Defining your voice as an African travel writer

Defining your voice as an African travel writer

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

The North Pole…

www.LolaGoesNorth.com

Story

Photo source: CNTraveler

I was constantly met with the question,

WHY?

Story

My mission = WHY NOT?

Story

Born in Nigeria, living in diaspora since age 15

Former GIS system architect and programmer

Sweden-based travel writer and photographer

Represented by National Geographic Creative

Background

Passion

Geography had always been my passion and I knew deep down in my heart I was born to explore the world and

share those experiences through imagery and words.

How do you find your voice as an African travel writer?

Question 1 - Finding your voice

I found my own voice through

listening.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

At 15 years old, the world wanted to marginalize and define me.

It wanted to put me in a predefined box of expectations

and limitations.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

People weren’t truly listening

to what I had to share about

myself and my culture.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

By listening to what people were truly saying about

their cultures themselves.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

Mission to share untold stories and to always depict people with dignity through

words and photography.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

You find your voice by passionately pursuing subject

matters and topics that are naturally of interest to you.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

For me, I explore culture through food, tradition, and

everyday lifestyles.

Question 1 - Finding your voice

How do you expand as an African travel writer to write about a variety of destinations and travel-related topics with

authority?

Question 2 - Expanding with authority

Mainstream assumption

African voice = African experiences

Question 2 - Expanding with authority

How do I navigate the world as an African?

What makes my point of view unique on a mainstream level?

Question 2 - Expanding with authority

Quality of work improves when passionately pursuing subject

matters and topics that are naturally of interest to you.

Question 2 - Expanding with authority

Question 2 - Expanding with authority

To reiterate, I explore culture through food, tradition, and everyday lifestyles.

Focusing on those very same themes across different cultures and countries

If I don't focus on the black experience or write mostly about Africa as an African

travel writer, am I selling out?

Question 3 – Am I selling out?

Question 3 – Am I selling out?

I live in Sweden.

I have explored it from corner to corner. I know Sweden and its culture like the back of my hand.

Because it is my home right now.

I have not fully lived in Nigeria since age 15.

Disingenuous to write like a local insider about a place I haven’t actively

lived in for over 22 years…

Question 3 – Am I selling out?

Question 3 – Am I selling out?

Travel writing explores and captures sense of place through words. Regardless of location.

Question 3 – Am I selling out?

For me,

travel means

listening

Listening to the

undertones of different

cultures.

Whether talking to

Zainab who handcrafts bags in the

heart of Lekki

Market…

Or, going

behind the scenes with professional chef Johan

in Gothenburg.

Travel is about being an open-minded sponge to not only soak up

other cultures in respect, but to also squeeze out some of myself

and my culture in return to foster understanding,

break down prejudices, and cut through assumptions.

My mission continues to answer,

”WHY NOT?”

My mission Questions?

www.akinmade.com

@LolaAkinmade