Cultural appreciation over cultural appropriation
The basic idea for the narrative was of a child who was so scared of the dark that they travelled around the world to stay in daylight. The climax would be them getting stuck somewhere at sunset / nightfall, and the resolution would be that when they got stuck, they would see the stars and the moon for the first time and fall in love.
This was a basis for the story that needed evolving. The design wanted to focus on the journey, playing with various teachings from different cultures, and promoting other-ways-of-seeing. The concept stemmed from ideas found investigating COP3 surrounding the rigidness of language in educational textbooks at school, and the need for alternate ways of learning to conserve diversity.
The protagonist was discussed in depth as this book wanted to be new age and with a strong liberal tone of voice. The design thus discussed prince or princesses, girls or boys and concluded that there was no need for a gender. The lead role would be human as the book wanted to resonate and inspire its young readers, and the factual element of the book would aid that. Hence the idea progressed to leave the main character genderless, allowing the readers imagination to place them with what best resonates for that individual. This was when the idea of involving a pet or sidekick came about, so that the use of the pronoun 'they' would be less confusing for the parent reader.
The mode of transport sought to be fun and nostalgic, and so a balloon ship based loosely off the hot air balloon in around the world in 80 days was chosen. This also provided the correct tone of voice to the story, whereby everything is possible yet impossible (surreal) thus stimulating the imagination.
Finally, 'Phoenix' was decided for the protagonists name due to its contextual relevance. Not only does Phoenix have no gender associations, but it represents flying (through the mythological bird) and thus travel, as well as being the name of a constellation (and so a reference to the stars).
Initial story board ideas:
The narrative wanted to be as contextually accurate as possible.
The narrative investigated the various countries the protagonist could visit, and what each culture has to offer in educating in concepts around the dark. The universal topic of the dark and travel meant there would be a relevant lesson to find from each culture, it would just be a matter of finding it.
The outline of the story was then decided, with the rhythm and repetition in place, the story just needed to find the relevant information to fill each countries spread. A main note was that the balloon ship would break down in Madagascar as this is on the equator and so the galaxies and milky way would be visible from here, and thus the best view of the night sky.
The initial story had a lot more layers to it, with more countries visited and a longer introduction and outro, backstory and hidden messages. However, the design realised the focus for this book was on the visual output rather than the words themselves, and so sought to simplify the story in a way that would be easier for the Illustrator as well, with the given time fame.
Deciding on what countries to focus on - the design wanted to cover the continents, choosing at least one from each.
Research
The research looked into the specific countries and the more abstract attributes of their culture.
FRANCE:
The Ancient French Proverb - 'les voyages forment la jeunesse'
Origin - This proverb is often attributed to Montaigne, but wrongly.
- In "From the Institution of Children" in Book I of the Essays (written from 1572 to 1592), Montaigne recommends for children the visit of foreign countries, chapter XXV. Nevertheless, he expresses its usefulness in this way: "to relate mainly the moods of these nations and their ways, and to rub and file our brains against that of others".
- It was during the Enlightenment that intellectuals wondered much about the educational value of travel.
- Thus, in the article "Voyage" of the encyclopedia of Jaucourt (1765), the author applies to express their experimental function. He insists on the usefulness of personal contact with the "big book of the world".
- Before him, the Universal Dictionary of Furetière (1690) mentions the same idea: "Travel is necessary for youth to learn to live in the world. "
- Those of the French Academy (1694) and Trévoux (1704) also emphasize the educational role. In 1751, the idea is again developed in the Encyclopedia.
- In 1835, the proverb is listed in its current form in the Dictionary of the Academy.
- “NOTHING is more agreeable than to travel; nothing more difficult than to travel wisely.
CHINA:
- TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE: https://www.travelfordifference.com/secret-wellbeing-chinese-tea-culture/
- Some areas of China are more famous than others due to their high quality of tea. Most specifically Hangzhou, which is commonly known for its Dragon Well Green Tea. This tea is said to be one of the first to have existed in China, and the locals in this area aim to drink 25 cups every single day! Green tea is consumed due to its amazing properties in aiding digestion, assisting in fat loss, clearing the skin and maintaining youth. In terms of the Chinese tea culture, it is a huge part of the locals everyday routine, as it is said to aid meditation and self-reflection and to induce tranquillity.
