Centuries stolen from us, time that would’ve made Africa one of the most established continents in the world. Instead, time was used to degrade the authenticity of Africa, while extracting that which wasn’t theirs. It isn’t late for us to revitalize our continent. I’m aware of the obstacles we face but, in time we’ll unite and divert from the colonial ways of doing. For now, I will utilize my upcoming years to unlearn 22 years of misinformation. I am taken back my stolen years, Join me!

Mar 23, 2013

This Too is Liberia…



Liberian Boys with surf boards heading for the waves in liberal
Heading for the waves

In Liberia, after one hear the statement “this too is Liberia….” normally it is follow by negativity. This negativity takes place in all forms and relates to numerous situations. On the contrary this post is not a subject of negativity. “This too is Liberia”….……when young men and women can hold on to a sport that allows them to preserver in all aspects of the lives.  Surfing in Liberia????

Yes, and it is taking over the coast of Cape Mount and spreading to other coastal cities in Liberia. I longed to see the surfing at Nanas’ lodge, since I heard about it. Unfortunately, for me I always visited when the team was not performing. When, I arrived in the country tired, overworked, and was told there was surfing competition the next day, I knew I had to be there!


Youth surfing in cape Mount Liberia
Surfing it up!




Boy surfing in Liberia
A competitor hitting the waves











With all the joggling it took to get there, we made it and it was great!! It was great to see young Liberians, girls and boys, stimulated by a sport so different from what they are not culturally accustom to, but yet so naturally part of who they are.  The competition consisted of three categories: senior, junior and women.

Regrettable, I did not see the entire competition as I had to drive back to Monrovia for work. However, the conversation I had with one of the 1st self taught surfers led me to believe this was not just a sport for these surfers. It was a social and psychological escape from years of devastation they had endured. 

The confidence he exuded, from the manner in which he spoke, his leadership amongst his peers, were evidence that surfing has created a positive dimension in his life.
Surfers in Liberia soaking up the waves Robertsport, Liberia
All in the days work 

These young surfers are utilizing surfing to create a sense of belonging and security. More should be done to support the surfers in RobertSport, but like most things in Liberia people shy away from the unknown, instead of exploring the unknown. Wake up LIBERIA and support your future leaders!!!!

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

6 comments:

  1. sophieOctober 9, 2013 at 2:18 AM

    Seeing people who are moving in the things they love, warms my heart. Encourage them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MsomiJune 24, 2016 at 11:38 PM

    Recreational activities there Go Liberia go!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. arwaybags.comSeptember 15, 2016 at 6:06 PM

      Slowly but we hope others can see the importance of these activities and invest be it time or money.

      Delete
  3. dojumaJune 27, 2017 at 12:50 AM

    Nice blog

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 31, 2017 at 4:41 PM

    Hi! I am Nerissa, a Filipino living in Italy.
    We just started a website dedicated to the lives of all those living in a country other than the one where they were born. Thru PeopleAbroad.org we intend to increase connections, awareness, and understanding among people.
    We would like to ask you to contribute to the website by writing one post with photos and/or videos about any region of the world. Your post will be linked to your personal websites, blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter account, and/or anything else you like, in order to promote your own activity.
    We could also publish some of your posts as a summary and link them to your website where your articles could be read in full length. If possible, we would also like you to write your story (bio - where you live and how you decided to live your life abroad) – example: https://www.peopleabroad.org/nerissa-filipino-living-in-italy/.
    To contribute, it is not necessary to live in a different country from where you were born, but simply to know a bit of the world by having lived, studied, or traveled.
    This website is still under construction, we do not have yet made it available to search engines for indexation. We are just starting and that is why your help is essential.
    All the best,
    Nerissa

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)