 Poster: A snowHead
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Following on from a recent SCGB thread, why are there there so few Hispanics and black people on the ski slopes ( I do not think we've had such a thread here onn Snowheads? ).
news article
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Because, on the average, they're poorer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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laundryman, no just that, I think. its a cultural and ( perhaps less so now in the era of cheap holidays ) an elitist thing.
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It's not really a money thing. I'm British but not white and am usually the only non-white person at every resort I've been too - even today at MK Xscape, there were some double takes at seeing me in my gear (fabulous, self-admittedly  ) and heading for the snow! Culturally if your parents are from a warmer country then ski is less likely to be in the blood, I didn't start till a few years ago.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| hibernia wrote: |
| ( I do not think we've had such a thread here onn Snowheads? ). |
I think there's been a couple, at least. here's one.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nondescript, you make a good point about the cultural thing. Oddly, the SCGB was accused of not doing enough to attract non-white skiers. An interesting claim, although the poster was unable to offer advice on ways that they might do this in the future. He also appeared to have been drunk when he posted...or high on crack.
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Climbings the same, one of my partners hails from Kenya but I can't think of anyone else I've climbed with in the UK who has been a non-white person. I really think that it has a fair amount to do with the cultural history of sport. I've lived in Oz for a bit and it's interesting how all the differing peoples seem to generally find their own sporting outlets whilst not straying over cultural boundaries.
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same with the UK (and probably the US and Canadian) mountain biking scene too. strange that, cause you can ride a bike almost anywhere in the world.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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You need a lot of leisure time and plenty of cash to take up some of these sports. I don't think it's surprising they're not big in poorer parts of the world.
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I don't think it could be said to be just a money or cultural thing as my non-white brother who was brought up surrounded by mostly the same influences as myself in a white household and is now the one with the most disposable income still cannot get his head round why falling from the top of a frozen mountain appeals to me so much. But there is always something to disprove any theory and some things just don't interest certain people.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I do think it's a cultural thing, but it's interesting that there are a lot more non-white French skiers than British (I include the arab population in this). Of course there are more French skiers than British to start with .... However I know several black british ski teachers, so peeps are out there on the slopes doing it. However I think cultural history is also important when you see (no wish to offend) girls of Pakistani origin skiing - they just haven't got the generations of sport to fall back on and do seem to learn slower in general.
Please note the above are not racist comments: just observations from my years of teaching.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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My wife, who is of Asian origin has always been the only non-white skier wherever we've been.
I think generally it's a cultural thing, my wife is catholic & grew up in a Brithish/Irish environment, where people do go skiing & that's how she got into it, by going with former school friends.
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My impression is that the black and asian lads at the Snowdome generally do boarding, not skiing, if they are having a go. Mr DS's brother is married to a Jamaican lady, and the thought of snow fills her with horror, which is a shame, as he now no longer goes skiing, despite offers for him to come with us. There are relatively few black or asian people skiing at the Snowdome or on the slopes, which is a shame. I think it is mixture of cultural and just a general dislike of snow/cold, particularly among first-generation immigrants to the UK.
I did see one lovely lady learning to ski. She had dreads and a wonderful stripy hat. She was falling about all over the place laughing her head off. But generally if you see a non-white face, they are boarding.
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You know it makes sense.
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Its the same in golf. I arrange golf holidays mainly for North Americans and its surprising how few (perhaps 1 in 1000 of our clients) black golfers travel to the uk to play golf. When we have skied in Canada the Japanese have far out numbered black skiers. Where Americans have more success is with specific ethnic travel clubs where it seems to be a case of we mix together we travel together.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Remember being in Sierra Nevada for the European Cup and enjoying some post race beers with the Qatar ski 'team' - he was a right loon, who would pogo up and down on the spot after a beer. Stood about 6'6" tall in his stockinged feet. Don't think he troubled the medal ceremonies that day though.....truth be known, he was not competititve in the slightest....still, it's all about taking part and all that.....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hmmmm, a quick trip to Google suggests I am making this memory up.....please somebody tell me I am not imagining things !!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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These chaps have been at it a while, and organising events of a size which would make snowHeads very envious.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm non-white - well, brown to be specific, non-British but been here for 10 years, and started skiing 5 years ago at university. Took a year off to spend 5 months in St Anton and then 3 months in Australia doing nothing but skiing 6 days a week. And I now ski probably 2-3 weeks every year just because I can't get enough time off work. But since I started I've noticed there are increasingly more non-whites on the slopes. Many of them tend to be boarders though in my experience - not sure why. But it's also difficult to spot colour of skin on a slope especially when most people are wrapped up in goggles, snoods and gloves. Speaking purely from personal experience, having grown up in or close to the tropics, I can't wait to go on holiday to the slopes - I never go on holiday to a beach or a hot place only because I've had my fill of them already.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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enaikay78, welcome to snowHeads!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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enaikay78, Welcome NIK to  's
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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enaikay78, Interesting post and welcome to Snowheads - keep skiing! I agree that there are increasing numbers, but it's still a very tiny minority. (among Brits anyway).
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enaikay78, welcome to snowHeads!
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I'd second the comments about numbers growing. Certainly in the past couple of years I've noticed more black and asian people on the slopes (and off them in the bars). Saying that ti's never been a conscious decision to notice non-white skiers and it's never really crossed my mind before to pay attention to such things. I would like to think that it's because I couldn't give a damn about race, colour or creed when skiing, in the pub, at work or just generally living. People are people and all people should just be.
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