#biracial yams

[allsadnshit]

Eating dark chocolate with almond butter and puffed quinoa in my kitchen being the ultimate white girl activity in perfect tandem with cooling off my oxtail broth in the sink being the ultimate taiwanese girl activity is like some sort of cosmically perfect yin-yam biracial solar eclipse magic I am experiencing in my heart

[peridot-tears]

First of all, I'm gonna just say that this has been a pretty white fandom experience for me so far (I'm p new to fandoming US video games lmfao halp me) because the series is white af (I don't think we ever got a fully non-white main, aside from Adéwalé's DLC, until like...Bayek), so we can totally talk about this further. My DMs are open for more.

Second of all, though, I know my original post was very sweeping, but you reiterated the point I meant. Because we get Haytham's perspective in Forsaken, and most of the video game has Ratohnhaké:ton running around with colonists and settlers, I do end up focusing a lot on that because...I actually get fed by canon. Lol. So on that front, he does come from a European bloodline where women were expected to marry off and obey their fathers and husbands. That influence ends with blood and maybe interaction with the Homesteaders.

So basically this point you made ^

But I still like that the Kenway family didn't pass it on, even if they didn't do anything to actively prevent it. It's kind of like all those jokes we make about arguing with our families, you know? It's Edward looking at his kids and going, "Haha, where are my grandchildren," and Haytham and Jenny going, "Our bloodline dies with me."

But I'm a lil "?" about this point you made about my tags:

Bro, I even say in the same breath that I think it's a damn SHAME that we don't get more focus on Haudenosaunee society.

(Purple yam softee is Ube Softee, because they can't commit to highlighting the Kanien'keha:ka society Ratonhaké:ton is from. Like bro, they were the keepers of the eastern door, the fucking powerful-ass nation that made the first contact with the Europeans, eye -- )

So I don't think you're contradicting me at all.

Anyway, you wanna talk about how neglected storytelling from his Haudenosaunee upbringing is? Because I am still waiting for more people to scream about this with me and how happy I am that he eventually married into an Indigenous clan.

Also, I'm doing a lot of reading on contemporary Indigenous movements in the northeast, because I'm from here and they're a bit harder to find than AIM resources. But since I'm just an Asian who knows a sum total of one (1), maybe two, Haudenosaunee people -- neither of whom fandom in AC -- I don't feel comfortable writing more about that front. Even though I'm reeeeally interested in writing a modern AU where Ratohnhaké:ton and fam are noodling around Quebec or upstate somewhere. Like I talk about it a bit here, because I want him to learn sheng biao from Shao Jun on a visit to Beijing and I actually am qualified to talk about Shao Jun's culture, but idk man, I think I'm a bit out of it if we wanna talk about contemporary Ratohnhaké:ton growing up biracial. Anyway, if you wanna contribute thoughts, pleeeeease share, I wanna talk about this MORE.

Also, can we talk about how patient and kind Noah is for answering all those podcast interview questions where they ask him about the cultural differences of playing a Haudenosaunee character when he himself is indigenous to the Plains? Like brooooo, if someone asked me about the other East Asians, I'd be like, "We're like Ancient Rome to them but you wouldn't ask a Swiss person what it's like to be Italian. Next question." That man is a SAINT.

Speaking of intergenerational trauma, Ratohnhaké:ton comes from a lineage of women neglected by their fathers through the Kenway family, and becomes a great dad to his own daughters. And that's on that on that.

[lestroischatsblonds-blog]

@cosmicdogs -senpai made a text post on their page about half Indian half Japanese Yams and I could nOT RESIST THIS GOODNESS also seeing as my art SUCKS I added some headcanons as well

- Yams loves his heritage

- adores both cultures and thoroughly lives his life immersed in both cultures

- This comes with ups downs and in betweens

- He likes to wear things from both cultures

- comfy kimonos are his bed and bath time choice

- He wears the typical button up shirt + lungi around the house

- Unfortunately

- as you can tell, he inherited v bad fashion choices

- Firstly and most noticeably, The Shoes™

- Every Indian woman knows The Shoes™ ....do not let ur husbands/sons/brothers out of the house in these

- He loves them. He wears them eVERYWHWERE

-  He wore them out unironically in front of Tanaka, Hinata and Noya once and they NEVER LET IT GO

- He also wears socks with thongs (flip flops for the Americans out there) bc his Japanese mum wears them all the time

- He wore these at training camp and Tsukki seriously reconsidered ever talking to him again

- speaking of the camp

- Yams has double the Asian to get past when he wants to go out

- He loves seeing friends but he has to plan Years in Advance if he wants to go to see them because his parents need to do Police background chekcs

- he had to get Takeda Sensei to MEET UP with his parents to let him go

- heaven forbid he utters the word ‘sleepover’

- He is in the smart class not because he’s some genius but because if he doesn’t study he gets both THE STICK AND THE PAPER FAN WOOPING HIS A$$ at the SAME TIME. LEMME SEE U GET A B+ AGAIN SON

- he likes to meditate! It calms his anxiety. He tries all the different Indian methods his dad knows and the traditional Japanese ones his mum knows

- can eat 8778640928439589823745743 chillis without dying. Laughs at people who think things are spicy (Tsukki in particular)

- when he was first born his parents laughed @ him because it was like???? lil Indian boi but....??? freckles everwhere???? they been laughing ever since (except when he come home w/ an A minus in English)

- He loves both his parents and culture in the end and he’s grown up with such a rich background that he adores being part of

DID YOU KNOW crows in India are brown? When I first went to India to see the fam as a child I was FASCINATED because Aussie crows are enormous and black as the soul of hades but Indian crows are smol and brown and precious like yams.

