Maa

My mural, titled “Maa”- often the first word learned by any child- refers to “mother” in my first language, Chinese. In ancient Sanskrit, as well as Nepali and Bengali, “Maa” means mother, earth, and other life-giving deities. In Finnish and Estonian, the word “Maa” also means “land.” Across different cultures, earth is viewed as a life-giving, maternal figure, showing respect for both the mother and the earth as creative forces. Growing up and moving countries twice, the idea of home has always been foreign and abstract to me. I left Hong Kong at age 10, grew up in Canada, and spent 8 years in Germany where I traveled extensively, living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle. While it had been an adventure, there were times I felt displaced like a tourist on earth, far from my immediate family
and any community.

The sense of belonging began to solidify again after I moved back to Canada for my family. It has been a gradual journey of awakening to the importance of home and belonging. During this journey of contemplating home, I inevitably traced back to the land where I grew up, and my ancestors, as well as the reciprocity at play between those who nurtured me and those I nurtured. This mural signifies a kind of homecoming - a remembrance of the earth and those who have given me life. It’s also a reminder to give back and continue nurturing our land and our families.

My mural, titled “Maa”- often the first word learned by any child- refers to “mother” in my first language, Chinese. In ancient Sanskrit, as well as Nepali and Bengali, “Maa” means mother, earth, and other life-giving deities. In Finnish and Estonian, the word “Maa” also means “land.” Across different cultures, earth is viewed as a life-giving, maternal figure, showing respect for both the mother and the earth as creative forces. Growing up and moving countries twice, the idea of home has always been foreign and abstract to me. I left Hong Kong at age 10, grew up in Canada, and spent 8 years in Germany where I traveled extensively, living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle. While it had been an adventure, there were times I felt displaced like a tourist on earth, far from my immediate family
and any community.

The sense of belonging began to solidify again after I moved back to Canada for my family. It has been a gradual journey of awakening to the importance of home and belonging. During this journey of contemplating home, I inevitably traced back to the land where I grew up, and my ancestors, as well as the reciprocity at play between those who nurtured me and those I nurtured. This mural signifies a kind of homecoming - a remembrance of the earth and those who have given me life. It’s also a reminder to give back and continue nurturing our land and our families.