- “The traditional cultural values that influence the psyche of the Chinese people are harmony, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, and filial piety*” (*a virtue of respect for one’s parents, elders, and ancestors)
- “Of these, the core value is harmony. Harmony means “proper and balanced coordination between things” and encompasses rationale, propriety, and compatibility. Rationale refers to acting according to objective laws and truths…The value of harmony advocates “harmony but not uniformity.” Properly coordinating different things by bringing them together in the appropriate manner allows them to develop from an uncoordinated state to one of coordination; from asymmetry to symmetry; and from imbalance to balance.”
- “Modern Chinese society tries to maintain harmony between humankind and nature; between people and society; between members of different communities; and between mind and body.”
- “A peaceful family will prosper” – a famous and widely embraced saying in China. This relates to Fillial piety, which is not restricted to blood relations, it extends to friendships and social relationships, producing a full set of values that include justice, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, and filial piety.
- “One of the ways families express warmth and affection is to snuggle around the kotatsu (heated table covered with a comforter) in the winter, eating mikan (mandarin oranges) and watching TV. Another way is to scrub each other’s backs in the family bath. Parents and children sleep together on the family futon, often until the children are age 10 or so.”
- “From a very young age, Japanese children are taught omoiyari (to notice and think of others).”
- “Being surrounded by a vast sea, Japanese children are naturally curious about what’s on the other side and express it in a song called Umi: “The ocean is so wide and big, I wish I could go see other countries.”
INDIA:
- “Northern India is characterised by the snowy mountain range of the Himalayas and the Great Indian (Thar) Desert. Meanwhile, tropical jungles, rainforests, coastal plains, islands and beaches distinguish the south. Nature plays a vital role in India – especially rivers such as the Ganga (or ‘Ganges’) in the north and Godavari in the central and southest. Both provide irrigation for farmlands, a method of transportation and are considered sacred to many followers of Hinduism.”
- “One the largest populations in the world.”
- “Indians generally place a high value on harmony and unity with others, keeping a strong nexus with their community and relatives. A unified and interdependent community or family provides a support system that an individual can rely on daily.”
- “The top of the head is considered to be the most important part of the human body. To touch someone on the top of their head is considered rude and insensitive. This is especially the case with babies, children, elderly, religious leaders or statues of deities.”
- “There are several founding principles or common values in Indian culture, these include:
- Tyaga, which is renunciation
- Dana, which is liberal giving
- Nishtha, which is education
- Satya, which is truth
- Ahimsa, which is non-violence
- Upeksha, which is forbearance
- “Respect is an extremely valued component of the everyday life of people in India. Children are taught from a very young age to always respect their elders. Even as adults, the elderly are still at the top of the totem pole.”
- “Indians seek harmony throughout life. They are concerned with “cosmic energy””
ALASKA:
- Show respect to others – each person has a special gift. Tlingit people believe all life is of equal value; plants, trees, birds, fish, animals, and human beings are all equally respected.”
- “If you’re going to break the (tree) branches off, talk to it. They’re your friends.” Alaskan(?) saying.
- “As an example of ritual, in some areas salmon would be harvested only after the first salmon went upstream and were properly honoured through dance and ceremony. It was told that this was done so that the spirit of the salmon would return to its brothers and sisters and report that these were good people and that the salmon should give themselves to these people.”
- “Manaakitanga is all about hospitality and kindness. It sums up the act of welcoming and looking after guests. By offering hospitality, generosity and mutual respect, everyone involved comes out better off. The concept is important to many New Zealanders.”
- “Kaitiakitanga is the strong sense of respect and guardianship Mãori have for the natural environment. Related concepts are mana, tapu and mauri.
- Mana is spiritual power. A forest’s mana is shown by its abundant blossoms and fruit, and birds arriving to feed.
- Tapu is spiritual restriction. For mana to come forth in the forest, some restrictions have to be put in place. Tapu is the basis for rāhui (restrictions) which, for instance, might put fishing areas off limits till stocks recover.
- Mauri is life force. The mauri of the forest must be protected so its mana can flow.
