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black-arcana · 6 months

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INTERVIEW – LIV KRISTINE TALKS MUSIC, NEW BEGINNINGS + MORE

If we are honest with ourselves, we may ask… what defines us? A very lofty question to ponder, the truth lies in finding a place between the light and darkness of life, all while still being able to remain grounded on earth. This could mean something different for everyone, but for Liv Kristine salvation is within music, family, and helping others.

Known by many in the Metal world as the Scandinavian Goth Queen, Kristine has left an impression throughout the last three plus decades of her musical career. First doing so as a part of Theatre of Tragedy, then with Leaves’ Eyes, she has also cleared a path as a solo artist. Taking with her experiences – some good, others bad, and others heartbreaking – Kristine finds deeper meaning in everything as she looks toward the future.

Recently returning in 2023 with the exceptional, must-listen River of Diamonds album, now in 2024 she reflects on the past with the recently reissued, remastered edition of her 1998 solo debut album Deus Ex Machina. Truly exciting times, Kristine recently took some time to reflect on the trials and tribulations of life, finding a way to see through it, plans for more new music, plus much more.

Cryptic Rock – A lot has happened over the last decade with you musically, as well as personally. Briefly tell us, how would you describe the past ten years of your life?

Liv Kristine – Yes. There’s been a lot of change… especially in 2016. That was in mid-end January, the beginning of February 2016, when I was forced to leave Leaves’ Eyes. I was just left with a lot of doubt. I thought – How am I going to continue producing and releasing albums, or go on stage with this frequency of great disappointment? I was very disappointed; because Leave’s Eyes was my baby too. It was all about my Norwegian heritage; it had a concept which was really tightly linked to my own persona and history.

I had to get up again, and of course, take care of my family, moving home, etc. This is to go along with all of the stuff that goes with a divorce… it is just terrible. Those times were really harsh. I knew times were going to be really rough and busy for a couple of years. You always need a couple of years to stabilize after such a traumatic experience. I saw that there definitely had to come something afterwards; something much lighter and brighter.

I worked really hard day by day, having different jobs. Eventually, people kept coming into my life I learned to trust and to embrace. I also met my now real husband, Michael, who asked me the question, “Do you really want to continue singing? Do you want to continue being an artist? Will you ever go on stage again?” As I thought about that question, I really started crying because it’s such a big part of my life. It’s just so personal as well as authentic. There is this deep connection to you all out there.

That frequency kept me going and promised my husband, “Okay, if we do this together, I will continue with what seems to be my way of serving the world, of serving the universe.” At the same time, what came out of those stressful times, and having different jobs, is that I’m now devoted to working with children with special needs. I have a 100% job, next to music, working and supporting children with special needs. I’ve come to a point in my life where I’m really grateful for everything and for any experience. Under the bottom line, that is who I am. It’s due to my experience for which I am so grateful. You guys are still around… it means something. It’s all worth it.

Cryptic Rock – Wow. It sounds like it has been a pretty crazy, turbulent ride. All together, you have a very interesting story to tell that follows your career. There was Theatre of Tragedy, and we know what happened there, and then there was Leaves’ Eyes. It has to be tough to deal with such letdowns. What would you say your key to move forward through the disappointments has been?

Liv Kristine – It’s this inner call that there is this true, authentic version of yourself which really wants to manifest. If you survive tragedies, traumas, really rough situations, and a lot of stress, that’s a clear sign that you’re actually getting closer to your true self.

River of Diamonds, my latest solo album which was released last year, is actually about that path. Seeing the diamonds, seeing the light in the darkness. When do you see the stars and the planets in the horizon, when you look into the universe? It’s only in the darkness.

I think that both experiences, brokenness and beauty, belong to our experience which is called life. It is that time given to us between what we call birth and death. If you manage to survive, as stated, it’s a clear sign that you’re getting closer to your true authentic self.

Theatre of Tragedy – Theatre of Tragedy Theatre of Tragedy – Aegis Massacre (1995) Massacre (1998)

Cryptic Rock – That is definitely something that you feel when you have children. It is really inspiring to see you have pushed forward through everything. You mentioned the album River of Diamonds. Released last year, it is new, but also harks back to your earlier days. It has a very Theatre of Tragedy sound. Returning to a more Gothic Metal sound, tell us about the creation of this record.

Liv Kristine – Yes, you’re so right. It’s Tommy Olsson, who is the producer and the composer of the album. Tommy was the guy who composed the third release by Theatre of Tragedy; 1998’s Aégis. Tommy and I both left Theatre of Tragedy… he left just around the period when I was gone. We got together again and it was just something that happened all of a sudden. I’m so grateful that Tommy kept sending me songs; I think I have received about 35 compositions. I was free to choose, to pick, and just to go with the flow.

Tommy has always been very patient with me; because I needed time to get settled, to take care of my family, my jobs, etc. Plus there was everything that happened after 2016… which was the year when Tommy reached out to get in touch. Between 2016 and 2023, when the album was released, a few years passed by, but I needed that time. I needed that space. I needed to really feel the flow of creativity returning to me after a stressful period. Tommy is definitely the right guy to work with going back to that well-known sound of Theatre of Tragedy. It was a great corporation.

Cryptic Rock – It certainly was. If people are not aware of the River of Diamonds, hopefully they are learning about it, because it was one of the biggest surprises of 2023. Will there be further collaboration between you and Tommy?

Liv Kristine – I’m sure there will be. As we are talking now, I began working with new compositions for my seventh solo album. I’m just going with the flow now. I’ll see what comes from Tommy’s side; if he wants to sit down and compose. I know he has a 100% job himself. We’ll see what happens. Sharing this release with Tommy was absolutely magic.

