People: SUNNY PIRES
MEET THE 16 YEAR-OLD BRAZILIAN SURFER WHO HAS BECOME ONE OF PARLEY’S YOUNGEST OCEAN AMBASSADORS
On one bright and beautiful morning the photographer Vava Ribeiro travelled to Buzios. Once a small fishing village perched upon a cape a couple of hours up the coast from Rio De Janeiro and surrounded by the ocean on all sides, Buzios has since become a bustling tourist town, attracting surfers and sun worshippers far and wide for its 23 different beaches and variety of waves to ride. He took a moment to survey the scene, counting in the rhythms in which each set of waves rolls in from the Atlantic on to the shore, when he spotted a young guy whizzing through the tubes of Praia de Geribá like a boss. ‘He must be a local’, Vava thought to himself. ‘Someone who’s been surfing these waves all his life.’
So, as any keen roving photographer would do, Vava set his lens onto his new subject, but caught him just a few minutes too late. He’d already finished his session, and was now paddling back to shore. Nevertheless, he kept his camera rolling and spotted him, with his board under his arm, picking up plastic bottles, bags, and other bits of trash with his free hand as he emerged onto the beach. ‘Definitely a local’ Vava continued — but it was only when our photographer got closer did he recognise who this young man was: the son of an old surf buddy of Vava’s, someone he’s watched grow up, yet didn’t recognise now he’s blossomed into a young man, and a fine surfer to boot too.
The person in question is Sunny Pires, a 16 year-old surfer who grew up in Buzios, and happens to be black — a small community in this part of Brazil. Sunny’s father is the local lifeguard, schooling him in the way of the waves from a young age, even naming him after the legendary Hawaiian surf champion of the 1970s, Sunny Garcia. ‘I love the oceans,’ Sunny told Vava, still catching his breath. ‘But I hate plastic.’ And with those few prophetic words, Parley signed him up as an ambassador, sponsoring him to enter surfing competitions, and to spread the Parley AIR message amongst his generation, and community.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE AT THE MOMENT?
I’m at school at the moment, studying for my Enem exams. My favorite subject is geography.
WHAT IS BUZIOS, WHERE YOU LIVE, LIKE? WHAT IS IT LIKE GROWING UP THERE?
It’s a beautiful place. I’m really happy to have been born here. I love to surf here, and to live here — I’m about a 10 minute cycle to the beach. It’s a very special place. But what’s really interesting about Buzios is that billions of years ago, when Africa and South America were just one landmass, is as they were starting to break apart, there continued to be a land bridge between the two continents for many years, and that land bridge was in Buzios. And Brazil and Africa continued to be connected right here up until not so long ago, as Buzios has a natural harbour which became a hub of the slave trade
WOW. YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR GEOGRAPHY, AND HISTORY! DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU CAUGHT A WAVE?
It’s a long time ago. I was four or five years old — I’ve been surfing since before I can remember. I love surfing, it makes me so happy. It’s my life.
WHAT DID YOUR FATHER TELL YOU ABOUT SUNNY GARCIA, WHOM YOU ARE NAMED AFTER?
That he was a great surfer, a world champion that would ride the waves like a king. My father met him and found he was a really nice guy with really good energy. I’m honoured that I’m named after him — it’s my dream to become a world champion one day.
SO HE’S REALLY INSPIRED YOU?
Yeah. I went on YouTube and looked him up, and I can really relate to who he is and how he rides the waves. But today, I’m really inspired by John John Florence, who is also a Hawaiian world champion. He might be the best surfer in the world, but he’s also a really strong advocate for nature and the environment; he’s someone who really respects and protects the oceans. I’m inspired by him in and out of the water.
PLASTIC AS A MATERIAL HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 50 YEARS BEFORE YOU WERE BORN. HAVE YOU ALWAYS SEEN PLASTIC ON THE BEACH AND THE OCEAN, OR HAS IT GOTTEN WORSE IN RECENT TIMES — OR IS IT THAT YOU NOTICE MORE OF IT NOW YOU ARE OLDER?
There’s a really big difference since from I was born to how it is now. Why? I guess it’s because there are more people now that Buzios has become a famous tourist destination — I think the amount of people that come to Buzios has quadrupled; it’s kind of gotten out of control — and with more people you get more trash. They just leave their garbage behind and no one seems to really care.
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL, TO BE PADDLING OUT IN THE OCEAN AND YOUR HAND CATCHES A PLASTIC BAG?
It’s so bad. It makes me really angry, and it also makes me want to influence and teach the people around me. So, I have this idea of going out with my friends — we all surf and we’re really competitive — to collect trash from the beach, and we all make a bet as to who can collect the most. I think it’s a good idea.
WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR GENERATION ARE SO VOCAL AND ACTIVE IN THE NEED TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT; SO MUCH SO THAT YOUR ACTIONS, AND THAT OF THE LIKES OF GRETA THUNBERG, INSPIRE THOSE THAT ARE MUCH OLDER, AND SUPPOSEDLY WISER?
Because we have no choice. We have to save the planet — there’s no option B.
WHAT KEEPS YOU POSITIVE?
I have hope in people. I have hope that surfers, my friends, and people around the world will be inspired to do the right thing. I have hope in each other.
WHAT IS YOUR PARLEY AIR PLEDGE — WHAT IS THE ONE KIND OF PLASTIC YOU’VE DECIDED TO NEVER REMOVE AGAIN.
The first one was plastic straws. That’s a no brainer. Now it’s plastic bottles and shopping bags.