- Kaitiakitanga is another Māori philosophy that is central to the way many New Zealanders think about their responsibility for the natural world.
- “Russian culture has a long and rich cultural history, steeped in literature, ballet, painting and classical music. Russia has a very visual cultural past, from its colourful folk costumes to its ornate religious symbols.
- “Another amazing feature of Russia’s geography is Lake Baikal. It is the world’s largest lake and holds 20 percent of the world’s supply of fresh water. It is also the world’s oldest lake.”
- “Colourfully painted onion domes first appeared during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. They are commonplace in Russian architecture and are predominant atop church structures. It has been speculated that they represent burning candles or vaults to heaven and often appear in groups of three representing the Holy Trinity.”
- “A folklore tale tells of the Fire Bird, an enchanted creature with fiery plumage that is very difficult to catch, therefore its capture or that of one of its feathers is often the challenge facing the hero.”
EGYPT:
- “Judging by the numbers of tombs and mummies that the ancient Egyptians left behind, one can be forgiven for thinking that they were obsessed by death. However, this is not so. The Egyptians were obsessed by life and its continuation rather than by a morbid fascination with death. The tombs, mortuary temples and mummies that they produced were a celebration of life and a means of continuing it for eternity…For the Egyptians, as for other cultures, death was part of the journey of life, with death marking a transition or transformation after which life continued in another form, the spiritual rather than the corporeal.”
- “This passion for life imbued in the ancient Egyptians a great love for their land as it was thought that there could be no better place on earth in which to enjoy existence.
- "The concept of gratitude and the ritual known as The Five Gifts of Hathor in which the poor labourers were encouraged to regard the fingers of their left hand (the hand they reached with daily to harvest field crops) and to consider the five things they were most grateful for in their lives. Ingratitude was considered a ‘gateway sin’ as it left to all other types of negative thinking and resultant behaviour. Once on felt ungrateful, it was observed, one then was apt to indulge oneself further in bad behaviour.”
- “It was understood that human beings were an important aspect of the creation of the gods and that each human soul was as eternal as that of the deities they revered. Death was not an end to life but a re-joining of the individual soul with the eternal realm from which it had come.”
- “An individual’s name was considered of such importance that an Egyptian’s true name was kept secret throughout life and one was known by a nickname. Knowledge of a person’s true name gave one magical powers over that individual and this is among the reasons why the rulers of Egypt took another name upon ascending the throne; it was not only to link oneself symbolically to another successful pharaoh but also a form of protection to ensure one’s safety and help guarantee a trouble-free journey to eternity when one’s life on earth was completed.
- RIO CARNIVAL: The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro - a festival held every year before Lent and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first Carnival festival in Rio occurred in 1723.
- The typical Rio carnival parade is filled with revelers, floats, and adornments from numerous samba schools which are located in Rio.
- The Rio Carnival celebration dates back to 1640s. During that time, elaborate feasts were organised to give honour to the Greek wine gods. According to Greek mythology.
- “Unlike their North American counterparts, Brazilians have less sense of personal space and are not troubled by being packed together in crowded public places. The population is known to be physically expressive and they convey emotional information through touch rather than words. While some foreigners might misinterpret this form of expression as being something sexual in nature, Brazilians tend to equate touch with friendship and a show of concern.”
- “Brazil additionally has a tradition of folk literature, although very little is known abroad. The form of literature known as literature de cordel (literature on a string), which has its origins in the custom of displaying booklets of verse by hanging them from a thin string or cordel, is a form of rhymed verse still popular in the Northeast interior.”
‘Avatar The Last Airbender’ Article (VICE):
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5943jz/avatar-the-last-airbender-is-still-one-of-the-greatest-shows-of-all-time?utm_source=vicefbuk&fbclid=IwAR1v782NJibq5aNiTwXKoH-S-a0WWLwYBiYxUGcpgkT_yVa1IU99nDJZAxk 'it has been ten years since the season finale of one of the best animated children’s television shows, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ten years since 5.6 million people watched Aang defeat the Firelord Ozai in what was one of the most-watched season finales in Nickelodeon’s history. If you haven't seen it, you have some watching to do: It has retained all of its power, and its message matters now more than ever.'