Cryptic Rock – It really is a great listen and hopefully more will come from it. You also recently re-released your debut solo album on March 1st. Released for the first time on vinyl, it is also available as a double CD, which also has some unreleased bonus tracks as well. It’s almost like being reborn in a way, because you have a new life now. Did it feel like this was a great way to revisit the past, be reborn again, and re-show this material to the world?

Liv Kristine – I couldn’t have said it in a better way. Thank you so much. It’s exactly that. I recently turned 48 years old on Valentine’s Day, and I consider myself to be just in the middle of life. It just feels amazing to be here with everything I am and everything I’ve experienced. The work leading to the release of River of Diamonds was like writing a book. I believe, if I hadn’t released the album, I would have released a book.

Now, being just in the middle of everything and feeling better than ever, it’s like a second half of my life has just started. Re-releasing Deus Ex Machina is just the perfect moment to just round it up. Back then in 1998, when Deus Ex Machina was released, I was a student. I was still a singer of Theatre of Tragedy. I had just left Norway, moved to Germany, and I was touring with Theatre of Tragedy. It was a very exciting time.

Being a Norwegian young woman born somewhere in the nowhere of Norway, between the fjords and the mountains, I was then in the middle of everything. The world responds to something you are doing because you love it so much. Everything we did with Theatre of Tragedy was something we really burned for; something that came from the heart. The world starts reacting, and then there is fame and there is success. Obviously, Massacre Records was interested in releasing the solo album, and I’m still grateful for that. It feels like this moment is just perfect for the reissue of Deus Ex Machina.

Cryptic Rock – Agreed, It is a great time to re-release. It is a good way to also reintroduce some people to an album that perhaps they have not heard in a while, or who have not heard at all.

Enter My Religion Liv Kristine – Vervian Reissue Allegro Talent Media (2022) Napalm Records (2014)

Cryptic Rock – That is very interesting. For this re-release, the whole album is also remastered, correct?

Liv Kristine – Yes. Everything is remastered. As you already mentioned, there is bonus material. We got hold of an old hard disk and we have added a couple of demos from that. We recomposed “Portrait: Ei tulle med øyne blå,” a traditional Norwegian Folk song, which was recomposed by Geir Bratland (the keyboardist of Dimmu Borgir). It’s just perfect because he’s Norwegian too. He knows all about this Norwegian traditional stuff. I’m very happy about that. We changed the artwork, added new pictures, and everything is just perfect now. I’m very happy that we really got hold of the original material for it.

Cryptic Rock – That is great to hear. On top of this, you also have re-released the song “3 AM,” featuring you with Nick Holmes from Paradise Lost, as a single. A great song with clear chemistry between you two, what was it like connecting with Nick?

Liv Kristine – Absolutely. It was a great honor to work with him. Back then, in 1997-98, I was already a huge fan of Paradise Lost. I remember that cold morning when we picked him up from a tour. He was touring Europe Paradise Lost, they had played a show in Germany, or were about to play a show in Germany. We went there by car with Massacre Records, we knocked on the door of the tour bus, and Nick was a little bit tired. I think because I guess there had been some partying going on after the show. Nick was ready though and was in a good mood. He went with us to the studio, asked for a cup of tea, and a slice of bread with marmalade.

The frequency was just so open-minded and open-hearted at the very first time we met. Later, during the times when touring with Leaves’ Eyes, we toured with Paradise Lost, and it was always a pleasure and an honor to meet Nick again. I really appreciate his direct way, his transparency, and he always being himself. I appreciate that.

Cryptic Rock – Those are great memories. Talking about collaborations, you have done plenty of them through the years. Whether it be for your own material or offering your voice to others’ material such as with Cradle of Filth’s “Nymphetamine.” Do you enjoy collaborating with others like that?

Liv Kristine – Definitely. In the period when I was really busy fixing my life and taking care of my family, I still got numerous offers to join in on different projects and bands doing corporations. That really helped me financially and also to be present somehow. I wasn’t ready for my own album though. My mind wasn’t clear enough and I was just too stressed out. I’m really grateful for that because there were a lot of opportunities. I have a really long list of which I’m really proud. It all began with Cradle of Filth back then, with “Nymphetamine.” It has continued even up until today. I’m still receiving offers to work with bands and different projects. I love that. It’s a very nice way to be creative in different ways and to have an open mind; because you receive a song, you receive different input, and then you start working with it.

Cryptic Rock – It is very exciting and keeps everything open. You also had collaborations on your latest album, River of Diamonds. You had Fernando Ribeiro from Moonspell on it too. There is also a history with you and Moonspell from touring together. history there too.

Leaves’ Eyes – Lovelorn Leaves’ Eyes – Vinland Saga Napalm Records (2004) Napalm Records (2006)

Cryptic Rock – That is great to hear. So you have the re-release of Deus Ex Machina and the new album River of Diamonds out now. You stated that you are already working on new material. What can people expect from that? Is there a timetable for that right now?

Liv Kristine – There is no timetable yet. I don’t really like timetables. I’m very eager to continue song by song. I really like to work track by track to concentrate on each and every one, and then continue with the next. I realized that the lyrics I’m writing are darn honest. I think I need to stick to that; because every solo album I’ve released so far reflects a chapter in my life. I could never do anything else than being authentic. When I recently started writing lyrics, listening to the new tracks, I thought, “Well, there is no other way around. Just go for it. Just go for the soul stuff.” Everything that comes from the soul, that’s it! That’s the words I want to sing, and that’s the messages I want to convey through my music.

