Why are we making this book?

Mami Wata is a premium African surf brand. Our mission is to share the power of African surf with the world.

The story of surfing in Africa must be told!

AFROSURF is the first book to comprehensively document and celebrate surfing and related street culture in Africa.

Africa’s surfing heritage and unique approach to waveriding is largely undocumented. AFROSURF will explore the power of African surf and its growing, invigorating and inspirational influence on global surf and street culture. Together with Selema Masekela and some of Africa’s finest photographers, writers, creatives and surfers, AFROSURF explores original African surf culture from Morocco to Somalia, Senegal, Mozambique, South Africa and beyond.

The production of this 300-page mindbomb will be funded, with your help, through pledges on this Kickstarter, to ship in December 2020.  And most NB:

We Support African Surf Therapy!

The £30 000 + we’re aiming to raise through Kickstarter will ALL be used  to fund the production of this book and the first print run for our  backers.  Thereafter, the profit from every future edition of AFROSURF, will go to support the groundbreaking work of African surf therapy organisations Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children.

 *Check out our successful Harper Sliders Kickstarter*

What’s special about it?

Measuring 280 x 215mm, AFROSURF is a limited edition 300-page art book celebrating African surf culture and lifestyles through photography, stories, profiles, interviews and design.

• 25+ surfer profiles
• 14 + feature articles and thought pieces
• 18 countries featured
• 1 photo comic
• 200+ photos
• 300 pages
• 1.5 kgs

Global surf culture is dominated by the old Western narrative. We’re creating this book because Africa’s surf story needs to be told. Africa has a unique history of wave riding, our own diverse and original expressions of indigenous surf culture. The Motherland is also the final frontier of global surf exploration. Surfing, and protecting these natural, economic, and social resources (waves) will play an important role in the development of the continent.

Original African perspectives on surfing continue to have an impact on the direction of Africa’s influence of the broader global culture in film, art, photography, design, music, and fashion. Know more!

We’re inspired by the unique surfing lives and experiences of Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, Mozambique, Sao Tome, South Africa, Liberia, Somalia, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cabo Verde, Sierre Leone, Madagascar and more.

Back us now. Be a Fast Thinker! Grab the insane Early Bird specials! Feel the power of African surf!

£30k is a lot of money. Why?

AFROSURF is a collaborative effort. We insist that the ORIGINAL AND TALENTED cast of contributors, content creators, designers, photographers and writers involved in the making of AFROSURF are paid fairly and that this high quality and beautifully designed publication is produced in line with the highest ethical and sustainability standards.

AFROSURF is not only about documenting surf culture in Africa, we’re actively supporting it too.

• We use all the funds from this Kickstarter to create the first edition of AFROSURF – The Book, print and distribute it to our backers.
• Thereafter, ALL the profit from every future edition goes to support the groundbreaking work of African surf therapy organisations Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children – changing lives through surfing in Africa.

PLEDGE NOW! Join team Africa. Get on the AFROSURF bus…

How do we make it happen?

The world needs more original African surf culture. Our community is standing ready to play their part and support. We’ve pulled together the best African creatives to make AFROSURF – The Book and encouraged and incentivised them to share the project in their networks. We’ve got incredible PR and media backing from our friends and partners in Africa, the US, Europe, and Japan. Mami Wata co-founder Selema Masekela is leading the charge with his huge Instagram following. We’re primed and ready to make it happen.

But we need your help!

To support the project, here at Mami Wata, we’ve designed and manufactured the unique and exclusive AFROSURF T-shirt, which is exclusive and will only ever be available by supporting this Kickstarter.

To get the ball rolling, we’re offering 25 original, high-quality Mami Wata (made with power in Africa) Sweatshirts (value £60 each) and 30 T-shirts (value £35 each) as Fast Thinker, Early Bird incentives with your order of the AFROSURF.

And we’ve also put together some discounts so you can make AFROSURF – The Book your finest Xmas gift ever.

*Hit us up if you want to place a WHOLESALE RETAIL ORDER for your store or book shop! Bulk orders increase our economies of scale and allow us to donate more to the surf therapy programs. ORDER NOW at helpglobal@mamiwatasurf.com

And remember, to tell the story of AFROSURF this successful Kickstarter will cover all book production costs. After that, the ALL profits from future sales of AFROSURF will support the work of African surf therapy organisations Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children.

