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Contents
28.
THROUGH THE LENS
76.
Mauro, Taylor and Sylvia share their outdoor spring.
66.
THE KITCHEN CORNER Taylor Wassep shares his favorite chicken katsu sando.
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PROUST SPOTLIGHT
100.
Showcasing the talented blogger, Ruby O’Kelly.
92.
ARTIST HIGHLIGHT This month we feature live singer, Mae Cliassi.
THE WAYFAR
Join the Wayfarer as he expl the sim, Tona
124.
ASIAN PACIFIC HERITA
Celebrate at the Asian Pa Heritage Festival in
42.
COVER STORY Identity Matters
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Ara Dethly
WRITER
136. VOICES FROM THE GRID
Cajsa Lilliehook
Residents are asked the same question and share their view.
RER
lores arino.
158.
THE MYSTIC REALMS Anne explores this fantastic roleplay community.
AGE
170. THE ART PERSPECTIVE
acific n SL.
Featuring artists from the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival.
ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination” to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community. ECLIPSE May 2022 | Page 13
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the contributo
TROUBLE DETHLY
CAJSA LILLIEHOOK
PUBLISHER
COPY EDITOR
TAYLOR W
CONTENT M
HAYDEN DETHLY
JUNE FALLON
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ors
WASSEP
MANAGER
PREVIOUS ISSUES
WRITERS Anne Daumig Cajsa Lilliehook Gidge Uriza Novaleigh Freng Taylor Wassep Wicca Merlin
PHOTOGRAPHERS Ara Dethly Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Wendz Tempest Wicca Merlin
STYLISTS Hayden Dethly Mauro Rosenfeld Sylvia Olivier Taylor Wassep Vivien De’Lancoure Wicca Merlin
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I have this incredibly awful habit of overwhelming myself. It is never intentional, but all these ideas come to me in the moments I am too idle. In this instance, I opened up the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival on May 1, followed by Witchcraft & Wizardry on May 12 and Farmers Market on May 26. Also, I’ll be away for work in between the latter two. My poor timing in regards to scheduling aside, I am so excited for all of them. I also have the most incredible friends in Second Life who really helped me out with photography, decoration, etc. Plus, I am lucky to have Ara, June and Taylor who for whatever reason put up with me. If you have not had the opportunity to visit the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival, please do so. It is a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in Second Life. In the month of May, Asian and Pacific Islanders come together for this vibrant festival to celebrate and share our vast culture, diversity and history with the entire Second Life community through photography exhibitions, traditional foods, open market with content creators and gifts at each stall, the parade of countries, discussion panels and more. We have another live music festival on May 27th and another discussion panel on May 28th! Now to the cover story. It only seemed natural to have a cover feature where we interview Asian and Pacific Islanders residents to learn more about their culture and experiences. I also have two articles on the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival — one more general and the other one about the art exhibits. We have a total of ten pieces this month, and I hope you enjoy this issue. Happy Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
from the publisher
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through the lens
s
Each issue, ECLIPSE Magazine invites the many talented photographers from Second Life to collaborate. With this piece, they style, create and share a glimpse through their lens. For this edition, Mauro Rosenfeld, Taylor Wassep and Velvet Bunny show off the best in spring outdoors.
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Photographer: Mauro Rosenfeld ECLIPSE May 2022 | Page 31
Photographer: Taylor Wassep
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Photographer: Velvet Bunny ECLIPSE May 2022 | Page 35
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identity matters
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARA DETHLY & taylor wassep. writt
en by cajsa lilliehook.
Asia is a land of superlatives. The greatest landmass, the highest mountain, the deepest trench in the ocean, and the most people are all in Asia. ECLIPSE Magazine is sponsoring the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival, the first such celebration in Second Life. This month’s issue is an adjunct to that festival and we hope we, too, can adequately celebrate that most superlative of identities. To learn more about Asian and Pacific Island culture, we decided to interview eight superlative residents of Second Life: Angelica Song, Dash Lionheart, Ethan Lane Jaymes, James Garrison, Kryptonia Paperdoll, Marcel Mosswood, Wendz Tempest, and Zaara Kohime. They are Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, and multi- and bi-racial people who fall into the broad category of Asian. Asia is an excellent example of how the way we see and understand the world is based on social constructs, not biological or geographical facts. If geography mattered, India and Australia would be one continent formed by the Indo-Australian tectonic plate. The Pacific Islands would be a separate continent as well. Europe and Asia above the Himalayas would be Eurasia. But we don’t order our continents by plate tectonics, we go by ideas of race and ethnicity rooted in the European efforts to define itself at the center of the world and define who was not. That is why Asia is considered
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“The East” even though it is west of the International Date Line. Don’t look for logic. Nonetheless, once something is named it becomes real. It takes on a life of its own. For example, there is no such thing as race, but racism is very real. Even though the idea of Asian identity is a social construct, the abstract becomes very concrete when people reify the word. So how do people feel about the Asian identity? For Angelica, it was a bit weird to be referred to as Asian. She thinks of herself as Chinese. Still, she wasn’t offended by it. “It felt a bit strange because it’s so broad. I rarely refer to myself or to others as Asian before I had known it was common to do so, but then again I don’t really think that deeply into it, China is a part of Asia, so I am technically Asian.” Dash sees it as more complex as he is half Black and half Filipino. “As I moved ...around the United States and abroad, I found that “Filipino” had no context to anyone. I simply became Asian.” He grew tired of trying to explain and found it easier to be identified by his skin color. He continued, “Asian, to me, seems like an all-encompassing term for “you look different….” However, Dash thinks Asian-American takes on meaning within the U.S. allowing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to come together
Photograph provided by Angelica Song.
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to celebrate their similarities. It was complicated for him by his parent’s divorce. His mother was not in his life until adulthood, cutting him off from his mother’s culture. Ethan thinks the term Asian is too broad. “I do not define myself with race - Asian or White - I define myself as Singaporean due to my cultural expression and identification. Whether one is Indian or Malay in Singapore, it does not make one less Singaporean than the next. The moment we apply race as a definition - all we can do here is relate to it purely physical traits - and that does not define me.” Meanwhile, James is comfortable with Asian, “To me probably ‘’Asian’’ is just a word to describe skin, hair color or the origin where you come from. About the culture and lifestyle, I have never been a traditional Asian guy, I pick what I think is good and suits me well and follow them.” Kryptonia is Filipina and has never referred to herself as Asian nor has anyone else used that to describe her. She studied in the southwest of Germany where there were many international students. She didn’t experience any hatred or racism openly expressed. “I never heard a person call me and others as Asian, they are mostly asking politely where you come from and they are curious (if they haven’t been there), how’s the weather, culture, foods, etc... Germans love to travel around the world, they
respect and value other countries’ culture.” Zaara Kohime likewise prefers the particular to the general. “I personally prefer to be known as Indian rather than Asian… There are so many states within India, each of those are as different as Germany is to France... slotting the whole category within Asia is certainly pretty wide.” Wendz is another person who does not think of herself as Asian, but as Filipina-Hawaiian. If you called her Asian, she would not be openly offended. “That’s because I am a very nice person and I can forgive ignorance. The word Asian in the context of ethnic identification, however, sort of bugs me, in that we’re lumped together on paper & mainstream coverage. I get we as a society need identifiers, I do. But depending on the context, maybe ‘that person, this person or titles would be less triggering.’” For Marcel, it’s just the opposite. “I am very Asian. I like to eat all Asian food. I want to have all the traditional Asian clothes in my wardrobe... lol! Therefore, when I knew that there is the Asian-Pacific Heritage Festival in SL, I was immediately interested in getting involved even though I am currently very busy with work. For me, Asia is unique, diverse, and beautiful.” As you can see, many have a strong preference for the particular over
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the general. The idea that there is an Asian culture rather than the culture of the Tamil, Malay, Han, Mongolian, Urdu, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese, Singaporean, and on and on and on is on a shaky foundation when those cultures vary so widely. They have different cuisines, music, literature, religion, and the word Asian kind of sands away the differences to create something that has recognizable components, but is sort of unreal.
had no mother. James, too, believes family bonds are the central core of his culture For Ethan, what he loves most about his culture is the unbreakable bonds of family. He also mentioned the film Crazy Rich Asians “I know it’s a comedy but if you read between the lines - you can see the family bonding (Peik Lin’s family over lunch), the yummy food and the games (mahjong) etc. It is quite a good representation of the culture minus the bitchiness.”
