#Pasifika Voices

[curuniel]

Honestly what makes you feel like you have a bad voice is being around people who are a) trained or b) have done a lot more casual amateur singing throughout their life than you.

You can fix a lot of that by singing more!

I may be becoming the guy at work who won't let people talk bad about their own singing voices, but to be fair people keep talking bad about their singing voices to me

[irawhiti]

while everyone's rightfully talking about oppenheimer and its flaws regarding the erasure of japanese and native american voices regarding nuclear testing and detonations, i'd like to bring up the fact that pacific islanders have also been severely impacted by nuclear testing under the pacific proving grounds, a name given by the US to a number of sites in the pacific that were designated for testing nuclear weapons after the second world war, at least 318 of which were dropped on our ancestral homes and people. i would like if more people talked about this.

important sections are bolded for ease of reading. i would appreciate this being reblogged since it's a bit alarming how few people know about this.

--

in 1946, the indigenous peoples of pikinni (the bikini atoll) were forcibly relocated off of their islands so that nuclear tests could be run on the atoll. at least 23 nuclear bombs were detonated on this inhabited island chain, including 20 hydrogen bombs. many pasifika were irreversibly irradiated, all of them were starved during multiple forced relocations, and the island chain is still unsafe to live on despite multiple cleanup attempts. there are several craters visible from space that were left on the atoll from nuclear testing.

the forced relocation was to several different small and previously uninhabited islands over several decades, none of which were able to sustain traditional lifestyles which directly lead to further starvation and loss of culture and identity. there is a reason that pacific islanders choose specific islands to inhabit including access to fresh water, food, shelter, cloth and fibre, climate, etc. and obviously none of these reasons were taken into account during the displacements.

200 pikinni were eventually moved back to the atoll in the 1970s but dangerous levels of strontium-90 were found in drinking water in 1978 and the inhabitants were found to have abnormally high levels of caesium-137 in their bodies.

--

i'm going to put the rest of this post under a readmore to improve the chances of this being reblogged by the general public. i would recommend you read the entirety of the post since it really isn't long and goes into detail about, say, entire islands being fully, utterly destroyed. like, wiped off of the map. without exaggeration, entire islands were disintegrated.

--

as i just mentioned, ānewetak (the eniwetok atoll) was bombed so violently that an entire island, āllokļap, was permanently and completely destroyed. an entire island. it's just GONE. the world's first hydrogen bomb was tested on this island. the crater is visibly larger than any of the islands next to it, more than a mile in diameter and roughly fifteen storeys deep. the hydrogen bomb released roughly 700 times the energy released during the bombing of hiroshima. this would, of course, be later outdone by other hydrogen bombs dropped on the pacific, reaching over 1000 times the energy released.

one attempt to clean up the waste on ānewetak was the construction of a large ~380ft dome, colloquially known as the tomb, on runit island. the island has been essentially turned into a nuclear waste dump where several other islands of ānewetak have moved irradiated soil to and, due to climate change, rising seawater is beginning to seep into the dome, causing nuclear waste to leak out. along with this, if a large typhoon were to hit the dome, there would be a catastrophic failure followed by a leak of nuclear waste into the surrounding land, drinking water, and ocean. the tomb was built haphazardly and quickly to cut costs.

hey, though, there's a plus side! the water in the lagoon and the soil surrounding the tomb is far more radioactive than the currently contained radioactive waste. a typhoon wouldn't cause (much) worse irradiation than the locals and ocean already currently experience, anyway! it's already gone to shit! and who cares, right, the only ""concern"" is that it will just further poison the drinking water of the locals with radioactive materials. this can just be handwaved off as a nonissue, i guess. /s

--

at least 36 bombs were detonated in the general vicinity of kiritimati (christmas island) and johnson atoll. while johnson atoll has seemingly never been inhabited by polynesians, kiritimati was used intermittently by polynesians (and later on, micronesians) for several hundred years. many islands in the pacific were inhabited seasonally and likewise many pacific islanders should be classified as nomadic but it has always been convenient for the goal of white supremacy and imperalism to claim that semi-inhabited areas are completely uninhabited, claimable pieces of terra nullius.

regardless of the current lack of inhabitants on these islands, the nuclear detonations have caused widespread ecological damage to otherwise delicate island ecosystems and have further spread nuclear fallout across the entirety of the pacific ocean.

--

while the marshall islands, micronesia, and the surrounding areas of melanesia and polynesia were (and still are) by far the worst affected by these atrocities, the entirety of the pacific has been irradiated to some extent due to ocean/wind currents freely spreading nuclear fallout through the water and air. all in all, at least 318 nuclear bombs were detonated across the pacific. i say "at least" because these are just the events that have been declassified and frankly? i wouldn't be shocked to find out they didn't stop there.

please don't leave the atomic destruction of the pacific out of this conversation. we've been displaced, irradiated, murdered, poisoned, and otherwise mass exterminated by nuclear testing on purpose and we are still suffering because of it. many of us have radiation poisoning, many of us have no safe ancestral home anymore. i cannot fucking state this enough, ISLANDS WERE DISINTEGRATED INTO NONEXISTENCE.

look, this isn't blaming people for not talking about us or knowing the extent of these issues, but it's... insidiously ironic that i haven't seen a single post that even mentions pacific islanders in a conversation about indigenous voices/voices of colour being ignored when it comes to nuclear tests and the devastation they've caused.

[bluewatersfairy]

Hīkoi te Tiriti arrives in Pōneke today to reach Parliment and I just wanted to take a second here to say our current government is racist and full of the worst kinds of people. Fuck David Seymour and the entire ACT party, the treaty bill they proposed is purely about taking the little Māori are promised (because Te Tiriti is barely honoured) and uses the term "equality for all" and talk of the youth of Aotearoa to disguise the pure hatred that it represents.

Aotearoas reaction and protest to this bill is peaceful opposed to this violent-natured bill. We are watching our tangata whenua be stripped our their rights (AGAIN) and be told that they have no right to the whenua that has and always will be theres.

I have a lot to say on this but it is not my voice that matters. I wanted to share this monumental day with you all, and make it clear that I stand with Tanagata Whenua (Māori peoples) the same way they have stood with my Pasifika brothers and sisters in the past. I stand on their whenua, they are Aotearoas past, present and future.

Today, and every day, I will be yelling as loud as I can, Toitū Te Tiriti, honour te Tiriti.

