2020-21 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
114 Cultural Tourism ( Newspapers,Travel Magazines,Travel Coverage in General Magazines,Travel Audio-Radio,Travel Audio-Podcasts and Guides)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Condé Nast Traveler Entry Title: Exploring Bahia's Afro-Brazilian Roots Entry Credit: Saki Knafo Judge Comment: The conversational beginning of this story belies its serious backstory and engages readers immediately: "This is the place where most of the Africans were brought. That's probably the first thing you should know about Bahia.” The descriptive writing gives readers a sense of history and aesthetics — then and now — that linger in the mind. It’s this juxtaposition that creates a desire to know and to consider not only the beauty of Bahia, but also its cultural history. Readers are invited to discover this for themselves with insider details skillfully placed by the author about celebrated cultural dances and more.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Alexis Adams Entry Title: Italy's Timeless Trails/What you can learn by following the herd in Italy Entry Credit: Alexis Marie Adams, Giuseppe Nucci Judge Comment: This story introduces a little-discussed way of life, transhumance, as a vital intangible cultural aspect of humanity, with ties to the world’s cultural past and present. The author’s reporting shows that this lifestyle of moving livestock between winter and summer pastures not only continues in Italy but also spans the globe from the U.S. to Ethiopia. The author lifts ideas about transhumance for consideration: its impact on biodiversity, its ability to link grasslands and forest and to create corridors for wildlife and habitat. In addition, we see its provenance with special cheeses, yodeling, feasts, festivals, and more. Solid sourcing and writing on an intriguing topic.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Christopher P Baker Entry Title: Cuba and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Entry Credit: Christopher P. Baker Judge Comment: “Harleys — once numerous in Cuba — are rarer than an Elvis sighting.” Through the lens of these motorcycles, the author reveals the social history of Cuba in intriguing and entertaining ways. The reporting uncovers little-known facts of Harley history there, that many were buried after the revolution, that many vintage bikes are now national treasures and that their “intestinally reconstituted engines are monuments to mechanical wizardry.” We also see the cultural context.