An easy entrée to another country’s culture is through music. Others find their way through film. BTS has enchanted people across the world, drawing them into learning more about Korean culture. Many people who are not Korean stream Korean TV dramas on Viki. Other streaming services such as Crunchyroll for anime, TenCent Video and iQiyi for Chinese and other Asian dramas are also very popular. Many begin to learn about Japan through anime. Others practice martial arts and develop an interest in the culture behind the practice.
Kryptonia loves many things about Filipino culture but notes in particular the respect for the aged. She also pointed out that the Philippines have the longest Christmas which begins in September as people begin to prepare for the holiday season. “I loved Pasko (Christmas), those Parol (Christmas Lantern), colorful decorations all over and children who sang Christmas carols from one house to another.When I was a kid, we attended and finished the Simbang Gabi (misa de gallo / night mass) from December 16 - 24 and we went at 5:00 AM in the church to attend the mass. We never missed any single day.”
Angelica is proud of the growing interest in Chinese arts and culture, especially in children’s films. “Last year we had Over The Moon and this year we have Turning Red. I have yet to see Turning Red but I’ve only heard good reviews, so I’m looking forward to that.” Dash is warmed by memories of a welcoming Filipino community and the selflessness of families welcoming a child who
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Marcel loves many elements of Indonesian culture including the food and traditional clothing. She admires the dancing as well, “Indonesian traditional dances are very mesmerizing if watched attentively. The movements are very expressive and show the way
Photograph provided by Ethan Lane-James.
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our society lives.” As to movies, she recommends Tilik which he says reflects the social culture well.
do. It just tastes good while letting our worldview remain intact and untouched.
For Wendz, one of the more striking differences between where she grew up in Hawaii and where she lives now in the Pacific Northwest the greater social cohesion there. “My filipino grandma wouldn’t blink an eye to welcome a complete stranger to stay in her home in Maui, but when she’s visiting me here in Seattle? Leaving my door unlocked is a big NO.”
We asked everyone about their cuisine and most of them sounded rhapsodic in describing the delights they enjoy. The foods are as varied as their landscapes and histories. On the other hand, someone once said every country had a dish that only their people could love. There are so many possibilities for the Disgusting Food Museum’s list of the World’s Most Disgusting Foods. Yes, there really is a physical museum of disgusting food. Since Dash, James, and Kryptonia named balut as their cuisine’s disgusting food, it is fitting it is ranked in the top ten world’s most disgusting foods by the museum.
Meanwhile, for Zaara, she wishes people understood the complexity of India. If you think about it, India itself is nearly as ethnically diverse as the entire world. It has four major language groups and every major religion. And they all have to rub along together in one country. Zaara thinks that is something India can teach the world. “What we do have is a bunch of states with different languages, food and clothing. What binds and keep this all together is a deep rooted moral code. The diversity has made us into an extremely tolerant race and I believe the world could do with a little more tolerance to cultures unfamiliar to them.” For most people, learning about another culture often begins with the food. Food is non-threatening. It doesn’t alter our understanding of the world and our place in it the way learning about another country’s values, religion, and customs may
Angelica likes noodles, dumplings, and chicken soup. But if she were introducing someone to her cuisine, she would recommend a classic claypot rice which is specific to the region of China she comes from. On the other hand, there is Durian which has a powerful odor that keeps many people from trying it. “I think it tastes better than it smells, but personally I am not a fan hahaha! It’s one of those where you either love it or hate it, but it’s still worth a try if you can take it.” Dash loves lumpia, a delicious Filipino dish that can be compared to an egg roll. “If there is one food that is stereotypical but delicious
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when it comes to Filipino dishes. It’s lumpia.” As to balut, “I honestly have yet to try it and hopefully I can.”
her mother. “I love Taho (silken tofu with sago pearls and brown sugar syrup) and Champorado (a sweet chocolate rice porridge) for breakfast.” Ethan thinks Singapore is a food She also likes a seafood soup called paradise. He suggests you watch Sinigang na Hipon and Adobong Crazy Rich Asians or the Singapore Manok, which is chicken marinated episode of Street Food Asia on in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay Netflix to get an idea, but if forced leaves, and black peppercorns to choose just one, it would be Char browned in oil and simmered in Kway Teow - flat rice noodles, stirthe marinade. She likes Kare-Kare fried over very high heat with garlic, made of chunky peanut butter, light and dark soy sauce, chili paste, banana, beans, and oxtail. “For whole prawns, chopped Chinese something sweet I loved Halo-halo, a chives, slices of Chinese sausage, combination of shaved ice, condensed and bean sprouts. “It is the yummiest milk, gulaman (agar-agar), nata de thing ever with amazing flavors” On coco (coconut gel), leche flan, ube ice the more adventurous side there are cream, macapuno (coconut sport), Century Eggs with Pickled Ginger banana, and so much more!” which feature eggs preserved in a curing mixture. They are dark in Marcel’s favorite Indonesian foods color, rich in flavor, and considered are all kinds of soto (a meat and a delicacy, which he describes as vegetable soup) listing five different having “an acquired fragrance of egg, sotos, She also like rawon, a beef with a slight odor of ammonia, but soup, and rendang, an Indonesian tastes like egg on the palate with a beef curry. Her favorite snacks are creamy and succulent flavor. It should lumpia, lemper, and pastel. “The best have a slightly runny, gooey, creamy desserts are es teler and es campur.” egg yolk, and small traces of the yolk stick to the knife after cutting.” On the less appealing side, “We have (very) salty fish, fermented bitter For James, there are many great mustard, and manday (fermentation Vietnamese foods. He really like Pho of the soft skin of the cempedak fruit). (beef noodles) and Com Tam, which Before starting to be processed all is broken rice with pork, egg, and these materials must be washed first fish sauce. Foods that lack that mass to remove the preservatives. Then appeal include Shrimp paste (rotted for salted fish is usually processed shrimp sauce), condensed pig by frying. Fermented bitter mustard blood, balut, and of course, Durian. is prepared by sautéing with spicy spices. And manday is processed by Kryptonia loves a lot of Filipino frying with flour like frying chicken. foods, especially those cooked by Everything is delicious.”
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Wendz favorite foods are a true Hawaiian and Filipino mix with Spam Musubi and pork belly adobo. Asked if she could think of something less appealing, “Oh boy do I?? A dish with stewed pork blood, bits of pork, garlic and ginger, “Dee Noo Goo Ahn”. This sounds worse and looks crazy but if you can get past the visuals, it’s ono (delicious)!”
leaders to deflect from their failings and to arouse nationalist anger at the Chinese. Since many people cannot tell one Asian person from another, this has led to an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes around the world. We asked if anyone had witnessed this themselves.
