BaduMaji

BaduMaji might not exactly roll of the tongue (but also, it kind of does?) but when I decided to share my love, wonder, and respect of the Ocean with a wider audience I didn't want it to be anything but a reflection of just that.

I was born in Sydney, in the beach-side suburb of Coogee, and for a long time had a complicated relationship with the Ocean. Coogee can get famously rough dumpers and as I matriculated out of the rock pools and into the Pacific I grew increasingly humbled by it's power. But I never left it. The ocean - whether staring into its immense vastness, body boarding back into shore or floating on a calm bay - is my grounding force. It's where I feel at peace. And Coogee is where I first found it.

The Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, traditional custodians of Sydney, have a profound connection to the water that surrounds them. They refer to their waters as badu.

When I was 27, after falling into a job (and then staying too long) in mining and natural resources, I decided to take a year off and work for a wonderful not-for-profit school in Arusha, Tanzania - The School of St Jude. As part of my job, I was given a camera and asked to take photos for various elements that can be sponsored by the School's wonderful donors such as buses, uniforms, and cooked lunches.

I had never used a proper camera before and certainly never with a clear objective but the buses and the bales of beans unlocked in me a completely unexpected creative outlet. Luckily for me, this passion was sparked in one of the most beautiful parts of the world with all the chaos, majesty and wonder of the Serengeti on our doorstep. It was here that I learned how to capture nature in all its wonder and I was once again humbled by it's power and beauty.

As one of the first nations to achieve decolonisation in 1961 and with over 120 diverse tribes and languages, President Nyerere chose Kiswahili as a tool to unify the nation under a common goal. Unlike many of it's neighbouring countries, Tanzania's official government language remains Kiswahili - the language of Africa. The Kiswahili word for water is maji.

And so, that's the story of our name. From the place that made me and the place that found me.

I also just think it sounds great