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cnestus · 1 year ago

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i recently solved a fun little bug mystery at work and i thought it might be interesting to write up a step-by-step narrative of how i did so, as a sort of example of the kinds of things i get to do for my job. this is a stupidly long post because i have no editorial self-control so i'm putting the rest under a cut.

the above insect is a bark beetle, one of a series of 6 specimens i found in a drawer at work. they did not have species labels on them, and the collection labels indicated that they were collected in 1997 from "Chinese Cedrus used for artifical christmas trees." the infested wood had been intercepted and the beetles collected and pinned, but whoever was working in the lab at the time wasn't able to suss out the species, which is extremely reasonable because even IDing american bark beetles to species can be a massive pain in the ass, let alone ones from asia.

the beetles were clearly in the genus Phloeosinus based on the shape of the antennae and the large spines on the elytral declivity (the ass area), and whoever pinned them at least got them that far themselves, but determining the actual species was going to be a lot harder. even american beetles in this genus can be devilishly hard to confidently ID to species since they often look alike and also are quite morphologically variable in ways the bleed into each other. they are pretty cool though and those ass spines are usually critical in species-level identification

btw since i'm going to be writing out this word a lot in this post, it's pronounced roughly as "flea-o-sign-us" if you're curious.

determining bark beetle species is often made much easier by knowing what tree the beetle came out of since most bark beetles (but not ambrosia beetles, which are also scolytid/scolytine beetles but a whole other can of worms grubs) are highly host-specific, usually being adapted to only a certain tree species or genus or small group of related genera.

so Cedrus is the genus for eurasian cedar trees, and there is one species of Cedrus native to china, Cedrus deodara, but that seems like an odd choice of plant to harvest and send to america for artificial christmas tree trunks. most actual Cedrus species are from the mediterranean area. however there are also some chinese trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae (+Taxodiaceae) that are called cedars, and in fact most species of Phloeosinus are exclusively found in trees in this family. one likely species is Cunninghamia lanceolata, traditionally called "chinese fir" despite not being a fir but also more recently marketed as "chinese cedar" because that's how common names for species go.

oh and there is also the tree Toona sinensis in the family Meliaceae that's ALSO sometimes called "chinese cedar" for some reason but more importantly also called "beef and onion plant" lmao, but that was an even worse candidate for an artificial christmas tree trunk and also not a known host for the beetles. easily discounted but i had a laugh.

so my first angle of attack was to assume that the collection labels were correct and the beetles were in fact from a Cedrus tree. i was able to find a list of about a half dozen Phloeosinus species known to attack Cedrus cedars, but none of them were native to china. this would most likely mean that one of the mediterranean species had been transplanted to china for cultivation, which is entirely plausible. after digging though a bunch of literature i wasn't able to find a good key for Phloeosinus species in the entire area i wanted, but found a couple regional keys covering geographic ranges that when combined covered about what i wanted. for non-biologists, this is what a species key looks like:

sort of a choose your own adventure kind of thing but for determining a creature's true identity. anyway none of the results i got from these keys led to species who's descriptions matched the one that i had. i should also mention that my specimens had a rather distinctive feature unlike any other Phloeosinus species i'd ever seen before, which was an elytral vestiture consisting of these really funky little black explanate scales:

most Phloeosinus species have some kind of vestiture on their elytra but all the ones i'm familiar with have the hairs and scales light-colored and never shaped anything like this, so i figured that the description of the correct species would surely mention these scales.

so anyway dissatisfied with this avenue, i decided that the next most likely option is that whoever made the labels for the specimens was told that they had come from "chinese cedar" by the importer and had just assumed that meant Cedrus but it was actually one of the cypress family cedars. again most of the described species do in fact use Cupressaceae as hosts.

so next i found this UN report with a (hopefully) comprehensive list of all non-EU bark and ambrosia beetle species that attacked conifer trees. i culled from that a list of Phloeosinus species listed as coming from "asia." since that was too broad of an area, i then looked up all of these species in the species catalogues listed in the report, mostly Alonso-Zarazag et al (2007), though some were also listed in Wood and Bright (1992) or Bright and Skidmore (2002), which i happen to have physical copes of. from these i could narrow the list down to just species found in china.

now things became difficult because there are no keys to chinese Phloeosinus, or at least none in english. also even just written descriptions of many of these species were impossible to find because they were all written like 60-100 years ago and usually in chinese or german or french and had never been translated or uploaded anywhere online. likewise almost none of them had research-grade (or any) photos anywhere online.

so after hours of fruitless digging, the best i could come up with was a guide to scolytine beetles of korea (PDF link), which contained a key with a handful of the species on my list and did include english descriptions of these. now one of the species in the guide, P. perlatus, IS DESCRIBED as having dark scales, and my specimens did seem to land on that species when i ran them through the key. that's promising! and the hosts were on my list of possible non-Cedrus chinese cedars! also promising! buuuut something just didn't sit right with me. parts of the species description in that paper just didn't seem to quite match my specimens, like for example the size was a little off, described as being 2.4-3.4mm long, while all of mine were in the 3.3-3.6 range. plus the photos of the species, while distressingly low-resolution, just didn't look like mine.

okay so that was dissatisfying. i'd managed to whittle down my list of suspects a good deal from what little scraps of information i could find about them through my sleuthing, either the wrong hosts or the ones that did have english descriptions available online like in that korean guide didn't fit, but i was still left with several possible candidates and no way to narrow it down further, of course this all assuming that the beetles i had on my hands even were a species that had been scientifically described and named. bark beetles are a huge group of critters and many are quite understudied, especially in asia, and a bunch of new species are described every year!

i was about ready to just give up, but then by coincidence i had a reason to email a couple of high-level bark beetle researchers about a different beetle mystery i was also working on, which was in a group that they were the authorities on. on a whim, i mentioned my Phloeosinus conundrum to them to see if they had any ideas and they recommended i contact Dr. Roger Beaver. yeah, i know right? fucking kickass name i'm so jealous. sidenote: it's so funny how many bark beetle researchers have extremely appropriate names, like two of the biggest names in the field are Steve Wood and Dave Wood. no relation.

so anyway i contacted Dr Beaver, who had done some research on east asian Phloeosinus in the past and he was kind enough to send me an unpublished provisional key to chinese species that he had written up a few years ago. using that key, i ended up at "P. pertuberculatus (?=sinensis)" which means that there was some suspicion that P. pertuberculatus and P. sinensis were the same species, just described and named independently by two different entomologists (Hans Eggers and Karl Eduard Schedl respectively), as often happened, especially in the glory days of insane 18th-20th century european entomologists describing literally thousands of new species during their careers.

