Vol. I : Basireletse Ba Noka & The Land of Honey
Since October 2022, I have been working on a new body of work titled “The Powers that Be.” This phrase has constantly been present in my life, often accompanied by frustration and hopelessness. I want to explore what this phrase means for different people in different parts of the world and, in turn, how these people relate to me.
The first volume is titled, “Basireletse Ba Noka (The River Protectors) & The Land of Honey”. I took these images during “Whispers of the Wilderness”, the 2022 edition of Invisible Borders, a trans-African road trip. This road trip gave me my first opportunity to travel to the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Namibia. The images in this first volume are a result of a deep exploration of the different landscapes encountered during the trip, as well as the people who inhabit them. The aim was to uncover the undercurrents of local histories and experiences. However, the distance between myself and the locals was a constant challenge due to the cloud of tourism and socioeconomic privilege. To bridge this gap, I had to interrogate myself and establish a connection with the locals. This involved being open, vulnerable, and honest about my personal background, upbringing, and family.