[mudaship39]

Heart of Dragon Fire, Soul of Phoenix Flame, & Ocean Blood of Sea Fairy

Chapter 1: Verse:

The Land and the Seas, She Calls To Me, Her Long Lost Child Home:

Ever since I could remember

Ever since I was a child 

Every night in my dreams

I have always heard an earth voice

I have always heard an ocean song 

A voice of fire and a song of flame that sounds serene, tranquil, calm, & melodic

An ocean song voice that was matriarchal, loving, & kind

An earth voice that was paternal, protective, & caring

A song that somehow sounds like the very ocean itself

A voice that somehow sounds like the very earth itself

An ocean song that sounds so recognizable to me

As a Southeast Asian Vietnamese or Kinh Indigenous and East Asian Chinese or Hoa person of color 

An earth voice that sounds so familiar to me

As a Kinh Indigenous and Polynesian Tahitian Indigenous Pasifika 

She is calling to me and saying that I am her long lost child

One that was stolen from the Earth, the Ocean, & the Sky a very long time ago

As a displaced state side disconnected diaspora 

I know her voice but I do not know her face

I know her song but I do not know her touch

I know her voice but I do not know her embrace

I know her song but I do not know her bond

The land and the sea ever since they were a child

She has called them every night in their dreams

Her long lost child long ago that was stolen from her

A child with a body made of earth, made of ocean, & made of sky

She calls to them with her earth voice

She calls to them with her ocean song

The land and the sea however she weeps and she grieves                            

She grieves because her long lost child does not know her tongue

The land and the sea though every single night she weeps 

The land and the sea though every single day she mourns

She mourns because her child born of fire, flame, & water does not understand her voice

She mourns because her child born with a body made of earth, ocean, & sky does not comprehend her songs

I know her earth voice but I do not know her touch 

I know her ocean song but I do not know her embrace

I am a Vietnamese, Chinese or Hoa, French, & Polynesian Tahitian Indigenous Pasifika person of color

I am a displaced state side disconnected Polynesian Indigenous Pasifika and Kinh Indigenous diaspora  

The land and the sea she calls to me her long lost child home but I cannot answer her

The land and the sea she calls to them her long lost child home but they cannot answer her

She laments because her long lost child does not know her food

She laments because her long lost child does not know her songs

She laments because her long lost child does not know her dances

She grieves because her long lost child does not know their cultural identity

She grieves because her long lost child doesn’t know their traditions, culture, heritage, & customs

She grieves because her long lost child knows her voice 

She grieves because her long lost child does not know her face, does not know her touch, & does not know her embrace

She weeps because her long lost child does not understand her earth voice 

She weeps because her long lost child does not comprehend her ocean songs 

She weeps because her long lost child with a sea fairy aura has never swam in her seas and has never set foot on her soil

She weeps because her long lost child with a body made of earth, ocean, & sky has never been home

She grieves because her long lost child’s fire dragon heart is not whole

She grieves because her long lost child’s flame phoenix soul is not complete and is trying to heal

She grieves because her long lost child born of fire, flame, & water is split broken pieces trying to become whole 

She grieves because her long lost child is lost trying to come home

The land and the sea she calls to me her long lost child home but I cannot answer her

The land and the sea she calls to them her long lost child home but they cannot answer her

I cry because I do not know my traditions, culture, language, customs, spirituality, & heritage

I weep because I do not know my cultural identity

She hopes one day they can answer her because they know her tongue

On that day, she knows she will cry happy tears

She will celebrate because her long lost child does know her tongue

She will celebrate because her long lost child does know her food

She will celebrate because her long lost child does know her songs

She will celebrate because her long lost child does know her dances

She will cheer because her long lost child does know their cultural identity

She will cheer because her long lost child does know their traditions, customs, language, culture, spirituality, & heritage

She will cheer because her long lost child does know their cultural identity

She will rejoice because her long lost child knows her voice, her face, & her touch

She will rejoice because her long lost child knows her embrace

She will rejoice because her long lost child has swam in her seas and has set foot on her soil

She will be proud because her long lost child understands her voice 

She will be proud because her long lost child comprehends her songs 

She will cry happy tears because her long lost child’s heart is whole

She will cry happy tears because her long lost child’s soul is complete

She will cry happy tears because her long lost child is finally home

On that day she will welcome them home with open arms

Her long lost child with a body made of earth, made of ocean, & made of sky

The land and the sea she calls to me her long lost child home but I will answer her

I will answer her because one day I will know how to speak her tongue

I will cry tears of joy because I do know my traditions, language, culture, spirituality, heritage, & customs  

I cry tears of joy because I do know my cultural identity

I will cry tears of joy because my celestial and stellar dragon heart is whole

I will cry tears of joy because my divine and heavenly phoenix soul is complete

I will cry tears of joy because I am healed

I will cry tears of joy because I am finally home

[andromedasummer]

I've not seen our parliament so united over something in my lifetime. I think it really says something about Efeso's character that he was so staunchly left leaning and protective of minority groups while also managing to speak in a way that got through to people on the other side and convinced them to listen and extend empathy.

It's unnerving in some ways to see your MPs and elected officials sobbing and grieving so openly, but it reminds me that there is a very small barrier between the general public and our elected officials. Living in the capital, working in the city center, seeing and even talking to cabinet members is inevitable.

This is a unique situation compared to other countries that has it's ups (I've had multiple great conversations about mental health in rural areas with Chloe Swarbrick and my mother has had wonderful interactions with both Greens co-leaders while working as a receptionist) and downs (the parliament protest allowing for threats to be made to MPs as they went to/from work, James Shaw being assaulted in the street for being pro-abortion).

This is notable because, culturally, New Zealanders tend to think more positively about politicians (and celebrities) who come off as normal people. Otherwise they're held in incredible amounts of contempt. It's important to a lot of us that we see our leaders out and about, being human beings. Which is why I think Efeso's passing has so greatly affected both those who knew him and the general public, especially those participating or spectating the charity run or who were present at the time/aftermath of his medical event.

My god this news about Efeso Collins is heartbreaking. With the reduction of pacific MPs within our current government and the need for greater presence and representation of pacific voices on the left, I was excited to see him become an MP for the Greens. I can't remember the last time we had an acting politician die while in office, especially not so suddenly and in such a public setting. I hope his wife and children are supported in the coming months/years and that the Green Party and members of his community are given time to grieve this loss.