TL;DR Half Indian half Japanese Yamaguchi is the best thing in the world.

@cosmicdogs thank u for saving my life ples everyone go follow them give them love

[thegettoknow]

Task 2: “What has influenced me?”

If I had to describe myself in one word I’m pretty sure it would be outgoing. There are several influences in which have made me the person I am today. Some of these influences include food, fashion, architecture, leisure activities, and entertainment. 

Food:

Food is the key to my heart and I honestly believe food brings people together. You can learn a lot about someone from the food they like to eat. I’m Nigerian and Ethiopian so my favorite foods come from both cultures.

Injera (the picture above) is a Ethiopian flatbread with a sponge like texture made of teff flour. Injera is by far my go to food to eat with different stews. Learning how to cook traditional foods really made me understand the importance of it. My mom taught me how to cook at age 12 and I haven’t stopped since then. On the Nigerian side of my family my father taught me how to make some traditional foods and my favorite is egusi and fufu. 

Egusi and fufu (the picture above) is a Nigerian soup and yam. Egusi is a soup paired with fufu (pounded yam). My dad teaching how to cook Nigerian food made me realize that cooking has no gender. Cooking together allows us to learn from one another, the stories my dad tells me as we cook taught me a lot about where I come from. 

With that being said although I do enjoy a home cooked meal I also love eating out. I have a huge sweet tooth and a total sucker for milkshakes and Holy Shakes is the best place to soothe my cravings. Holy Shakes is a gourmet milkshake bar in Brampton that serves the best food and milkshakes I’ve tasted so far. My favorite thing to order has to be their Heavenly Choco milkshake. 

 Fashion:

I would say my fashion sense is all over the place. I wear anything that I think I look good in but my main influences would have to be Teyana Taylor . I’m in love with the ethereal earthy look and always opt for comfort when shopping for clothes. I think streetwear fashion has really taken off these past couple of years, major influences like Teyana Taylor  have continuously broken the conventional beauty standards and created looks that are not only comfortable but make a statement. Teyana Taylor is definitely my icon when it comes to fashion, she turns sweats and a chill outfit into red carpet show stoppers.

Leisure Activities:

Poetry:

My leisure activities generally consists of writing, reading or listening to music. I have always loved to write, I was about 12 years old when I started writing poems and spoken words. I’m an outspoken person that usually has a lot to say, I use poetry as an outlet to dump my thoughts, feelings and opinions on to paper. I write about the thoughts that I just can’t seem to put to words and I can confidently say that journaling and poetry has helped me in so many ways. It alleviates pressure and stress that I face in my day to day allowing me to get lost in my mind secluded from the worries that life throws my way. My favorite poets are Rupi Kaur, Maya Angelou, and Rudy Francisco. These poets write about their personal endeavors and challenges they’ve faced. I love the word play, the rhyme, and dramatic irony poetry has to offer. The stories one can tell in a couple of stanzas amaze me. These poets truthfully use imagery in a way that illustrates the poem in ones head. I think that’s one of the reason to why I so drawn to poetry. Each poem tells a story, a message in some cases, lessons that are sometimes not as easy to find but hidden with lines. It truly is an art to be able to illustrate and touch someone’s soul with only a pen and paper. 

Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She has  published seven autobiographies, 3 essays and books, several poetry books, She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. 

https://rupikaur.com/

Rupi Kaur is a Indian born Canadian poet, illustrator and author that rose to fame posting her short visual poetry on both Instagram and Tumblr. 

https://www.iamrudyfrancisco.com

Rudy Francisco is an American spoken word poet and amateur author. He has won multiple poetry slams and written five poetry books.

Music:

Other than writing literally anything and everything I love to listen to music. Music has to be one the most influential factors in my life. The music I listen is really a representation of the type of person I am. My favorite artists are Jhene Aiko, Nao, Ama Lou and Lauryn Hill. Much like poetry music speaks to me. Music has the ability to change m mood and sometimes change the way I see things. 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1334403/

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American singer, songwriter, actress and composer. 

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ama-lou-mn0003792198/biography

Ama Louisa John is an British singer, songwriter and model from North London.

Jhene Aiko and Ama Lou are my favorite artists because of how good they are as lyricists. Their music is calming and soft toned which helps me relax when I feel like I need a destresser. Their messages written within their songs really do influence me as a person. For example Jhene Aiko speaks of healing and woman empowerment in most of her songs whereas Ama Lou speaks of her experiences of being a biracial women growing up in the hood and then the suburbs speaking of the identity crisis's she went through. 

References:

 Ama lou | biography & history. (n.d.). AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ama-lou-mn0003792198/biography  

Home. (n.d.-a). Rupi Kaur. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://rupikaur.com/ 

Home. (n.d.-b). Rudy-Francisco. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.iamrudyfrancisco.com  

Jhené aiko. (n.d.). IMDb. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1334403/  

Maya angelou | biography, books, poems, & facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maya-Angelou

[eze-nwaanyi]

In light of Black History Month

Being a black woman, my support for blackness is felt wholeheartedly through my being. February is my favorite month and events like last night ring through me jovially. I identify as black before I identify as a woman. Blackness and the black people are everything to me and I’ll hold them up before anything/anyone else. Now being a biracial woman, where do you see yourself on that spectrum (some would say I’m a bit extreme)? How do you, personally, define being biracial? Is it a case of identifying with both black and white? Is it almost like limbo where you don’t know where you stand? Or is it like biracialness IS the race you identify with? And how do events affect you that are very divided on black and white issues?

@princess-yam ​