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Week 12: The Water Will Carry Us Home

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In Gabrielle Tesfaye’s stop motion animation, “The Water Will Carry Us Home,” the scene depicting the throwing of stolen Africans off a slave ship during the Middle Passage followed by their transformation into mermaids serves as a poignant exploration of sacrifice, transformation, and spiritual liberation.

The act of casting the stolen Africans off the ship carries profound symbolism, reflecting the brutality of the transatlantic slave trade and the disregard for human life and dignity. The description reveals that this act is a ritualized sacrifice, echoing the harrowing experiences endured by countless individuals forced into the horrors of slavery. It signifies a loss of hope and humanity, as the enslaved are cruelly discarded into the depths of the ocean.

However, amidst this tragedy emerges a moment of divine intervention and transformation. The presence of Yoruba Orishas dwelling in the water saves the spirits of the enslaved Africans, preventing their demise and offering them a chance at redemption. This supernatural occurrence signifies a spiritual awakening and liberation from the chains of bondage and suffering. The transformation into mermaids symbolizes a return to ancestral roots and a reclaiming of identity and power.

The scene’s visual imagery, coupled with its emotional weight, leaves a profound impact on the viewer. The juxtaposition of violence and spiritual redemption creates a powerful narrative that resonates deeply with the audience. It invites reflection on the enduring legacy of slavery and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.

week twelve… the water will carry us home

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ok professor… where did you find THIS

anyways this short film was so intriguing and sad. how the water was a vessel that took the african people away from their home but then later became something of a sanctuary to those who fell overboard…

I think this speaks a lot to how people view the ocean. Because for some people it was used like a tool, a sort of road, something that didn’t have life. Something that took life (as evidenced by the people “dying”). But to others it gives life, it provides safety, as shown by the big merwoman transforming all the people (pregnant people I may add) into merpeople and saving their lives. The way people interact with the ocean probably also impacts how they see it.

There’s something to be said about having a surface level view of the ocean- how people only seem to focus on the top of the water, where humans can survive, rather than below, which is normally hostile to humans. It probably also speaks to our fear of the unknown, which makes sense as the ocean IS pretty mysterious. But in this the ocean is comforting and secure, but there’s also respect for it as an entity, as seen in the ending portion of the short film where it cuts from stop motion to real life.

The Water Will Carry Us Home

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The stop-motion film, The Water Will Carry Us Home, showed me how the ocean is looked at and appreciated differently by different cultures. The film shows us how there is a long history of black mermaids which is not talked about often in modern culture. As mentioned in the description, the film tells the story of stolen Africans being thrown off a ship whilst sailing through the Middle Passage. They were then saved by the presence of Yoruba Orishas dwelling in the water. This shows how the ocean is not just a scary unknown place throughout history but also a saving grace for some cultures. While the stolen passengers might have been scared when they fell into the water, it was the creatures who resided in it who saved them. This led to an appreciation of the ocean for this culture that is still apparent today, as seen in the ending scene of the film. People are able to connect with the water in their own ways and have a strong appreciation for what it does. This brings me to the idea that each individual person is capable of creating their own relationship with the ocean. With the current climate crisis it is easy to take a step back and assume that “professionals” will handle healing our environment. If each individual person in this world can build a relationship and appreciation for the ocean, we can heal our environment faster as well as discover more about the unknown waters. When we as people take a step back and realize that the ocean is not so scary we can end the boundary that we have created between it.