Nina Mingya Powles delves into a variety of subjects in her collection of essays titled Small Bodies of Water. These essays cover a wide range of topics and traverse hemispheres, delving into objects and concepts such as orcas, ideograms, ichthyology, tofu, and kōwhai trees. The central theme that ties these essays together is water — be it oceans, harbors, swimming pools, or waterfalls. Small Bodies of Water was the recipient of the inaugural Nan Shepherd Prize in 2019, an award that celebrates new voices in nature writing. In a similar vein to works like Leanne Shapton’s Swimming Studies and Ingrid Horrocks’s recent Where We Swim, Powles uses personal reflections to explore the myriad meanings — personal, familial, and ecological — associated with swimming or living near bodies of water.
While Powles does address the concerns of climate change and environmental degradation, she also touches on personal vulnerabilities and societal issues. She grapples with emotions evoked by a climate report on Borneo’s sea level rise and sheds tears watching Frozen 2, questioning whether it’s possible to write about nature without a sense of loss. She reflects on the unequal access to swimming lessons, highlighting how public pools can be spaces dominated by gender, class, and racial inequalities.
Throughout the book, Powles uses bodies of water as metaphors for personal struggles and moments of duality. She often searches for a sense of rootedness and belonging amidst a life defined by constant movement and change. Her experiences of displacement and homesickness prompt her to ponder the concept of “home” and where her true anchor lies, if anywhere at all. The notion of belonging is further examined in the context of her mixed cultural heritage and the legacy of colonialism, as she contemplates what it means to live on land acquired through colonization.
While the essays in Small Bodies of Water meander between personal narratives and reflections on place, Powles navigates the complexities of identity and connection. In one striking essay, she juxtaposes her family history with botanical accounts of Mount Kinabalu, drawing parallels between personal exploration and colonial legacies. This juxtaposition prompts her to confront questions of heritage and accountability, urging her to seek a deeper understanding of her place in the world.
Despite the rich tapestry of themes and ideas woven throughout the book, there is a risk that the fragmented nature of the narrative may at times overshadow deeper reflections on belonging and identity. The challenge for Powles is to find solidity amid the fluidity of her experiences and beliefs, to reconcile the myriad facets of her identity without losing sight of her roots.
