The Skate Subculture

By Gavin Perez
Keith Lim
Alesia Duran
Definition
● The subculture of skating is a community of people who all have the common
interest in riding skateboards
● Some people in this subculture use skateboarding as a way to just cruise
around and relax
● The majority uses skateboards to learn tricks and progress in this hobby
beyond just cruising around and some even go professional

Alesia D
History
Skating is a culture that was created from the surf culture back in the 1950’s due to

the lack of waves. Hence the name sidewalk surfing. It Became more popular in the

1960’s, people started to skate in pools, and verts, skating brands became more

prominent and as time went on skating gained many followers even recently

becoming an olympic sport

Keith L
Technology
- The skateboard itself and the components that make up the board
(griptape,trucks,wheels,bearings,deck)
- Skate parks / the obstacles and bowls
- Skate deck rails (help you slide and keep graphics on deck safe)

Alesia D
Symbols

The Skateboard

Tony Hawk

Gavin P
Language
-goofy/regular (meaning how you stand on your board)
- names of different tricks ( ollie, kickflip, nollie)
- front side / back side ( which side of the body is facing the obstacle when a trick is
executed)
- mongo (skating by pushing with your front foot)
- fakie (skating backwards in normal stance)
-switch (skating using the opposite footing you usually use)

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Values

Freedom

Individualism

Authenticity

Gavin P
Norms
Board tapping

Recording achievements

Gavin P
Compare: How is it the Same as American Culture?
Both cultures have needs, such as Transportation, the average american could be seen getting a

ride, taking a bus. But you would see skateboarders doing what they do best Skating!

Keith L
Contrast: How is it Different from American Culture?
Skating is different than american culture in a few ways, for one its the way skaters see the world. A

typical american would see a staircase railing and think “Oh that's something I hold to go down the

stairs” but a skateboarder might think “wow! how cool would it be to (insert trick) down those stairs”.

As for another, skaters are often seen as the bad apples or someone who does drugs, although that

does not represent what all skaters do, they have a poor image.

Keith L