Watch: The kitesurfer inspiring Colombia's indigenous Wayuu tribe
Nelson Gomez, a kitesurfing champion and member of Colombia's Wayuu tribe, empowers indigenous youth by teaching them kitesurfing.
In partnership with Media City
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/08/18/watch-the-kitesurfer-inspiring-colombias-indigenous-wayuu-tribe
Spark your senses, wake your wonder. Euronews Culture seeks to show creativity in action and inspire our audience to explore the world through the five senses. Start your journey through the best of Europe's arts, gastronomy, traditions and high-end craftsmanship.
00:00Kitesurfing is just a lifestyle. It's passion, it's love, it's a beautiful sport that makes everyone part of a big, huge and beautiful family. It's just what makes me happy every day.
00:16Kitesurfing is an amazing sport. It gives me happiness, it gives me freedom, gives me a job, gives me a smile. Kitesurfing for me is my life.
00:27I'm Nelson Gomez. I'm a professional kitesurfer. I was the first Wayu local who learned kitesurfing in this beautiful town.
00:43Wayu is a community from the northern part of Colombia. My lifestyle, the sport and everything is completely out of my culture.
00:52Kitesurfing came to Cabo de la Vela, thanks to a few friends. They just come to this magical place and they found proper conditions.
01:02Like flood water, strong wind conditions, sunny days. I decided to learn kitesurfing because it was something completely different.
01:12When I started to learn kitesurfing, the sport was pretty new. It was a bit scary at the beginning.
01:20Some friends just give me a kite, a second hand kite. It's one of the most beautiful presents that I just get in my life.
01:28So I started to play a lot. I learned how to move it, how to do kite loops. The sport also started to grow.
01:36Until one day I just get a competition here in Cabo. I won this competition here in Cabo.
01:43I got the opportunity from another competition that helped me a lot.
01:50I wanted to teach. So I just started to be an instructor.
01:54We are teaching a lot of the locals' kids. That was our basic mission more than nothing.
02:00My goal is to give the kids from the community access to the sport and to push them not only like a kitesurfer,
02:09but like a person that he can also grow in his life thanks to the sport.
02:14I did a kite last two years ago. I saw how they fly on the comet and then I was learning.
02:21The reason is because I saw how they navigated and I wanted to learn.
02:27And after I tried to teach them, I told my kids that I wanted to learn.
02:32If they could teach me, they told me that I was upset.
02:35I had a little bit of fear until I got a rhythm and I was afraid.
02:40I like the environment and I like to do the sport and do it for all my life.
02:49Since 10 years I learned to be kitesurfing.
02:51Well, the process of learning kitesurfing takes its time.
02:55You have to put a good dedication.
02:57The truth is, it is an incredible sport.
03:01It is an incredible sport that I really liked since I saw it.
03:05In the water you feel a lot more different.
03:08At the beginning it was a bit difficult.
03:21It was very difficult because of the size of the comet, the strong wind.
03:26I was a very small person.
03:29I did not have much resistance.
03:32But it is really good.
03:35I have opportunities to meet new people, to learn a new language in English.
03:41To meet other people in other parts.
03:44And to make good friends.
03:46With the sport, when you started, it is helping you physically.
03:50I teach you how to be on the slack line.
03:52That it is really balanced, not to coordinate your body.
03:55It does not matter if you are small, big, tiny, skinny or not.
04:00Balance is something that you can manage by your own, by your body.
04:05We are a huge family.
04:08We are ten and seven of us kiting.
04:12Kitesurfing has been a big impact for us.
04:15It changed our life completely.
04:18Thanks to the sport, I am working every day.
04:21I am helping my family, helping my mom, helping my grandma.
04:25My connection with my family is the base.
04:28I really thank full God for giving me the opportunity to have a really beautiful family.
04:34They are my motor, my generator.
04:37They give me power.
04:38They give me everything.
04:39From just being the person that I am.
04:42Push me every day to be a better person.
04:45To keep fighting for my dreams.
04:47I can say I am the most lucky man in the world because of my family.
04:52My goal is just to let more people get the easy access to the sport.
04:58It's an amazing lifestyle, an amazing daily life, daily routine.
05:03Our goal is to keep sharing happiness and love to everyone who really want to share our vibe and our energy.
05:09This is our basic goal and just love for everyone.
05:13If you want to learn something, no matter which sport it is, if you have a dream about something,
05:21just put your heart on this.
05:25Smile, enjoy every part of the process.
05:28Sometimes it's hard.
05:31In any process there are difficult moments.
05:34Anything you want to do in your life is just a discipline, dedication and love.
05:39If you have a dream and you want to make it come true, just work on it and you will get whatever you want.
05:46We only need a heart, I do believe that you're going to be alive
05:52and where you want it.
05:54Mentors never the choice of alcohol.
05:56You can add whatever happens all the time that you want to come simplify,
Be the first to comment