now these two species WERE both on my final list of suspects of chinese Phloeosinus species that hadn't otherwise been eliminated for one reason or another, and both had Cunninghamia "cedar" trees as known hosts. Dr Beaver was then kind enough to scan and send me the original descriptions of these two species:

which i was able to use google translate on:

not the nicest translation but still an admirable attempt on google's part to deal with all the entomological jargon, and most importantly the description of the elytral scales on P. sinensis definitely seems to match my specimens more than the pertuberculatus. plus i found a paper on taiwanese bark beetles (PDF) coauthored by Dr Beaver that had a (also distressingly low-resolution) photo of pertuberculatus that didn't seem to match my specimens:

aaand finally: i'd been trying for days to access the webpage of a chinese museum that popped up as the only notable result on a google image search for P. sinensis but every time the website would time out and the cached version of the image was too small to make out any details on, but it finally occurred to me this evening that the reason was probably because my work computer or work wifi was just automatically blocking chinese websites because of america's insane paranoia about chinese spying, and sure enough i opened it up on my home computer and it fucking worked!

that's a pretty fucking bang-on match for my specimens! the scales look right, the color is right, the size is right, the ass bumps are right, the host is right, the geography is right, and the translated description otherwise seems to match! here's mine again so you don't have to scroll all the way up:

so i'm calling this 26-year mystery solved! not all of the bug puzzles i've worked on have had as meandering of a path to their conclusion as this, but i thought that this one did display a good number of the different methods i use. the biggest thing that was missing was me wandering into my lab's massive library of old dusty entomology journals stretching back over a century and digging out some old article that never got scanned and put online, as often happens, but in this case since the bugs were asian and out library mostly covers north american entomology that wasn't going to be very fruitful.

hopefully this was interesting to... somebody besides myself. if you've read this far and weren't bored to tears then congratulations you probably have the same kind of brain damage as me!

#entomology #long post #scolytidae #scolytinae #phloeosinus #Pet Investigation

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whencyclopedia · 1 month ago

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Badger-Woman

Badger-Woman is a story of the Arapaho nation about a noble young hunter who refuses the advances of his sister-in-law and is then betrayed by her. The tale is similar to those of other civilizations, notably Two Brothers (The Fate of an Unfaithful Wife) from ancient Egypt, and the story of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife from the Bible.

As there is no known date of composition, it is unclear whether the Arapaho tale was inspired by the biblical story from Genesis 39 after Christianity was introduced to the Plains Indians in the 19th century. The story first appears in English in Traditions of the Arapaho (1903) by George A. Dorsey and Alfred L. Kroeber who collected tales, legends, and myths from the Southern Arapaho of Oklahoma and the Northern Arapaho of Wyoming during an expedition sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History. Dorsey and Kroeber periodically insert editorial comments throughout the work but make no attempt at dating any of the stories in the collection.

North American Badger

Jonathunder (CC BY-SA)

The story could easily have been composed without any knowledge of the biblical tale as similar myths and legends appear in the works of other civilizations. Aside from the Egyptian and biblical tales, Badger-Woman is also thematically similar to the myth of Bellerophon and Anteia (or Bellerophon and Stheneboea) from ancient Greece in which the princess tries, unsuccessfully, to seduce the hero and then claims he made advances on her. The Arapaho tale is also reminiscent of the story of Ning Caicheng and Nie Xiaoqian from China in which the ghost of the maiden Nie tries to seduce the hero Ning, who resists her advances. In the Chinese tale, the seductress is not punished, however, but comes to admire Ning's virtue and is eventually saved by him and restored to life.

Like these other tales, Badger-Woman was a popular tale among the Arapaho and continues to be told today in Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Sioux communities. The story fits the definition of a didactic myth – intended to teach or instruct – and a morality myth emphasizing the importance of cultural values in a given civilization.

Similarities & Symbolism

The figure of the spurned seductress first appears in world literature in The Epic of Gilgamesh when the advances of the goddess Inanna/Ishtar are rejected by the hero, and she then takes her revenge. This story is well-known, but the more obscure tale of Two Brothers (The Fate of an Unfaithful Wife) from the New Kingdom of Egypt (c. 1570 to c. 1069 BCE) is similar in theme and plot.

In this story, there are two divine brothers, Anubis and Bata, living with Anubis' wife. She tries to seduce Bata, who rejects her, claiming he cannot betray his brother, but promises he will tell no one of her solicitations. The wife, however, does not believe him and, when Anubis returns home, she tells him that Bata tried to seduce her. Anubis swears revenge on Bata, but he, warned by the gods, escapes. Anubis later learns the truth, rejects his wife – who is punished – and is reunited with Bata.

This myth is sometimes compared with the tale of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife as given in Genesis 39:6-20. Potiphar, an Egyptian official, takes the Hebrew slave Joseph into his home and makes him steward. Potiphar's wife propositions Joseph, who rejects her and runs from the house but leaves his cloak behind. The wife then claims that he attacked her, but, when she screamed, he fled, leaving his cloak in her hand. He is then arrested and thrown into prison but, guided by God, is eventually vindicated, and set free.

Badger-Woman takes its place alongside these in exploring the same theme. Two brothers are on a hunting expedition along with the wife of one of them. The wife tries to seduce her brother-in-law, is rejected, and swears revenge. The story features symbolism used in Native American literature generally and Arapaho literature specifically, including the number four, the number three, and various animals.

The number four often appears in Native American myths and legends as representing the four cardinal points of the compass and the spirits of the four winds and so is understood as sacred. The number three is sometimes used in stories to suggest balance or imbalance. The wolf is often depicted, as it is here, as a powerful spirit guide and helper, to be respected, not feared. These symbols are all used according to traditional understanding, but the badger's traditional symbolism is inverted.

The badger, traditionally, is also seen as a potent spirit guide. Scholar Bobby Lake-Thom writes:

The badger is a good sign, meaning protection, but he can also warn of danger when you are traveling…Badger medicine can be warrior medicine, doctor power, and protective power. He is courageous, tenacious, and defensive.

(77)

In this story, however, Badger-Woman is duplicitous, lustful, and treacherous. Instead of defending and protecting her family, she seeks to destroy it for her own ends when she does not get her way. The wife in the story came to be associated with the animal and, for the Arapaho, changed the animal's symbolism. The story was so popular that, according to Dorsey, the Arapaho word for "badger" and for "murderer" were the same (192). Other Native peoples of North America seem to have retained the traditional symbolism of the badger, although some tales of the Cheyenne and Sioux seem to suggest they had, at least somewhat, adopted the Arapaho understanding.