Angelica has seen an increase in anti-Asian racism and violence in Zaara loves Indian street food, her country, most noticeably in particularly ‘chaat’ which are spicy, 2020 when COVID emerged. She tangy snacks with fresh herbs and offers some great advice, “Abuse, chutneys. “My comfort food is a sort harassment, violence is never the that’s specific to my region, a coastal answer and certainly does not make style of Konkan which is known for its COVID go away.” Dash notes there fish curries. I love a good fiery Pomfret was a political agenda in making fish curry with some fried prawns Asians the scapegoat during the and a coconut milk drink called ‘sol pandemic. He reminds us that kadi’.” She is not that fond of the American history is rife with such less appealing dish, dried seafood, examples, “Only a little more than “particularly prawns known as ‘jawla’, 50 years ago, there were internment I always run away from the kitchen camps for Japanese and anyone that whenever my mom made anything looked “Asian” in the United States… involving those. Our food tends to be Bringing awareness to these cultural spicy, sometimes extremely spicy and differences in more than memes will this is fairly normal for Indians but can help. This is why I’m so honored that blow your head off if you aren’t used Eclipse is bringing a spotlight to these to it. We also eat all our food with topics.” our hands which is definitely weird to anyone else.” Ethan travels a lot for work and has first-hand experience being called While the various cuisines, music, a racist epithet while walking in and arts of Asia find enthusiasts Paris, Sydney, or London. “Hence, around the world, people have been I reiterate that I am lucky to be in less welcoming of the actual people Singapore where this is not even behind the culture. This has become tolerated - any anti-racial actions worse since the pandemic began in will lead to very harsh penalties.” He 2020. COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, favors strong anti-racism laws. “This China, and that fact has been is because education, as great as it exploited by irresponsible political is, tends to take many, many years
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to infuse into society. Sometimes a hard hand needs to start and be released as thi ngschange.” He notes that even in Singapore where the population is 78% Chinese there has been a wave of anti-Chinese (from China) sentiment, an intraracial xenophobia inspired by COVID, cultural differences, money, and jobs.
is expressed in other ways, for example, he notes is more rampant appropriation of Asian culture than for other groups. In particular, he thinks of those white bloggers who dress up in cultural outfits and “play Asian” but when they mix, for example, Chinese and Japanese elements, not understanding the meaning behind the pieces, they run into trouble. He adds, “People Wendz has also noted an increase from other cultural backgrounds have in anti-Asian sentiment that she to be aware of what impact they’re believes must be addressed from the having when they mix up others… top down, since so many politicians they’re ultimately suggesting they are blatantly trafficking in racism. think other cultures don’t matter. We She would like stronger policies, are responsible for our actions and laws, and consequences, public pictures we put out there - I think we consequences so people learn. “We need to be more careful in this as an are living in a time when violence overall community.” is lauded, tolerated and hatred is celebrated. Personally, I would have It reflects well on Second Life that not known how Anti-Asian crime was none of the people interviewed rising without social media. It has have experienced anti-Asian racism caused me to rethink my ideology & in our part of the metaverse. That political affiliation. The distrust we would not be true in many other as a collective have for authority is virtual worlds, but then Second Life growing by the minute. And that is sad has always led with mutual respect because I am an ENFP and I want to and inclusion as values. Second Life love everyone.” founder Philip Rosedale recently commented “No one has come close Fortunately, they agree that Second to building a virtual world like Second Life does not mirror our first life. Life,” says Second Life founder and All eight people we interviewed High Fidelity co-founder, Philip reported experiencing no overt Rosedale. “Second Life has managed racism. Wendz speculated, “I think to create both a positive, enriching that part of SL, just creating your experience for its residents — with virtual identity, the process, the room for millions more to join — and thought behind it, is already fostering built a thriving subscription-based a healthy community.” business at the same time. Virtual worlds don’t need to be dystopias.” For Ethan did notice that racism more on this, click here.
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So how did they come to Second Life? Their stories are as varied as they are. Zaara joined in 2007 when a friend showed her a news article. “There was an Indian club called ‘Desi Beats’ and most Indians hung out there... this is where I was encouraged to create Indian clothing after I got to know some folk there. Because of the quality of my content I was accepted widely and not just within the Indian community. I was invited to really high quality malls such as LE.LOOK! where I met the owner Sawyer Campese and we have been married IRL since several years now!” Wendz also joined thanks to a friend, someone who moved to SL from a different online community. She made a lot of friends at the old welcome center and has a soft spot for newbies. “I’m still a member of a very very old SL Newbie Helper Mentor group, “White Tiger Mentors”... yes there is still such a thing, ask me about it sometime!” Marcel, too, was brought in by friends from Indonesia. “They said that in SL I can learn many things for free and that I can attend educational events from all over the world. At that time the barrier to communication was language. But over time I’ve learned a lot about English and found tools like Grammarly that make it easier for me to communicate in writing.” Albert Plasma brought Kryptonia to SL in 2006, though it took several
weeks to convince her. He assisted her through the learning curve and she quickly adapted. She spent her first twenty minutes in SL editing her appearance, not wanting to look like everyone else. “There were no language barriers on my side, I do speak fluent English, German and Tagalog, besides Albert was there and at that time he was already a member of the largest German community with its own island, activities and projects. We hang out there mostly and met a lot of Germans and became friends, where we had a lot of fun doing silly stuff and learning at the same time.” Like most of the others, Dash came because of a friend who invited him to SL and brought him to a roleplay sim called Tharnia. “It was a Gor sim, and honestly I thought that’s what SL was. I had no idea what “Gor” meant but I thought Second Life was this game where you shoot people with bows and arrows and run around willy nilly. I had so many weird adventures, and soon my friend stopped logging in but I still kept coming back. I felt welcomed in these environments because I became invested in the storylines. Back then I was this Amazonian warrior that healed people. Ten years later, I just laugh at those beginnings. The photos are definitely cringe-worthy. I soon found a world outside of the Gorean RP sims, explored other realms and found modern communities.”
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Angelica was introduced to SL by a relative and she initially focused on academic pursuits. “I went around universities (actual RL universities that had campuses within SL) and some language learning groups. It wasn’t anything serious though, eventually I started exploring and that’s when I discovered events. I still didn’t quite understand the concept at the time, but with a guide from someone named ‘Makoto’, I learnt a lot about how to move, dress up, unbox and that’s when I also found out about Flickr blogging. And one thing led to the next, I met a lot of great fellow bloggers/creators and I’ve been sticking around since then.” James has just graduated and his dating partner moved to another country. He saw SL and decided to try it out and perhaps make some new friends. “It seemed to be a great place because you can meet people all over the world, different cultures, and many things to discover. I use English daily since I was 12 so there has never been a language barrier most of the time. There was no (and still no) welcome center or group in Vietnamese as there are only very few of us here in SL. What made me feel welcomed are the people here. I visited a club and got some big help to get started, without that help I wouldn’t have stayed until now.”
many options for Asian-centric skins so he began SL as a white-cis male. He didn’t look for Asian communities in SL in part because of his avatar’s appearance and because he spoke English well and fit in the LGBT community. “Now looking back, I wished there was an upfront way that SL pointed and showed us what we could do and explore within our own realms…Recently though, I’ve really started to embrace my Chinese side - connecting and conversing with Asian creators and bloggers in their own language and even joining SL groups that have Malaysians and Singaporeans within them. Slowly but surely, I do feel like I belong a little more.”
It is fascinating that with cultures that are as diverse as Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Hawaiian, Indonesian, and Vietnamese, there remains in that diversity a constant of valuing family and holding close to familiar bonds. But then, if we questioned people from various cultures in Africa, Europe, or Latin America, we probably would find that they too, see their culture through the framework of family and the bonds of familial tradition. So it can seem as though the spice of cuisine, the colors of arts, the movements of dance, and the energy of film are the cultural signifiers Ethan’s entry to SL was unique. He saw while the bonds of love, friends and a few YouTube videos and decided family are a universal form that these to try it out. This was pre-mesh so he signifiers adorn. You see, underneath doesn’t recall a difficult learning curve. the surface differences, we are Being gay, he explored the LGBT sims all humans who love our families and found lots of help. There weren’t however and wherever we are.