[seasmoon]

more details for PIRATE'S LIFE verse:

tsireya was not sirena's killer. it was her spirit-brother, rotxo. because of their empathic-psychic link, she took his place as captive of the fishmonger family, paying for his crime. as their people's shaman and the daughter of their spiritual leader, she took it upon herself to protect him. the metkayina harbor a strong sense of communal accountability; it was only natural that one of their strongest fae take on the burden.

she was aided in escaping by the youngest of the family's seven brothers. he was bullied by his older siblings throughout his childhood, and tsireya treated him as a genuine spirit-sibling, so there was a morbid sense of camaraderie between them. both, in a way, felt like captives. he helped her steal a horse from the stables and she quickly rode it out of the estate, and towards the nearest town.

sirena is actively searching for safe passage to the nearest shipping dock or beach. she has the hunter's spirit to protect her, and the calls from their deathless ancestors across the great ocean.

time moves differently in the spirit realm (oceans, skies, etc.). by all accounts, sirena's soul has spent decades there, and simultaneously with landlocked tsireya. she is considered a part of the metkayina's spiritual family. adopted. sirena spent too much of her life with the water, and she felt spiritually estranged with her "biological" family, who were psychologically and ideologically colonial.

mercenaries, marines, and occultists pursue them. but tsireya is a powerful water spirit, and all water spirits experience a form of cledomancy. she foresees danger and acts accordingly, but the warnings are not always linear or clear, relied on "instinct" and "superstition." she uses her siren's voice if necessary, as well. additionally, hunters drown their victims by using bioluminescent hypnosis to completely paralyze their prey in the water or (temporarily) on land for quick escapes.

the metkayina clan possess strong mana. as a tsakarem, tsireya has a powerful relationship with mana.

for oceana/pasifika cultures, "mana" is a word that exists in micronesian, melanesian and polynesian languages that refers to: "supernatural power associated with creativity and excellence. it is inherent in highly respected people (chiefs, leaders, shamans), in sacred objects, and in spiritual forces." (Majorie, Pacific Islands Monthly, circa 1973) because sirena had similar mana, it was instinctual to accept her as a fellow water spirit. in this way, she is "part fish" or "half-fish". but it would be more accurate to say that she is "half-ocean".

through sirena, tsireya and the hunter learn to love the "land". they wish to protect it. some members of the metkayina do not share the same sentiments, and the wrath of spiritual forces can be nightmarish.

tsireya's true, "physical" form is not much different from her look as a na'vi, except with significantly more bioluminescent dermal patterns. when she closes her eyes in the dark, her eyelids appear to be glowing like ghostly pupils (a defensive measure). because water spirits have the molecular structure of liquid ("unstable" atoms, fluidly changing at a molecular level via quantum mechanics), she can still retain sirena's "human" form.

she finds an ally in a jungle-dwelling spirit and trickster demigod, known as lo'ak. half-human, he knows the ways of land-dwelling people, and helps her to understand and navigate a brand new world (to her).

[asianartsblog]

NEW ANNOUNCEMENT

Asian Pasifika Arts Collective and the Asian Arts & Culture Center are excited to announce our 2024 AAPI Voices will be a Visual Arts event held at Atrium Art Space from November 8th - November 10th! This year's theme is "Our Aspirations." We are looking for work that explores hope for the future, ourselves, and each other. How do you aspire to see the world you want for yourself and your community?

All submissions must be sent via email by Friday, October 18th for consideration. Include a headshot, artist statement/bio, and brief descriptions for each art piece. Upon selection, artists will be directed to drop off their physical pieces for installation prior to November 8th and will be responsible for retrieving artwork upon the event's completion. In order to ensure the safety of our artist's work and prevent loss or damages via transit, shipping of pieces will not be an available option.

[ggeorge-ggeorge]

FA8801 supervision review 1: Henry Symonds and George Funaki 07/03

My initial supervision with Henry was interesting, my expectations of a queen with slews of sass was verified and I'm quite glad we're working together. The discussion was open and frank, in a general sense - our aim is to produce a project that is of honours quality which incapsulates my theoretical framework pertaining queer-Pasifika, specifically leiti, within a Tamaki Makaurau diaspora.

We discussed ways of working to produce something tangible to showcase for the April seminars - I suggested an objects based approach since my background pertains design and construction. Henry suggested we find some mean to my making before that and was interested in examples of my previous work in fashion. Henrys feedback was concise, "You have the style, the vision, and your concept is present. But there isn't a lot that you're saying. I think that is what we need to establish".

My practice is collaborative by nature and it is often difficult to establish a singular voice because of that - I had interests in exploring primary ways of making when I jumped on board for the honours programme. Because of my skills, I felt that there was a need, or want, to create independently, to cultivate a focused out view from the collective, and to stray from the confines of working collectively.

Henry suggested that there are ways of incorporating that interest of independent making without jeopardising my experience in collective dialogue, which is a scope, in retrospect, that I do want to maintain to a certain degree. We spoke about queer-Pacific artists who practice within the diaspora with similar out views of the framework I intend to build - such as Yuki Kihara.

Kihara, Yuki. "Fa'afafine - In the Manner of a Woman." 2004. Pigment print on paper, 750 x 870mm.

Henry's passing mention of her piqued an interest in me to sift through the queer-Pacific artists upcoming in Wellington and Tamaki. I have always been familiar with Yuki's work - but never to the extent of actively engaging with it. I can identify similarities between our process with her method of making, particularly her way of navigating self image concurrently advocating for fa'afafine, because her practice aims to disrupt norms of sexuality and gender within spaces that conform to traditional binaries i.e. the brown diaspora of Aotearoa.

Her work tends to encompass Pacific worldviews, how those worldviews inform her self-image, and how sexuality can be woven into traditional spaces. I intend to source Yuki's process to help form my theoretical framework that encompass the worldviews of a leiti (like a lady), the Tongan equivalent of fa'afafine (in the manner of a woman).

[ellynoo]

The air in the debating chamber crackled with tension. The [Fourteenth] Doctor perched discreetly in the public gallery, his gaze flitting between the impassioned speakers, where Hon Grant Robertson was lambasting the government's stance on te reo Māori.

The Doctor's lips tightened. He had seen prejudice and discrimination in all its forms across time and space, and it never ceased to disappoint him. He shifted his attention to the Minister for Regulation, David Seymour, whose interjection about "Pākehā kids" had sparked a fiery exchange.

"Interesting tactic," the Doctor murmured to himself, "appealing to the fear of the majority by suggesting their children are being sidelined. But division only weakens, not strengthens, a society."

Hon Robertson's rebuttal was swift and powerful. He spoke of inclusivity, of embracing both languages as a source of pride for all New Zealanders. The Doctor's hearts warmed. This was the kind of leadership that inspired hope.

Suddenly, the debate took an unexpected turn. A backbencher from the National party, his face flushed with indignation, rose to his feet.

"This is about more than just language!" he boomed, his voice echoing throughout the chamber. "It's about preserving our Kiwi identity! We can't let ourselves be overrun by foreign cultures!"

The Doctor's brow furrowed. This man spoke of fear and exclusion, of clinging to a narrow definition of "Kiwi" that denied the rich tapestry of influences that had shaped the nation.

He couldn't stay silent any longer. Standing up, he cleared his throat, and attracted the attention of the entire chamber.

"Excuse me," he began, "I couldn't help but overhear your concerns about cultural identity. But might I remind you that New Zealand is not a monolith? It's a vibrant land built on the contributions of countless peoples, from Māori and Pākehā to Pasifika and Asian communities. Embrace this diversity, for it is your greatest strength."

A hush fell over the chamber. The Doctor met the backbencher's gaze, holding it steadily. He saw a flicker of doubt, a questioning in the man's eyes.

"And remember," the Doctor continued, "true identity comes not from exclusion, but from embracing the richness of what makes you unique. Te reo Māori is not a threat to your Kiwi identity; it is a vital part of it."