Look good, do good, surf good! 

Every pledge helps us do more good through the power of African surf!

 The Rewards

Sticker Pack

Pledge £10 and scoop 5 epic, original Mami Wata AFROSURF stickers!

 Just The Book

Pledge £45 you get a copy of the 300-page AFROSURF mindbomb! The first book to comprehensively document and celebrate surfing and related street culture in Africa. Do not doubt us. Your bookshelf needs it.

The Book + Sticker Pack

Pledge £50 gets you a copy of the 300-page AFROSURF + the stickers and £5 stays in your pocket.

The Book + Limited Edition Tee + Sticker Pack

Pledge £70. You get the AFROSURF Book, the limited edition T-shirt (made with love and power in Africa) and original Mami Wata AFROSURF stickers. Money well spent! Pledge hard. Pledge fast!

 2 x Books

Pledge £80 and grab 2 copies and a £10 discount. Get your own copy of AFROSURF – The Book and a second book for your mom, best friend, lover or favourite family member! Share the incredible story of original African surf culture.

 3 x Books

Pledge £120 for 3 copies of AFROSURF. A copy for yourself – and two for under the Xmas tree! Share the love and inspiration of surfing in Africa with your crew! The perfect gift for lovers, friends and adventurers… at a discount.

 Wholesale Orders

Got bulk?! Minimum 10 copies. Stock your book shop, café or surf shop. Or just buy for friends and be popular. Please contact helpglobal@mamiwatasurf.com if you are interested in wholesale orders of AFROSURF – The Book. We will quote you directly.

 About Mami Wata

Mami Wata is a premium African surf lifestyle brand committed to connecting the world to the power of African surf. We work closely with organisations like Waves for Change to fulfil our purpose of being a force for good in Africa.

About the Surf Therapy Organisations

•  Waves for Change provides mental health services to at-risk youth living in unstable communities. Through access to safe spaces, caring mentors, and regular Surf Therapy sessions, Waves for Change helps thousands of young Africans to cope with stress, regulate behaviour, build healing relationships, and make positive life choices.
•  Surfers Not Street Children transform lives through surfing and mentorship in Africa. The organisation works to empower ex-street children and children at risk of street connectedness, through surfing and mentorship programmes.

Why Kickstarter?

In 2019, we launched our first Kickstarter to raise funds to build a Surf Club House for the Harper Sliders Surf Club in Liberia in association with Waves for Change. This was a massive success that inspired and encouraged us to do more through the platform.

The idea to fund AFROSURF, the first book to comprehensively document and celebrate surfing and related street culture in Africa, through Kickstarter was an obvious one.

As a young African surf lifestyle brand with big ambitions, Kickstarter allows us to connect with a relevant and receptive global community. With your support we will tell the world about the power of African surf and to continue to make a real difference in the lives of young Africans through Surf Therapy organisations Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children.

AFROSURF – The Book Timeline

Our Kickstarter runs for 30 days and finishes mid-September 2020.

– We are already hard at work creating content for AFROSURF to ensure we meet our November shipping deadline, so the book is available for Xmas 2020. The content production and design process began in May and will run until the end of September 2020.

– By the end of September, we consolidate all the pledges and place orders with our manufacturers for the exclusive, one-off, limited edition AFROSURF T-shirts.

– In October we print AFROSURF – The Book.

– Early November, the book and our product arrives from our manufacturers and undergoes quality control.

– Mid-November we plan shipping and distribution.

– Early December we ship the goods. Which means you should be getting your rewards in time for the holiday season!

 Manufacturing Roadmap & Ethics

Mami Wata manufactures all our products in Africa, using suppliers who care about their workers and using the most ethical manufacturing practices and processes available. This is an ongoing journey that we have proudly undertaken as part of our manifesto to be a force for good in Africa. Come with us!

In the creation of AFROSURF – The Book, we insist that our incredible team of contributors, content creators, designers, photographers and writers are paid well and that this high quality and beautifully designed art book is produced in line with our ethical and sustainability standards.

Thank Yous

Big thanks must be extended to all the AFROSURF subjects and contributors: surfers, sliders, originals, photographers, writers, designers and creatives. Without you there is no book and no original African surf culture. Shine on!

Huge thanks, power and love to the teams at Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children. The work you do continues to uplift and inspire us. We are honoured to be associated with your organisations.