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Angelica Song I’m a blogger and creator in SL. I’ve been running my blog since I’ve joined and I became interested in the 3D aspect in 2016, opening my shop kotte. As an Asian raised in a western country you may see my work being influenced by both sides. Dash Lionsheart I’ve been in Second Life for about 10 years. I want to say that I “grew up” on the platform, as I started when I was 19. I’ve been able to express so much creative freedom, and learn different skills. In 2018 I found Second Life Facebook, and the world of SL opened up even more for me. I was able to talk with people that weren’t necessarily in the same “world” of SL like I was. This year I started a small business called Sovereign, making unique and different addons, facial hair, and appliers. I’m having so much fun finally being a creator in SL. Ethan Lane-James I am a blogger manager, blogger, photographer and sim-owner of Tulum Reserve. I enjoy photography through blogging for brands and events and spend most of my time with my group of crazy friends and partner, Kaleb Jaymes. I love building and creating stories and scenarios within SL due to the boundlessness of what we have and exploring the limits of photography here. My main goal in SL is to spread as much joy and love as I am able to, and foster a community of acceptance and support. James Garrison Physically I am almost 30 and happily single in both lives :D I have a small store that sells toy cars and moving stuffs in SL called 777 Motors. I also have a small and chillax cafe called Wandering Cloud Cafe.
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Kryptonia Paperdoll I am a Second Life Resident since March 2006. I am a Model Instructor, Blogger, Photographer, Vlogger, Dance Choreographer, Event Organizer, Show Producer and Model. Albert Plasma and I created the VPC (Virtual Private Chat) that allows communication with models and staff without bothering the group chat and only those who are involved on shows can read the chat. Mango Splash and I, created the Strut - It Model HUD that incorporated what had been three into just one HUD. POSEbility is my pose store and Zickenkiste is clothing and shoes stores. I also own SCALA Model Agency, Production and Academy which we hold Model Classes, Shopping Event and Fashion Show. I work for Equalizer Magazine since 2021.
Marcel Mosswood Hello, my name is Marcel Mosswood, I have been using SL since 2010. In SL I’m involved in the education and arts community. For me, SL is a second home, where I can meet and collaborate with friends from all over the world. I have actively participated in conferences and meetings of educators who use the virtual world, such as VWBPE and VWEC. Apart from that I also manage The Playground, a 2D and 3D art gallery. Wendz Tempest Aloha, I’m Wendz. Do you know BTS? Kidding! I’m just a resident who’s into virtual decor and pixelated plants at the moment.
Zaara Kohime I’m Zaara Kohime and I have been an active second life creator since 2007. I am an art director by profession, so any sort of creative outlet was more than welcome! Fashion was interesting to me at the time and there was a serious lack of Indian fashion at the time so that’s how I started {Zaara} ECLIPSE May 2022 | Page 61
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The Kitchen corn
photography by taylo
If there is one thing that brings people together, it is food. The Second Life culture is as rich as its residents, and “The Kitchen Corner” celebrates and showcases the talents of content creators that will appeal to all “foodies.” Collaborating with different residents ECLIPSE Magazine presents an innovative approach on all things food related with fantastic imagery and an equally tried and true accompanying recipe. Taylor Wassep shares his favorite and go to chicken katsu sando recipe.
ner
or wassep..
Chicken Katsu Sando 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (cut to about ½ in. thickness) 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose flour 1 Large Egg 1 Cup Panko
Canola Oil 4 Slices White Sandwich Bread Cabbage Kewpie Mayo Tonkatsu Sauce
1. Using a mallet, pound the chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to a ½ - inch thickness. Season the chicken with salt 2. In a dish, place the flour along with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper, then mix. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg(s). Place the crumbs in another shallow bowl. Then, starting with one piece of chicken at a time, dip the chicken into flour, then egg mixture, lastly coat the chicken breast in the bread crumbs, shaking off any excess. *Your best tools are your hands. So with impeccably clean hands, use one hand to dip the chicken into the egg and another hand to dredge the flour mixture. Keeping each hand to one activity will greatly low the chances of a mess while breading the chicken. 3. Pour enough oil into a large skillet until you could cover the chicken once in the skillet and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough to start frying, add the chicken and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4 - 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season lightly with salt while still hot. 4. Squeeze the Kewpie Mayo onto one side of each slice of bread. Then place each chicken breast on top of that along with a sprinkling of finely shredded cabbage and a drizzle of Tonkatsu Sauce. Finally, place the other piece of bread on top and enjoy!
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the proust spotli
photography by rub
The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second Life®. Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick. The blogger we feature this month is the talented Ruby O’Kelly. She shares, ”Since 2008, I have worked as a model, photographer, stylist and blogger in Second Life. I am an official blogger for top Japanese brands AGATA mode, LANEVO, Naminoke, and ROZOREGALIA. I am also an official blogger for several shopping events involving many Asian and especially Japanese creators. Through these activities, I hope to introduce the works of outstanding Japanese creators and the wonderful culture of Japan to the world at large.”
ght
by o’kelly.
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What is your ideal of perfect happiness? あなたが理想とする完璧な幸福とは？ My perfect happiness is that I and my dear family, friends and colleagues are healthy in mind and body. This sounds simple, but it is very difficult. I am very thankful to say that I am quite happy right now. 私の理想の幸せは、自分と自分の大切な家族や友人や同僚が、 心も体も健康であることです。 これは簡単なようでとても難 しいことです。 今は、私はかなり幸福な状態といえるのは、 本当にありがたいことです。 Which words or phrases do you most overuse? あなたが最も使いすぎている言葉やフレーズは何ですか？ My most overused word is “thank you.” But I think that overuse of this word is a very good thing, because it is a very good way to say “thank you” and “thank you for your time and effort”. People around me are very good to me. I am thankful that I am able to say many words of gratitude. 私が最も使いすぎている単語は「ありがとうございます」しか し、私はこの単語を使いすぎることはとても良い事だと思いま す。 周りの人は私にとてもよくしてくれる。私は、感謝の言 葉をたくさん発する事が出来る事に感謝します。 Which historical figure do you most identify with? あなたが最も共感する歴史上の人物は誰ですか？ The historical figure I most identify with is Florence Nightingale. She contributed greatly to the independence and social status of women and women nurses. She also achieved excellent results in medical health reform based on statistics. I am a nurse at RL and I respect her very much. I work as a nurse in a hospital and do graduate research in nursing and public health. 私が最も共感する歴史上の人物は、フローレンス・ナイチンゲ ールです。 彼女は、女性や女性看護師の自立と社会的地位の 向上に大きく貢献しました。また、統計学に基づいた医療保健 改革でも素晴らしい成果をあげました。 私はRLで看護師をし ていますが、彼女をとても尊敬しています。 私は彼女を尊敬 し、看護師として病院で働きながら、看護学と公衆衛生学の大 学院で勉強しています。
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How would you like to die? どのように死にたいですか？ I love to dance in RL and take dance lessons. I used to dance on stage, but now it is difficult because of my busy schedule. If I could, I would die while dancing. I sometimes get into a state similar to a “runner’s high” while dancing. I get a great feeling of ecstasy at the same time that I am suffering from the intense dancing. A Rush of β-Endorphin! I hope to die unconscious in such a state. If that happened, I might cause a lot of trouble for people around me. 私はRLでダンスをするのが大好きで、ダンスのレッスンを受けています。 昔はステージで踊っていましたが、今は忙しいため、それは困難です。 出 来る事なら、ダンスを踊っている最中に死にたいです。 ダンス中に”ラン ナーズハイ”に似ている状態になることがあります。 私は激しいダンスに よって苦しくなると同時にすごい恍惚感が得られます。βエンドルフィン が沢山出る！その状態のまま、意識を失って死にたいです。 そうなった場 合、私は周りの人に多大な迷惑をかけるかもしれません。 What is your motto? あなたの座右の銘は？ Humility, Faithfulness, Integrity. These three elements are my school motto and recommend the following way of life. Recognizing our strengths and weaknesses with an honest heart. To fulfill one’s duties to family, school, and society with integrity and responsibility. To be pure and righteous in body and mind, and to try to live truthfully according to one’s conscience. I am always aware of this school motto. 謙虚さ」「誠実さ」「高潔さ」。 この3つの要素は私のスクールモットー であり、次のような生き方を推奨しています。 素直な心で自分の長所と短 所を認識すること。 誠実さと責任感を持って、家族、学校、社会に対する 自分の義務を果たすこと。 心身ともに清く正しく、良心に従って正直に生 きるよう心がけること。 私はこの校訓を常に意識しています。 What is your most marked characteristic? あなたの最も顕著な特徴は何ですか？ I am always positive. I am good at forgetting bad times and move on. I believe that we learn something even from a mistake play icon and I try to make every effort to turn every thing into profit. 私はいつも前向きです。 私は嫌なことを忘れて前に進むのが得意です。 私は、失敗したプレーからでさえ、何かを学ぶことができると信じていま す。 そして 何事も利益につなげられるように努力します。
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artist highlight
photography by hayden dethly. written by hayd
Artistry and creativity are at the foundation of everything we see and do in Second Life. The same is true for all we hear in Second Life. In showcasing residents and groups who embody the concept of “your world, your imagination,” Eclipse Magazine is honored to showcase Second Life’s amazing musical talent. In this month’s “Artist Highlight,” Hayden Dethly shines the spotlight on Mae Cliassi.
