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Have you ever felt like you were caught between worlds, struggling to find your place? For Kayla Briët, a filmmaker and composer raised in a multi-generational, multicultural home, this feeling was all too familiar. Growing up with Dutch-Indonesian, Chinese, and Ojibwe heritage, Kayla often felt the weight of multiple cultural identities without fully belonging to any one.
This internal struggle sparked a lifelong quest to explore her heritage and discover her own unique voice. Through her art, Kayla invites us to join her on a journey through music, film, and virtual reality, proving that our stories have the power to connect us across cultures and generations.
The Power of Music: Weaving a Tapestry of Sound
Music became Kayla's first artistic outlet, a way to blend the diverse sounds of her upbringing. She taught herself to play instruments like the Chinese Guzheng Zither, discovering fascinating connections between seemingly disparate cultures. The pentatonic scale, a fundamental element in both Chinese and Native American folk music, resonated deeply with Kayla, evoking a shared sense of longing and connection to the past.
"In both Chinese and Native Folk, I sense the sound of yearning and longing for the past… this is the sound that deeply inspires the music I create today." - Kayla Briët
Documenting Stories: Preserving Heritage Through Film
Driven by a desire to bring her musical landscapes to life visually, Kayla delved into filmmaking. Her documentary, Smoke that Travels, tackles the pressing issue of cultural preservation, exploring the impact of forced assimilation on Indigenous languages and traditions.
"As of right now, there are so many Indigenous languages dying due to historically forced assimilation… When we are denied identity, we become invisible." - Kayla Briët
Through her film, Kayla amplifies the voices of Indigenous communities worldwide, reminding us of the urgency to protect and celebrate cultural diversity.
Animation and Representation: Bringing Tradition to Life
A simple rotoscoping experiment, animating a fancy shawl dancer, opened Kayla's eyes to the power of representation. The overwhelmingly positive response, with viewers expressing a renewed connection to their heritage, highlighted the need for diverse stories in all forms of media.
Stepping into New Worlds: Virtual Reality and the Future of Storytelling
Kayla sees immense potential in virtual reality, a medium that allows us to step into different perspectives and experience stories in immersive ways. She envisions VR experiences that act as digital time capsules, preserving cultural memories and sharing them with the world.
"It's so important that we have our identities and stories existing within [virtual reality]… for the joy of storytelling." - Kayla Briët
Finding Your Voice: Embracing the Power of Storytelling
Kayla Briët's journey reminds us that our stories, no matter how complex or multifaceted, deserve to be told. By embracing our unique backgrounds and sharing our experiences through art, we can build bridges of understanding and create a more inclusive world.
Whether you're drawn to music, film, virtual reality, or another form of creative expression, remember that your voice matters. What stories will you share with the world?
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