Cryptic Rock – When it arrives it will be exciting. As you said, it has to come naturally.

Liv Kristine – Yes, it has to. I promise you it won’t take six, seven years.

Cryptic Rock – That is good to hear.. Through all of the trials and tribulations, you seem to have a very positive outlook on things. That is a challenge, because people could become bitter when trouble comes their way. There are two directions you could go – you can either become bitter and wallow in your own misery, or you could move forward. You have chosen to move forward. How do you keep that optimism? What is that light for you?

Liv Kristine – Thank you so much. Yes, it’s absolutely true. Of course there are moments when you keep asking those questions that don’t really make sense such as – “Why me?, Why is this always happening to me?” You kind of fall into that victim role. It happens to everyone though, especially when you don’t feel the earth. When you don’t feel grounded anymore, you don’t feel heaven or whatever, you just lose touch with your soul. Then it feels like, “Okay, I’m being delivered on a silver plate, and that’s it. That’s supposed to be my life. I’m just trying to exist. I’m not thriving. I’m not growing.”

For me, what was the instant remedy was actually going out in nature; even if it was just a 10-minute walk with my dog. I realized that I had to work on one thing, and that is not falling into the victim role. Secondly, if something’s hurting in your soul or in your heart, there is no other way around but to go inside. Maybe you would need a good friend. Maybe you would need a sole partner to be with you when you’re doing that. However, when you’re going into the depth of your soul, you will find a lot of darkness. It’s so important to have a really trustful friend around you who doesn’t tell you what you would like to hear. A friend that tells you there is another perspective to things and to situations. It is – A, we can fix this. B, we can fix this. C, we cannot fix this right now, but it’s going to get fixed. I really appreciate my dearest friends. There are a few of them.

Of course there was meeting Michael, my husband and my sole partner. When I was feeling despair and unsafe on this planet, because of all of that stuff going on, I always thought about my son. I always thought about all those moments we have had and all the happy moments we’re going to have and this deep connection between the two of us.

I have to say nature helped me a lot. Motherhood helped me a lot. Falling in love again with my new husband, that helped me a lot. I’ve always been someone who feels deep empathy with other people too. So, during COVID, I started working with other people really trying to heal their traumas; to find ways to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sometimes you just need some practical advice. Sometimes you need some soul advice. You need someone to give you some direction. Sometimes it is just an embracement, a smile, or just asking someone, “How are you? Really, how are you?” It all comes down to getting to know yourself, to go into acceptance, and then to look forwards and take what’s there and use it. It is taking all the experience and using it for what comes. You will feel so whole and rich in the end… and so experienced. It’s a pleasure and honor to help other people out there to see the light in the darkness.

Cryptic Rock – Yes, it is a wonderful thing. We need more of that in the world, especially right now. It seems like the world is off its axis. You mentioned how you feel like you are in the middle of everything at this point. Life is never linear, but if we do something right, it is earning wisdom. What would you say the biggest piece of wisdom you have learned from everything has been?

Liv Kristine – There is so much talk about manifestation now out in the world. People are trying to manifest their happiness. I come to the point which is that – yeah, you can manifest a nice car, you can manifest Gucci glasses, and you can manifest holidays in the Bahamas. However, those are things that make you happy maybe instantly or for shorter periods. You have intentions and you want to manifest them. That’s something you do for the 3D world. That’s the physical world we’re living in.

Then there is another dimension. That is what I would like to call your higher self. That’s where your spirit is and your soul. When you go in there and start manifesting, you start getting in alignment with who you really are. You say – What do I really want to do? For me, it was really knowing that I need to serve the world as a singer, handwriting lyrics, singing words about healing, and that life is both beauty and broken.

I need to go out there and serve the world supporting children with special needs. When I realized that, things started to happen. I got a much better job, people turned to me for comfort, for dissolving their trauma and helping them. You’re sending out these frequencies about who you really are in your soul. When there is resonance to that, and there must be a resonance to that, that’s real growth. That’s the real manifestation.

Liv Kristine – River of Diamonds Liv Kristine – Deus Ex Machina Massacre (2023) Massacre (2024)

Cryptic Rock – Absolutely. It seems from what you are saying that maybe we hold on too tightly at times looking for that happiness.

Liv Kristine – Absolutely. We look around in our 3D world, in the physical world, and that is material-oriented. It might give you some happiness for a while, but it kind of goes away. It dissolves. That might be a burden in the end… what if you’re not able to pay for your big car? (Laughs) It’s very interesting when you tap into this field.

Cryptic Rock – Yes. Just to elaborate further, it is about becoming grounded with nature. Sometimes people think that’s kind of hippie-ish, but maybe you should go run in the grass barefoot for a little while. It connects you with the earth. The connection is real.

Liv Kristine – It is a real feeling. It absolutely is true. I feel that every time I’m going to a certain place in the forest. I’m living in Switzerland with my husband and my family now. There is a spot in the forest where I really think that something is magic and frequencies can reach me. It’s a place of stillness too. I really liked going there. Nature is so important.

I heard somewhere that the pulse or the frequency of love is the same as the frequency of Mother Earth, when we met the frequencies of the Earth. That’s the love frequency. I think there is something to it. Nature is so beautiful. It’s all about love, and that’s where you’ll find oneness and wholeness. It’s so rich.

youtube

#liv kristine #interview

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weirdthoughtsandideas · 7 months

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If you were forced to move to Norway or Finland where would you go?

