What's Zabadaks?
Well, physically DIY center Zabadaks is a building in Kuldiga, located in Parventa, its address is Vijolisu 24. Zabadaks is quite well hidden by the high trees but easy to find for those who want to.
Why "ZABADAKS"?
The name was born in democratical, though unpredictable discussions and proposals. Now nobody really remembers who was the creator of the word. It's quite probable that the author at the moment of revelation was singing to himself the song of a German superband of the 80ties - Saragossa Band, which is called "Zabadaks":
"Zabadak, Zabadak
Karakakora Kakarakak
Zabadak
Shai Shai Skagalak
Zabadak,..."
After a few years long search for appropriate building we (that is, NEKAC) found Zabadaks in year 1999 and drew a conclusion that this place is the best for us. In spite of the dramatically bad technical conditions of the building we asked the town council for allowance to create the administrative centre of NEKAC there, and finally, in august 1999, the town council agreed to rent us this building for period of 30 years.
Back in 1999 we hardly could imagine what amount of time, work and money would be necessary to create Zabadaks the way we wanted it to be. Now we can only remember the first times we gathered and started that enormous work result of which is Zabadaks today.
As far as we know, at the very beginning this building could have been a stable or byre, but later, before this building got deserted, some kind of a woodcutter’s shop was located there. Back then Zabadaks was both water supplied and electrified. Judging after what we found, mainly various wooden placards and signs for shops and offices were made there.The first times we gathered and started to remove the piles of various kinds of junk from the territory around Zabadaks and renovate the building took place on Saturdays because that was the time when the most part of NEKAC members and friends were free from work or studies.
The amount of work to be done was huge - there were piles of scrap iron all over the territory, partly covered by earth so we had not just simply to remove them but dig them out. Also a large shed beside Zabadaks had to be torn down because we didn’t want it there and it was so old that could have collapsed itself at any moment. Along both side walls of Zabadaks grew quite high maples and other trees, roots of which caused serious damage to foundation of the building and reached even into the building, so we sawed down these trees and pulled out the stumps with a tractor. During our activities some "pleasant" surprises kept on appearing – we mowed down more than 1 meter high grass and found out that the earth below consists mainly of broken bricks, broken glass and building-refuse, we chopped down the bushes and found even more piles of junk and scrap iron which probably have been there for at least 20 years. However, this junk, mostly the scrap iron, did us also a little favour - we collected it, delivered it and got some money to start renovation of the building.
After we did the most necessary things for territory around Zabadaks, we started to clean up the building and the first renovation works like removing two gigantic electric motors from the second floor and tear down the old ceiling, but the most time and effort was spent for digging trenches to build new foundation for the building. It’s a wonder or neighbours didn't report us to the fire station - sometimes the bonfires we made to burn all the unnecessary wooden crap were almost as high as Zabadaks itself.
Until autumn 2001 the whole amount of money necessary for creating, renovating and running Zabadaks was obtained from organising small gigs for various underground bands, NEKAC membership fees and private resources of NEKAC members and friends.
In year 2001 NEKAC in cooperation with some friends hands in a project application to Queen Julian Foundation. The aim of that project was to obtain financial support for creation of the Youth, Culture and Social Integration Center, in another words, capital repairs for half - collapsed Zabadaks. Until then a project of the building was made and the approximate explication of rooms and spaces within Zabadaks. We handed in the whole lot of paperwork and the period of waiting for several months begun. Within this period of time we kept on organizing gigs in Zabadaks and other places alongside with continuous renovation works as far as we were able to go with our tiny material resources. No one of those who participated in the renovation possessed appropriate previous experience but we learned and we moved forward.
Some insight into renovation process you can get at the photos' section.
In may 2002. the presentation of the renovated Zabadaks took place, and it started a new page in underground culture in Kuldiga and Latvia, because it's the only diy center in Latvia where different events and concerts ar held here till today.
We'll try our best to make Zabadaks even better, even though here will always be a plenty to do.
If you want to help, you're welcome with your artistic ideas or working hands!
Zabacrew / 2006