With a final nod, the Doctor sat down, leaving the chamber to ponder his words. He knew it would take time, but he had faith that the people of New Zealand would choose understanding over fear, unity over division. For it was in embracing their full story, with all its complexities and contradictions, that they would truly find their place in the universe.

Hello shy person who is sharing their doctor who fan fiction anonymously

[sjjnyc]

4 ways I've stayed connected to the ocean while living in the desert

I never realized how lucky it was to live right near the Atlantic Ocean. Living on the coast was such a regular part of life for me that I think, maybe, I took it for granted. Or maybe, I didn't think I would end up on a timeline where I lived in the arid West far away from both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Either way, I'll always cherish the ocean, and no matter where I go, I'll still be a salt-water person through and through.

1) Being a student at OCEAN/UNI, a free online university that gifts amazing classes about the ocean.

Sign up for Culturing the Deep Sea!

Towards a common heritage for allkind

October 11 – December 6, 2023

Biweekly live sessions and activations online via Zoom and on Ocean-Archive.org

2) Reading the Funambulist's "The Ocean . . . From the Black Atlantic to the Sea of Islands" was so rich; I loved every single contribution and especially felt intrigued by Black Internationalism in Oceania by Quito Swan.

Micronesian ocean chart representing islands, currents, swell patterns, and drift lines. / Photo by Brewbooks (2008).

Interview excerpt from "Black Internationalism - From Bermuda and Africa to The Oceanian Struggles: A Conversation with Quito Swan"

Léopold Lambert:

Your book is entitled Pasifika Black, which suggests - Pasifika as an adjective and Black as a noun - that your primary goal might have been to make Melanesia surge into a global discourse (which tend to be quite Atlantic- centric) on Blackness, even more than to make Blackness surge into the political history of Oceania. Is it a correct assumption and if so, could you speak to this necessity to multiply the sites from where Blackness is articulated?

Quito Swan:

Yeah, it's a great question, and it is a pretty accurate assumption. I was thinking a lot about what does or did Blackness and race look like from the perspective of Oceania, and the Pacific? If you center the Pacific in this discussion, what does Blackness look like? And I was interested in going beyond the Atlantic formations, because I think, all too many times, Atlantic formations problematically have encouraged us - at least mainstream history - to look at African history as something that starts with the Atlantic slave trade. And as African history clearly does not begin with slavery, the African diaspora does not start or end with the trade as well. Architects of African Diaspora Studies, like Joseph E. Harris out of Howard University, were really keen about also looking east of Africa, and at Black populations that also left Africa voluntarily, as opposed to involuntarily, who may have gone east, by land or by sea.

These images are sourced from The Funambulist Magazine

3) Writing fictional short stories

Wild Sun Catchers written and narrated by Simone Johnson with animation and sound design by Jennifer Parker

A kelp forest mermaid living by and within the Channel Islands in Southern California shares thoughts and stories about home, sea otters, time on land, memory, shallow subtidal dream worlds and the impact of the climate crisis.

You can READ, WATCH and/or LISTEN to the story!

BIG PISCES ENERGY

I wrote Wild Sun Catchers during Pisces season last year, and as usual, people low-key made fun of me for being too much, too out there, too "woo woo". Shout out to relational astrologer Diana Rose for her voice in these earthly-cosmic streets, uplifting Piscean energy and its contribution to the collective.

This series of Instagram posts is from Diana's IG page.

Naomi: a short story about mermaids, marine archeology and slave shipwrecks

Prologue:

This short story takes place along the Mobile Bay, where the river meets the sea, and later at a fictional diner, all located near Plateau, Alabama, or Africatown, where many descendants of enslaved Africans brought over on the Clotilda live. The Clotilda is the last known slave ship to the United States; in 1860 it illegally transported 110 souls on board from Benin, West Africa, across the Atlantic Ocean and into the mouth of the Mobile River where the ship was intentionally set on fire and sunk to hide it as evidence. 

The United States Congress passed the “Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves” in 1808, "making it illegal for Americans to engage in the slave trade between nations". Despite this legislation, slaveships continued making journeys across the Atlantic, and the enslavement and domestic sale of African peoples continued until 1865, when the 13th Amendment in the United States Constitution was ratified, officially abolishing slavery. That same year, Juneteenth was born, an annual holiday where African-Americans remember our ancestor's struggle for freedom and celebrate the end of chattel slavery. It is important to note that slavery, systemic racism and inequality, and discrimination continue to exist in the United States, in other forms and with different names, and collective efforts towards racial justice continue. 

First and foremost, I think it's important to acknowledge that I am not from Africatown or Alabama, and have yet to visit the Mobile River. But my heart pulls me strongly toward Florida and Alabama lands and waters, and the genealogy research my family has done for decades has led us to finding Jane, the last ancestor we can trace on my maternal grandmother's side, being in both Georgia and Alabama. 

Like so many African-American families, we have relied on family memory and passed down oral stories, cooking and food traditions, genealogy research and heirs property to locate our ancestors in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and possibly Alabama. In my personal experience, the further back we go, especially on my grandmother's side, the blurrier details become. But, I'm trusting Alabama and Florida are calling me for a reason.

I learned more about Africatown and the Clotilda after watching "Descendant", an award-winning film by Margaret Brown who returns to her hometown of Mobile, Alabama to document the search for and historic discovery of the Clotilda. With all the other slow research I'm doing around marine archeology, slave shipwrecks, mermaids and family constellations, I notice myself becoming utterly transported by my findings.  

Through the work of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Alabama’s primary marine education and research center, I also learned that manatees (or sea cows) not only swim in Florida waters, but also visit the Alabama coast, Mobile Bay and other waterways. I love manatees, so this is another reason why I am drawn to Alabama. It also happens that manatees are connected to mermaids, a magical relationship I am still researching! 

I am a Colorado born, New York City bred artist who has no lived experience growing up or being in the South that much. But, part of my family and ancestral roots are in this region of the country, and I'm wanting to tend to this curiosity and perhaps subtle longing I have for these geographies, which my grandparents and their parents left, most of them hardly looking back. It was too painful. 

I'm particularly interested in viewing marine archeology, slave shipwrecks and mermaids through the lens-combination of family constellations and the ocean (and waterways in general). Having spent most of my twenties studying agriculture and food sovereignty finding my roots in land, I am now exploring my aquatic roots, which currently branch out into the ocean, especially the Atlantic, Staten Island, waterfronts, ferries, swamps and marshlands, and in the sky. 

Sonya Welch-Moring is a transgenerational practitioner, writer and ancestral researcher. A background as a professional coach, mediator and workshop facilitator, led her to develop Ancestral Constellations. This therapeutic process explores family and community dynamics, using systemic constellations and African spiritual traditions. It is a visual, storytelling approach, using figurines (dollies) to explore unresolved family issues and generational patterns. Sonya uses illustration and narrative in her work and is currently writing a commissioned book on Ancestral Constellations as family research in practice.

