. There’s plans for a skate shop on the horizon, and Ethiopia Skate are in talks with the government about building a specialist skate complex.

We also recommend our guide to the 14 top tourist attractions in Addis Ababa.

Whether you’re a skater or fan, enjoy these exhilarating feeling of skating from the skateboarding scenes from Addis Ababa.

@joubertvs backside flippin' for the crowd at the Sarbet parking lot during the @vans_za Ethiopia tour #addisababa #ethiopia ?: #jansenvanstaden

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Apr 11, 2017 at 2:08pm PDT

Arki and the crew at a street session near Sarbet ✌️#addisababa #ethiopia

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Jul 6, 2016 at 10:10pm PDT

Huge turnout at Sarbet for the Parts Unknown shoot with Ethiopia Skate, what an awesome experience hanging with @anthonybourdain – @cnn is still showing re-runs of the Ethiopia episode incase you missed it ?

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Jun 24, 2016 at 8:05pm PDT

Jimi at Sarbet, the place where it all started #addisababa #ethiopia ?: @rudi.geyser

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on May 30, 2016 at 11:10am PDT

This was 2 years ago today, back when we skated our sketchy mini ramp at the youth center. With sporadic rains and harsh sun exposure it was really difficult to protect this ramp. Coincidentally, construction of Addis Skatepark started 1 year ago today and now a concrete mini sits in this exact place. If you've ever been to the park you'll notice how much the horizon has changed in 2 years- now there are numerous unfinished 20+ story buildings lingering in the background. We really are on the cusp of past and future. @addispark #addisababa #ethiopia ?: @moonshipjourneys

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Mar 30, 2017 at 8:39pm PDT

Eyob and Addy makin clips at the freshly painted @addispark – our artwork was defaced so we went back to a neutral look #addisababa #ethiopia

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Apr 2, 2017 at 7:36pm PDT

Happy earthstrong to our bro @yaredaya – thanks for being such a positive leader among the youth, lookin forward to good times ahead ?: @michaelbialeckiphoto #addisababa #habesha

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Mar 23, 2017 at 11:12am PDT

Shea all day – awesome time hangin with the crew in Addis, happy birthday @one_ball_shea #addisababa #ethiopia ?: @jtrhoades

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Mar 6, 2017 at 7:27pm PST

Babure says happy new year ??? we are thankful for everyone who supported us in 2016 and in one way or another helped manifest our dream of having a public skatepark in Addis Ababa. Too many names to list but you all know who you are – enamesegenalen ??#addisababa #ethiopia

A post shared by Ethiopia Skate (@ethiopiaskate) on Jan 2, 2017 at 6:41pm PST