Before Instagram, before skateparks, before there was a single proper skate shop in the country, we were filming each other on DV cameras. Most of that footage sat in boxes for years. Now we're digging it out.
How it started
Back in the late 90s, you couldn't really buy a skateboard here. Our first boards came from Heatwaves, a beachside swimwear shop in Jumeirah that had a few decks on the wall as decoration. We skated whatever we could find, and Deira Fountain became home.
Raw clips, 2004–2021
A collection of raw, unedited clips from almost two decades at Deira Fountain. Tag a homie.
The DV tapes
Going through old DV tapes can be confusing. Here's some raw footage filmed by Tanner Lostan.
From the photo archive
- Mamzar bowl, 13 January 2012: Bastien Duverdier, pole jam rock to fakie pole jam. See it
- Sparks, around 2006–2012: the greatest spot Dubai ever had. Read the story
- The French Pavilion, Expo 2020: a noseslide shot by @altamashurooj. See it
Spots, past and present
We mapped some of our favourite Dubai spots from 1997 to 2022, with GPS coordinates, and printed them on a tee with Amongst Few. See the spots.
Help us fill the gaps
Got old photos, tapes or clips of UAE skating? Send them our way at hello@habibiskateshop.com. We'll credit you and add them to The Habibis, our archive of the people and spots that made this scene.