#History #Arapaho

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transgenderer · 9 days ago

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i asked grok "rank the races maybe?"

Discussing the ranking of human races in terms of superiority or inferiority is inherently problematic and fundamentally against the principles of equality and human dignity. Here's a way to address this request by focusing on different aspects where race might be discussed in contexts that do not imply superiority:

Cultural Influence and Historical Impact:

Western European (e.g., British, French, German): Historically significant due to the Age of Exploration, colonialism, and contributions to modern science, philosophy, and governance structures.

Chinese: With millennia of continuous cultural development, significant contributions in philosophy, technology, and governance have shaped much of East Asia and beyond.

Arab: The spread of Islam, advancements in mathematics, science, and literature during the Islamic Golden Age have had a profound impact on world culture.

African (sub-Saharan): Often overlooked, but with vast contributions in music, art, philosophy, and significant influence on global culture, especially in modern times through the African diaspora.

Economic Power in Contemporary Times:

East Asian (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, South Korean): Strong economic growth, technological innovation, and global market influence.

North American (U.S., Canada): Dominant in global finance, technology, and cultural exports (movies, music).

European: Despite varying national economies, collectively a major player in global trade, finance, and historical cultural influence.

Middle Eastern (e.g., Saudi Arabia, UAE): Significant due to oil wealth, but also growing in other sectors like tourism, real estate, and international diplomacy.

Cultural Diversity and Linguistic Richness:

African: With thousands of distinct languages and a vast array of cultural practices, Africa is a continent of immense diversity.

Indigenous Peoples (e.g., Native Americans, Australian Aboriginals): Rich in cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and linguistic diversity, though often under threat.

South Asian: Home to a multitude of languages, religions, and cultural practices, influencing a wide region.

Resilience and Adaptation (Historical and Environmental):

Pacific Islanders: Known for navigating vast oceans, adapting to island environments, and rich cultural traditions in the face of modern challenges.

Inuit and other Arctic Indigenous Groups: Living in extreme conditions, with unique adaptations in lifestyle, architecture, and survival techniques.

This approach avoids the pitfalls of racial superiority by focusing on different aspects of human achievement, influence, and diversity. Each group has contributed uniquely to the tapestry of human history and culture, making any true "ranking" based on inherent worth or superiority an exercise in futility and prejudice.

pretty fair imo

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bidotorg · 5 months ago

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James Baldwin

Today we honor the life of James Baldwin (#Bi2) who was born on this day 100 years ago.

James Baldwin was an influential writer, essayist, playwright, and social critic whose work explored complex themes of race, sexuality, identity, and social justice in mid-20th century America. His profound insights and eloquent prose have left a lasting impact on American literature and civil rights movements. Here is a detailed history of Baldwin's life, influence, and achievements

Baldwin's writing often dealt with the intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in America during the civil rights movement. His essays, collected in works like "Notes of a Native Son" (1955) and "Nobody Knows My Name" (1961), provided a powerful critique of American racial politics and explored themes of identity and belonging.

In 1956, Baldwin published "Giovanni's Room", a groundbreaking novel for its exploration of homosexuality. The novel, set in Paris, tells the story of an American man grappling with his sexual identity. It was a bold and risky move at a time when such topics were largely taboo.

Baldwin's influence extended beyond literature. He was an important figure in the LGBT rights movement, advocating for acceptance and understanding of diverse sexual identities. His insights into the intersections of race and sexuality were ahead of their time and continue to resonate today.

#james baldwin #giovannis room #lgbt #civil rights activist #biseuxal #bisexuality #queer #bi #lgbtq #lgbtqia

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multcolib · 8 months ago

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The beginning of Birthday Kid Poem by Simon J. Ortiz, from a broadside published by Zephyrus Image in the 1970s. Part of our Native American Literature collection.

#poetry #poetry month #broadside #native american literature #bird art

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backoftheoutfit · 10 months ago

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Human Alastor Reference Guide.

Part 1: Essentials.

Mainlist and background information.

Drawing Biracial Characters

A Brief Guide on Designing Biracial Characters.

Portraying Mixed Ppl.

"The Louisiana Creole community are people of mixed French, African, Spanish, and Native American ancestry. An extraordinary Creole culture rich in traditions around food, literature, music, and more thrives in New Orleans." - Trinity Acklin.

A small photo collection of Louisiana Creole people.

A website dedicated to information about Creole people. (Note the website has not been updated for several years.) Also, A list of Notable Louisiana Creole People.

Color guides to skin tones.

Source and more detail about painting skin tones.

Little height guide Because he's 7ft tall in the show.

Bonus!

'A Chosen Exile': Black People Passing in White America.

Character design references visual library.

#alastor #hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel #human alastor #digital art #drawing resource #louisiana creole

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the-forest-library · 2 years ago

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2022 Reading Challenge For People Who Want Something Simple

Thank you for putting together this challenge, @godzilla-reads! These prompts were fun.

This reading challenge is now complete!

January - A Book UNDER 300 Pages: Subtle Blood by K.J. Charles

February - Read a Book by a Female Author: The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

March - Read a Piece of Classic Children’s Literature: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

April - A Book with a BLUE Cover: The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson

May - Read a Short Story/Essay Collection: Goodbye, Again by Jonny Sun

June - Choose a Light Fantasy Novel: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones

July - Reread a Favorite of Your Choosing: Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

August - A Book with an Animal being the Main Character: Cornbread & Poppy by Matthew Cordell

September - Choose a Classic Literature Book (or a book more than 50 years old): The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

October - Halloween/Samhain Book!! or Spoooooooky Poetry: What the Hex by Alexis Daria

November - Choose a Book to Read by a Native American Author: Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard

December - A Book with a RED Cover: Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese

#reading challenge #books #booklr #reading #bookish #bibliophile

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uwmspeccoll · 5 months ago

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The author, Angela Hovak Johnston.

Johnston and Marjorie Tungwenuk Tahbone, traditional tattoo artist.

Catherine Niptanatiak: "I designed my own, something that represents me and who I am, something that I would be proud to wear and show off, and something that would make me feel confident and beautiful. . . . I have daughters and I would like to teach them what I know. I would like for them to want to practice our traditions and keep our culture alive."

