Haraka Baraka - SkatePal

Haraka Baraka is the second book published by SkatePal, a non-profit organisation that supports young people in Palestine through skateboarding. Since 2013, they have been building skateparks, providing equipment and teaching skate classes to young people across the West Bank. This book is the result of a collaboration between SkatePal and Lebanese designer Samar Maakaroun.

Over 224-pages, Haraka Baraka gives a unique introduction to the Arabic language explored through a collection of expressions, ranging from simple everyday phrases shouted in the street, to more complex proverbs steeped in history. Cultural exchange has always been core to the SkatePal project, and culture is transmitted through language, so contributions have been gathered from the growing community of SkatePal supporters. Many are actively involved in the programmes, others are part of the global Palestinian diaspora, and some are simply Arabic-speaking fans of what SkatePal do.

This isn’t school, there’s no assignment, so the level of depth you wish to explore the book is entirely up to you. Brought to life across original photography, typographic illustrations and interviews, yet packed with finer details about Arabic script, letterforms, pronunciations, regional dialects, and even Arabic calligraphy for those wanting to immerse themselves more deeply.

While Haraka Baraka was produced before the current war in Gaza, this book arrives at a moment when the world feels particularly divided. There’s truth in the phrase, ‘the limits of your language are the limits of your world’. So with that in mind, there’s no better time to cross the cultural divide. Now, yallah!

SkatePal, 2024
Softcover, 224pp
280 x 223mm