In this chapter, we journey across borders, time, and culture as we head from South East Asia to South East Africa. Mozambique, a nation shaped by the ebb and flow of its tumultuous history, yet glowing with an enduring determination.
A land touched by the footsteps of ancient civilizations and the sails of Vasco da Gama, bearing stories of resilience, hope, and the undeniable might of the human spirit. A landscape painted with the diverse tongues of its people, from the official Portuguese strains to the intricate web of over 40 indigenous languages, creating a beautiful, nonetheless complex, cultural fabric.
Join host and creator Sunny Fassler as he peels back the layers on Mozambique's intricate tapestry of culture, people, places, and stories with the help of four friends who call the nation separated by the Zambezi river home.
Min Sung Cho, or "Mini," is the pride of Mozambique's surf culture; his good pal Pedro Perino, a race car driver who went from racing in parking lots to the European Le Mans Racing Series, is made from the same cloth. And then there are people like Nobina Morimoto, a Japanese national who made Mozambique her home in 2010, working alongside Mini Cho as the administrator of Tofo Surf Club, an offshoot of South Africa's Surfers, not Street Children, a world-renowned organization that empowers street children and children at risk.
310 miles or roughly 500 kilometers south of Tofo Surf Club in Maputo, an unfolding narrative has begun to cement its place. A far cry from the sea's embrace, the city's asphalt has birthed its own form of rebellion.
Martin Louzecky rallied an international crew of skaters and volunteers, leading the establishment of two major skate parks in the capital. Beyond just venues for skating, these parks serve as communal hubs, places of shared determination and unity, instilling pride in the city's youth and giving them a tangible representation of collaboration and ambition.
Listen in as we bridge the gap between the past and the present, the only way we know how; through the lens of action sports.
Chapter 2 - Mozambique