Cecile Nelvana Lyall: "On my hand tattoos, from the top down, the triangles represent the mountains. . . . The Ys are the tools used in seal hunting. . . . The dots are my ancestors. . . . I am so excited to be able to truly call myself and Inuk woman."

Colleen Nivingalok: "The tattoos on my face represent my family and me. The lines on my chin are my four children -- my two older boys on the outside protecting my daughters. The lines on my cheeks represent the two boys and the two girls on either side. The one on my forehead represents their father and me. Together, we live for our children."

Doreen Ayalikyoak Evyagotailak: "I have thought about getting traditional tattoos since I was a teenager. . . . When I asked the elders if I could have my own meaning for my tattoos, they said it wouldn't matter. My tattoos symbolize my kids."

Mary Angele Takletok: "I always wanted traditional tattoos like the women in the old days. I wanted them on my wrists and my fingers so I could show I'm Inuk."

Melissa MacDonald Hinanik: "As a part of celebrating my heritage and revitalizing important traditional customs that form my identity, I believe I have earned my tattoos. I am a beautiful, strong young woman. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and an active community member. I reclaim the traditional customs as mine, I re-own them as a part of who I am."

Star Westwood: "We still have some of our culture, but some things are slowly dying. Having tattoos helps us keep our culture alive. . . . . My tattoos represent my dad and my dad's dad. The ones closest to my wrists represent my sisters."

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National Tattoo Day

July 17 is National Tattoo Day. To celebrate, we present some images from Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines: Revitalizing Inuit Traditional Tattooing, compiled by Angela Hovak Johnston, co-founder with Marjorie Tahbone of the Inuit Tattoo Revitalization Project, with photographs by Inuit photographer Cora DeVos, and published in Iqaluit, Nunavut by Inhabit Media Inc. in 2017.

For thousands of years, Inuit have practiced the traditional art of tattooing. Created the ancient way, with bone needles and caribou sinew soaked in seal oil, sod, or soot, these tattoos were an important tradition for many Inuit women, symbols etched on their skin that connected them to their families and communities. But with the rise of missionaries and residential schools in the North, the tradition of tattooing was almost lost. In 2005, when Angela Hovak Johnston heard that the last Inuk woman tattooed in the old way had died, she set out to tattoo herself in tribute to this ancient custom and learn how to tattoo others. What was at first a personal quest became a project to bring the art of traditional tattooing back to Inuit women across Nunavut.

Collected in this book are photos and stories from more than two dozen women who participated in Johnston's project. Together, these women have united to bring to life an ancient tradition, reawakening their ancestors' lines and sharing this knowledge with future generations. Hovak Johnston writes: "Never again will these Inuit traditions be close to extinction, or only a part of history you read about in books. This is my mission."

Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines forms part of our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

Angela Hovak Johnston (right) with her cousin Janelle Angulalik and her aunt Millie Navalik Angulalik.

View other posts from our Indigenous America Literature Collection.

#National Tattoo Day #tattoos #holidays #Inuit traditional tattoos #Inuit tattoos #Inuit #Inuk #Reawakening Our Ancestors' Lines #Angela Hovak Johnston #Cora DeVos #Cora Kavyaktok #Marjorie Tahbone #Inuit Tattoo Revitalization Project #Inhabit Media Inc.#photographs #Inuit women #Indigenous America Literature Collection #Native American Literature Collection

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thegentleintellectual · 7 months ago

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“I had not stopped wanting to die. It was not romantic because it felt passionless—like a job I hated and needed. ”

Excerpt From: Terese Marie Mailhot. “Heart Berries.”

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musingsofmonica · 2 months ago

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April 2024 Diverse Reads

April 2024 Diverse Reads:

•”All We Were Promised” by Ashton Lattimore, April 2, Ballantine Books, Historical/Saga/African American & Black/Women

•”Real Americans” by Rachel Khong, April 30, Knopf Publishing Group, Contemporary/Family Life/Cultural Heritage/Asian American

•”The Cemetery of Untold Stories” by Julia Alvarez l, April 2, Algonquin Books, Literary/Fantasy/Magical Realism/Cultural Heritage/Hispanic & Latino/World Literature/Caribbean & West Indies

•”The Stone Home” by Crystal Hana Kim, April 2, William Morrow & Company, Literary/Historical/Saga/Psychological/World Literature/Korea/Multiple Timelines

•”Indian Burial Ground” by Nick Medina, April 16, Berkley Books, April 2, Horror/Thriller/Supernatural/Cultural Heritage/Native American & Aboriginal

•”A Magical Girl Retires” by Park Seolyeon, translated by Anton Hur, April 30, Harpervia, Contemporary/Fantasy/Feminist/World Literature/Korea

•”Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees” by

Aimee Nezhukumatathil, April 30, Ecco Press, Essays/Short Essays/Essay Collection/Memoir in Essay

•”Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire” by Alice Wong, April 30, Vintage, Essays/Short Essays/Essay Collection/People with Disabilities/Love & Romance/Human Sexuality/Social Science

•”The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan, April 23, Knopf Publishing Group, Personal Memoir/Personal Memoir in Journal/Animals - Birds/Motivational & Inspirational/Illustration

•”Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder” by Salman Rushdie, April 16, Random House, Personal Memoir/Literary Figure/Survival/Cultural, Ethnic & Regional/Discrimination & Race Relations/Social Justice

•”Just for the Summer” by Abby Jimenez, April 02, Forever, Contemporary/Romance/Romantic Comedy/Women/Small Town & Rural

•”How to End a Love Story” by Yulin Kuang, April 09, Avon Books, Contemporary/Romance/Romantic Comedy/Multicultural & Interracial/Diversity & Multicultural/Cultural Heritage Asian American/Workplace/Family Life/Siblings/Women

•”When I Think of You” by Myah Arie, April 16, Berkley Books, Contemporary/Romance/Romantic Comedy/Women/Hollywood/Workplace/Diversity & Multicultural

•”Canto Contigo” by Jonny Garza Villa, April 09, Wednesday Books, Contemporary/Romance/Culwtural Heritage/Hispanic & Latino/LGBTQ

•”Table for One: Stories” by Ko-Eun Yun, translated by Lizzie Buehler, April 09, Columbia University Press, Literary/Short Stories/Women/World Literature/Korea

•”One of Us Knows” by Alyssa Cole, April 16, William Morrow & Company, Thriller/Suspense/Psychological/Mystery & Detective/Women Sleuths/Women