You’re asking me to choose between the country where their language sounds super funny and ridiculous to me, but they also act like they’re better than me and I’m gonna be bullied for existing as a Swede (Norwegians and Swedes love to joke about the other being stupid so if one of us enter the other’s country it’s gonna be an endless teasing just for BEING that nationality).

Or the country where, arguably, people would bully me for being a swede too, but they’re forced to learn swedish in school so I’m more likely to find someone who understands me (honestly I don’t feel as bad for finns learning swedish as I do for Icelanders who are forced to learn DANISH). Also I have finnish heritage, last name and one of my middle names is a finnish old-woman’s name, so… 🕺🏼

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ladylooch · 8 months

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I almost questioned you on David having Swedish heritage if he was a farm boy but my American Girl doll’s story was that her family immigrated from Sweden and then they settled in the Minnesota prairies, so tf do I know 🤣🤣🤣

Hahahaha! I am gonna nerd out! Minnesota is essentially Scandinavia 2.0. It's a ton of Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, and Danes. I imagine Iowa has a similar demographic.

David's family probably came over as Karlson (maybe Karlsson) but border employees changed a lot of names at entry points in the US during the mass movement of Europeans to America after the war- my family included!

We have a completely different, unrelated last name than what we were originally. My great grandpa came into the US at Sault Ste. Marie. He did not speak any English, so in the limited communication they had, my grandpa was able to say the farm he was going to work at in Northern Minnesota, and that became our last name. So there are people with my rare last name up in Northern Minnesota that I have no relation to.

Also, massive points for the American Girl doll story. I still have mine! My most prized possession as a child, until I accidentally broke her leg off and had to send her into the doll hospital. But! not until 2 years later because my mom thought I needed to learn a multi-year lesson on how to play with dolls properly💀

#b answers

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darcymariaphoster · 2 years

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@ireneultramarine

I apologise for how long this took me! This isn't an area of expertise for me, so I thought I'd cheat by doing an AU within this timeframe, but I didn't like the attempt. In the end, I went back to my original idea and started over. [I am NOT well-versed in 19th century history -- Nordic or American, so please forgive inaccuracies, and assumptions based on quick research!] Hopefully, it's not a disappointment! 🙏

Word count: 876

Sigurd heaves a sigh of relief as he puts away the last of the logs. His shoulders ache, along with his lower back and thighs. He gets this way every year, he knows, after doing all the chopping and moving the wood like this. But it's done and they have firewood for the winter. He steps away from the carefully stacked pile, admiring his work.

It's his least favorite part of the year. Berwald is off after harvest to sell their goods, and he is at home, getting the house ready for winter. He pulls his jacket tight around his torso, shuffling towards the front door. The first winter storm is on the horizon, and the chill in the air is definitely hinting at it. This season is both his favorite and his least favorite. It’s the time in which he and Berwald get some respite, get to sit back for a while. But it’s also somehow more difficult than their physical labor. The house creaks and Sigurd is on the hunt for drafts now.

He gets the wood burning stove going so he won’t have to think about it later, except to add wood and stoke it. He pauses to stare at the floor, where he’s tracked in more mud than he expected. “Oh, forget it,” he mutters to himself, sitting down on the well-worn sofa. He’ll try to get ahead, but he can’t be bothered now.

It’s not exactly the life he had envisioned for himself. Of course, his family had always been farmers. Everything he's learned has been passed down for generations. Berwald's roots weren't quite the same, but he's never complained. It's a sort of fate one accepts when they marry a Norwegian -- just as he'd accepted his when he'd married a Swede. Social statuses weren't confined to his own heritage. But he doesn't mind. He can't think of a time when he has, because he chose this life. He was lucky enough to get to choose Berwald…

He curls up on the sofa, exhaustion settling in. He should put the kettle on, so Berwald won't have to think about it when he gets back. He should sweep the floors, so it won't get bad. Instead, the crackling of the fire and the whistling of the wind lulls him to sleep.

It's much darker and the stove is much cooler when Berwald gets home, kicking his muddy shoes off by the door. It's started snowing, and he shakes his hair out before leaving the doorway. Taking a quick glance around, he lets out a soft, tired huff and goes to the stove, getting it going again. Sigurd is curled up on the sofa, his expression peaceful in his slumber. He wishes he saw more of that when he was awake. He leans down, kissing his forehead, before going in search of a blanket.

He could take him back to bed, but he's so tired, he's unsure of his ability to lift Sigurd. So he grabs a blanket off their bed and drapes it over Sigurd, making sure it covers his feet. He sits on the floor beside the sofa, leaning his head back so it rests on the cushions by Sigurd's stomach. It's mostly quiet for a while, just the storm picking up outside causing a whistling somewhere inside. He and Sigurd will be hunting for those drafts soon enough. At least they'll be easier to find with snow blowing in.

"How'd we do?" Sigurd asks sleepily, one arm lazily coming around his shoulders. His voice is still slurred with sleep.

Berwald turns his head to gaze at him with half-lidded eyes, the warmth from the stove finally seeping into his bones. "Well enough. Didn't mean to wake ya."

Sigurd offers a sort of half-hearted smile. "Don't mind. Missed ya."

"Missed ya, too," Berwald mumbles contentedly. There's something warm and peaceful in moments like these, something he somehow finds himself craving.

"Bed," Sigurd suggests, stretching out and flinching at his undoubtedly sore muscles. "Before I cramp up and stick like this all day tomorrow."

Berwald chuckles at that. "As if ya won't be curled into a ball in bed." Sigurd is known for sleeping in odd positions.

