‘Cinematographers, marine scientists, freedivers, storytellers and journalists,’ read the intimidating call. My imagination did the unimaginable, and it flooded me with the most alluring images of all the journey could be if I just dared to apply. I let out was a massive groan, I felt sorely out of depth

I remember the morning I found the application forms for the NEWF Decade Divemaster Storytelling Lab, it was a Thursday and the application date had been extended by an additional 5 days which were ending the following day.

So with no real plan on how I would sway the panel to accept my application, I started with and stuck to the truth hoping my vulnerability would do me good. What was my connection with nature? A fairly easy question in the traditional sense, a bit harder when your connection with nature had always been esoteric, magical. Communicating this magic in words was hard, but again start and stick to the truth.

My truth is, mina ngiyingane yedlozi, I am child of the forefathers. When I walk into the wilderness an inexplicable kind of serenity descends upon me. Everything quiets until the pulse of the forest beats in my chest, in this moment I am spirit first and human second.

What is my connection with nature? When I am in trance, nature and I are one, the whistling wind emanates from within me, the shimmy of the leaves prompts all the hairs on my arms into standing up. As the clouds trapeze across the sun so do my eyelids blink, welcoming light and sight. My gift as a Sangoma has trained me so, to honour the earth, the plants she births and the animals that roam. My connection with nature is my heritage.

What had I hoped to achieve out of this lab? I hoped to gain a greater understanding on how to produce wildlife and nature stories, while including the indigenous knowledge of the communities that safe guarded said wildlife. I also desperately wanted to be in UN World Heritage Site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This lab was the perfect opportunity for me to marry two parts of myself, Gogo Hlongwa who carried the secrets of the forefathers on how to coexist with this great source called the earth. With media practitioner Thandeka who wanted to encourage people to be mindful of their consumption choices and promote conservation as an important adaptation skill.

When we touched base in Sodwana Bay our first task was to complete a 200m swim, before enrolling for our OpenWater20 scuba diving course. During this time I found a new part of myself, not entirely Gogo Hlongwa and not entirely Thandeka, someone new was birthed. Someone who had to rely on both these parts of herself to get through these mentally and physically vexxing tasks.

The lab was structured in such a way that during the day we were in the water, anywhere from an hour to six hours was the norm. During the afternoon to the evening we consulted with renowned speaclists in their fields who mentored us on storytelling, filmmaking, science communication, cinematography and photography.

As I pushed my body and mind to limits I had no idea existed, I realized my spirit was what held me together. The only difference now was that I relied on it for my own healing and that was the greatest gift the waters gave me. A reliance on self, knowing that the vessel had enough for me as well. As a healer I’m used to sharing all of me with others and leaving very little behind for self, I was trained to tread on.

This line of work can get lonely and it’s very easy being misunderstood, for the duration of the lab I really found comfort in learning that even if I was lonely I could never truly be alone. The wonders my eyes saw underwater were things I only had dreamt of or engaged with while in trance. To be in that place everyday was an honor.

Since my return home I’ve struggled quantifying the feeling of breathing underwater to my loved ones, the task isn’t without its difficulties and it would be a lie to say it was only ever smooth sailing. Our instructors world class training coupled with heaps of patience did most of the job.

The remaining bit came from the pull of the stories in the ocean that called me home. That’s the best way I can describe this experience, it was returning home to myself.

Buyela ekhaya weMngoma! Return home child of the Spirits.