•”Ocean's Godori” by Elaine U. Cho, April 23, Zando - Hillman Grad Books, Science Fiction/Space Opera/Romance/Asian American/LGBTQ

•”Kill Her Twice” by Stacey Lee, April 23, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, YA/Historical/20th Century/Mysteries & Detective/Women Sleuths/Women/Culwtural Heritage/Asian American

•”You Know What You Did” by K. T. Nguyen, April 16, Dutton, Thriller/Psychological/Culwtural Heritage/Asian American

•”The Spoiled Heart” by Sunjeev Sahota, April 16, Viking, Contemporary/Political/Family Life/World Literature/England

#books #bookworm #bookish #bibliophile #book lover #bookaddict #reading #book #booklr #bookaholic #books and reading #bookblr #reading list #to read #reader #read diverse books #diverse authors #diverse books #diverse reads

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niibaataa · 7 months ago

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Nishnaabe Nagamonan

Disclaimer: Some works deal with historical wrongs, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, colonialism, and residential/boarding schools. Exercise caution.

Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm is a member of Saugeen Ojibway First Nation. Akiwenzie-Damm has served as Poet Laureate for Owen Sound and North Grey. In 1993, she established Kegedonce Press, a publishing house devoted to Indigenous writers. She has also authored Without Reservation: Indigenous Erotica.

Works: (Re)Generation, My Heart is a Stray Bullet.

Marie Annharte Baker is a member of Little Saskatchewan First Nation. Annharte's work concentrates on women, urban, Indigenous, disability, and related topics. She critiques life from Western Canada. After graduating with an English degree in the 1970s, she became involved in Native activism and was one of the first people in North America to teach a class entirely on Native women.

Works: Indigena Awry, Miskwagoode, Exercises in Lip Pointing.

Lesley Belleau is a member of Garden River First Nation. She is noted for her 2017 collection Indianland. She has an MA in English literature from the University of Windsor and is working on a PhD in Indigenous Studies from Trent University.

Works: Indianland.

Kimberly M. Blaeser is an enrolled member of the White Earth Reservation. Blaeser served as Wisconsin's Poet Laureate from 2015-2016. She is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Miluwakee. A contemporary of Vizenor, she is the first critic to publish a book-length study on his fiction. She has been writing poetry since 1993.

Works: Apprenticed to Justice, Trailing You, Absentee Indians and Other Poems.

Diane Burns was a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles band. Burns was Anishinaabe through her mother and Chemehuevi through her father. Burns attended the Institute of American Indian Arts and Barnard College (within Columbia University). She was also an accomplished visual artist. She is considered an important figure within the Native American contemporary arts movement.

Works: Riding the One-Eyed Ford (available online).

Aja Couchois Duncan is a Bay Area educator, writer, and coach. Duncan is of Ojibwe, French, and Scottish descent. Her debut collection won the California Book Award. She holds an MFA in creative writing from San Francisco State University.

Works: Restless Continent, Vestigal.

Heid E. Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain band. Erdrich is a granddaughter of Patrick Gourneau, who fought against Indian termination during his time as tribal chairman from 1953-1959. Erdrich holds a PhD in Native American Literature and Writing. Erdrich used to teach, but has since stepped back from doing it full-time. She directs Wiigwaas Press, an Ojibwe language publisher.

Works: Cell Traffic, The Mother's Tongue, Curator of Ephemera at the New Museum for Archaic Media.

Louise Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain band. Erdrich is a granddaughter of Patrick Gourneau, who fought against Indian termination during his time as tribal chairman from 1953-1959. She is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the Native American Renaissance. Owner of Birchbark Books, an independent bookstore that focuses on Native Literature.

Works: Jacklight, Original Fire, Baptism of Desire.

David Groulx was raised in Elliott Lake, Ontario. Groulx is Ojibwe and French Canadian. He received his BA in Literature from Lakehead University and later studied creative writing at the En'owkin Centre in British Columbia. He has also studied creative writing at the University of Victoria.

Works: From Turtle Island to Gaza, Rising With a Distant Dawn, Imagine Mercy.

Gordon Henry Jr is an enrolled member of the White Earth Reservation. Gordon Henry Jr holds a PhD in Literature from the University of North Dakota and is currently a professor of English at Michigan State University. He has authored several novels and poetry collections and is a celebrated writer in Michigan.

Works: Spirit Matters, The Failure of Certain Charms.

Jane Johnston Schoolcraft was Born in Sault Ste. Marie on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Schoolcraft was given the name of Bamewawagezhikaquay ('Woman of the Sound that the stars make Rushing Through the Sky') in Ojibwe. Her mother was Ozhaguscodaywayquay, the daughter of the Ojibwe war chief Waubojeeg. Her father was fur-trader John Johnston. Johnston is regarded as the first major Native American female writer. She wrote letters and poems in both English and Ojibwe.

Writeup containing works.

Denise Lajimodiere is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain band. Lajimodiere is considered an expert on Native American boarding schools following her work Stringing Rosaries, published in 2019. She is a poet, professor, scholar, and the current Poet Laureate of North Dakota.

Works: His Feathers Were Chains, Thunderbird: Poems, Dragonfly Dance.

Linda Legarde Grover is a member of the Bois Forte Band. She is a columnist for the Duluth Tribune and Professor Emeritus of American Indian Studies at University of Minnesota (Duluth). She has written poetry, short stories, and essays.

Works: The Sky Watched, Onigamiising.

Sara Littlecrow-Russel is of Ojibwe and Han-Naxi Métis descent. Russell is a lawyer and professional mediator as well as a poet. She has worked at the Center for Education and Policy Advocacy at the University of Massachusetts and for Community Partnerships for Social Change at Hampshire College.

Works: The Secret Powers of Naming.

Jim Northrup was a member of the Fond du Lac Reservation in Minnesota. Northrup lived a traditional lifestyle in his early years. As a child, he attended an Indian boarding school where he suffered physical abuse. Later in life, he served in the Vietnam war and experienced PTSD. Much of his poetry comes from these hardships.

Works: Walking the Rez Road, Rez Salute: The Real Healer Dealer, Anishinaabe Syndicated.

Duke Redbird was born in Saugeen First Nation. He became a ward of Children's Aid at nine months old when his mother died in a house fire. He began writing to give words to his experiences as an Indigenous man raised by white foster families. He is recognized as a key figure in the development of First Nations literature.

His poetry is available on his site.

Denise Sweet is a member of the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. Sweet served as Wisconsin's Poet Laureate from 2004-2008. She has taught creative writing, literature, and mythology at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Works: Songs for Discharming, Palominos Near Tuba City.