He hums, closing his eyes. "Before you hurt your neck, then," Sigurd murmurs, brushing his hair out of his eyes affectionately. “It’ll be warmer and more comfortable.” There’s no argument to that. Reluctantly, and with a bit of effort, Berwald heaves himself to his feet and collects the blanket as Sigurd gets up as well. “I must have been there longer than I thought -- I’m already feeling stiff.”

“You’re not alone…” Berwald grunts, stretching a bit and wincing. His age is starting to show, he thinks, and he’s not very fond of that idea.

They wander to the bedroom at the back of their small home together, and Sigurd helps him spread the blanket back out. It’s not until they’re changed and in bed that Sigurd whispers, “I appreciate you…”

Berwald smiles, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. He kisses him from his forehead to his lips and mutters, “And I appreciate you.”

No, it’s probably not the most ideal life, but it’s the best as long as they have each other.

#my shit #my fanfic #hetalia fanfiction #aph norway #hws norway #aph sweden #hws sweden #sunor #thank you!#i wanted something soft and warm #i hope it's okay!

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torturedgod · 1 year

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i switched tabs and the giant caption i had for this originally, was completely deleted. and to say im kind of irritated is an understatement...lol

laith (left, and/or the short one) and milton (right, and/or the...himbo).

laith is moderately (severely to some extent) disabled. milton enjoys taking care of him from time to time. but, always leaves room for laiths independence. however, if he could, he'd probably take care of laith 24/7 like a damn ww2 nurse... but i don't know if laith would really let him fhsjgfsfgdsgg (or maybe? he would? i love it when a big man cradles me in his arms) the two of them are very close. (they wanna get married *smirks*) funnily enough they met on a dating app...... milton is very "unbothered". which, in most situations, leaves him pretty calm and sweet. (which is very cute). but at the same time, there's points where he may come off...

no brained...

which is funny.

i actually drew laith once, before (at least posted it once, he has a lot of art that will not be seeing the light of day). you can find that here. (this piece actually depicts laith wearing something more dressy and feminine. and this is laiths preferred and commonly worn style. however, he doesn't always have the energy to be pretty all the time. and...mood. me too. i hate it When.) i actually drew the both laith and milton in these funny blue shirts because i thought it would be cute if they matched.......... laith probably won't be wearing this shirt again hhhhhuuuu

fun fact; laith is japanese / norwegian. he and milton live in canada. milton has always lived in canada, but he has some mild german heritage. laith can speak both of his parents languages.

anyway, i hope.......you like them. i haven't really sat down and rambled about my ocs in a while, so please, forgive me. huhuhu

i do want (and hopefully will) draw or doodle my other lgbt ocs sooner or later. i have all month to do so, if im not in a funk the whole month. since, most of my ocs are either gay, trans, nonbinary, and i also have a couple that are intersex as well. but that's only a generalization, i have plently more with different and vast identities and i'd love to draw them.

if you want, you can always send me asks about them! i love seeing them and answering fun questions about my ocs. ♡♡♡

thanks for reading if you got down here.

this on insta

this on twitter

#torturedgod #torturuart #art #digitalart #digitalpainting #ocs #oc #pride month 2023 #pride2023 #lgbt art #lgbt #love you

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sereniv · 2 years

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Hi I saw your comment under a post about blood quantum and native and reconnecting and I just wanted to ask realistically when do you think you shouldn’t reconnect? I know blood quantum isn’t something we should go by but realistically when should you not reconnect and just learn to accept that you had native ancestry. I’m asking because I wanted to reconnect but I have really really low quantum and I’m a bit scared if it’s my place to reconnect even though I deeply want to.

How i go about it is 1. theres tribes that accept as low as 1/16th BQ, so in terms of low you could say 'that low', but that tends to still leave people out like the descendents of slaves owned by some tribes, who i believe have the right to call themselves by that tribes name and reconnect, that of which also goes for those adopted into tribes.

but 2. most importantly is your reasoning and draw towards wanting to reconnect (and a few other criteria ill mention in a minute)

A lot of people with these questions or wanting to reconnect either are people who just did a dna test, have newly/"newly" obtained info from family, or both (like me). And though the initial feeling can be a swirl of emotions to sadness to anger to feeling like the last puzzle piece to also feeling shame, the first thing to do is to sit with yourself and go through these emotions and figure out why you are feeling them.

Because like i tell everyone, new information about family and heritage and a whole culture can make you feel like the next step is to be part of that culture and claim it, especially if its its like a missing puzzle piece.

But whatever percentage you are, one should first look at the percentage theyve already known themselves to be (or the 'default' in terms of white ppl), like italian or swedish or french- and feel pride in those. explore that- but also you need to ask yourself why you want to explore and if claiming that is also necessary (more on that later)

because when it comes to whiteness it is seen as the default. Youre french so youre 'just french' or 'just norwegian'. But these identities have full cultures and history and language and foods and songs and a 'community' to explore

and if you are neglecting that or have no interest then you have to ask yourself why. But also again, if you want to pursue and claim, ask yourself why.

So you find pride in that if you dont already, because a lot of people without a culture crave one, and because any whiteness (especially americans) is seen as default, any 'Caucasian' culture can seem like not legitimate? if that makes sense

Basically, If you are mostly white, be interested and pursue the cultures that you are mostly made of (im talking french, italian, etc. ashkenazi is a whole other subject and is complicated when it comes to race etc. also different communities/ppl have different ideas on whether youre able to even connect at all). And then you can move on to asking yourself what being native means to you

and this is going off of if you had no struggle before hand, as in identity issues- theres so many situations that i cant cover all of them. Theres poc who are already involved in their main culture. theres people who are white passing and those that arent. theres those that have struggled with identity their whole life etc.

so that out of the way: claiming.

lets say youre a low BQ and youre wondering if you should claim that identity or not- well theres a third option! and that is simply acknowledgment.

instead of saying you are native, you can say you have native heritage. And it might seem like semantics, but it helps with mindset and how you actually live your life and experience it in a way

Being native (among other identities im sure) is...living native? Its not passive, but its also not a 'lifestyle'. Its an embodiment, that of which is different for everyone, that you live. Its being involved and being present, whereas acknowledgment is passive (though you can still be involved)

Claiming is a one and done deal. You either are native or you aren't. You dont just try the identity on and then say its not for you.

