between the moon and mars

to avoid paying a construction fee, jack mubiru, a father of the skateboarding scene in uganda, fabricated a story about building a private enclosure for a pet crocodile. most local officials and neighborhood residents had never heard of skateboarding. yet six years later, the sport has spread from the skate park to the streets, attracting children as young as five and adult women.  

photographer yann gross always takes his deck with him on his journeys. during one trip to easter africa, yann ecnountered a group of skaters in kitintale, a suburb of kampala, who had built the first and only half pipe in uganda. he ended up spending several months with the skaters, becoming a full member of the group, documenting a unique skate culture that, given the area’s contingencies, has styles and tricks all its own.