Brief: Sony World Photography Awards

Title: A Changing World

From sacred mask rituals on the Coast of West Africa to the nomadic kings of cattle in South Sudan, culture is slowly mixing and becoming hybrid with western influence in a changing world. On my recent travels it was interesting to see how ethnic groups are negotiating this space of trying to exist in both worlds, while holding onto their cultural beliefs.

Epistemicide is a symptom of this changing world, which refers to the destruction of existing knowledge, graphic writing systems and culture. This is important to acknowledge in our times of social and climate crisis, as I believe Africa has the answers to teach us how to live in respect and harmony with nature and each other. While it may seem that this series attempts to go backwards to ancient ways of being in opposition to a developing, high speed technological world that clashes with the environment. Ironically, it still shows a changing world in an African context that one assumes to be static and fixed. The process of culture changing in a changing world is subtly shown while also celebrating the voodoo culture and Mundari people who still live strongly aligned with their traditions; never mind strong forces of past slavery, colonisation, globalisation, and present change. But what will these traditions look like in fifty years? This series aims to honour such a beautiful way of life, offering new perspectives on health, spirituality, faith,  environmentalism, knowledge of plants and philosophical enquires into the human existence.