den dethly.
Second Life is like an empty canvas. You can create and make it into anything your mind desires. For Mae Cliassi, her creative outlet lies in her music.
and the crowd in front of her, something she does in both worlds. Mae tries to make the most of every performance, her goal being to deliver an unforgettable experience.
Her love for music started with her father, an award-winning music composer. “He was the reason behind my interest, he started teaching me piano when I was 2-3 years old…” she shares, while musing that perhaps music really does run in one’s genes.
“Every performance is different. It can be energetic, an actual outdoor concert-like performance, it can be very intimate, and other things that make every moment special for everyone in the audience. When I step on the stage, it is always necessary to make people remember what happened and make them enjoy it. “
As a child, Mae grew up at church, singing and growing up with gospel music. However, singing was not the first thing she did at church. “I played the drums when I started getting into our church band. ” she explained. As she got older, she realized she loved playing the drums much more than the piano.
She prefers to keep her original writing to the real world, performing songs she hears on the radio instead. “I am very much fond of soul music, and 80s and 90s divas songs. I grew up listening to Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Toni Braxton, Shania Twain, etc. Whatever I am Mae is very grateful to her father for performing in SL actually are things opening up the world of music for that I hear from the radio as I grew her. “Since he has connections, I met a up playing more gospel songs - Ron lot of great performers in my lifetime Kenoly, Don Moen, Darlene Zschech, both locally and internationally. I also Hillsong, etc.” had the opportunity to get a degree in music conducting which opened a She doesn’t completely rule out lot of doors for me. I thank God for my ever performing an original song in dad.” Second Life though! “Maybe one of these days, I will put out a song that I Mae Cliassi aims to always curate wrote here in SL.” her performance around the venue
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Granted, at first, singing and performing was not the reason Mae joined the virtual world, she was later encouraged by Ruvie Gatchie to start performing. Mae does not sing in the real world, instead focusing on the producing, directing and arranging of music which translates to her love of also handling singers in Second Life. Nowadays, she often performs with other artists. “I am glad to have Ryeshure, Ruvi Gatchie, and Coco Geddins in our group. They have been a lot of fun and very talented people that I have known for quite some time. So proud of them!”
been to before, so to meet people in Second Life is very rewarding.” And as with everything we like, there’s always some aspect of it that we aren’t as fond of. She explains that not knowing who is behind the avatar, sometimes can be concerning and is mostly the only thing she dislikes about the virtual world. “To be honest, just the concern of stranger-danger” She laughed. “You never know who is behind the avatar, so same thing as RL, just need to be careful who you are interacting with. No drama, just fun. “
“Fun, Fun, Fun.” These are the three words that most describe Mae Cliassi. That is her main goal in No one was prepared for how Second Life. To have fun. “Always devastating the COVID19 pandemic love having fun. I love it! I try to have would be in our lives. For Mae as much fun as I can in Second Life.” Cliassi, it impacted her real world And adding to that, she explains performances and it meant putting that the creativity behind so many her career and projects on hold. She residents in Second Life is what has explains that even though there is kept her in-world for so long. software and such to help musicians stream and make music together, When it comes to her music career, she still prefers when they’re all able Mae has it all planned out for her to perform together and is thankful real life. “RL wise, it is all planned and that things have gotten better in organized so definitely will have a lot recent months. of RL projects coming soon.” When it comes to Second Life, she prefers We all love Second Life for many going with the flow and seeing reasons, for Mae, it’s the diversity. “It where it will take her. “I look forward is very beautiful that this virtual world to both rewards and challenges both can open doors to a lot of cultures worlds will give me.” and countries, even some I have not
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THE wayfarer...
“The Wayfarer” is a monthly feature showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®. His feet landed gently upon packed dirt, as the rustling of a stream echoes nearby and cows stare at him while they grave. Blinking his eyes back, the Wayfarer’s gaze falls upon a row of bicycles — one of which he quickly borrows to aid in his exploration. The subtle scent of cherry blossoms mingles in the air while he pedals down a paved road, passing a convenience store, a train station, restaurants and more. A look of joy crosses his face in this urban Japanese neighborhood where they have blended traditional and modern elements seamlessly. Immerse yourself in Tonarino.
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asian pacific heritage
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Taylor wassep. written by tayl
festival
lor wassep.
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Heritage can have a significant impact on how people view themselves in society. Where your family came from holds a special place in many people’s hearts because that is their home. This is especially true for immigrants starting life anew in a new country. One such community holds their heritage close at hand and guides their way through life. May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, designated to celebrate the diverse traditions and community of Asian and Pacific Islander people. Many historic milestones happened in May, which is why this month was picked to celebrate Asian/ Pacific Islander Heritage. It was May 1843 when the first Japanese immigrants came to The United States of America. And the anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad, which was constructed mainly by Chinese Immigrants. Since then, the growth of the Asian/Pacific Islander community has grown and faced amazing highs and experienced the lowest lows. Which is why this year, I am so excited to share a month-long celebration that will be focusing on Asian and Pacific Islander people in Second Life™. Created by Trouble Dethly, this month-long Festival of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage, opening on May 1st, will shine a bright light on many in Second Life. For people who would love to share their culture with as many people as possible in a virtual space, this Festival has a slew of art exhibitions along with an Open-Air market and stage setting for both parties and discussion on topics affecting people of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage. This is all surrounded by a Parade of Countries.
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The Art Exhibition is broken up into a few sections. One section is dedicated to a handful of amazingly talented 3-D Artists in Second Life. Marcel Mosswood, Fionafei, Yobex and Team Philippines were all given free-rein to create a space showcasing their artwork in a 3-D fashion. Some created purely art installations while others decided to create an interactive experience. Either way, you will highly enjoy this 3-D area. The other Exhibition area would be the Photography Zen Garden. Composed of 24 photographers and digital artists, this garden is chock-full of brilliantly displayed stories. Stories told by each person about what it means to be Asian or Pacific Islander. Walking around the garden and seeing the stories depicted really shows how vast and beautiful these cultures are and how much love and appreciation there is. The Parade of Countries is a sim-wide caravan of floats dedicated to each Asian and Pacific Island nation. Residents were able to sign up to decorate a float from their heritage, showing the beauty of each country. And let me tell you, the time put into some of the floats is remarkable. Seeing stunning buildings found in certain countries to the exotic flora and fauna that are home to many of these Pacific island countries. After spending some time walking about the art exhibits, I highly recommend you and a group of friends make your way around the sim and enjoy the Parade.
