{"id":34,"date":"2021-01-29T13:53:41","date_gmt":"2021-01-29T20:53:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/?page_id=34"},"modified":"2021-01-29T16:55:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T23:55:39","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celestial Bodies<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0is a multicultural creation of animated media that tell ancient astrological stories, exploring the belief systems that make up Canadian and Indigenous society’s diverse fabric. The multimedia projection shows animated images of star stories\u2014 alongside world-class cross-cultural music.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Media Artist and UBC Okanagan faculty Aleksandra\u00a0Dulic\u00a0and Miles Thorogood with UBC Graduate Students Jacen Dennis, Amberley John, and Emerald Holt created a multimedia presentation of animated images.<\/span><\/p>\n

The artists re-interpret the cosmological stories and oral histories from their own cultural heritages \u2014 Greek, Chinese, African, and the Indigenous’ Haudenosaunee culture, and explore the meeting of cultures in their collaborative process with community members, where unique stars signifying individuals’ heritage were made. Each story is connected to a season, and characters from the heavenly world travel through time and space as the night unfolds, highlighting\u00a0<\/span>diverse cultural<\/span>\u00a0beliefs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Haudenosaunee

Haudenosaunee Story image<\/p><\/div>\n

For thousands of years, the Haudenosaunee Nation\u00a0<\/span>has told\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0story of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Shahutol\u00e1tha<\/span>\u2019\u00a0<\/span>n\u00e9\u00b7n<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Ohkwalik\u00f3<\/span>\u00b7 Hunting the Great Bear<\/span>, which involves the \u2018Big Dipper\u2019 constellation<\/span>. This story\u00a0<\/span>describes why\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>leaves turn red and yellow in autumn\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>indicates<\/span>\u00a0that this time of year when the men should begin hunting.\u00a0<\/span>In this story, a Great Bear\u00a0<\/span>kills many animals and steals food from the fields<\/span>, making everyone scared<\/span>. Amberley reinterprets this bear as a mechanical monstrosity, reflecting\u00a0<\/span>destructive\u00a0<\/span>actions<\/span>\u00a0and industry<\/span>\u00a0taking place in\u00a0<\/span>our\u00a0<\/span>present day. In the story,\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>hree\u00a0<\/span>B<\/span>rothers share a dream in the smoke of their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fire\u00a0<\/span>and learn that they are the ones who will kill the Great Bear.<\/span>\u00a0They hunt him, and becoming afraid, the Great Bear leaps into the sky, where he is chased among the stars and around Turtle Island<\/span>. He is finally defeated, and his blood and fat\u00a0<\/span>falls<\/span>\u00a0back to Earth, where it stains the leaves.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chinese

Chinese Story Image<\/p><\/div>\n

T<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0love<\/span>\u00a0story of the<\/span>\u00a0Cowherd and<\/span>\u00a0Weaver Woman<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has been told all over East Asia<\/span>, as\u00a0<\/span>centerpiece of\u00a0<\/span>the Chinese\u00a0<\/span>Qixi<\/span>\u00a0festival, Japanese\u00a0<\/span>Tanbata<\/span>\u00a0Festival, and the Korean\u00a0<\/span>Chilseok<\/span>\u00a0Festival<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>In the night sky, the Weaver Woman is represented by the Vega star, and the Cowherd<\/span>\u00a0by<\/span>\u00a0the Altair star.\u00a0<\/span>As\u00a0<\/span>young\u00a0<\/span>gods<\/span>\u00a0of the Heavens<\/span>, the Weaver Woman and Cowherd Man fell in love, but this love was\u00a0<\/span>prohibited<\/span>\u00a0and they were separated<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0the Cowherd\u00a0<\/span>man was\u00a0<\/span>cast down\u00a0<\/span>to earth to l<\/span>ive as a<\/span>\u00a0human<\/span>\u00a0man<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Many years later, the Weaver Woman\u00a0<\/span>st<\/span>ole<\/span>\u00a0away from the Heavens<\/span>\u00a0down to Earth<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>where\u00a0<\/span>she<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Cowherd accidently meet<\/span>\u00a0and fall in love all over again.\u00a0<\/span>After further hardship<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>where they are separated once more<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>by the creation of the\u00a0<\/span>Celestial River\u00a0<\/span>(<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Milky Way<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>y are shown pity and allowed to meet once a year<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>O<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0the 7th day of the 7th lunar month,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a flock of magpies forms a bridge to reunite the lovers<\/span>\u00a0over the Celestial River<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Greek

