Embedded Files
Article from Adventure Uncovered - Interview with Harriet Wood on the concept of UnExploring, reflecting on her experience working with Ninth Wave.
Article from Ephemeral Coast - The story of a Ninth Wave expedition 'UnExploring' the beauty of Baja California, and recollections of the communities and organisations they met along the way.
Getting out and exploring the world has the capacity to be a fundamentally humanising process, one in which contexts and the plate tectonics of our known world shift to reveal not just different cultures, values and people, but also the fact that who we are is not a pre-eminent value, but simply an accident of history and place.
Getting out and exploring the world has the capacity to be a fundamentally humanising process, one in which contexts and the plate tectonics of our known world shift to reveal not just different cultures, values and people, but also the fact that who we are is not a pre-eminent value, but simply an accident of history and place.
This can’t be seen, though, within the ego-centric process of conventional travel and movement, which is built around the desire to plant a self, import a pre-constructed identity, onto a landscape. Indeed, it is hardly a stretch to say that exploration is systemically problematic, in its acquisitional, traditionally white-European-led 'conquering' of space, whether that be Columbus, or somebody climbing a mountain to stick a flag in the top, or even taking a selfie at the edge of the Grand Canyon to prove we were there.
This can’t be seen, though, within the ego-centric process of conventional travel and movement, which is built around the desire to plant a self, import a pre-constructed identity, onto a landscape. Indeed, it is hardly a stretch to say that exploration is systemically problematic, in its acquisitional, traditionally white-European-led 'conquering' of space, whether that be Columbus, or somebody climbing a mountain to stick a flag in the top, or even taking a selfie at the edge of the Grand Canyon to prove we were there.
We believe that it’s possible to reimagine exploration as a tool for positive change by humbly trying to connect with others and understand place, across spaces and time. As such, we do not believe in travel or exploration in the traditional sense, but we believe in un-exploring.
We believe that it’s possible to reimagine exploration as a tool for positive change by humbly trying to connect with others and understand place, across spaces and time. As such, we do not believe in travel or exploration in the traditional sense, but we believe in un-exploring.
Un-exploring is moving slowly, stopping frequently, not knowing what is around the next bend in the river. Because when we are vulnerable, uncertain and afraid, and still we step forward, is when we are at our most human, which is to say, most humble and engaged, most able to explore actual journeying, moving beyond what we think we already know, and able to leave our restrictive ideas of ourselves behind.
Un-exploring is moving slowly, stopping frequently, not knowing what is around the next bend in the river. Because when we are vulnerable, uncertain and afraid, and still we step forward, is when we are at our most human, which is to say, most humble and engaged, most able to explore actual journeying, moving beyond what we think we already know, and able to leave our restrictive ideas of ourselves behind.
To this end, at Ninth Wave we embark upon journeys into spaces which are conventionally forgotten, or unknown, and move by traditional means (on foot, by canoe, on horseback), focusing on bridging gaps, having conversations and sharing space.
To this end, at Ninth Wave we embark upon journeys into spaces which are conventionally forgotten, or unknown, and move by traditional means (on foot, by canoe, on horseback), focusing on bridging gaps, having conversations and sharing space.
These journeys are often physical, taking place over land and sea - but they are also voyages of the mind, because every journey is necessarily a mental one.
These journeys are often physical, taking place over land and sea - but they are also voyages of the mind, because every journey is necessarily a mental one.
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