A young boy with a makeshift soccer ball slung under his arm
Ladies and gentlemen, the 2010 FIFA World Cup welcomes the Jabulani, the games’ official soccer ball!
The Jabulani wears 11 colours, representing the number of players on South Africa’s team, the number of official languages in South Africa, and the number of South African communities welcoming the world.
Jabulani has also been created with “grip and grove” texture, allowing for “maximum control, stable flight and perfect grip under all conditions” — or at least, so says FIFA. Not an insignificant number of players have loudly claimed otherwise (news broke today that Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson called for a summit of players and coaches to discuss the controversial ball).
And let’s not forget the Jabulani’s perfectly round shape, made possible by eight – you heard me, EIGHT – thermally bonded 3D panels.
Jabulani is the Ronaldo of soccerballs: perfectly chiseled and primed for the world stage.
Despite the Jabulani’s international stature, she belongs to Africa. Her name means “to celebrate” in isiZulu. While the world is watching her in every game, her less flashy cousins on makeshift soccer pitches around the country and continent are barely exposed.
Photographer Jessica Hilltout travelled through South and West Africa for nine months, documenting football beyond the Jabulani and her manicured FIFA pitches. Along her journey, Jessica captured images of homemade soccer balls, stitched and wound by anything and everything that could bond together in a spherical shape—it’s unlikely that the Jabulani is made from any of these materials.
“All the people who live and will remain in the shadow of this event deserve to have a light shone on them,” Hilltout wrote in the introduction to her book, Amen: Grassroots Football. “Not just for their passion for the game, but more so for the fundamental energy and enthusiasm that shines through the way they live.”
You’re great, the Jabulani. Probably perfect. But don’t forget your roots. Remember your African brothers and sisters who honor you with the little they have, and a lot of passion.
– Nicole Kallmeyer is an intern with Athletes for Africa & GuluWalk this summer and a freelance journalist based in Toronto. More of her writing is available at www.nicolekallmeyer.com. You can email her here or follow her on Twitter or leave a comment below.