*if the video is not working, here is the link

One of my dreams is to have the stories I write translated into film, and so I often find ways to inspire and visualize "Naomi". I adore the work of Los Angeles-based painter Calida Rawls (first two images below) and have imagined the characters through her paintings. The upcoming film "The Little Mermaid" starring singer and actress Halle Bailey has inspired me to do research on Black mermaids and the visual representation of mermaids from the continent of Africa and the Diaspora. Folklorist, anthropologist and author Zora Neale Hurston's work, from her archival film footage to the folk songs she collected and sang, to “Barracoon: The Story of the Last ‘Black Cargo’'', also help me ponder and imagine this living story across space and time. 

Film Mood Board + imaginary cast

From Top to Bottom: Two digital images of Calida Rawls paintings representing the two main characters in the story, the actors LaKeith Stanfield and Samuel L. Jackson, two images of divers from "Diving with a Purpose doing marine archeology work, a screenshot of a news article about the Clotilda, an image of the Clotilda under the Mobile River, a screenshot of the description of the film "Descendant", and a promotion poster for the film. This series of images were posted as a film mood board on my Instagram on July 7, 2022.

What initially inspired "Naomi" is the work of Diving with a Purpose, a 501c3 organization “dedicated to the conservation and protection of submerged heritage resources by providing education, training, certification and field experience to adults and youth in the fields of maritime archaeology and ocean conservation. (Their) special focus is the protection, documentation and interpretation of African slave trade shipwrecks and the maritime history and culture of African-Americans who formed a core of labor and expertise for America’s maritime enterprises”. Learning about their work also raised my awareness around the Slave Wrecks Project, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Inter-American Slave Trade Databases, and the role of New York City in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. 

National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts also hosts "Into the Depths", a six-part podcast series that explores the complex history of the global slave trade and the stories of the estimated 12.5-million Africans forced to make the Middle Passage.

From the moment I read about specific slave shipwrecks, like the Henrietta Marie, The Wanderer, Trouvadore and São José Paquete Africa, I was gripped, and so was my imagination. For me, I feel like the aforementioned water work helps me "touch or feel" the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in a way I have never felt before. I hope one day I can learn how to scuba dive and participate in the search and recovery of slave shipwrecks. 

When I first thought about "Naomi", it was the first name that came to me. I wondered if I should keep searching for another, more African sounding name, but I listened. In all honesty, the spirit of Naomi has many names, just like me, and maybe you too. 

Finally, I started writing this short story not knowing where it would take me, and how it would continually express itself - sharing it on this website could be . . . just the beginning. Thank you for reading!

I had a chance to share my short story at the Oceans as Archives Conference, and here is the abstract I submitted to present:

Photo Source: Oceans as Archives

Abstract: Read about in articles and books, seen in numerous films, found in genealogy research and felt in lineages and bloodlines, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade remains in living memory and in local to global conversations on various scales. What if you could dive underwater off the coast of Florida or in the Mobile River in Alabama and draw a map of a sunken slave ship? What if you found actual shackles from this slave ship and other materials in the hold? 

There is an international network of divers, researchers and institutions locating slave ship wrecks, literal submerged history, around the world. As an artist mostly making work about water and a descendant of enslaved Africans, this work has inspired "Naomi", an early stage multi-year creative writing and film project I'm working on focused on slave shipwrecks, marine archeology and mermaids. 

The goals for the short story I am submitting include 1) researching the three aforementioned topics through an interdisciplinary and interspecies lens 2) weaving connections between these topics through storytelling and 3) contributing to memory, dialogue and knowledge production around the Ocean as an Archive and the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade through underwater perspectives. 

By working on "Naomi" over the next year or so I also want to simultaneously or polychronically explore how this research can support writing new and creative narratives about the relationship between people of African descent and the ocean.

4) Watching and listening to Meditation Ocean

Meditation Ocean is an art, climate, and environmental justice project buoyed by meditation practice, made in service of human and more-than-human thriving.

Conceived and directed by Hope Ginsburg, M.O. is realized by the Meditation Ocean Constellation, an expansive ecosystem of artists, curators, writers, musicians, meditators, divers, and scientists. You can watch many of the videos on their IG account.

Meditation Ocean is supported by the Wexner Center for the Arts Film/Video Studio Program and Artist Residency Award in Film/Video.

[sebastiangrad604]

Week 1

Write a short reflection on Jordan Tane and Kyani Utia's presentation (100-200 words)

What makes me plastic? was a thought provoking campaign. It opened the stage for a very important conversation relating to the divide with Māori and Pasifika communities in relation to urbanization and connection to culture and language. I think the decision within the process to execute a questionnaire to gain more of an understanding of a range of individuals' thoughts in relation to the topic was a vital choice. This gives a clearer understanding of how the wider community feels. The iterative process of using multiple questionnaires and allowing the project to naturally develop from an educational tool to a confrontative campaign was a great process to follow and I think could help inform the way many designers go about the development of their work. I also think the choice to allow who they were photographing to draw on their portraits and be connected to the campaign in that way was a great choice for helping participants have their voice directly rather than filtered through questionnaires etc.

[mudaship39]

Character Bio of the Asian Pasifika demigod and Afro Latine Native alien hybrid main character Part 17

Advanced Next Gen Mecha suit. 

Helios, Prometheus, or Oceanus a cardinal, gold, silver, & obsidian advanced next gen series mech suit series. A mecha is a robotic machine, which can vary widely in size, configuration, and purpose. Mecha are usually vehicles controlled from an onboard cockpit by a single, two, or three pilots. The mecha is repaired, customized, & upgraded by a small to large crew of engineers, scientists, & inventors. 

The mecha is controlled internally by aircraft or spacecraft pilot controls, voice commands, motion capture, thoughts and emotions with synchronization from the pilot, and with several dumb and simple AI and a few advanced and complex AI assistance from inside the cockpit of the mecha. Mecha cockpits have a single pilot, two pilots, three pilots, or even four pilots depending on the mecha make, model, & series. These mecha are piloted by one pilot. 

Sometimes it has a pilot mode that includes a comfortable leather space fighter or aircraft fighter jet piloting seat and space fighter or aircraft fighter jet controls for piloting. For this mode it can have two pilots controlling the mecha suit. These are liked by former space navy or space force pilots. 

These pilots enter the mecha while on base or on a spacecraft or capital ship by an elevator or escalator that takes them to a raised platform that is level with the cockpit of the mecha. The pilot then steps into the mecha suit which closes its hatch behind them. The pilot can also enter the mecha if the mecha is already on sight on the battlefield by parachuting into the mecha after a Halo jump or orbital drop insertion. They can also enter the mecha suit by having the onboard ai of the mecha control it and lower its hand to them so they can climb on and climb inside the mecha suit. If the mecha suit is in space they can enter the mecha while in EVA zero gravity by using a jetpack to fly to the mecha cockpit. 

