#I recognize the irony in loving Quaritch as someone who tries to uplift indigenous voices and is an advocate for indigenous sovereignty

[kaspavanlortsyal]

Let It Be Enough - 1 Year Anniversary

"You will always be enough."

This beautiful art was commissioned from the incredibly talented Elle Noir (twitter/instagram/deviantart)! Thank you, Elle, for bringing this beautiful moment in their story to life.

This time last year, I posted the first chapter of Let It Be Enough on AO3. The butterfly effect of my simple desire to share my silly little story is unbelievable. In one year it garnered over 50k hits on AO3, and that isn't even the coolest part. I made lifelong friends, found a community of wonderful writers, and fell in love. I reflect upon 2023 and bear witness to the power of storytelling. I never thought that I'd still be writing fanfiction about Petra and Miles a year later in the form of my Fairytale AU, The Memory of Stars, and yet here I am.

The world of Avatar is magnificent. It gives me hope that the highest grossing movie of all time is an allegory about colonialism. It emphasizes the importance and beauty of our connection to the Earth (or in the case of the Na’vi, Pandora), and condemns corporate greed. I sincerely love Avatar, not just because of the nostalgia, but because of how bold it is in its storytelling.

Stories are the backbone of society. For all of human history, we have told each other stories. Stories shape our worldview and helps us convey emotions and ideas. Every person finds their own truth in the shape of words.

James Cameron is a fantastic storyteller. However, he is also a white man, and some stories are not his to tell. Many aspects of the Na’vi are drawn from real world indigenous cultures. I understand that he consulted various groups in his development of the Na’vi, but if you enjoy Avatar, I strongly encourage you to seek out own voices stories as well. Our world is troubled and complicated, but I truly believe that it gets better each time someone opens their mind to traditional indigenous knowledge. That gives me hope more than anything: the will to listen. 

One of my favourite books: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (If you're a fan of audiobooks, Robin reads the audiobook herself and it’s incredible. I highly highly recommend picking this up, especially if you like plants.)

Also, if you are playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, please dedicate time to researching Residential Schools and their dark legacy in North America. You will better understand the real world inspiration of the Ambassador Program, but more importantly, you will be offering a listening ear to the important stories of survivors. Feel free to add more book suggestions to the comments as well!

Thank you for being here.