Its so hard to explain bc its different for everyone, but this is why you have to sit down with yourself and ask why you want (or need) to claim it. why are you native? not why do you want to be native- not going off of looks or what you do or what percentage, but what does it mean to you

Some people come to the conclusion that it is honoring ancestors, in a way that you feel in your bones. Whereas someone who simply acknowledges their native heritage, honoring their ancestors is more of a 'least you can do' kind of feeling.

Some people feel being native for them is thr connection and the community. Being involved. Which you can feel with acknowledging your heritage, but its more of an outside feeling. Not outsider, just passive.

Again its so hard to explain, but once you explore your feelings you will know. The biggest way to know is to forget about all of it. And if it hurts to ignore, if its frustrating, if it feels like youre lying to people or to yourself, if it feels like an ache to not 'be', then thats your answer

i have acknowledged some parts of me like scottish and irish, that i feel close to because of my grandma and the stories but i am not irish or scottish. Its in me, its in my ancestors and im proud of it and love it, and there is a connection, but its different from being native and italian. Irish and Scottish just somehow always felt outside of me not part of me, and native ended up being a missing puzzle piece that i had always struggled with identity wise growing up (i was always told i was hispanic/mexican but also mention of native, my dad was a mystery so it was always something i focused on)

In my opinion, and this is utmost an opinion: Is that BQ, as we know, is a colonial construct.

That even 1 drop of native blood means you can at least acknowledge your heritage and get involved and care about the community or even specific tribe if you know it. But those with not a single drop (like descendents of tribal owned slaves) are also allowed to acknowledge or claim

The best thing for someone to do is just go through how they feel, look into their history, figure out what it all means to them

And that its okay to acknowledge your heritage, to be proud of the people who got you here, to be sad for the plights. But ultimately have no draw, no feel, no actual connection to the tribe or the community beyond that

And that regardless of BQ, if you are native because its something you are just not able to deny, then you are

The focus shouldnt be claiming, and again with the emotions one can get it can almost feel like theres a time limit due to the anxiety of the information and wanting to catch up on lost time.

But you have all the time in the world, especially if this is absolutely new info and you had not previously had any idea- to explore your feelings and see whether claiming the identity is a natural order of things, or if simply acknowledging your heritage is what is natural for you

So in short: BQ is not required to claim native, but to claim native there should be no doubt at the end of exploring your emotions. (ex. "I am indigenous/native. I am Diné) Otherwise its totally okay to be involved and acknowledge your heritage (ex. "I have native heritage/Im a seminole decendent, etc)

Sorry this is so long and hopefully it makes sense and is coherent i tend to get off track. if i didnt actually answer your question pls send me another ask lol!

EDIT: Oh id say you shouldnt reconnect if your intentions are crap, if you feel like being native makes you different or cool or whatever. Or if its something you can see yourself drifting away from. If youre going to reconnect (usually this means claiming the identity) then its something that is one and done. Otherwise you could hurt those around you that take you at face value if you were to just...stop being native.

So realistically, you do some hard thinking. You look at your past and your ancestors past. And you look at your future. You have time to figure it out.

#native #ndn #indigenous #ask #anon #blood quantum #long post #oyster

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8-bitdyke · 2 years

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ix/felix or my rl name, he/him

18, butch lesbian

looking 4 a beta reader !! refer to this post and this tag or just send me an ask :)

essential tags, the rest are under the cut:

- #langblr - langblr related content

- #ix.txt/en - textposts in english

- #ix.txt/no - textposts in norwegian

- #ix.txt/한 - textposts in korean

- #ix.txt/yu - textposts in serbocroatian

- #ix.txt/fr - textposts in french

- #ix.jpeg - photos by me

- #ix.txt/docx- my fics n other writings

i'm not making a dni i'll simply block if ur making me uncomfy <3

read under the cut for more tags, my language goals and more about the languages i know and am learning !

the rest of the tags:

- #star wars - star wars related

- #good omens - good omens related

- #hannibal - nbc hannibal related

- #mcr - american rockband mcr related

- #formel 1 - formula 1 related

- #art - art tag for rbed art

- #modern rights - for current events and issues

- #lesbianisms - lesbian tag

- #butches - butch tag

languages i'm fluent in:

norwegian (native): i'm born and raised in norway, which kind of speaks for itself. i speak a dialect close to standard østnorsk. (send me an ask if you're curious!) if you want a language exchange partner or grammar explanations or general help with the language, i'm here to help! my primary målform is bokmål but i know nynorsk too because i'm cool and sexy obviously. i will also talk at lenght about norwegian sociolects and dialects if you prompt me!

serbocroatian (native, heritage): my mum came to norway some thirty years ago and raised me in serbian, so this one's technically a heritage language, but i deem myself native :) i speak ekavski and i read and write in latinica and ćirilica, cursive as well. if you want grammar or language help or a language exchange partner or tips for learning cursive i'm here! i didn't learn cursive until a few years ago so the memory's still pretty fresh...

