OCEANS
OCEANS
Due to the proximity of the seas and oceans around The Dzjangal, Tiburtina and Los Arenales, I have broadened my understanding and moved away from the binary notion of the city’s "periphery' and 'center' to interpret these places as connective and strategic imaginary entities for today's migration in Europe and South America. The profound symbolism of the oceans and seas, particularly the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Pacific and the Atlantic, where these three fieldworks are located, are present throughout this dissertation. From their sound, texture and poetry to their theoretical consideration from a postcolonial perspective. The omnipresence of the sea and ocean acts as the guiding thread in this dissertation, weaving together the narratives of these places, their inhabitants and the ideas and concepts associated with them, emphasizing both historical and contemporary migration tales (see Chapter Oceans & Places).
Delving into the geographical, territorial, natural and cultural facets of oceans and seas, I unveil the intricate relationships between past and present histories, locations and routes, drawing connections to colonial legacies and the ongoing phenomenon of migration. From a European standpoint, the strategic positioning of The Dzjangal on the Calais-France coast, facing the English Channel, renders it a pivotal site in the migratory journey of African diasporas. The constant ebb and flow of residents seeking passage across the North Sea corridor to the UK encapsulates the essence of these places. Similarly, Tiburtina, nestled in Rome, a crucial city-corridor in the contemporary migratory path to Northern Europe, is witness to the dangerous routes by which many people-in-transit have crossed the Mediterranean to get reach Rome and later continue their journey to Northern European cities such as Calais and thus reach the United Kingdom. These perilous journeys, underscored by the Mediterranean and the English Channel, are embedded in the migratory narratives of those residing in these places. Crossing the Atlantic Oceans, when viewed through a South American lens, Los Arenales in the northern Chilean desert is marked by the Pacific Ocean as a pivotal witness. Afro-Caribbean communities navigate mountain ranges, jungles and deserts to settle in Chile, and the echoes of past colonial trade voyages carried by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans subtly linger in the narratives of these communities, albeit to a lesser extent. The Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Atlantic and the Pacific are the cultural and symbolic material of these particular migration narratives. They are multi-layered water spaces that rather than being seen as ‘empty spaces’, are rich with stories, journeys, dreams and hopes (Ndikung and Römhild, 2022), interwoven by the history of colonial trade and the tragic events of the present.
Delving into the geographical, territorial, natural and cultural facets of oceans and seas, I unveil the intricate relationships between past and present histories, locations and routes, drawing connections to colonial legacies and the ongoing phenomenon of migration. From a European standpoint, the strategic positioning of The Dzjangal on the Calais-France coast, facing the English Channel, renders it a pivotal site in the migratory journey of African diasporas. The constant ebb and flow of residents seeking passage across the North Sea corridor to the UK encapsulates the essence of these places. Similarly, Tiburtina, nestled in Rome, a crucial city-corridor in the contemporary migratory path to Northern Europe, is witness to the dangerous routes by which many people-in-transit have crossed the Mediterranean to get reach Rome and later continue their journey to Northern European cities such as Calais and thus reach the United Kingdom. These perilous journeys, underscored by the Mediterranean and the English Channel, are embedded in the migratory narratives of those residing in these places. Crossing the Atlantic Oceans, when viewed through a South American lens, Los Arenales in the northern Chilean desert is marked by the Pacific Ocean as a pivotal witness. Afro-Caribbean communities navigate mountain ranges, jungles and deserts to settle in Chile, and the echoes of past colonial trade voyages carried by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans subtly linger in the narratives of these communities, albeit to a lesser extent. The Mediterranean, the North Sea, the Atlantic and the Pacific are the cultural and symbolic material of these particular migration narratives. They are multi-layered water spaces that rather than being seen as ‘empty spaces’, are rich with stories, journeys, dreams and hopes (Ndikung and Römhild, 2022), interwoven by the history of colonial trade and the tragic events of the present.