Indonesia - Jakarta
October 2021
Interview with Gunawan
Owner Survive Skate Shop
Tell us something people do not know about Indonesia?
Indonesia is multicultural. We respect diversity. Regarding skating there are various spots.
Tell us something about yourself?
I’m a skateboarder and I’m the owner of Survive Skate Shop. I started skating in 2000. My first pro deck was Jeremy Wray on Element but the pro skater I looked up to at the time was John Cardiel however. The first skate video I watched? I forgot. I think it was Modus Operandi by Transworld.
Who is the most talented skateboarder in Indonesia at the moment?
Basral Graito.
And who is the most talented skateboarder outside Indonesia?
Absar Lebeh, he is pro skateboarding in Thailand with Preduce Skateboard and Sanggu from Bali who is AM for Flip.
‘There are many, many board brands in Indo that have to work together with the skate media here to become a good unit.’
Why did you decide to open up a skate shop?
Because I still want to skate (laughing).
Are there any other skate shops in Indonesia?
There are about 10 skate shops in Jakarta and maybe in the future it will continue to grow.
One local artist mentioned in the last issue, that it is very difficult to access affordable skateboard gear in Indonesia? Is it because it is so expensive to import and/or are the average wages in your country so low?
Because in Indonesia the skate scene is not big like in USA or other countries. The positive vibes will evolve. There are a lot of skateparks in some cities and it will grow. I hope this will be a good step for the development of skate scene in Indonesia.
How expensive is a complete board in US Dollars?
A standard deck is around 120 to 150 US dollars but the problem is the exchange rate. 1 US dollar costs 15,000 Rupiah.
Are there any local/national brands within the skate industry?
There are many, many board brands in Indo that have to work together with the skate media here to become a good unit.
What are some of the current board companies from Indonesia?
Motion Skateboard, Puppet, Scratch, Malacca, Fellow etc.
Where is the biggest skate community in Indonesia?
Jakarta.
What are the most popular skatespots in Jakarta?
Mandala Wanabhakti, Sudirman Thamrin. Plenty of ledges and drop ins.
Are there any official skateparks in Jakarta or across Indonesia?
There is Pasar Rebo skatepark, BSD Extreme park, Twilo and many more.
Does the government provide any support?
It’s a bit complicated here with bureaucracy to go to the government. Now it’s starting to get more open minded in order to build a skateable park in Jakarta.
‘The positive vibes will evolve. There are a lot of skateparks in some cities and it will grow.
I hope this will be a good step for the development of skate scene in Indonesia.’
What are some of the local customs a foreign skater needs to be aware of before potentially grinding down significant statues?
Here we are cool about it.
What are some of the challenges skateboarding in Indonesia faces today?
There must be a lot of competition to be able to develop and media for sure.
What do you mean by that?
Here there are very few national competitions which can be used as motivation for local skateboarders to get involved. Also, the media here is not as optimal as in other countries.
What are some of the challenges people in Indonesia face today?
In Indonesia skateboarding is not as common as in other countries. We would like to see more open minded people to get to know skateboarding and its positive aspects.
Last question: If you could interview a person, who would it be and why?
Sanggu Tanjung, AM for Flip Skateboard from Bali, Indonesia. He is talented.