- “Remarkable for its subtle depictions of how power corrupts & how inequality poisons everything.”
- “Co-creators Bryan [Konietzko] and Michael [Dante DiMartino] were trying to build something that had a mythic resonance,”
- “You want to be inspired without appropriating, you don’t want to accidentally say something about a culture. For example, early on a lot of the designs for the Fire Nation were inspired by designs from Japan, which was a problem—you have a bad nation, and if all of their designs were Japanese, you’d project a poor message about their culture. We completely reworked the art so that it would be more broadly inspired.”
- Show has the ability to, “Assemble a cast of characters that depicts the world as it is, with a range of identities and experiences, including, for instance, Teo, a paraplegic Earth Kingdom boy. “We as a team were inspired by diverse and interesting things,” Ehasz said. “We felt, in general, that diversity was a strength, a fascinating and empowering thing. It was subtle. We wanted to see real characters who were not all cookie-cutter, characters who were different and had real vulnerability and incredible strengths, and who embraced both.”
- “The last Airbender ends up being a show about human being’s extraordinary ability to empathise with nearly anyone, given the right conditions.”
- Each bending style is derived from a specific Chinese martial art, and the culture of each nation takes cues from the the physical embodiment of the element, along with inspiration from existing real-world cultures. For example, the Water Tribe is based off of Inuit and Sireniki cultures and its bending style was modeled after Tai Chi. These nuances add a layer to the fight scenes: Aang is evasive and light on foot, never attacking and always dodging; Katara keeps a pouch of water like a fanny pack, which she uses as a whip, ice daggers, or even for healing; and Zuko, especially early on, bends fire with evident rage.
- The show’s greatest asset is the depth of its narrative.
- The “emotional authenticity” of the characters was how The Last Airbender was able to expose very young viewers to darker subject matter, like genocide and authoritarianism, while giving them a framework for understanding these issues. Often that was done by focusing on the emotions of the core cast as they process these events.
It’s Nice That: Wide Eyed Wonder: Bringing fresh eyes to children’s book design:
- Working with creatives who’ve never made a children’s book before
- Wide Eyed Editions planned to be purely non-fiction, as the creators felt that it was a neglected genre, and highly illustrated.
- They had worked as editors in the children’s book business for over a decade, and had seen first-hand how picture books had the power to hit a chord with young readers, giving them tools to understand the world around them through the power of stories.
- We had also seen how these books affected parents just as much as their young audience.
- We wanted our non-fiction list to do the same thing as stories do — inspire a sense of magic and wonder about the world — but be rooted in fact, giving readers the ability to think critically and feed their curiosity.
- "I had just been reading a bunch of Ken Robinson books about education on this very topic, and how children are born explorers or “divergent thinkers” – a trait that artists continue to foster as they age."
- A core part of our commissioning process has been marrying science and art – finding expert authors or illustrators passionate about a subject or a style of art-working, and working with them to make a book.
- Looking outside the children’s book industry to professionals who haven’t necessarily made a children’s book before has been part of our approach, as we feel these voices offer a fresh perspective to subjects that have historically been watered down for children.
- We see it as our job, along with our designer Nicola Price, to filter these ideas and create books that are child-friendly but also interesting to parents.
- "Young children have an artist’s spirit of curiosity, collaboration and the ability to think sideways. Our hope is that our books offer a jumping off point to develop these artistic traits into life long skills through the power of reading, and sharing, information books."
An illustrated book of maps around the world was found which provided great insight into the wildlife and landscape of each country noted. With a childish tone of voice, the book was particularly relevant in the way it colour coded areas, and educated about the world in a fun and playful way, with strong characterisations. The book covered the different continents which made it a useful source for selecting appropriate countries to offer a wide variety of aesthetics.
Refinement
Primary Research & Findings
The design reached out to an existing children's book author for advice and information on how to best refine and present the story.
- Needed to be shorter for illustrator with time limit
- Less language
- Use of repetition to maintain engagement through rhythm
- Be obvious
Production
After the final transcript was checked grammatically by both an English Literature graduate and an existing children's book author, each spread was split into a paragraph corresponding with its relevant country.
The final story was edited down so that the output would consist of 10 double spreads. This seemed the most achievable for the given timespan.
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