Tag: Misc Events

Available now at the Community Virtual Library, and with its official opening towards the end of July 2020, is Ethnographic Exhibits of Two Cultures from the Republic of Panama.

A collaboration between Nexus Dot, a  cultural anthropologist, and co-curator and media specialist Shiloh Emmons, the exhibit represents two decades of ethnographic research Nexus has made studying two groups indigenous to the lowland tropical rain forests of Panama, the Guna and the Emberá, examining their life styles, culture, art and religion.,

Located on a sky platform, the exhibition comprises six main components that examine both the Guna and the Emberá from several perspectives, including their cultures, the Mola art of the Guna, Emberá cosmology, ecology, and shamanism, and more. In addition, the exhibition presents photos of the Emberá Drua heritage ecotourism project, and offers an ethnobotany examination of how these lowland cultures of Panama make use of plants.

The aim of the exhibition is two-fold:

• To communicate Nexus’ work in studying these two groups of people over a span of two decades, and the place and role of such cultures in the world today.
• To provide the non-profit community and education system with a template of how scientific research can be transformed into an engaging, multimedia 3D virtual experience that resonates with scientists, educators, and interested Second Life residents.

The video below serves as a general introduction to the exhibit.

Based in both Panama and Idaho, USA, Nexus earned his MA in anthropology at the University of Oregon, where he specialised in the ecology and cosmology of tropical indigenous cultures, and where he also spent time as a graduate teaching fellow. Whilst he does hold that MA in anthropology, his work in studying the Guna and Emberá is very much born of personal passion, rather than being funded directly as a part of a set academic study.

Most of my research is self-funded, although I have executed a number of projects for agencies and institutions as a consultant. Often these projects were involved with ecological l or socio-economic components, so there is a link there. I’m also a geospatial analyst, and have been involved in computer mapping and handling data like the COVID map system; I’m actually at my farm in the countryside of Panama at the moment due to the general quarantine.

– Nexus Dot discussing his work

As a long-time user of Second Life who had been largely absent the platform several years, it was the current SARS-CoV-2 situation that encouraged Nexus back, with the idea of experimenting with the platform to see how well complex material like a professional anthropological paper might be translated into an engaging, multi-media learning tool, and a meeting with Shiloh started the ball rolling with the exhibit.

The exhibition is open now informally to visitors, with the formal opening taking place on Sunday, July 26th – of which more below.

Ahead of that, however, on Sunday, July 19th, Nexus will gives a short presentation about his work, and discuss the value of the anthropological perspective. The specifics of this event are:

• Time: 12:45-13:00 SLT
• Location: CVL meeting place, Selby Park.

The formal opening on July 26th will be split between the exhibition space and the CVL meeting place, and comprise the following schedule and activities:

• 11:20am: the exhibition will be available for those wishing to visit it ahead of the opening activities.
• 11:50am: Beragon Betts will introduce Nexus Dot at the CVL meeting place.
• 12:00 noon: Nexus will present  Mola art and aesthetics among the Guna people.

Arisia Vita will will provide music ahead of the presentation, and people will again be able to visit the exhibition following the presentation, with both Nexus and Shiloh on hand. Those attending this event are asked to take their seats in the CVL meeting place no later than 5 minutes prior to the presentation commencing.

For me, the talks are the meat, the exhibit well it is the teaser so to speak; although the exhibit has taken on something of a life of its own! We’ve tried to ensure people can still appreciate the exhibition should they be unable to attend the presentations.

– Nexus Dot discussing his work

Ethnographic Exhibits of Two Cultures is an engaging exhibition, rich an detail and information, and an absolutely must see for anyone with an interest in anthropology, ethnography or culture.

SLurl Details

Cookie, the home of CVL, is rated Moderate.

• Ethnographic Exhibits of Two Cultures from the Republic of Panama
• CVL meeting place, Selby Park

On Tuesday, June 30th, Jacksonville Friends present a 4-hour live music event to benefit the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life of Second Life.

Music In The Square will present the music talents of Savannah Rain, Hogan Baily, Turner Harbrough and Maximillion Kleene in a casual event at which attendees are invited to donate to RFL of SL through the kiosks around the open-area dance space that has been built over Jacksonville Island.

Starting from 15:00 SLT, the line up for the event is as follows (all times SLT):

15:00: Turner Harbrough

Turner Harbrough sings a wide and eclectic variety of music from smooth jazz to danceable pop and country. His range covers everything from Michael Buble to Johnny Cash to Bare Naked Ladies. Join this amazingly talented and versatile singer for an hour of great energy, witty banter, and amazing music!

16:00: Maximillion Kleene

Maximillion Kleene, recipient of 11 Avi Choice Awards over four years (2012-16) in multiple categories, including Favourite Male Performer, has been amazing his audiences since 2007. His dynamic musical ranges across CCR to Foo Fighters; to Train to Jason Mraz. Streaming from Niagara Falls, Canada, Max provides his fans with an hour of musical magic and brings a vast repertoire of quirky, classic, and current covers.

