#theocean

"At peace"

The witch who travels along the shoreline

The squirterrrrrr

- Dr.Dali Thompson Apocrypha Mysteries: Secret of Brencaster.

🦈

Western Apache communication uses placenames as a way to encourage the listener’s imagination and connect with historical proverbs in a meaningful way. I thought it was profound how a seemingly simple description of some geographical markers could evoke important stories that help bring greater context to conversations and provide comfort in sharing long-standing cultural knowledge. I applied this concept to my hometown in New Mexico, beneath the Jemez Mountains, where my friends and I would often drive up the cliff to a place known locally as “The Ocean”. It was named this because of the expansive, tall grass near a canyon that was a beautiful place to look at the stars at night. We always felt that the sky and and the field together looked like our own version of the seaside. Basso says, “placenames implicitly identify positions for viewing these locations: optimal vantage points...” which led me to wonder how different The Ocean above would look if we were to view it from the bottom of the canyon (111). The Ocean was also similar to a placename in that many people from my town would have memories and stories about it as a meaningful site to enjoy nature and converse with others, just by hearing the name aloud.