Nānā ka maka, ho‘olohe ka pepeiao, pa‘a ka waha.

Green sea turtles have been an iconic endangered species since the 1980s, mostly due to bycatch in fishing nets and taking adults and eggs for food. I have core childhood memories of watching Steve Irwin talk about sea turtle conservation in front of a beach full of nesting green sea turtles.

After 45 years of conservation efforts, their population now meets the IUCN criteria for Least Concern rather than Endangered.

For a species with such a slow life history (it takes green sea turtles decades to reach sexual maturity) and a nearly global population, this is a Really Big Deal. This is the kind of long term conservation victory that many of the amazing humans who started working on green sea turtle conservation back in the 80s didn't live to see.

At first glance, this little Catholic church in Khanspur, Pakistan feels like other churches I've visited in the West: rows of wooden pews that always creak a biiit too loudly, a somber interior shaped like a cross, dusty arched windows punctuating thick brick walls.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Not necessarily surprising, considering British infantry were stationed in Khanspur into the 1900s.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

But if you look beyond the obvious English influences, there are clear touches of South Asia:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A pair of tabla drums laid out to accompany the service.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A thick floral carpet softening the floor between the front pews.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Curling wrought iron stairs from Bombay (Mumbai) winding up to the choir balcony.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

A Muslim chowkidar (caretaker) jangling keys to the church.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Islamic though this country may be, English though this building may seem, there's no denying this is a Pakistani church.⁣⁣

Mosaic Mirror, Culture: Wari (Andes), 650-1000 CE

Shell, pyrite, turquoise