When a South African surf company Mami Wata wanted to put African culture on the global surfing map, it knew it needed a distinct African symbol.
It chose the name Mami Wata or “Mother Ocean,” a mermaid-like spirit from West African folklore with long, flowing hair who, followers believe, can charm snakes.
The Cape Town brand designs and produces surf wear, surfboards and accessories. Launched in 2017, it aims to move perceptions of surf culture away from western stereotypes and towards “the power of African surf.”
“Surfing’s history has been told through the lens of Australian brands and American brands, which is largely a blond-haired, blue-eyed story, whereas actually there’s a lot of people that story isn’t relevant for,” Mami Wata’s co-founder Nick Dutton said.
The company is trying to change that by telling a different story.
“Mami Wata is the sea spirit,” Dutton explained. “People who believe in her believe if you go into the ocean and she takes you to be her lover and you survive, you’ll come back and be better looking and more successful.
“That story of transformation and the impact and power of nature for us was very powerful,” he continued. “We feel it captures the story of African surf.”
Mami Wata hopes to represent the growing diversity of African surfing by incorporating African patterns and African creators.
“Our designs are inspired by Africa… stories of African adventure,” said Dutton.
The continent, and South Africa in particular, is a rapidly growing hub for surfing with thousands of miles of coastline and several popular beaches. And Mami Wata wants to help ensure that the surf scene reflects everyone who’s a part of it.
Source : CNN
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