PDX SPLASH Month
In 2021, I on behalf of the Portlandia Mermaid Parade submitted a proclamation proposal to the City of Portland to officially declare every July to be PDX SPLASH month. The proclamation was passed!
SPLASH stands for: Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability & Heritage. The event is a month long series of activities and events created to celebrate, honor, and amplify the importance of one of our city's most important natural resources, our water.
Being born and raised in Hawaii I was taught to understand that there is no separation between people and the Earth. No separation between people and water. Therefore caring for the Earth, and her waters is an act of caring for ourselves. In Hawaiian culture this principle is known as Aloha 'āina, which translates to "love of the land." One of the greatest harms colonialism has wrought to the beings of Earth has been the false belief of separation between human kind and nature. This narrative promotes an anthropocentric worldview which places humanity not only outside of nature, but outside of ourselves. It also suggests the role of humankind is to dominate and control the environment rather than to be stewards of reciprocity. While the harms of colonialism can never be undone, we can reject and transform colonial thinking and behaviors in the present to bring us back into right relationship with the Earth and all of her inhabitants.
It is our obligation as children of Earth to do this, and is a matter of restorative justice. In Hawaiian culture this principle of restoration is known as Ho’oponopono, which directly translated means, “cause things to move back in balance”. When harms occur, obligations arise. If we sit in a place of denial or toxic shame, we stay willfully out of balance. Apologizing is an act of symbolic remorse, but apology alone is often not enough to repair the harms of environmental degradation, or cultural and physical genocide. Reparative action requires an acknowledgement of the harms that have occurred, and meaningful steps to address needs, and repair harm.
PDX SPLASH Month is a special project I have taken on as one step in the direction of reparative action, and I ask my fellow community members to join me in this endeavor. We can not do everything, but we can do something! Awareness and education are key in getting people interested in protecting and becoming stewards of water and the Earth. Will you help me cultivate the spirit of Aloha 'āina here in Portland? To find out how you can participate please visit:
www.eventcreate.com/e/pdxsplashmonth
SPLASH stands for: Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability & Heritage. The event is a month long series of activities and events created to celebrate, honor, and amplify the importance of one of our city's most important natural resources, our water.
Being born and raised in Hawaii I was taught to understand that there is no separation between people and the Earth. No separation between people and water. Therefore caring for the Earth, and her waters is an act of caring for ourselves. In Hawaiian culture this principle is known as Aloha 'āina, which translates to "love of the land." One of the greatest harms colonialism has wrought to the beings of Earth has been the false belief of separation between human kind and nature. This narrative promotes an anthropocentric worldview which places humanity not only outside of nature, but outside of ourselves. It also suggests the role of humankind is to dominate and control the environment rather than to be stewards of reciprocity. While the harms of colonialism can never be undone, we can reject and transform colonial thinking and behaviors in the present to bring us back into right relationship with the Earth and all of her inhabitants.
It is our obligation as children of Earth to do this, and is a matter of restorative justice. In Hawaiian culture this principle of restoration is known as Ho’oponopono, which directly translated means, “cause things to move back in balance”. When harms occur, obligations arise. If we sit in a place of denial or toxic shame, we stay willfully out of balance. Apologizing is an act of symbolic remorse, but apology alone is often not enough to repair the harms of environmental degradation, or cultural and physical genocide. Reparative action requires an acknowledgement of the harms that have occurred, and meaningful steps to address needs, and repair harm.
PDX SPLASH Month is a special project I have taken on as one step in the direction of reparative action, and I ask my fellow community members to join me in this endeavor. We can not do everything, but we can do something! Awareness and education are key in getting people interested in protecting and becoming stewards of water and the Earth. Will you help me cultivate the spirit of Aloha 'āina here in Portland? To find out how you can participate please visit:
www.eventcreate.com/e/pdxsplashmonth
Weird Portland United
Una the Mermaid is a proud supporting member of Weird Portland United! Weird Portland United supports local creatives, and works to help reduce barriers that get in the way of individuals living up to their creative potential. WPU celebrates our community’s unique innovative culture, amplifies our creative expression, and incubates an even weirder future.
For more information please visit:
www.weirdportlandunited.org/
For more information please visit:
www.weirdportlandunited.org/
Sirens Call
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY award winning film makers, Miriam Gossing & Lina Sieckmann
IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH Filmfaust & Schalten und Walten
IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH Filmfaust & Schalten und Walten
* 2023 UPDATE: Filming was completed in 2022, and the movie is now in post-production. The film is expected to be released sometime in 2024. We hope to have a premiere showing event in Portland, in the near future! Stay tuned!
Una the Mermaid serves as a protagonist in docu-fiction art film exploring trans-humanism. Based on the figure of mythological and real life mermaids SIRENS CALL is looking at a deeply split US-society against the backdrop of the presidential election, the corona pandemic and rising social protests. In a hybrid between documentary and fiction SIRENS CALL discusses current discourses of fluid gender roles, climate activism, intersectionality and virtual identities.
