This is an article I uncovered from the Take Flight archives. This was published on April 18, 2012, and it quotes a Facebook post from David Belle that I believe has since been deleted.
Some background: In 2012 I was working with David as his brand director, and more importantly we were close friends. We’d hang out almost daily, and we’d often go for walks around Lisses late into the night and discuss Parkour, his history, and plans for the future (classes, brands, products, films, choreography etc). I launched his social media in August 2011, and by this time in early 2012 I was full-blown managing it. He almost never wanted to post (something that’s still true to this day), but the community wanted to hear from him so I often encouraged him with prompts and old photos. He’d think about my suggestions, and when he was ready he’d speak his post to me or he’d text me what he wanted to say, Then I’d translate it and post it. This was one of those posts.
_______________________
“I’d like to make it simple for everyone to understand once and for all!
I created and alone decided to put a K in Parkour, that is now used in every possible way, and where the whole world invents their lives like Zephyr who says ‘I also, my father who was in the military transmitted Parkour to me and I have practiced for 25 years!’ This kills me, but well certain are far away in their heads but not in the right direction! : )) I am the only one to have received directly and verbally the teachings of this method by my father! I am the only one at the beginning to have put my life in danger for this sport to exist! I made sacrifices and I put my heart into it! The Yamakasi are at the origin of a movement that everyone knows as “move outside, move together” and that’s all, there you go our common point. My father did like all the other fathers or old military men! He gave little advice of sport to whichever young people wanted to learn; but never, and I repeat my father Never spoke of Parkour to anyone except me!
…never forget that we are on earth to learn and to give, and not to steal, or lie, or cheat! Parkour raises us above this and must help us to feel good in our hearts, in our bodies…
Don’t forget you aren’t in a world that respects you, you are in a world where each person takes what they want without asking permission and does what they want! And I don’t like that! There you go, that’s why I prefer to stay alone! Or then with brothers of arms that have the notion of values and who respect their word! You don’t play with death! My father isn’t anymore, and as long as there rests in me the breath of life! I will defend what he left me!
Thank you to all the practitioners of Parkour, with or without acro it doesn’t matter, the important thing is to enjoy learning and to evolve and not to get hurt. So thank you again for believing in this discipline and good luck on the path of life. And shame on those who without ever asking have made business with a name that did not belong to them! The bill will be expensive! You do not play with death! I would never betray my family or my brothers! All the rest I don’t trust because there is too much treachery in this world! I had learned to trust, this world taught me to be careful!
So continue to advance for yourselves. Don’t listen to the stories anymore because there aren’t any! Except one, the truth! Parkour does not have to be liked or disliked! Parkour is here and it will stay here forever! Because it was born from a pure heart and nourished from all the love that a son can give to his father! End of story.
…continue to advance for yourselves. Don’t listen to the stories anymore because there aren’t any! Except one, the truth!
Be careful and never forget that we are on earth to learn and to give, and not to steal, or lie, or cheat! Parkour raises us above this and must help us to feel good in our hearts, in our bodies, and each person should think to fill up their own life
I am going to soon have a son, therefore it was important for me to tell you this! Because a new Parkour awaits me! To be a FATHER : )) The most beautiful gift of life!
I love you all and continue to flood the streets with your joy of living!
Thank you,
David Belle
_______________________
Rereading this now, this feels like a blast from the past. I remember being in that house in Lisses, and laughing and talking with David and transcribing posts like this. I don’t remember the specifics around this post, but I’m pretty sure David was fed up at this time with people saying that Parkour was a general sport that had been around for decades, and that they had learned it from their fathers, or that the Yamakasi were the co-founders etc. Even though in interviews he has often called himself the “protector” of Parkour rather than the “founder” in one-on-one conversations and amongst friends he was always very clear with his language that he was unquestionably the founder. This post on Facebook was a true reflection of his heart at that time, and he clearly wanted to set the record straight.
The idea of “Parkour” has grown and changed a lot over the last 10+ years. That’s both cool, and it’s a bit sad. I’ll explain that perspective more in the future, but for now let’s leave it here with the words of David which happen to be one of my all-time favorite quotes from him:
Parkour is here and it will stay here forever! Because it was born from a pure heart and nourished from all the love that a son can give to his father!