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Lastly, the Food and Open-Air markets; let’s start with the Food Market. This area is near and dear to the heart of Trouble Dethly, a man who enjoys food from all over the world. His idea was to create a smorgasbord of dishes from as many Asian/Pacific Island countries as could be found in Second Life. Along with the corresponding recipes for each dish. So if there’s something that looks mouthwatering, all you would need to do is check out the accompanying recipe. The Open-Air Market was created to be exactly what its name says; an open-air market. Designers of Asian and Pacific Island heritage came together to display their culture through their art, designing and showing their beautiful cultures through fashions, food, toys, buildings - you name it, you can probably find it here. This festival was born from a desire to shed light on a community that has such rich cultures and has gone through heartache and triumphs. Please, if you have free time, I highly recommend you go and check out the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival.
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Voices from the g
Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second Life® residents on the salient issues of the day. For this issue, ECLIPSE Magazine we asked residents to share “How does the term Asian succeed and fail to define you and your life in both worlds? “
grid
Photograph provided by Dash Lionsheart.
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dash LIONSHEART
D
ash Lionheart has been on SL for over 10 years now, and essentially “grew up” on the platform. First as an explorer, blogger, and now as a creator. This year he started a new venture by introducing his new store Sovereign. He creates facial hair and different add-ons to make your avatar unique. Behind the avatar, Dash is first-generation half Filipino and half Black. In Second Life, the term Asian doesn’t really help to define me at all. I’m not the best skin and shape maker but I attempted to create in my opinion, an SL version of myself. An avatar not entirely looking black and not entirely looking Asian. And if someone were to look at my avatar and be asked, do they think it’s Asian? I think they’d be hard-pressed to agree. I could be wrong though. The Asian look in Second Life seems to be very specific. It’s either stylized, inspired by an anime/manga character or a K-pop star. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. But it does leave room for other representations of different types of Asians. Especially from countries in Asia that have different facial structures or skin tones from the stereotype. In real life, the term Asian is even harder to define me. I’ve moved around a lot and depending on where I‘ve lived, and if there is a mixed population of other Asians then perhaps it’s easier to see the Filipino features I have. The term Asian, AsianAmerican, specifically succeeds in uniting and helping to describe a collective experience in the United States but that is so skin deep. Thus some try to also share the country that they are from, or where their family is from. There are 48+ countries with over thousands of different languages, and nearly 5 billion people in Asia. I’m always curious when I see “Asian” in someone’s profile. Because what does that mean?
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Photography provided by Sabbie Shim.
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SABBIE SHIM
abbie Shim [zxorg16.Humburg] joined SL in 2009. She has been through a lot of industries in SL like dancing/stripping, DJing, photography (Wasabee Shots & Lia Oakleaf Studios apprentice), and now as a landscaper/decorator and part of their family-owned business, Ohana Soirees and Home Design. She has also tried doing tattoos and is co-owner of the store BILOG. SL has been a big part of her life in earning and gaining a family that not only has lasted long in-world but also in RL too. Asian is basically a term used to describe people living in Asian countries. But, even though we belong amongst those countries, we as a nation have always been questioned about our Asian ethnicity. As a Filipino, even though we are located in the heart of Asia, our country has been greatly influenced by western culture. Especially since we have been colonized by the US and Spain for more than 300 years. So most of our traits come from them. A lot of times, people hesitate to accept us in the “Asian” community. We can be caught in between since we seem to not belong to the Hispanics nor the Asians too. Haha. But seriously though, in spite of it all, we are still proud Asians. Coz for me, being an Asian means living in a country with rich culture and colorful traditions. In our case, we are very abundant with that. I can say that it has succeeded to define me in that aspect. The awe of other countries and their wanting to learn more about our culture and traditions is very fulfilling. On the other hand, being “Asian” we have always been like marginalized and judged to be the lower/lesser kind of people compared to westerners. Especially to Americans and Europeans and it’s sad that we are, up to this day still mostly looked down upon. Asians are usually considered as the nail techs, the maids, the house help, the gardeners, and sadly most time, it seems that as Asians, we do not get the respect that we deserve. We are discriminated against and not given opportunities to succeed. But with all that being said, I am still proud to be one. No matter how other people may argue about what Filipinos really are, we are still Asians. Proud of our heritage, proud of our country, and proud of our people. We are very thankful that finally, after so long, we finally get to be showcased in this event. Thank you so much to the people that have initiated and organized this event. More power and success to us all! <3
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ASHIA DENIMORE
A
shia Denimore was rezzed in September 2008. She came back to Second Life after six long years of being on hiatus, so being invited to magazine appearances, events, runway shows, and business ventures is a hot welcome as if she never left this world at all. She began her journey on SL as an entrepreneur in 2009. She built a successful photography studio, photography school, wedding, and videography business. She also owned a fashion magazine and a beauty/styling contest for a short period of time. She became involved in the fashion industry in July 2011 through her photography and then started modeling in May 2012, doing runway fashion shows and print ads. As a supermodel, she was honored to represent fabulous stores and agencies that gained her friends and precious memories. In 2013 she started joining pageants and won a title as a beauty queen; because of those experiences, more opportunities were handed to her. She produced runway shows and got invited to represent an Asian community called Virtual Asia as an ambassador. She also became one of the Miss Virtual World Instructors, one of her many prestigious achievements. Presently in 2022, she is ready to live a Second Life again, and her attention is piqued by a new business venture that she is currently working on. It’s COMING SOON! I will focus on the positive side rather than the negative in this aspect. In my opinion, When I started back in 2008, there were not a lot of successful Asians in the fashion and beauty industry. I still remember the pageant owner and organizer saying my styling was bold and my features were striking. I styled true to my identity so the audience could identify who I am by just looking at my avatar, which is always the goal. That was why I was memorable in the sea of hundreds of contestants. I used that to my advantage. I styled without any worry in the world, and I created my marks rather than following the flocks. Doing so would make anyone successful in life, no matter what world you are in. Just do what is best for you, and as long as you are original and creative and have something to offer, you will always be successful. People will criticize you, and it will not stop; it is how people are. [Cont’d]
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Photograph provided by Lokia Float.
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lokia float
L
okia Float is a Japanese woman who started SL in June 2019. She has had many experiences in the last three years. She learned how to sail a yacht and competed in yacht races. She also designed the texture for a yacht. Moving in another direction, she liked music and dance, so she became a choreographer who made dance performances and performed in theaters. Even more, she liked fashion, so she participated in “Miss Pageant” and was the runner-up, She became a fashion model. And... she is also enjoying herself as a blogger. I have noticed through various experiences at SL how important courage is. I was afraid to interact with people from other countries because I was Asian. I spent my first year of SL only in the Japanese community. That was just a failure. I felt a strong sense of obstruction. I realized that the scope of my activities was very narrow, even though people from all over the world are gathering at SL. Then I took the courage to interact with people from different countries by participating in yacht races and “Miss Pageant”. They have been great experiences for me. Communication is not easy because the language is different. But I could feel that they had the same anxieties and worries as I did. The same thing is happening in RL, and there is a social problem of the coronavirus epidemic. We can’t cross the border as easily as SL. That’s sad. If the current social situation improves, I would like to go to places where I can interact internationally. Now, I have the courage for it. Taking advantage of my experience in SL, I’m sure I can succeed in RL as well.