english (fluent): i started learning english when i was six and kept learning it for eleven years, so by now i'm pretty much fluent to the point where people ask if i'm british because i (unfortunately) acquired a scottish/northern english accent on the way to fluency... here too i am always up for a language exchange and ready to help with anything :) i write british english as well as i can, but american slang makes its way into my sentences no matter how hard i try ...

languages i'm learning:

korean (ttmik 5): i know ttmik 6 isn't really a good level signifier for those who don’t use the ttmik curriculum, but i haven't taken any official tests yet. i've been self-studying korean since august of 2020, so close to three years now. while i can't give as extensive help in korean as in the languages i'm fluent in, i'm always up to help, give tips and do language exchanges ^_^ (and rave about the history of the language)

french (b1): i studied french for five years in school, now i’m continuing on my own, and i can hold conversations without too much struggle! went on a school trip to paris last year and really got to test it out :) i can read and write and speak and listen on a number of topics, and i'm close to fluency, i think. always up for doing a language exchange here too! my french grammar is a bit of a mess, but i'll help anyone to the best of my abilities ^^

latin (2 years): i took latin for two years and enjoyed it immensely! i've had the luck to have a fluent teacher, so my speaking latin is pretty good. i’m going on 2 take it as an additional subject in uni this year :) i study classical latin with classical pronunciation and i'm always up for a chat about it! as with other languages i am always up to help, but i don't think a language exchange for latin is viable, so i'll keep it at help with grammar and tangents about antiquity.

#intro post #ix.txt/en #langblr

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bihansthot · 1 year

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Just a local fan sliding in with something that crossed my mind.

So hear me out, you, hallvard, tomas and us helping each other with hairstyles, hairdye, or a simple scalp scritch? Do you and bi han do this on occasion by yourselves at home? With dad!bi han and his daughter has he became the hairstylist pro whenever she wants her dad to do her hair?

>I can't speak for all of us anons, but i, myself sadly have long hair and on occasions struggle to maintain the mane (i also dye my hair and good grief the amount of times i've thought i messed up), i'll see pretty styles later and boom tired arms halfway into attempting to do said style

Oh phew! Tumblr ate my answer but not the ask itself!

So, Bi-Han is a certified hairstylist at this point haha not really but between me and Bīngbīng the man has skills. He helps me dye it, especially bleaching out my roots, I can handle the color because I use Overtone which goes on like conditioner. Bleaching though I can’t do myself so he’s excellent at helping he’s also great at shaving my undercut. I have super thick hair so I have a partial undercut to help with managing it and he shaves it for me.

When it comes to Bīngbīng’s hair he is a pro! His daughter might be a fierce little warrior in training or will be when she gets old enough but that doesn’t mean she isn’t going to be precious while she does it. Instagram and TikTok are his secret weapons and he’s not afraid to use them aggressively to give his daughter the cutest hairdos. Some of his favorites to do are:

Even though Bīngbīng is biracial he’s very keen on her knowing her Chinese heritage which is important to both of us because I don’t know my Norwegian heritage very well so it’s important she at least knows part of her heritage. Maybe I should learn more about my own so the kids have a good balance of both of their backgrounds.

When it comes to Hallvard and Tomas they often use hair time as a time to bond and decompress. Hallvard is a bit clumsy and isn’t too good at doing his own hair so thank goodness he has Tomas. Hallvard often likes to do his hair like the Vikings of old because like me, Hallvard is Norwegian. So, Tomas is a master of Viking braids and hairstyles, Hallvard loves Tomas’ short hair but often feels guilty that his lover spends so much time on his hair. So, he often gives Tomas scalp massages and shoulder and back rubs as a thank you for all the time he spends pampering Hallvard.

I understand the struggle lovely, up until I was 16 my hair was down to my waist and an absolute nightmare to maintain, now it’s about to my shoulder blades and much easier to take care of. Haha I have worthless little t-Rex arms so they give out trying to do anything cute so I basically stick to pigtails, braids and space buns that’s about all I can do. Speaking space buns, Bi-Han in space buns, come on Boon let us give him space buns!!

Hopefully this time my answer posts lol thank you for the adorable ask lovely 💕

#mortal kombat #bi han #sub zero #mk smoke #tomas vrbada #hallvard breivik #tomas x hallvard #solarbear #sol x bi han #Bīngbīng #hairstyles #cute imagines #bi han in space buns

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studyscrasic · 1 year

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Langblr Reactivation Challenge 1.1

Going to be giving @prepolyglot's langblr reactivation challenge as a way to engage with this blog regularly this month, and maybe get to know a bit more of the langblr community!

Create an introduction post about yourself. What’s your name? What languages are you studying? What languages do you hope to study? What do you hope you’ll get out of this challenge? Add whatever else you’d like to your introduction post!

My name is Nate! I'm from the USA and speak English, and I'm studying Norwegian, German, Irish, Yiddish, and Scottish Gaelic at the moment -- which is a lot, so I'll also say I've been particularly focused on German and Norwegian as of late. I just really love the Germanic and Celtic languages, and also have a fair bit of family heritage tied to some of them, which was the original source of my in interest in both language families. (And I'm Jewish, hence the interest in Yiddish!)

Along with studying languages I'm going back to school to finish my degree -- and individualized program in biology, the history of science, and cultural studies and comparative literatures. I have an interest in science and conservation, science communication, archives and museums, and how history and fiction influences the present, especially when it comes to communication and outreach. Right now I'm working in the library special collections at my university, in our queer history archive, which has been pretty incredible. My favorite sciences are biology and paleontology, and my favorite eras of history to study are the Middle Ages & Renaissance. In my free time I'm also a musician (I play viola and write music!), enjoy sewing and especially researching historical and fantasy costuming, and go foraging and geocaching. I've also been really into the video game Pentiment!

