Exploring the Future of Storytelling
This year has been electric with momentum! One of the most exciting events on our travel calendar is the National Geographic Society Explorers Festival. For NEWF, each year has given us more opportunity to celebrate our community and see our dream of Pan-African representation growing in the Society and around the world. Our dream of seeing diverse catalogues of authentic stories featuring a global melting pot of culture, language and community-inclusive impact is one we see coming to life.
What if you could have a conversation with one of the worlds most renowned ocean storytellers?
In 2021 NEWF hosted a first-of-its-kind dive lab with the aim of certifying 10 Indigenous African women as SCUBA Divemasters. The Decade Divemaster Storytellers Lab brought together 10 women with different backgrounds, African cultures and careers to participate in a 90 day residency in Sodwana Bay featuring in depth, professional pool and open water training by day, and compelling storytelling workshops and discussion at night. One of these talks featured renowned American photojournalist and film producer, Brian Skerry, who joined the cohort via Zoom to field questions about his career immersed in nature, capturing incredible photographs of species that have captivated the hearts of people all across the globe.
What if your wish came true?
As we celebrate Ocean Month, it has been amazing to reflect on all the ocean stories in the NEWF Community. And as we reflect, so too do our fellows. Observing Ashunganya Nchafac Nkemlemo Precious’ journey with the ocean and storytelling has been a beautiful example of why NEWF does what it does. Briefly reflecting on her journey, one that started last year and has gained incredible momentum, she shares her win at the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF) - shining light her film, and new energy to tackle the next season of her journey as a filmmaker.
What does freediving have to do with Ocean Access?
With the largest Ocean Access Programme for African Scientists, Conservationists and Storytellers, NEWF labs create opportunities for freediving certifications too. Recently, a cohort of fellows added this discipline to their skillset, each calmly descending and ascending along a dropped buoy line in Sodwana Bay's inviting water to a qualifying depth of 10 metres, just one breath at a time.