exhibited in:

Shining Through: Reflections of an Oceanic Future, Wing Luke Museum 2018

yəhaw̓ at King Street Station, 2019

About the Art

You are the multiplicity of universes, unfolding, unfolding, unfolding.

The Middle of the Universe: The Nonbinary Sibling of Fo’na yan Puntan is a queer creation story, an ancestral love letter honoring past, present, and future trans/nonbinary Pasifika siblings. It complicates the traditional CHamoru creation story of Fo’na yan Puntan—the gods of creation, a sister and brother who gave up their bodies to create the universe and humanity.

Lourdez deliberately queers the story by converging the symbolism of these two siblings to birth a nonbinary being emerging from the universe’s center.

This film honors the Kanaka Maoli (Hawai'ian) gender identity Māhū, which means ‘in the middle.’ The silhouette represents the transcendence of gender, fluid as ancestral waters, bursting like the birth of stars.

The lålai (chant) I Kulo' Mañaina, sung in the Indigenous Fino' Håya language, is a chant traditionally sung by a techa' (prayer leader). It calls on the ancestors to beckon their blessings. The three voices symbolize Fo’na, Puntan, and the cosmic nonbinary sibling.

Migai Ma’ase - heaps of gratitude to:

Sonic sound support: Suyoung Yun and Dåkot-ta Alcantara-camacho

Chant/ Lålai: I FANLALAI'AN CHANT GROUP taught to me by Dåkot-ta

Filming /Visual creative direction: Roldy Ablao Aguero

Film editing: Lourdez Velasco

Emotional & ideation support: the ancestors, Desiree, Emnet, Robert, Roldy, Dåkot-ta, Suyoung, my child Elijah and all my loved ones.

I Kulo' Mañaina, by I FANLALAI'AN CHANT GROUP

Guaifi i Kulo' Mañaina

i Kulo' Mañaina

A’ gang sa’ mannannanga i taotao-mami

A’ gang i taotao-mami

Gof metgo’ i talen mami

Metgo’ i talen mami

Guaifi i kulo’ i kulo’ mami

I kulo’ i kulo’ mami

Guaifi i Kulo' Mañaina

i Kulo' Mañaina

Translation

Blow the shell horn of the elders

the shell horn of the elders

Call them because the people are waiting

call our people

Our rope is very strong

strong is our rope

Call the shell horn, our shell horn

the shell horn, our shell horn

Blow the shell horn of the elders

the shell horn of the elders