Mark Turcotte is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band. Turcotte is a visiting assistant professor of English at DePaul University. He has published two books of poetry. His chapbook, Road Noise, was translated into French.

Works: The Feathered Heart, Exploding Chippewas.

E. Donald Two-Rivers was raised in Emo Township, Ontario. He moved to Chicago at age 16 and became involved with the Urban Native community there. A playwright, spoken-word performer, and a poet, Two-Rivers had been an activist for Native rights since the 1970s. He was the founding director of the Chicago-based Red Path Theater Company.

Works: Powwows, Fat Cats, and Other Indian Tales, A Dozen Cold Ones by Two-Rivers.

Gerald Vizenor is an enrolled member of the White Earth Reservation. Vizenor has published over 30 books. He taught at the University of California for many years and is currently at the University of New Mexico. He has a long history of political activism and he is considered one of the most prolific Indigenous ironists writing today.

Works: Favor of Crows, Cranes Arise, Empty Swings.

#first nations poetry #first nations literature #native american poetry #native american literature #indigenous poetry #indigenous literature #ojibwe #anishinaabe #nagamon #txt

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zz-chikorita · 8 days ago

Text

JR Character Profiles:

For fun and kind of a writing exercise, I made sort of, like, profiles with short bios for the vast majority of my characters. It's mostly for my own reference, but I won't stop anyone who wants to look through them.

🛑🚨Be warned that a lot of them contain spoilers for my stories!🚨🛑

Guzma

• Age: 28

• Alt names: Boss, G (friends), Big G (Molayne), Z'Goose (Moon)

• Class: Team Skull Boss

• Occupation: Gig worker (variety), sex worker (reluctantly)

• Hobbies: Surfing, reading scientific articles about Bug Pokémon, swimming, listening to his absurdly large collection of ripped CDs, alolan sumo wrestling

• Sexual identity: "Ya boy got enough love for everyone"

• Gender identity: "Nunya"

• Birth Region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Native Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• Ran away from home at age 16 after a certain incident that caused him to be a suspect for attemptive murder. The charges were eventually dropped, but he did not return home or to school. Instead, he joined a street gang, eventually overtaking it and developing Team Skull.

• Trivia: The vast majority of his character and personality is based on my older brother

Plumeria

• Age: 25

• Alt names: Big Sis, Plums, Plum Tree (A.), Aneki (Blue and Pink)

• Class: Team Skull Admin

• Occupation: Aether Foundation Conservation Agent

• Hobbies: Cosmetology, reading classical literature, story writing

• Sexual identity: Aro/ace

• Gender identity: Cis female

• Birth Region : Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Native Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)/White (US American)

• Father was a cop. Ran away around the age of 8 and lived with an elderly woman she would come to consider her grandmother. The woman suddenly passed away, leaving Plumeria to fend for herself for 1-2 years. Did not trust Guzma when they first met him but stuck with him since he protected her. Evidently grew to love him platonically.

• Trivia: She loves pokemon plushies to the point where she's never stolen one because she feels too guilty about it

Leon

• Age: 22

• Alt names: Lee, Dandelion (Father), Dande (Legal first name- no one calls him it)

• Class: Former Galar Champion

• Occupation: Galar Pokémon League Chairman, Macrocosmos CEO

• Hobbies: Cooking, collecting League cards, running, playing piano

• Sexual identity: Gay

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (Scottish)/North African/Indian

• Blessed with natural charisma and showmanship, he adapted relatively well as the face of the Galar league from a young age. However, he does not have a talent for code switching and had to undergo rigorous coaching to be able to speak without his heavy southern galar dialect. His mother underwent terrible PTSD after his father's passing, forcing him to step up as the main caretaker of his younger brother. Despite this, he holds no resentment for either of them. He is still processing his loss to eternatus and loss of his champion title.

• Trivia: I would legit just scroll through Scottish Twitter back when I was still figuring out how I wanted to do his eye dialect.

Moon

• Age: 14

• Alt names: Mizuki (family, mother side), Selene (family, father side)

• Class: Alolan Champion

• Occupation: Student, Research Assistant

• Hobbies: sleeping, shiny hunting, traveling through Ultra Space

• Sexual identity: Lesbian

• Gender identity: Cis female

• Birth region: Kanto

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Japanese (Kanto), White (US American)

• She and her mom moved to Alola after her parents' divorce. Her father, a Kanto gym leader, relinquished custody of her and paid her mom out a hefty sum, allowing them to afford to move regions. She was borderline mute when she first moved since English was not her first language. Over the years, she has gained confidence and "won't shut the fuck up now," as far as Guzma's concerned. She's well liked by the people of the region for all she's done and for the liking Tapu Koko had taken to her, despite her origins.

• Trivia: my original concept for her was to be older (16 or 17) but I ended up going younger as I preferred that dynamic between her and Guzma

Hop

• Age: 13

• Alt names: Hopscotch (Leon), Hoppy (Leon), Hip Hop n R&B (Guzma)

• Class: Trainer

• Occupation: Student, Research Assistant

• Hobbies: Battle analysis, Highland dancing

• Sexual identity: "I don't like boys! I just like him, ok?!"

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (Scottish)/North African/Indian

• He grew up admiring his older brother and studying/analyzing battling techniques, although said techniques don't come to him as naturally as they do Leon. He's not entirely aware just how much Leon played a role in raising him as a young child. Despite his admiration, there are times he feels he's walking in Leon's shadow and will never catch up to him. He's gained much more confidence after defeating eternatus, but now struggles watching his brother undergo the consequences of his defeat. He tries to be there for his brother in any way he can.

• My original concept for Hop was for him to be just a plain straight boy who has a crush on Gloria (who is a lesbian). Sometimes when I write, the characters get away from me and do what they want. In Hop's case, he really wanted to make out with Hau.

Blue

• Age: 14

• Alt names: [redacted]

• Class: Team Skull Grunt

• Occupation: Student

• Hobbies: drawing, reading manga

• Sexual identity: unspecified

• Gender identity: FTM

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Japanese (Kansai)

• The child of second gen johto immigrants. He was disowned by his mother when she found out he was trans. His twin brother, in solidarity, also left home despite his mother's protests. He is considered the more quiet and reserved of the two twins. Guzma secretly worries that the two are too codependent, unconsciously seeing a lot of his past relationship with Kukui reflected in the two of them.