Metahuman and superhuman super soldier pilots can perfectly assimilate and synchronize with the mecha suit. The mecha works in tandem with their superhuman and metahuman abilities and physiology. By taking advantage of their super soldier training and powered armored super soldier skills. The mecha suit can enter assimilation or synchronization battle mode with the super soldier pilot for several hours without drawbacks or recoil damage to the pilot. 

The mecha is mainly piloted by tracking movements made by the user's body. The pilot when flying the mecha uses a tech suit or body suit. This suit synchronizes and interfaces between the pilot and the mecha. It utilizes a spacious spherical cockpit for full body movement. Made especially for black ops and spec ops super soldiers. It takes full advantage of the abilities of demigod metahumans and superhuman alien hybrids. Pilots essentially become at one with the unit. Acting as the avatar for the mecha's actions and the receptor of any activity to the mecha in return. The pilot also wears a helmet that interfaces and synchronizes their thoughts and emotions with the mecha. Allowing them to command the mecha by their voice as well as conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions. This is assisted by dumb simple AIs (who are complex and smart by regular human and alien standards) and smart advanced AIs who improve the super soldier pilots' already superhuman abilities and piloting.

Has naturally enhanced and artificially enhanced abilities. Their body and mind reacts on a superhuman level when piloting. This increases their natural skill and control when piloting. The main character can also pilot the mecha by hacking into the human and alien technologies itself with their technopathy as a cyborg/bionic. The mecha is only accessible by the pilot using a fingerprint, eye, & dna biometric scanner. In the event of capture by the enemy it has a self destruct sequence that has the destruction of a high yield nuclear weapon. It overloads the nuclear fusion reactor core. 

The mecha is personalized with red, black, white, blue, & green alien and human emblems, decals, & symbols on its face, neck, chest, back, arms, elbows, hands, legs, & knees. The mecha is also decorated with alien and human characters and calligraphy. 

Has high firepower. Is heavily armed. Is heavily armored. Has high maneuverability. Has high accuracy. Is highly customized and upgraded. Is regularly repaired, maintained, & updated by a crew of mechanics, scientists, engineers, & inventors. It has a clean, polished, & new paint look maintained by artists. Its symmetry positively affects its balance and makes it easy to control. Its performance is enhanced with their superior piloting skills.

It flies using spacecraft and aircraft rocket thrusters on its back, arms, legs, & feet. The mecha also flies though a pair of robotic wings and a pair of hard light wings built onto the shoulders of the mecha. It glides and hovers using rocket thrusters on its arms, hands, elbows, knees, legs, ankles, & feet of the mecha. It swims using turbines on its chest, back, arms, hands, legs, ankles, & feet. It has a cooling and ventilation system using space craft turbines, aircraft vents, & a liquid nitrogen cooling system to cool and ventilate the mecha to prevent overheating when using rocket thrusters or when using the mechas immense firepower. 

They are trained as mech pilots using mock duels, VR simulations, combat drills, combat simulations, physical training, & piloting exercises similar to power armor and spacecraft training. They are also trained using augmented reality using mecha figurines and miniatures as personal avatars. As a mecha operator and pilot they employ advanced knowledge and natural skill. 

He/she/they the Asian Pasifika demigod and Afro Latine Native alien hybrid main character since they were a child played with miniatures of powered armored soldiers and models of mecha suits based on media of their world. This was given to them by their geeky mother. This was given to them by their nerdy father. They would use these as avatars in virtual reality and augmented reality simulations to play in championship games, competitions, and contests as a video game streamer against other children, preteens, teenagers, and young adults in next gen console holographic 4d games which was ironic considering their future as super soldiers in powered armor and mechas themselves.

It is powered by nuclear fusion reactors. The main bigger fusion reactors are found in the chest and back of the mech suit. The secondary smaller fusion reactors are found in the head, neck, arms, and legs of the mecha. It is powered by lunar rays, cosmic energy, magical energy, natural energy, spiritual energy, zero point energy, & nuclear power. It can be recharged by steam power, water, wind power, solar radiation, & electric power. 

The mecha is armed with anti capital ship weapons such as a gravity gun, a sonic cannon, a positron cannon, a rail gun, a electromagnetic mass accelerator cannon, a antimatter weapon, a mass driver cannon, an ion cannon, a particle beam cannon, & a zero point energy cannon capable of obliterating entire space fleets at maximum output for primary weapons. Each of them are quadruple, triple, or double barreled to reduce and spread out the stress caused by the powerful shot outputs. Has two charging barrels that can be attached to the single, double, triple, or quadruple barrels of the mecha cannons and amplify its power.

Primary weapons with enhanced output. They are big enough to be held by mecha units. They are powerful enough to destroy squadrons of mech units at low output to even fleets of spaceships and capital ships at full power maximum output. The mecha rifles have the ability to adjust the weapon output. At high output, beams are emitted from each barrel to form powerful blasts. Capable of single shot, three round burst, or full auto when firing. The mecha weapons have an excellent rate of fire and a variable output. At low power it can destroy a few mecha suits. Which at maximum power rivals or even exceeds the firepower of capital ships such as a dreadnought, battleship, a battle cruiser, or flagship combined. The interior of the barrels contains alien and human metal parts for superior durability. It is made to withstand the high output of the hand held super weapon.

Their mechas main battle tactic is to destroy enemies from afar with its heavy firepower which has been pushed to the limit. It specializes in close ranged, medium ranged, & long range combat. The cannons have a relatively fast cool down time in between shots. This allows for shots to be fired within seconds or minutes depending on weapon mode. Puts an emphasis in precise targeting in long range combat. Can use frontal assaults that would make full use of their mechas imposing firepower in combat.

It is armed with secondary weaponry. It is armed with laser, energy, plasma, ballistic, & hard light mounted 50 caliber anti tank heavy machine guns in the shoulders of the mecha. It is armed with laser, energy, plasma, ballistic, & hard light anti tank quadruple barrel Gatling Guns on the neck of the mecha. It is armed with anti personnel heavy flame throwers. It is armed with anti personnel light and medium machine guns in the head of the mecha. It is armed with laser, energy, plasma, ballistic, & hard light 40 mm mounted anti aircraft rocket and grenade launchers built into the chest of the mecha. It is armed with laser, energy, plasma, ballistic, & hard light mounted anti spacecraft missile silos built into the chest of the mecha. It is armed with a back mounted ballistic, hard light, & plasma anti spacecraft artillery cannon that fires space navy fleet artillery barrages. 

It is armed with two giant handed hard light beam swords, axes, spears, sledgehammers, etc as melee weapons as primary melee weapons. It is armed with giant plasma beam short swords, short axes, plasma warhammers, plasma tonfas, escrima sticks, & plasma knives as secondary weapons. For close ranged combat they also use the speed and maneuverability of their suit.

