I was a little nervous about introducing the character of Mami Wata. As a (white) American writing a story based in west Africa, I was worried that I would get the character wrong and commit an act of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation can be defined as “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” But… I really liked the idea of a powerful water spirit giving Kofi his power, so I decided to explore the idea with west African friends and collaborators—and they loved it! In particular, my colleague Stephanie, who has served as a cultural advisor and subject matter expert in maritime issues throughout the creative process, thought that it was great. She admitted that growing up she was always a little scared of Mami Wata, but the idea of the water spirit bestowing a power on Kofi to help save the seas seemed perfect. I look forward to carefully and consciously exploring this character further!