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ai sant-pierre
A
i Saint-Pierre joined Second Life in 2016. After gaining experience at her restaurant, Bistro Le Blanc, she entered the 3DCG world to explore her passion to makes food. In January 2021, Ai decided to open her food store Mamere, where everyone to enjoy Asian foods and Kawaii taste goods she made.
I was born to a French mother and Japanese Father and live in Japan. My mother gave me many opportunities to experience both cultures from my childhood, which helped me to better understand both Eastern and Western cultures. In Second Life, one of the good things about having Asian roots is the public image. I think the biggest public image of Asians is ‘reticence’. As a creator and an able English speaker, I have many opportunities to speak with overseas customers and creators. There I found out that many people are interested in me because of my Asian roots. So many people want me to talk about Japanese culture and history that I get a chance to get to know them without having to think up conversation topics myself. On top of that, they are very kind to me because they perceive biracial women to be beautiful. Whether it is true or not. Secondly, I have benefited a lot from the creative aspect. I make and sell tons of Asian food in SecondLife. I have to come up with those ideas frequently, and thanks to my Asian roots, I can easily find inspiration. Not only that, there are more pros than cons in real life, just as well as in Second Life. I know both Eastern and Western cultures, and my work in Real Life makes use of this knowledge. And this feeds back into my Second Life activities and has a positive impact.
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Photograph provided by Ruby O’Kelly.
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RUBY O'KELLY
uby O’Kelly joined SL in 2007.Since 2008, she has worked as a model, photographer, stylist, and blogger in Second Life. She is an official blogger for top Japanese brands AGATA mode, LANEVO, Naminoke, and ROZOREGALIA. She is also an official blogger for several shopping events involving many Asian and especially Japanese creators. Through these activities, she hopes to introduce the works of outstanding Japanese creators and the wonderful culture of Japan to the world at large. She joined The Powerhouse Collective, a modeling agency specializing in ethnic models, which was established in April of this year, and is eager to promote the appeal of Asia and Japan to the world as a Second Life model. Her major modeling contest resume includes: Miss Colour of Couture 2012 -2nd runner up, Miss AZUL 2011 -2nd runner up and Miss Virtual World 2011 finalist (Miss Singapore). I am of Asian ethnicity and Japanese. I am aware of the fact that Asians are sometimes treated in a discriminatory manner in Western society. Fortunately, however, I have never been discriminated against in either world nor have I ever felt disadvantaged for being Asian. I feel that my Asian and Japanese characteristics and identity are recognized as a unique individuality and rather advantageous when it comes to modeling. Orientalism, Japonism, Cool Japan, kawaii culture, and other Asian and Japanese cultural and imagery tastes and tastes are exotic and mysterious to many Westerners. I try to incorporate these Asian and Japanese elements into my styling and photographic work to make it look unique and appealing, and in doing so, I believe I have succeeded in enhancing the reputation of my work. I also feel that I am benefiting from the international “trust” that my hard-working, good, and honest Japanese predecessors and compatriots have built up through their moral behavior. I am extremely grateful to them, and I will also try to act morally so that I will not destroy that “trust”. My biggest problem is the language barrier. Second Life is a service offered in the United States, so it is inevitable that English will be the official language. However, if the service is used by many ethnic groups around the world and business and other activities are conducted on the global stage, I would like to see more consideration given to those for whom English is not their first language. [Cont’d]
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erica sant-pierre
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rica Saint-Pierre joined Second Life in 2016.vShe worked as a model for Esode skin and also worked as a blogger for two years at the same time. Later, her sister became a food creator and in January 2021, together with her sister, she opened a food store Mamere. She is currently co-owner and manager of the store.
To be honest, I’ve never really thought about being Asian. This is because I am a mixed-race of French and Japanese. So if I consider myself French, I am not Asian, and if I consider myself Japanese, I am Asian. On this basis, I am going to tell you a story of ‘succeed and fail’. Firstly, succeed with what I am born with. I think It feels like pennies from heaven. Generally speaking, many beautiful women have mixed races. This makes me more popular than average in Real Life. Even in Second Life, when people know my background, many people imagine that I am a beautiful woman. I think some men try to be kind to me by this. Fortunately, many of my friends like Asia, so they seem to consider me more familiar with them. So I have never had any bad experiences in Second Life because of my Asian ancestry. Secondly, about things that I feel fail. As I mentioned at the beginning, I am neither pure white nor Asian. This means that I can be discriminated against by both. It made me feel that I didn’t fully belong to either of my roots, and I had a very hard time establishing my identity. I have brown hair and white skin. This means I am a ‘foreigner’ in Japan, where most people have dark hair. On the contrary in France, I am an ‘’oriental’’. So when I was a child, I was the target of teasing in both countries. The country of our national ancestry is important to mixed-race people like us, but how we should establish our identity is a very difficult question to answer.
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Photograph provided by Lucas Lameth.
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LUCAS LAMETH
L
ucas Lameth is a content creator in Second Life specializing in Savory Foods, Gifts, Décor & More. As an introverted extrovert, he enjoys exploring the grid and meeting new people. He is a Filipino-American born in New Jersey and raised in New York and the Philippines. He likes cats, gift stores, the movie Chocolat, video games (MMORPGs, MOBAs, RPGs) and fitness. His favorite foods are salmon sashimi and cheeseburgers. Being Asian in real life and identifying as Asian in Second Life is important to me when it comes to virtual representation. It’s only in these past few years, around 2019 to 2022, am I finding male skins and mesh heads that may pass as South East Asian (aka the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam etc.) Having those options are important when it comes to content, whether it’s skins, décor, or builds; and it certainly makes the metaverse more colorful, dynamic, and rich with culture. When I started Second Life in 2005 up until around 2019, I would always be on the hunt for the most Filipino-looking skin. One time I posted a picture of my avatar on Second Life Facebook and someone messaged me to say my nose was too wide. I loved that! Because they noticed. Wide Filipino noses are so attractive to me and so is dark “Moreno” skin which is still missing content-wise in Second Life but that’s okay. On two separate occasions, people I was talking to in-world were surprised to find out my real-life ethnicity. But I wasn’t trying to hide it, in fact, I was trying my best to represent myself virtually. Succeeding and failing to define and represent myself as a Filipino in Second Life, where I choose to look Filipino, is limited to the grace of the talented content creators and designers here willing to make ethnic content. There’s a lot of Japanese content on the grid when it comes to Asia because of pop culture (Anime etc.) and then recently there’s a boom in Korean content because of K-Pop which is great! Throughout the years there have been two Indian content creators steadily representing their culture with content that I love. Everyone loves it. Food-wise, I’m proud to say I’m helping bring that Filipino flavor to the metaverse!
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[Ashia Cont’d]
[Ruby Con’td]
The term Asian has done a lot in my favor in RL in terms of my relationship with family and friends. As we all know, Asian have close familial ties. We take our relationships seriously because we have a bonding like no other. In this modern world, we have access to more opportunities to do whatever we want. People are doing their own thing - which is excellent! Everyone should enjoy life. Live. Love. Laugh. Repeat. Even though we are far apart and live in different countries and continents. My best friends that I can count on, ride and die are my high school friends. They have been there for me through thick and thin and will be there for the rest of my life, no matter the circumstances.
Because Japan is an island nation and a mono-ethnic country, many Japanese have little opportunity to use English. All Japanese receive English education as compulsory education, but it is mainly for exams. As a result, many can read and write English to some extent but are not good at conversing. The same is true for me.
There is a saying, “A real friend walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” Furthermore, certain aspects make Asian stand out in the crowd. Due to our exotic physical appearance, Filipinos are known for their brains and beauty (referencing Miss Universe statistics). We are also hardworking individuals. I believe that I embody those traits enstilled in us since the beginning helps drive my work. Unquestionably, The Culture. As an Asian, I can tap into any Asian Culture to explore. The rich tradition and history. I can dig deeper and use it creatively without being restricted or accused of cultural appropriation by the outside world.