I'm hoping to become a more active langblr to encourage me to engage with my language-learning regularly, especially since I've finished my Norwegian courses at my university. I also just think it would be neat to get to know other folks with similar interests! It seems like a neat challenge and I'm looking forward to participating.

#langblr #langblr reactivation challenge #studyblr

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zimandturtles · 2 years

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Something I failed to deliver... AIRES INFO 🐺🖤

For the babe I made for MHA, I ship him with Midoriya now but it used to be Bakugo so some shit might seem weird or inaccurate to my present representation of Aries... Just enjoy some shit I overthought about for 2 weeks...

♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺

Name: Aries Fangheart (Son of Ozwald)

Age: 17 years

Height: 6.5ft

Weight: 180lbs

Sex: Male

Sexual Orientation:

Gay 🏳️‍🌈

NonBinary ⚧️(He/They)

Quirk: Anthro Kiju (in America: HellHound)

Turned into a large anthophamorphc dog beast

Home Country: Alaska, America

Birthday: April 30,????

Zodiac: Taurus ♉

Lucky Stones: Emerald, Diamond, Quartz, Amethyst

Birthstone: Diamond, Sapphire, Opal

Ruling Planet: Venus

Element: Earth 🌎

Flower: Daisy's & Sweet Peas

Hero or Villain: Anti-Hero (He just acts like one but he's all good guy)

Alias: Fenrir

Personality:

Positives:

Steady

Driven

Tenacious

Patient

Enduring

Persistent

Solid

Determined

Trustworthy

Tasteful

Negatives

Slightly Materialistic

Hates Change

Possessive

Stubborn

Over Protective

The type who pushes shit down till he busts in their face and says something...

Love Language: Physical Touch/ Dirty Flirty

♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺

Info:

Aries is Norwegian...

His ancestors came to French Canada when the Vikings were still around and settled in Alaska in what is now called “Nome”

They were pushed from their ancestral home and fled the country

He is proud of his heritage and celebrates all “Viking” Holidays

Midsummer

Yule

Dísablót

Þorrablót

Disting

His mother was Norse his father was African American (Dad is dead)

Aries is the first of his family to receive a quirk...

His father had an animal related quirk that subsided in later age(Lost the ability as he kept it hidden)

Aries was considered cursed until his mother found it was genetic(whoopsie)

Aries loves his family and knows good and well that they are scared of him regardless of what he does for them to make them feel otherwise

Aries is comparable psychologically to a Dog...

His animal side prevails often in their constant fight for control over their shared body

The animal side is less another personality more like instincts that force Aries to abide by his lesser nature

Aries hates the animal part of him and tends to let it get the better of him

Aries has many instincts and features to that of his animal breed

Sense of smell (can smell an animal 8 miles away)

Great hearing (Dog whistles hurt his head)

Courting Rituals (Basicly heat but way worse because he can say how much it hurts)

Night Vision (sees like a night vision camera)

Dominance Struggle (Will assure dominance on anyone he sees as an appropriate target, often for his aggression)

Universal Communication (can understand other dogs)

Hunting Mode (becomes easily agitated and uses to focus on finding “prey”)

Aries Love Life...

His last girlfriend met an untimely demise by his own claws

Aries was in heat and she tried to take advantage or him but he attacked not realizing what he was doing

He will never forgive himself

Aries is a virgin (just because his last partner tried to get some don't mean she got to see it!)

Aries will oddly enter heat and will become more prone to speaking his mind and saying how he feels, he also becomes more emotionally vulnerable and will give off the scent of lavender and cedarwood that gets stronger as time prolongs

Aries tends to refuse help out of fear of hurting whoever is so unfortunate to cross his path in that state

Aries will bite and scratch his lovers (in acute and caring way)

Aries tends to show his affection for his crush in animalistic ways such as:

Bringing them gifts (Dead animals, Chocolate, flowers, stuffed toys, coffee, etc.)

Over Protective Actions (growling and snapping at others who get too close)

Carving their name all over his bedroom walls and arms(with his claws)

Aries is sensitive...

While Aries comes off as deep and brudding he is very vulnerable when struck with strong emotions

He cares very deeply for those he considers a part of his pack(family)

Aries is very vulnerable with his loved ones

♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺♠️🐺

Hidden Featurs:

Aries has a large single vertical scar on his left eye, the eye itself is made of black volcanic glass made by his great grandpappy (Renniran). The scar is jagged and deep pink and has the unique texture of leather, the scar was opened to his upper lip and is the opening for the next feature...

Aries has a large gold tooth that replaces one of his old fangs...

it was knocked out while Aries was fighting a Moose, the Moose lost in the end...

Rip Moose...🌹☠️

His facial scar shows the whole fang...

Aries has a Norse Rune tattoo...

it's on his lower back above his tail

The fur was shaved off and the rune is embedded in the fur, the tattoo shows due to the pigments of the skin change and have a lasting impression on the fur

Aries got the rune as a way to bless himself with spiritual protection

Only his mother knows about the tattoo (she paid for it... 😆💸💸)

Aries paints his claws and nails...

he uses human nail polishes but only does the coloring with a paint brush

He'll do intricate designs for fun

#my hero academia #Aries #Ironic Taurus #norse mythology #my oc art #character sheet #YEAH-I-DO-FURRIES-SOMETIMES-SUE-MEIF-YOU-DARE!!!

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