The Ocean as Living History

In Gabriella Tesfaye’s short film, “The Water Will Carry Us Home,” she reimagines the Ocean as a living history, depicting it as a place that holds the souls and voices of the enslaved, transforming their anguish into freedom and renewal. The use of Mermaids in Tesfaye’s film explores the concept that the Ocean not only remembers and preserves but also restores. Her stop-motion film paves the way for lost voices to be brought to the surface. 

Following the ships that sailed through the Middle Passage, Tesfaye’s film highlights the lives of numerous enslaved Africans who were thrown overboard into the sea. At 3:38 of the video, Tesfaye shows someone being thrown from the ship, depicting how “unwanted” Africans were meant to be forgotten. Not only is this film made with hand-drawn art, but Tesfaye also uses cutouts of real enslaved Africans. This enhances the reality of the story she is telling, as authentic pictures of historical events help prove to the watchers that these are real stories. One minute later, at 4:38, a water “spirit” is shown following close behind the ship. This water spirit takes the form of a Mermaid and presents the notion that she is protecting the History of the Africans aboard the vessel. At 4:20 of the video, we see this Mermaid spirit whispering close to one of the abandoned Africans. Rather than seeing the Ocean as a void of the Earth, she illustrates it as a form of consciousness. Using this spirit to reimagine the Ocean as a place that holds living archives of their stories. She highlights the essence of the Ocean as it absorbs and remembers the souls of the enslaved, ultimately reviving their spirits. These bodies and stories, which were meant to be erased, have been preserved and protected by the Ocean. Tesfaye turns a moment of horror into beauty by displaying the Ocean as a place of safety and stability for these forgotten stories. This accentuates the concept that the Ocean holds on to the stories that History wants to silence. By giving the water its own voice, Tesfaye highlights the importance of protecting the humanity of the people who were denied it on land.

The main Mermaid depicted in Tesfaye’s film serves as a kind of guardian to their lost souls. At 4:32 in her short film, three lost souls are shown being transformed into Mermaids, ultimately preserving their cultural history. The Mermaid portrayed in this short film serves as a spiritual rebirth for the enslaved, transforming their suffering into a new beginning. These people have been given a second life away from the pain and suffering they endured on land. Tesfaye’s Mermaid creates a haven for these souls, reinforcing the idea that ancestral traditions survive through the Ocean despite erasure. The Mermaids embody the essence of the Ocean, restoring souls and humanity within these forgotten memories. At 4:46 of her short film, Tesfaye shows the mending of a family whose lives were meant to be lost at sea. A mother, father, and baby are the main focus of this scene, emphasizing how the Mermaid carries out the Ocean’s role in preserving their souls. By restoring their agency and identity, the Mermaid in this story brings a sense of belonging to those who were forcibly removed from their homes. Ultimately, illustrating how the Ocean acts as a form of History, giving new life and preserving the souls of the Africans whose stories were suppressed. 

Through her rich imagery and artistic language, Gabriella Tesfaye transforms the Ocean into an active form of History and rebirth. Her short film reinforces the idea that the Ocean is the keeper of their souls and stories. She restores the History of the Middle Passage through her exposure and remembrance of their History as protected by the Ocean. “The Water Will Carry Us Home” serves as a voice for the enslaved, demonstrating that the Ocean preserves not only their pain but also their identity, strength, and link to their ancestors.