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Many Japanese users in Second Life have the same problem, making them reluctant to become active overseas. It is very unfortunate that many talented Japanese are hesitant to work extensively overseas because of the language barrier. For example, it is difficult to communicate only through voice chat conversations without a simultaneous interpreter. Text chat is also not very useful because the translators within Second Life are very inaccurate. However, the accuracy of translation sites has recently become very high, so if important information can be received in advance via note cards or other means, the exchange will be very smooth and easy to work with. (Copy-pasteable text information is preferred.) Second Life is a U.S. service, so it is only natural that English is the official language. However, it would be nice if you could give a little more language consideration to ethnic groups of other languages. By doing so, I think we can attract diverse talents from more countries and develop more meaningful and wonderful international activities. Of course, I will make an effort to understand English, too.
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THE MYSTIC REALMS
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY THE MYSTIC REALM. written by AN
NNE DAUMIG.
Weary from weeks of endless travel, I come upon a quiet village. Leaning heavily upon my staff, I stumble forward and collapse against a boulder, unable to take another step. A quiet sound, like a soft sigh on the wind, prompts me to raise my head. Standing before me is a beautiful faun with a gentle smile and compassionate eyes. “Welcome to Mystic Realms, Traveler,” she says brightly as she offers me a cup of water. “I am Cassie, the Seelie Queen. I will be your guide today.” And so my journey begins. The Mystic Realms is a Second Life, fantasy-based roleplay SIM unlike any I have ever seen. Upon my arrival at a small market, which includes gifts from several designers and creators to aid new and experienced players alike, an ‘experience’ HUD is available to enhance my visit. The auto-attaching HUD allows a player to teleport freely throughout the many realms. Cassie Middles, owner and founder of Mystic Realms, gave me a guided tour and, I must confess, there are no adjectives that can truly describe what I saw. Beautiful, breathtaking, amazing – all seem so inadequate. And each realm is created to reflect its residents. Each of the current groups, Nomads, Aquatics, Faerndil, Bandits, Wildlings, Faerie Realm, Nefarious and Ferals, have their areas for roleplay, but members are not restricted to just one group or area . “These are not strict factions,” Cassie explains, “but groups players can join to seek out other players with similar themes and wants. Anyone can join one or all of them, and it’s just a way to feel more immersed and bonded with each other. We made these as starters for players to figure out where they fit.”
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Roleplay and interactions can remain in within one group or expand to others. The key to roleplay, as with all personal interactions in Second Life and real life, is respect. Bullying is not permitted. If you don’t feel like you fit in among any of those groups? Mystic Realms has thought of everything! “If players do not fit in these, that’s totally ok! We allow players to join or quit any of them, and as long as they have interest in a faction they wish to create, we’ll help create one for them. We just request that players have the SIM account create the group and then we grant them co-ownership, just to keep continuity.” Long ago, when I was heavily involved with roleplay, it was a way for the artist in me to flourish. I loved creating characters, back stories and ideas for group interaction. Sadly, roleplay SIMs at that time were only interested in combat and not roleplay. Or if genuine roleplay was available, it was often run by staff or a select few that does not allow others to participate in or change. Not so with Mystic Realms. Whether structured or improvised, Mystic Realms offers something for everyone. “We want this world to be as open world as possible. Players and staff can run events or it can just be casually run. Our peak hours are in the afternoon SLT but we do try to run events when we are able to, to give players that are shy something to step into.” Whether you are a seasoned veteran or want to experience fantasy roleplay for the first time, Mystic Realms is the ideal place. Cassie Middles [cassandramiddles] and the Mystic Realms staff, including Deathly Fright (Co Owner), Odium [Sweet Darkfury], Tyrian [xenoxia resident] and Noor [Ammy Zimberman] are there to help. The roleplayers I met are also incredibly friendly and helpful. It is a welcoming and comfortable environment, and open for exploration and
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photography as well as roleplay. All are welcome at Mystic Realms. Just remember though, dress in appropriate attire for a fantasy SIM. Once you decide to join Mystic Realms, and I have no doubt you will, simply click on the desired group or create one of your own using the Google survey, both available at the Mystic Realms landing point. Nothing is set in stone. Mystic Realms does not just stay stagnant, but changes and grows. Currently, they are in the process of building a library and hospital. Out of character (OOC) is also welcome at Mystic Realms. “We allow people to come by OOC any time! Just try to dress in theme and keep chatter in DMs or our group chat. We also have a very active and friendly Discord for any questions or chatter as well. We try to also be pretty new player friendly so that players who are nervous or new can step in without worry.” If you are like me, you like the flexibility and creativity of different characters, cultures and genre. Does this mean your roleplay must be devoted to only Mystic Realms? Heavens no! “We also want people to not feel pressured to be loyal only to us. We’re a great place as an in between when other SIMs are quiet or if they wish to bring events here and have no ill will to players that come and go to other SIMs. They’re always welcome back with open arms.” As I rise from the boulder, refreshed and invigorated by the charm, beauty and openness of this land, I thank Queen Cassie for her kindness and generosity. Though my quest demands I continue on my journey, I plan to return to Mystic Realms again one day. Return to home.
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the art perspect
written by gi
Each piece, ECLIPSE Magazine discovers, reviews and highlights the work of some of the most creative and talented artists on the grid, offering a fresh perspective in the vibrant and vast world of the arts. For this month’s feature, Gidge Uriza visits the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival and explores the Art Exhibits.
tive
idge uriza.
The Asian Pacific Heritage Festival is going on right now at Evermore - and I cannot stress enough what a lovely and meaningful event this is. It is an event that appeals to the shoppers with lovely booths selling amazing and unique items. It is an immersive, narrative enhancing event for our avatars as they enjoy the parade around the square representing the countries of the Asian Pacific region. There is a street food fair with lots of snacks for you to enjoy as well as several art installations to appreciate while you are there. When I arrived I was immediately struck by the beauty of the floats representing the countries of the Asian Pacific region. The Tigers of Malaysia are elegant and beautiful, the expansive palm fronds of Cambodia invoke warm ocean breezes and the Vanuatu float boasts huge teacups of magic plants that take you away and invites a whimsical vision of their home. I was completely beguiled by each float, appreciating the work that went into them. I walked each float to view it before I stepped into the art experiences the event has to offer. I started with the immersive walk through exhibit of Indonesia where waving green grass and foggy blue skies offer you a moment of dreamy wonder as you wander around the field enjoying the calm. The build is beautiful to be part of and sets the stage as you continue on to the next artist.
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Fiona Fei has created a series named Shui Mo which means ink in Chinese. At first you would be tempted to view these works as traditional ink prints until you look more closely and realize these are 3D works that depict a traditional Chinese ink print. The complexity of this work is juxtaposed with the simplicity that the artist first presents when you glance at the work. They are for sale and would be a beautiful addition to any space. Also for sale are more traditional scroll art pieces, equally beautiful to view that would be a stylish addition to any home. I am a huge fan of this art after spending some time in this exhibit. I love the creative 3D approach to their artwork. It truly inspires me to consider the work that went into creating them. Yoko Ayukawa is a Tokyo artist who has an exhibit of some of the brightest art I have been able to view in a long time. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the color schemes as well as the themes of the work. The work immediately caught my imagination as I was put in mind of Keith Haring but also Lisa Frank at the same time, but beyond either artist in its originality. The work of Yoko is inspired and original and is sure to be sought after by collectors with a whimsical heart. The Asian Pacific Heritage Festival offers something for everyone. I highly recommend you visit.
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