It is protected by laser, energy, plasma, & hard light shields and force fields. It is protected by ballistic armored plates. It is protected by a ballistic and hard light war door shield mounted on the left arm of the mecha. This protects the mecha while the mecha is aiming with their handheld primary weapon. It also protects the mecha from enemy mech firepower or handheld ranged weaponry or melee close combat weapons. 

Mechs are designed by teams of R&D scientists. Mech pilots pilot mecha suits. These mech suit pilots are assisted by teams of mechanics. It is customized, upgraded, repaired, & tested by teams of scientists, inventors, & engineers. It is designed for terrestrial, aquatic, aerial, & space combat. It was designed for combat in arctic, desert, jungle, swamp, or forest terrains. Uses active sonar, a motion sensor, gps system, & radar.

They have Zeus, Jupiter, & Odin series mech suits that they personally call Helios, Prometheus, and Oceanus. It is 200 meters tall. It weighs 80,000 tons. The mecha suit is launched out of a hanger or shuttle bay or spacecraft or capital ships using a catapult deck. The mecha can also enter the battlefield by exiting the cargo door of a space shuttle. It can also be launched using a catapult deck of a spacecraft carrier. While piloting the mecha pilot is wearing a tech suit and a flight helmet and is protected by combat armor and a combat helmet. 

The pilot is armed with an hard light assault rifle, a hard light sniper rifle, a hard light combat shotgun, a plasma light machine gun, a plasma submachine gun, & a plasma pistol for emergencies. They are also armed with a hard light sword and plasma combat knife for emergencies. 

In emergencies the cockpit is capable of separating from the mecha and turning into a small space fighter for emergency combat and escaping danger. The space fighter is armed with plasma torpedoes and hard light machine guns for protection. In the event of emergencies the pilot is also able to escape by ejecting using the mecha piloting seat and using a parachute. 

Mechs are part of an arms race between factions, countries, world governments, alliances, empires, planets, & intergalactic governments. There is mech on mech warfare. Mechs settle territorial disputes and interplanetary conflicts. 

You can customize mechs. You can also upgrade mecha units. There are many types of mechs. Such as close combat types, medium range assault types, long range artillery, support types, & command and control types. 

You can be a regular soldier in the armed forces as an ensign to captain in the space navy as a mecha pilot. Or you can be a mercenary or private soldier as a mecha pilot selling your services to whoever pays you for the highest bidder. Completing missions as a merc earns you notoriety and fame among mercenary companies. 

Mecha are one component of an integrated military force. They are supported by and fighting alongside walking tanks, battle walkers, fighter jet aircraft, and infantry. Mecha are war machines. They are essentially armored fighting vehicles with legs instead of treads or wheels. There are also civilian type mecha that are also used for civilian purposes such as heavy construction work, police functions, or firefighting.

They primarily use mech suits as a freelance mercenary fighting for the space federation. They used to fight for the space federation and Terran hegemony in the space force and space navy as a mecha pilot. They as a mecha pilot used it since they were an ensign to a captain in the space navy. They as a mercenary used it as a commander of a mercenary company. Has fought in many battles. Has been defeated several times by other veteran mecha ace pilots. They have seven rivals as a mecha pilot. Shows apparent gratification over their victories. They have concern for the nature of the mecha battles themselves. Is filled with the emotions that drive the pilots that engage in these mecha fights.

He/she/they have a certain knack for mechanics and inventing including building next gen advanced robots, androids, & synthetics. A talented inventor, engineer,  scientist. They even created their own next gen advanced mecha series suits as a scientist, inventor, & engineer. They are a recognized genius and are the principal chief engineer, scientist, & inventor behind the creation of several advanced next gen mecha suit series. Just by looking in the piloting manual for the first time. They have a small robotic droid capable of flying and walking to help them while piloting the mecha suit. They are also the artist behind powered armored soldier miniatures and mecha suit models.

On board the first mecha suit they piloted, an old gen series mecha, he/she/they were able to use and fight with it. In this sortie he/she/they destroyed a few enemy mecha suits at the same time. He/she/they honed their skills and abilities to the point where the mecha suit needed an upgrade and be tuned up to even be able to match up to their immense piloting skill. He/she/they are adept at mecha suit combat in all ranges from close, medium, & long range combat. He/she/they can handle multiple enemies at once. With their exploits in the next gen advanced mecha suit they earned the call signs and codenames Grim Reaper, Metal Demon, Zero, & Nemesis as a mecha pilot. 

They possess superb sharpshooting skill and superhuman knowledge with a wide array of firearms. Even before becoming a super soldier, powered armor soldier, & mecha pilot they were known to score high grades in sports marksmanship, archery competitions, and trick shooting championships. They scored a consistent 95% accuracy in vr stimulation battle tests. As a trained sniper, they know about stealth tactics, camouflage, infiltration, assassination, and has an intuitive understanding of trajectory physics for sharpshooting.

They are great battlefield commander. He/she/they uses their skills to lead rookie pilots in several successful missions for training. As a commander they have superb knowledge of coordinating military tactics and have a lot of battlefield intuition. Leads a squad of other ace veteran mecha pilots. Always looking for enemy veteran ace pilots to test their skills against. 

They have a strong tactical sense. They know when to show restraint and not pursue an opponent too far. They also show adept perception, awareness, & intelligence. They are able to discern the properties and vulnerabilities of enemy mecha suits from a single observation. From there they are able to execute a counter-strategy.

They are at the peak of their piloting skill even while using an inferior older mecha suit. They critically damaged an advanced next gen mecha suit. They are shown use of pragmatic and clever tactics over their mecha piloting career as a mecha pilot for the federation space navy and as a freelance mercenary for a mercenary company often catching their enemies off guard. 

He/she/they have sharp senses and rapid information processing ability. He/she/they have great adaptability in combat. He/she/they have exceptional mecha shooting precision enhanced by their abilities as a super soldier. It became the core of their piloting style. 

He/she/they always try to disable the enemy mechas first without lethally harming or killing the mecha pilot by aiming for weapons or body parts. They target the mecha except for the cockpit. Won’t go out of their way to kill enemy pilots. But can if there is no other choice or when there is no other option as a trained soldier. They value life as a person as a personal value but can kill or injure enemies when necessary with their training. They aren’t naive or idealistic but are realistic and have a grounded perception about the reality of war and combat. 

As a super soldier with black ops and spec ops military training their fighting ability developed quickly and greatly. As their time in combat as a powered armor soldier and mecha pilot increased. He/she/they are a talented pilot with great drive and focus to better themselves in their piloting skills. Is as a one-man army type mecha pilot being able to hold his/her/their own against several next gen mech suits single-handedly and even forcing them to retreat. 

