Ocean Relationalities: Exploring Ocean Connections Through the Lens of Augmented Reality and Photostories

Ocean relationalities invites PDC delegates to engage in a situated action that explores ocean connections. This situated action presents augmented reality and photostories that express and convey various ocean connections, histories and relationships related to identities, customs, spirituality, well-being, and cultural heritage in Namibia and South Africa. These stories are shared by knowledge holders from coastal communities in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay (Namibia), Algoa Bay and Mandeni (South Africa), and were developed through and during collaborative workshops that employed participatory design and art-based practices. The objectives of these research projects were to elevate and promote ocean knowledge and cultural heritage preservation for posterity and to create a safe space for communities to express their views on current ocean governance processes. Delegates exploring the situated action will engage with the AR app and observe the photostories to explore different ocean relationalities and prompt individual ocean connections.