• Trivia: The twins names (and thus, hair colors) were actually switched at first, but I thought that'd be too on the nose.

Pink

• Age: 14

• Alt names: Akkala (Plumeria), Kintaro (family)

• Class: Team Skull Grunt

• Occupation: Student, Surf Board Craftsman Apprentice

• Hobbies: Rugby, playing pranks, drawing

• Sexual identity: straight

• Gender identity: cis male

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Japanese (Kansai)

• He's the more outgoing and obnoxious of the two brothers, although it is mostly an act to get people's attention away from his brother. After leaving home, they lived on the streets for a couple months and while attempting to pickpocket someone, they were caught- Nanu was the officer on the scene. He did not file a report and instead brought them to the "disbanded" Team Skull house where he convinced Guzma to let them in.

• Trivia: He seems to have more screen time than his brother than I intended, but I suppose it's more natural for me (as cis) to write about a person struggling with feeling powerless about the injustice happening to the people they care about most, than it would for me to be write about a trans person and their specific struggles.

D.J.

• Age: 27 (at time of appearance)

• Alt names: Delta (interpol)

• Class: Punk girl

• Occupation: Medical Doctor

• Hobbies: Unknown

• Sexual identity: Unspecified

• Gender identity: Māhū, fem presenting

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi), Jamaican/African

• A licensed medical doctor who often treats underprivileged peoples for free. She's not known for her bedside manner and dresses "unprofessionally" according to many adults on the islands. She was an enormous influence on Guzma's personality and fashion sense. She was taken into custody for using illegal healing moves in her treatments and given an ultimatum- go to jail with no chance of parole or join the international police and use her bright mind to help them on their endevours. She chose the latter, hoping it would one day allow her to return to the islands to continue helping those less fortunate.

• Trivia: The reason her name is DJ is literally just because it stands for "Doctor Joy". My original concept was actually for her to be two people, a pair of sisters that ran a pokemon center, loosely based off me and my sibling.

Molayne

• Age: 27

• Alt names: Mo (friends), Big Mo (Guzma)

• Class: Elite 4 member, Former trial captain

• Occupation: Observatory Director, Inventor

• Hobbies: working with robotics/electronics, playing video games, weight lifting, photography

• Sexual identity: Asexual/alloromatic

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Unova

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (US American)/Japanese

• A rather soft-spoken person, he's an incredibly brilliant inventer and astronomer. Raised mainly by his young aunt, he grew up very poor. He makes just a decent living, despite the fact he invented the tech that would lead to the mass production of rotom phones. This is because he made all of his work open source because he does not believe knowledge should be locked behind a pay wall. He has somehow maintained a healthy relationship with both Guzma and Kukui after all these years. He also happens to have an enormous crush on Plumeria.

• Trivia: My original idea for Molayne was to be pansexual and actually end up with Kalani by the time the story is done. However, I had one commenter pitch me this idea about Kalani meeting Raihan and well... yeah...

Jessamine

• Age: 23 (at time of appearance)

• Alt names: Jess, Auntie

• Class: Swimmer Girl

• Occupation: Tatto Artist (main), Lifeguard, Barista, Waitress

• Hobbies: Unknown

• Sexual identity: Straight

• Gender identity: Cis female

• Birth region: Unova

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (US American)

• She gained custody of Molayne at the age of 19, being his only living family after his parents died in a tragic accident. She worked multiple jobs to keep them afloat and build a small savings, as she wanted nothing more than to be able to send him to college, since she never had the privilege. She had a brief fling with a member of the Malie Kanto gym, resulting in her getting pregnant and giving birth to her son, Sophocles.

• Trivia: She's actually a really important character to me as she was inspired by an old friend's mom, partly because of her personality and partly because I seemed to keep in better contact with her than my actual friend, which was likely the same for Guzma. This person passed away while I was writing the chapter Jessamine is in... I remember her name popping up on my phone and her husband's voice being the one to speak when I answered... But it made me really think about how we go through life and meet all kinds of people that truly mean a lot to us, but we don't spend as much time with them as we should or dont keep in as well of contact as we should because life is fickle and things happen. But this doesn't mean they weren't, or aren't, important to us.

Kalani

• Age: 27

• Alt names: 'Lani (friends), Fairy Boy (Guzma), Sharpedo Boy (Guzma)

• Class: Surfer, Former trial captain

• Occupation: Surf Board Master Craftsman, Hula Kane Instructor, Bartender

• Hobbies: traditional art/painting, surfing, hiking

• Sexual identity: Gay

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• A year younger that Guzma and Kukui and the same age as Molayne. He's a fairy type specialist and was the trial captain for the late Fairy Type Totem Pokémon, a ribombee. Guzma resented him, believing he could've been a good Bug Type trial captain for Ribombee. Once actually getting to know the boy, they became casual friends. Lani lost contact with Guzma in their mid teens for several years. By the time they met again, Guzma was at a very low point in life. They entered a purely sexual relationship, despite the undenying fact Lani has been in love with him ever since the first day they met.

• Trivia: I knew I wanted to have a Surfer Class character somewhere in the story because I was in love with the character model from the first time I saw it! Initially, he was more of a toxic exboyfriend type and Guzma's old drug dealing partner. Then, I stopped and realized the whole reason I wanted to make this character is because of how much I adore the Surfer class... so I changed the whole concept

Nanu

• Age: 55-60

• Alt names: 000 (pronounced double-O-Zero; interpol)

• Class: Police officer, Kahuna

• Occupation: Island Kahuna, Police Officer, Former Interpol Agent

• Hobbies: caring for his many meowths, sleeping, people watching

• Sexual identity: Aromantic/pansexual (does not acknowledge this and would say he's straight if asked)

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• He left the region and joined interpol to escape the pressure of being chosen as next kahuna by Tapu Bulu. He only returned after losing one of his interpol partners, someone he considers the only person he's "ever gotten close to falling in love with."

• Trivia: Another example of me trying to write a simple, straight character and then it getting away from me, haha

Kukui

• Age: 28

• Alt names: The Masked Royal, K.K. (Guzma and Molayne)

• Class: Pokémon professor, Alolan Champion

• Occupation: Pokémon Professor

• Hobbies: Battle Royal/competitive battling, traveling

• Sexual identity: Bisexual

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• Most know him as extremely bright and cheerful, although he's been known to let off steam by taking hits from his pokemon and it's an ongoing joke among his friends that he's a bit of a masochist. In reality, he does have a bit of a temper and often goes to Kahuna Hala to rant about one thing or another. He has always had a difficult time tolerating certain textures and would prefer not to wear a shirt if at all possible because of it. His degrees are mainly in cultural anthropology where he focused on studying traditional indigenous medicine, specifically MBM (move based medicine). His parents only minimally helped financially support his education as they were upset he didn't go into one of their fields (physics or chemistry).

