Who are you? For some people, it’s the simplest of questions. For Dennis Ranalter, it’s one of deeper significance. As a skier, he has always known who he is. But what about his identity as a human being?
DESCENDANCE follows Dennis on a journey of self-exploration, from reflections on his childhood in Austria to a reconnection with his heritage in Ghana.folgt Dennis auf einer Reise der Selbsterfahrung, von Reflexionen über seine Kindheit in Österreich bis hin zu seiner neuen Verbindung mit seinen Wurzeln in Ghana.follows Dennis on a journey of self-exploration, from reflections on his childhood in Austria to a reconnection with his heritage in Ghana.
“I loved growing up here.
You grow up with a strong
connection to nature,
and I believe that shapes you.”
D-Ran the man
“I’ll know it’s Dennis just from the silhouette”
says X-Games gold medallist Bobby Brown of his friend’s unique style. Power, precision, progress. Dennis might be a quiet guy off the mountain, but on it he’s relentless.
Always motivated, always progressing. On the mountain, it’s simple. He’s D-Ran.
Narrow valley, narrow minds
The first time Dennis became aware that his race could be a problem for some people was in his early teens.
“People looking at me in the restaurant, a stupid comment from the lift guy”, these are just two examples of prejudice he has experienced.
“In the beginning, you don’t really recognise it,” he says, “but then you get to an age where it really starts to hurt.”
“It’s difficult to understand how he felt because we never had to go through what Dennis experienced on a daily basis.”
Gaining perspective
As part of his journey of self-exploration, Dennis travelled to Ghana to reconnect with a previously mysterious part of his heritage.
The opportunity to see his father after years apart, to meet his grandmother for the first time, and to learn more about his Ghanaian roots has fundamentally changed his conception of his own identity.
“Before I was Austrian,
now I’m half Austrian and half Ghanaian.
That’s pretty cool.”
To the future
“The thing that really stuck with me,” said Dennis on his return, “is the feeling that I know where I’m going.”
After years of worrying about how he fitted in, he’s come to powerful realisation about identity in general.
“Don’t hide yourself for not fitting in or being different,” he says, “because different is great.”