Camping While Black

 

Camping While Black.

Within western culture camping and hiking is an integral part of what it means to be Canadian or American. The market place for camping equipment was valued to the tune of $13,954.86 million in 2020 according to global news wire for their growth trends and forecast. However as that number may be a shock the other shocking fact is that black citizens are frequently left out of that equation. Historically if you are first or second generation your notion of camping and hiking might be something that is done by white people.

Heck the first time I mentioned to my Trinidadian mother that I was going to hiking with my melanin deficient cohorts, she looked at me as if I had lost my mind. “Why would you pay good money to sleep on the floor in the woods”?”Well I responded it’s a great way to get connected with nature”. She and my father were both shocked that their son would pay money to be part of something that they had to do due to poverty.

That seems to sum up the reality of most kids with my background. Now you couple that with the history of Jim Crow racist laws and segregated commercial spaces that haunted our brothers and sisters to the south of us in America. You couldn’t blame us for avoiding the mountains and the woods at all cost. We all knew too well what type of horrors and lynchings took place in the great outdoors.

However a new day is dawning and even though some of the old stereotypes still tend to persist. There is an ever growing new generation of Black folks getting out there and taking on the wild outdoors. Despite some of the barriers to entry, let’s face it camping, hiking and outdoor activities are not cheap.

 I personally have to leave my debit and credit card at home whenever I go to M.E.C mountain equipment coo-op. Or I could risk leaving with enough gear to clothe Frodo, Sam and the whole fellowship of the ring on their way to Mount Doom.

Despite my own reservations in the beginning I found that hiking and camping can be a great way to test ones mettle against nature if you will.

The feeling of not having any cell service is so unthought-of of in this day and age it almost feels impossible to fathom. The feeling of not being bothered by the outside world is truly calming and can defiantly help you to refocus. Now I would never consider this type of activity with vacationing I’m still my mother’s son but if you give it a shot it can be fun. There are two very great You-tube channels plus a wonderful article that I saw while doing research for this article. The article by Latia Graham Titled “We’re here you just don’t see us” written in Outdoor magazine. Is a great read and the two You-Tube channels called Unpopular Black and Black People camp too. Do their best to showcase the fun and enjoyment that people of color can have when heading outdoors.

The outdoors is for all and it’s wonderful to see people of color heading out and enjoying these spaces proving that are for anyone with the desire to explore.

Even if their mothers think that they are a little bit nutty for sleeping in the dirt.