On Definition

Intro to the being who writes this newsletter and hence my thoughts on Definition

‘Transcendence’ 2022 , Darren Akoragye

Definition, by diction means being able to bring into focus, explain or bring understanding to a being, object or situation. This being is a very curious one, shapeless like water, firm like the earth. Yet I've found them to be mouldable, resounding and so deeply connected. Here I sit in a cafe, just finished dropping my sister at school and my mother at her place of work. From my bag, I've pulled out a wireless keyboard to type this, mint tea brewing on the table and I’m contemplating the definition of my existence. I wonder if one can be defined solely by their current situation, structure or even individually.

I'll admit, I struggle with this everytime I'm put on the spot to introduce myself, mostly because all I've done on earth is keep evolving and changing, I’ve learned that to define is to limit. My name though, is something I played no part in, for my definition, so I'll say, I am Darren Akoragye, named by my mother. My grandma called me “Bwino-Bwera”, “Kiberengye” and “Kitanbi-Ihamba”. My ancestors are indigenous to the Kigezi Highlands [to the best of my knowledge].

I've always wanted to ‘start’ writing because words fascinate me, language in all its forms is a medium for my mind to journey. I’ve spent alot of my life reading everything and writing in my journals but maybe I haven't considered that to be “serious” enough writing, at least to add it to my long list of definitive skills [we will get into that later] but i also know sharing my writing could potentially make me get better at the articulation of my thoughts and experiences, so this substack is my attempt to get to define myself as a being that creates worlds in letters as well as i do visually.

My question here is, What defines us? truly. Is it the space we occupy, the work we make, the place from where we hail, the company we keep, the things we like/want, the causes we agree with or the time in which we present?

Can we be defined in a vaccum of the current self?

In our small communities, we are identified as of our parents, our age group, the work we contribute and other societal responsibilities we carry. Maybe this is the space to talk about how our Skillsets, Certificates, Religion, Education, Gender, Nationality, Presentation or current ‘Occupation’ are considered necessary for definition. This is a way we [as a society] have normalised the ability to quantify each other within a few minutes of meeting so comparison/connection are possible, assuming the rest of what we know either with optics or vibration as our stimuli, or our preconceived projections. Curiosity about what else lies in between the checked boxes, institutional definitions, current occupations and self imposed ideologies is lost, dead. You have been defined, you're done. I like to believe that we are all of these things, just in context and even more.

I allow myself to be curious about the realities/journeys of other beings such as i do for myself.

With that in mind, during my journey of life, I have been defined by many things, First [societal definitions of who I should be at a certain place and time], I have been defined as a ugandan, girl, daughter and grandchild, toddler, infant, pupil, vacist, teenager, student, adult, campuser, intern, graduant, artist, business owner and woman.

By my definition, I am a tree, a body of water, a present being, a sister, friend, helper, explorer, child, artist, creator, designer, mother, entrepreneur and alive[currenly]. I am an experiencer of life in all its forms, I am an allower, a collector of everything, I am a maker of things, a giver and lover. I am an abundantly connected being and i am one with the universe and in Transit.

My skillset is quite long due to my innability to be one thing, so when I introduce myself to people, i say I am a multimedia visual artist and Designer. This is the best summation of my ‘current’ occupational definition as an artist [maker] that practices their creativity in so many media.

I intend to curate this publication as a medium to share my thoughts, work and through that, the way I see the world. The words I type are often true to my reality, keeping in mind that I am in process, my thoughts and opinions are in process too. I’m always writing about my curiosities in my journals so I will be publishing these thoughts as they come and as I am ready to digest them.

And with that, my beautiful beings, I welcome you to Drops of Mind. The artwork attached I named ‘Trancendence’ a digital art piece I made in 2022 on the internal journey of self discovery from a place of doubt and fear to enlightenment.