Goes into sorties with enemy mech suits with the support of their mecha squadron. He/she/they is talented and favors close-range combat, medium ranged combat, and long-range combat. This comes in handy due to both of their mecha suit's capabilities to handle any form of combat in any terrain. He/she/they is a very adept pilot capable of piloting any mecha suit. Most so when using their own personal, customized, & upgraded next gen mecha suits. 

He/she/they remains focused, collected, calm, and precise when piloting. They are able to perform many difficult flight maneuvers and battle maneuvers in mock duels, VR simulations, augmented reality, physical training, and real combat situations.  As a mecha suit pilot they are also excellent and highly skilled. 

He/she/they quickly adapts and improvises to sudden changes in environment conditions such as arctic, desert, jungle, forest, swamp, mountain, volcanic, aerial atmospheric combat, or even zero gravity space combat. They also adapt and improvise to sudden changes in opponents' tactics, read their thoughts and movements, and are able to predict their next attack. 

They are a skilled fighter who excels in precision. They are capable of dodging volleys of missiles head-on. They are even flying close to them. Almost touching them in flight without setting them off. In mecha suit battles, they are good at high-speed maneuvering honed from their experience piloting aircraft and spacecraft.

Has the capacity to use covers, the environment, or even the terrain to their advantage. Even if all of their weapons have been incapacitated.  They will still manage to weaponize the other abilities of their mecha itself as well. As a mecha pilot and operator they have tactical skill and make use of their surroundings, cover, & the environment in combat. They are an experienced officer and extraordinary tactician. He/she/they are also a cunning strategist and tactician. Managing to outsmart many of their enemies, even when they are not piloting a mobile suit.

They use the droid and dumb and simple AIs to analyze the opponent to provide navigational and tactical data during battle while they pilot the mecha suit. These droids also pilot small unmanned drones to fight enemy spacecraft, aircraft, or tanks so the mecha pilot can focus on fighting enemy mecha suits. The droids and dumb AIs also complete tasks for the mecha pilot when they are piloting.  

After being unofficially trained by veteran ace pilots Fumiyoko Sakagawa a metahuman ace mecha pilot of the space navy and her wife Kira Nova a superhuman alien ace of the Andromeda Empire space force they honed their piloting skills. 

Before becoming a full-fledged pilot they had undergone official training at the military mecha piloting academy. It was there that they showed natural talent as a mecha pilot ranking 1st in mecha suit piloting. Their bold leadership style and leadership skills which they are well known for was developed at the military mecha piloting academy. They had natural experience as a pilot and high scores at the academy. As a mecha pilot they are very mindful of their situation. They are always aware of the status of both their opponent's mecha and their own mecha. 

By manipulating space particles, it can alter and absorb enemy cannon attacks through the shields, forcefield, & arm mounted shield. Has a ballistic and hard light war door shield mounted on the mechas left arm that has the ability to absorb and nullify mecha cannon weaponry. The absorbed space particles can be used later. When deployed a spherical hard light, plasma, laser, energy shield and spherical forcefield, capable of absorbing enemy mecha cannon attacks, surrounds the mecha suit. It then redirects and doubles the attacks back at the enemies. Uses a system where space particles permeate its mecha frame increasing its output at an accelerated rate. 

They have an ability to perfectly synchronize with their mecha suits. They, as a bionic and cyborg, communicate directly with the AIs of the mecha and the mecha itself directly when piloting. Super soldier pilots unifies their senses with the mecha itself. A drawback is the endurance and stamina of the pilot is consumed and needs to be recovered. Takes advantage of their knowledge of human, alien, & divine hand to hand and melee martial arts. Uses the output of the mecha to deliver devastating opening moves and devastating finishing moves on enemy  mecha suits. Uses space particle emissions to triple mecha suit stats and abilities. This also boosted their fighting abilities by 120% and made them virtually unstoppable.

The mecha suit is installed with a system to maximize its space particle emission. The transparent sapphire, amethyst, crimson, gold, & emerald parts are for storing particles for later emission. More of them are hidden below the armor. Normally, these particles are used for enhancing the mechas close combat, medium range, and long ranged attacks. When they assimilate with the mecha suit its performance improves by more than five times. When activated the parts blaze gold, silver, crimson, & sapphire with celestial, stellar, primordial, & cosmic elemental powers. All the particles stored in the suit can be released at once causing the entire mecha suit to be engulfed in cosmic, primordial, & divine flames, lightning, wind, & ice.

The mecha suit customized, upgraded and updated many times to go from worthless, common, uncommon, unique, exotic, rare, epic, legendary, arcane, mythical, blessed, & even divine rarity. 

[grad604anastasiadesreserch]

What makes me Plastic?

“What makes me Plastic?”

During the first part of the lecture, we were given a presentation by two graduate students. They talked about a project they did in their final year of studies, which won the New Zealand Best Awards.

Their project is called “What makes me Plastic?”. The main purpose of their work was to show how the Maori/ Pasifika culture is being impacted. Due to urbanisation, they are drifting further away from their heritage.

The name of this project has come from the negative term that many young people, including the students who created the project, use in regards to their worth and pride when relating to their culture. They describe feeling “plastic”, as the further they drift away from their heritage, the more people feel reluctant to identify with their culture. The title is bold and self-reflective, and acts as both a question and statement.

Their thorough research, done through surveying, received over 200 responses. These showed how big the issue really is. 68% felt “plastic” and unconnected to their culture. Incorporating the voices of young Maori and Pasifika people, the design students put the quotes of their target audience onto large 3D posters. These posters can be viewed from different angles, from one point of view, they say “What makes me Plastic” and from another, they contain a quote relating to the audience, for example “What makes me Maori?”

The black background with photography and white writing has made the design system of this project highly identifiable. The hand-written text style is a great way to show that the quotes are rather personal, which communicates feelings to the audience.

I think that this project is very powerful and lets the audience truly engage with it, as it makes us feel what those, who are struggling to connect back to their cultures, feel, while raising awareness and making a bold statement on the fact that this problem should change.

[604kevin]

① "What makes me Plastic?"

"What makes me Plastic?"

For this project, Tane worked in a collaborative team to plan, research, iterate and finally come up with final designs. The collaborative nature of this project also extended into the communities, bringing in voices of Maori and Pasifika people through the use of photography and written experiences. Tane’s project ‘What makes me Plastic?’ tackles an issue within Maori and Pasifika communities, with a focus on how a large portion of the community feels a disconnect from their Maori and Pasifika roots. The term ‘plastic’ is most commonly used to describe someone of Maori and Pacifica descent and how disconnected they have become from their own culture, and this term has since been normalised. Tane’s work uses a combination of photography and graphics to visualise the issue and to target it with a confrontational tone. Simple portrait photography on a black background along with handwritten experiences written by Maori and Pasifika helps to showcase how common this issue is. The team used surveys and real people with real experiences to bring this issue to light. 

[gumbootspearlz]

Reclaiming Pasifika Voices: Inform, reform, transform

Recent attendance at a conference