17:00: Hogan Baily

Hogan has been singing and performing since before the age of 14. He brings to Second Life many years of real-life experience and a very long and varied song list. His love for music and dedication to his fans shine through every note he sings, and he truly enjoys performing and if he can make someone smile through his talent, he feels there is no greater joy.

18:00: Savannah Rain

Savannah has been singing since she was three years old and was smitten by the applause and reactions of the audience as she sang. Since discovering live music in Second life three years ago, she has been hooked, and tries through her music to make you laugh, make you feel, and bring everyone together.  Savannah loves and sings all kinds of music from Patsy Cline to Collective Soul.

Its a great line-up of four of the very best musicians in Second Life tonight. So just come on out and enjoy and lets raise some Lindens for Relay for Life!

– Event co-organiser, Jackson Trig

The dress code is summer casual, so if you’re free, why follow Jackson’s suggestion and hop along and join the dancing and the fun!

SLurl Details

• Music in the Square (Jacksonville Island, rated Moderate)

Pooky Amsterdam alerted me to the return of The 1st Question, a fast paced science themed show that will be taking place at Scilands on Sunday, June 28th, at 12:00 noon SLT.

Creator, founder and host of the show, Pooky is staging the event in honour of Paradox Oblers (aka Bruce ‘Spike’ MacPhee in the physical world), who sadly passed away in 2019, and it features some special guests – including the Lab’s own Ebbe Altberg.

For those unfamiliar with Paradox, he was owner/manager of the Spindrift island Space Gallery where he was also a curator for the Intentional Association of Astronomical Artists art wing, a SciLands science Senator and Council member, an International Spaceflight Museum planner & head of operations, a NASA SL CoLab manager, and a MICA Advisory Council member. He was a long-time member of the New England Science Fiction Association and the founder of the small press company Paratime Press.

In Second Life, he helped to establish SciLands, a region for educators, scientists and science related people. It was a safe space where universities and government agencies could set up shop. It did much to establish Second Life as a resource for learning, discussion, the promotion of science, thinking, and the sharing of ideas.

Memory works like a small film, and we can “roll” that film before our minds eye by pressing play on that moment … My memory of the day I met Paradox Olbers runs like that. There he was, standing outside the large virtual conference auditorium with some other people I interacted with.

Arthur C. Clarke had just died and we both spoke of being affected by his writings and sad he was gone … Paradox asked me if I wanted to see something cool; I said yes, so he disappeared in a cloud of orange smoke and soon a prompt to take a teleport to him appeared on my screen. And with an instinctual trust, I took it.

Then we were in a large dome shaped building, and a large man creature elf was playing the most illusory sounds with electronics and flutes. We sat and watched, and Paradox noted he wished he could get more people interested in SL. I said, “Well, I have an idea…” and so The 1st Question was born as a weekly show.

Hearing of his passing only recently, I must make the steps back to Second Life to remember and embrace Paradox’s memory here.

– Pooky Amsterdam, recalling Paradox Oblers

For the special edition of The 1st Question Ebbe Altberg will be joining contestants Troy McLuhan, Jimbo Perhaps (who also has a platform over Scilands where visitors can witness a to-scale model of the solar system and Larry Niven’s Ringworld),, and Korii Tiger. The show is being called The Guru edition, to mark Paradox’s role as a mentor and guru to many.

The game is science-focused, as noted, and offers the tag line If you have an answer – We have a question. It comprises four rounds:

• Yay Me or Nay Me – 16 questions – are they the truth or not?
• You’re So Elemental – with which element in the periodic table do each of the four contestants identify?
• Word-Up – everyone has words they’ve made up at some point (mine are usually made up right after I’ve stubbed my toe on something or broken a finger nail…). Each of the four panellists is asked to reveal one of theirs, and the audience votes for their favourite.
• Your Inner Geek – a quick fire, on-the-buzzer round of questions on recent science in the news, or scholarly discovery and work, or heroes of science. He who buzzes first – and gets the right answer – gets the point. But he who buzzes before the question has been fully asked and gets the answer wrong, gets locked out of answering again until the entire question has been asked.

The winner is the contestant earning the most points, and those watching can play along with the question-and-answer rounds for themselves.

With the Tiny Marauders on-hand to bring opening craziness to the mix and music from guest musical director Cypress Rosewood and Pooky and Hydra asking with questions, The 1st Question is a fun event and a fitting way to recall Paradox, who loved science and enjoyed the show and having fun. So why not hop along to the theatre or overflow gallery, or catch it via a You Tube live stream.

With thanks to Pooky Amsterdam.

SLurl Details

• The 1st Question, Scilands (Spindrift, rated Moderate)
• Overflow seating (Broken Creek, Moderate)