Greek Story Image<\/p><\/div>\n

The Greek stor<\/span>ies<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>highlight<\/span>\u00a0the mythology of human desires and emotions through Heroes and Gods. We journey through the constellations of<\/span>\u00a0the sea monster Cetus, the princess Andromeda, the magical wing<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0horse\u00a0<\/span>Pegasus<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and legendary\u00a0<\/span>slayer<\/span>\u00a0of monsters Pers<\/span>e<\/span>us.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Offended by claims\u00a0<\/span>made by\u00a0<\/span>Andromeda\u2019s mother Cassiopeia,\u00a0<\/span>Poseidon<\/span>\u00a0God of the\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>ea<\/span>\u00a0punished\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0family,\u00a0<\/span>demanding<\/span>\u00a0that\u00a0<\/span>Andromeda\u00a0<\/span>be sacrificed to the se<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0monster<\/span>\u00a0Cetus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Andromeda was chained to a rock<\/span>\u00a0in the middle of the ocean<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and just<\/span>\u00a0before the sea monster gobbled her\u00a0<\/span>up,\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>renowned<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hero\u00a0<\/span>Pers<\/span>e<\/span>us\u00a0<\/span>slayed\u00a0<\/span>Cetus\u00a0<\/span>and unchained Andromeda<\/span>. As well as Andromeda\u2019s story, we present\u00a0<\/span>an<\/span>\u00a0Orpheus\u00a0<\/span>story, that of adventure, music, and\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>narrow escape\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0the high seas. After\u00a0<\/span>receiving the Lyre<\/span>\u00a0from the eagle Aquila<\/span>, Orpheus joins the Argonauts on the seas and when the crew encounters the Sirens, he is able to save the day<\/span>\u00a0with his beautiful music<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"African

African Story Image<\/p><\/div>\n

T<\/span>he African story ‘Why\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0Sun, the Moon, and the Stars live in the Sky?’ is a<\/span>n exciting\u00a0<\/span>journey about Owen the Sun and<\/span>\u00a0his wife<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Uki<\/span>\u00a0the Moon, who are forced to flee into the sky to escape their drowning\u00a0<\/span>by the Sea King Okun\u00a0<\/span>on earth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>After a fateful visit with the Sea King, Owen<\/span>\u00a0set<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0on a<\/span>\u00a0quest to build a palace large enough to accommodate the e<\/span>ntirety\u00a0<\/span>of the Sea King<\/span>\u00a0Okun\u2019<\/span>s vast oceanic kingdom and\u00a0<\/span>retinu<\/span>e<\/span>. As\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>sea levels begin to rise, and Owen the Sun and\u00a0<\/span>Uki<\/span>\u00a0the Moon are forced to climb atop the<\/span>ir newly built<\/span>\u00a0palace\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>flee into the sky<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>Uki<\/span>\u00a0swear<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0that<\/span>\u00a0she will never leave<\/span>. The dynamic story brings to life the fascinating history of West Africa\u2019s finest instruments, such as the Talking Drums, Djembe<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Shekere<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0which are\u00a0<\/span>expressed by\u00a0<\/span>the many dancing stars<\/span>\u2019<\/span>\u00a0vibrant attire. The shining daylight and\u00a0<\/span>glimmering<\/span>\u00a0moonlight are a reminder of this story, as the Sun and Moon continue to live with the clouds<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0their cousins the<\/span>\u00a0stars<\/span>\u00a0in the sky<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Celestial Bodies\u00a0is a multicultural creation of animated media that tell ancient astrological stories, exploring the belief systems that make up Canadian and Indigenous society’s diverse fabric. The multimedia projection shows animated images of star stories\u2014 alongside world-class cross-cultural music.\u00a0\u00a0 Media Artist and UBC Okanagan faculty Aleksandra\u00a0Dulic\u00a0and Miles Thorogood with UBC Graduate Students Jacen Dennis, Amberley […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22145,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-34","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22145"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34\/revisions\/61"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/celestialbodies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}