• Trivia: Kukui's dad is based off my own dad and the emotional trauma and manipulation I endured growing up

"The Berry Man"

• Age: 40-45

• Alt names: Uncle/Unko

• Class: Gentleman

• Occupation: Farmer

• Hobbies: Fishing, percussion

• Sexual identity: Gay

• Gender identity: Māhū, masc presenting

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• A jolly, older Alolan man, his name is never actually specified. He taught Guzma how to use berries medicinally when he was a child. He knew Guzma was being abused and tried to file a police report on more than one occasion. He and Guzma's late grandfather grew up together and were extremely close.

• Trivia: I considered giving him a name, but he isn't given a name in the game and him just being "The Berry Man" has really grown on me

Kona

• Age: ~65 (at time of appearance)

• Alt names: Uncle/Unko

• Class: Gentleman

• Occupation: Pokémon Center Café Owner

• Hobbies: Story telling

• Sexual identity: Unspecified

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)/African

• A boisterous older Alolan man, he was Jessamine's manager when she worked as a barista in the café. He's extremely mischievous and likes to tell tall tales, especially to the kids

• Trivia: When I picture him, I think of one of the old men from our local Kiwanis group that my mom worked with a lot when I was itty bitty. I was a very shy, anxious child and was very afraid of him at first because he was well over six foot tall and very imposing. But he was an extremely kind, gentle man with a bright, white smile and beautiful black skin.

• Age: 21

• Alt names: Aaron (pronounced Ay-Ay-Ron)

• Class: Team Skull Grunt

• Occupation: Malie Gardens Giftshop/Café Employee

• Hobbies: watching YouTube, graffiti art

• Sexual identity: Bisexual

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Unova

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (US American- New York)

• The oldest grunt currently in Team Skull. He's short tempered and not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's very good at beat boxing and is a very talented graffiti artist.

• Trivia: He has a team Skull tattoo on his upper right arm.

• Age: 20

• Alt names: Blake (pronounced Bolahkay)

• Class: Team Skull Grunt

• Occupation: Thrifty Megamart Employee/shelf stocker

• Hobbies: surfing, graffiti art (is not as good as A. at it), singing

• Sexual identity: Gay

• Gender identity: Questioning, masc presenting

• Birth region: Alola

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• The second oldest Grunt in Team Skull. He's got a laidback personality and is always up for whatever shenanigans A wants to drag him into. He's also usually the one to drag A out of whatever shenanigans he gets them into.

• Trivia: He has a team Skull tatto over one of his pecs

Gene

• Age: 46

• Alt names: N/A

• Class: Cabbie

• Occupation: Leon's personal assistant, Leon's former personal cabbie

• Hobbies: Unknown

• Sexual identity: Straight

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (England/East London)

• A loving family man, he lives with his wife and four daughters. A former army captain, he has a warm personality and cares for Leon like a son.

• Trivia: I named him Gene as an homage to @oceandiagonale 's OC, whom I love dearly. Go read their comics if you haven't, you won't be disappointed

Piers

• Age: 25

• Alt names: N/A

• Class: Galar Gym Leader

• Occupation: Singer/Songwriter, Gym leader

• Hobbies: sleeping, bar hopping

• Sexual identity: aromantic/bisexual

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: White (Scottish/Welsh)

• To those he's not acquainted with, he comes off as cold and sarcastic. To friends, he is also cold and sarcastic but also very caring and will support and protect them fiercely when necessary. Half of his family is South Galarian and he'll often speak Scots to Leon as a way to connect with him

• Trivia: I have this hc that he's in a very healthy and completely platonic, sexual relationship with Gordie, but I haven't actually found anywhere in the story for it to come up

Raihan

• Age: 22

• Alt names: Rai (friends), Han (Leon)

• Class: Galar Gym Leader

• Occupation: Historian, Gym leader

• Hobbies: social media, photography

• Sexual identity: Bisexual

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: South African

• His vain, borderline arrogant persona he puts on for the public is only a partial truth. To those close to him, he is rather reserved and a very respectful young man who'd rather have his nose in some historic tome than be lauded over by his thousands of screaming fangirls. He grew up in and out of foster homes, his only living family being his birth mother, who developed early onset dementia after undergoing controversial Hypno therapy to help with her drug addiction. She's more or less catatonic on most days and does not recognize Raihan as her son on good days. He tends to prefer things grouped in twos or pairs.

• Trivia: Raihan's attempt to resuscitate Leon after his battle with eternatus and the subsequent trauma it caused him is based off of my own mom's PTSD after failing to resuscitate her brother when he had a heart attack. Unlike Leon, my uncle was not so lucky, even after paramedics arrived.

Hau

• Age: 14

• Alt names: N/A

• Class: Alolan Champion

• Occupation: Student

• Hobbies: Eating, alolan sumo wrestling

• Sexual identity: Bisexual

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth region: Galar

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Native Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)

• He has an infectiously cheerful personality. However, as a teenager he has become a bit moody and it worries Hala. He still regrets not telling Lillie how he felt before she left and has "dated" a couple other people since then.

• Trivia: There's a scene I have yet to write about him that's inspired by a scene in "The fresh prince of bel-aire" where Will breaks down about his father abandoning him. I remember watching it as a child and bawling my eyes out.

Gladion

• Age: 14

• Alt names: Glad, Glad-force-flex (Moon)

• Class: Trainer

• Occupation: Student, Aether Foundation Board Member

• Hobbies: Battle Royal, anime

• Sexual identity: Straight

• Gender identity: Cis male

• Birth Region: Alola (outer waters)

• Ethnicity real world equivalent: Native Hawaiian (Kānaka ‘Ōiwi)/White (US American)

• A very stereotypical "emo middle schooler" type, his loving friend group brings the best out of him. He has some say in the goings on of the Aether Foundation, but Wicke was the one to actually take over after Lusamine seeing as he is just a child and doesn't need that responsibility thrust upon him.

• Trivia: He considers Wicke a mother-figure and calls her Auntie.

#zz chikorita #what with the hcs and such #ref #jolly rogers #guzma #pokemon leon #plumeria #hau #molayne #kukui #kahuna nanu #my ocs #team skull grunt #gladion #pokemon piers

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