The Hello Frequency Podcast, acknowledges the Tainui people, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, where it was recorded. Respects to elders, past, present, and emerging of all belongings.
Welcome to The Hello Frequency, Dear Listners: I am your host, Caya and this is episode 4.
Please be advised that this podcast mentions about war, violence, and their impacts. If you find these subjects distressing, please exercise caution while listening. Take care.
My deep gratitude to my listeners, followers, and subscribers. A special thanks to those of you who have shared my podcast with others and taken the time to rate it. Your generosity continues to strengthen my sense of hope and connection. I keep you all in my daily meditations and spiritual prayers.
Today, I bring you some insights on The Power of Connecting Continents.
Over the past two decades, I have felt immense pride in my friends and family who have maintained contact with me across continents without having to rely on social media. Despite numerous attempts by my loved ones to get me on Facebook since its inception, I could never understand the purpose of it when I could stay connected via personalised emails, a tradition I continue to uphold.
My personal odyssey is a testament to the power of connecting continents in whatever medium we choose. We do not have to rely on those that do not make sense to us.
In the heart of Lanka’s tumultuous history, where the echoes of a ruthless civil war and disasters intertwine, among many other forms of marginalisation, my sense of connection and community unfolds. It is a narrative steeped in the legacy of my ancestors, a saga of meaning-making, resilience and celebrations amid an armed conflict, displacements, disasters, migrations, and conflicts as well as coming together in solidarity within and between communities with varied belongings.
As many of you might relate, the terrible and the wonderful, dance hand in hand, twirling through the contours of our lives across time and space.
My journey has been shaped by a constellation of guiding stars—family, extended family, mentors, friends, lovers, partners, colleagues, and allies—who have illuminated the path of reflective and conscious being and living with dignity not to be compromised at any cost. I have not just grown up with a history of violent conflict but also with stories of people and collectives who were and are committed to effective social change despite various hurdles including threats to lives. I pay my deepest respects to them and many across continents who are being that for someone else or themselves as I record this.
Intersectionality—a word that carries within it the weight of countless lives, non-living beings, histories, struggles, and places among many others. Before it was coined, before it adorned academic papers and activist manifestos, it was weaved into the very fabric of existence of all forms. It was the air we breathed, the ground we walked upon—a mosaic of identities, woven together in intricate patterns.
Picture this: a girl, often dressed as a boy, seeking answers amidst the war-ravaged lands of Northern Lanka. She defied conventions and danced on the tightrope between expectations driven by rigid norms and desires. Others called her by boy pronouns, teasingly, but she revelled in it. It was a secret rebellion, a whispered defiance against a world that sought to confine her. I was that girl, observing the intricate dance between privilege and scarcity, often existing on the margins. Again, I am sure many of you can relate to this.
The complexities were staggering due to intersecting identities. One of the questions I often grapple with is - how can I acknowledge the privilege associated with one identity without undermining the challenges faced by another identity.
As I grew, more intersections joined the party. Gender—fluid and defiant—wove its way into my narrative. Sexuality—like a hidden constellation—mapped the contours of my desires. Race— my brown skin marked my presence more so often than my personality. It was fetishised more times than I could count. “The exotic other”. Sounds familiar?
My passport was often met with suspicion. International travels became a labyrinth of interrogations, a test of patience and resilience. Yet, I persisted. Indeed, with the support of my loved ones and some strangers or bystanders.
I mean it from the bottom of my beings, when I say, we are a community of non-violent and spiritual fighters. Our weapons are empathy, compassion, love, peace and everything else that connects us beyond our differences.
From the conflicted, albeit verdant, lands of Lanka, I had several opportunities to live and experience the vibrant streets of many parts of India, the East Coast of the United States of America, Den Haag, the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation in Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Between 2001 and 2020, I also travelled extensively to several parts of South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and the UK.
My journeys – both literal and philosophical - span continents, cultures, histories, flora and fauna, and people from diverse backgrounds. My academic journey is as diverse as it is profound, which deepened my insightful perspectives. It helped to understand and complement the lived experiences of many in profoundly respectful ways. I am still learning on a daily basis.
I can comfortably call myself a Global Citizen - although not legally, yet. I am always looking forward to expanding horizons and re/unmaking boundaries that not only divide us but also fuel hatred.
As I have navigated diverse roles, each has bestowed upon me a wealth of insights, which I now bring to you through this platform. I offer not just stories of lives lived with multiple consciousnesses, but a shared experience of transformation—from the depths of wounding to the pinnacle of healing. My expertise lies in shaping challenges into insightful actions that help us thrive.
I aim to resonate with you all by highlighting the power of from wounding to healing and transforming. That is my offering to you all. It is also the name of my website that is currently in the making. I will let you know when it is ready. This podcast is part of the larger offering. Baby steps towards what I wish to create and sustain for humanity.
My goal is to spread empathy, solidarity, love, compassion, light, peace, harmony, and positive energy in all forms, shapes, colours, and sizes. It comes from a place of having experienced and benefited from the power of connecting continents.
War defined the first two decades of my life. Amidst the brutality, we learned to survive and even thrive. The weight of war trauma still lingers, both personally and collectively. My own experiences and witnessing various forms of oppression of others have shaped who I am today and how I channel my energy.
I am acutely aware that the world beyond is engulfed in wars, uncertainties, fear, anger, frustration, and similar tumultuous emotions. Our collective memory bears the marks of both personal and shared pain and suffering. Our world is wounded. We tread upon battlefields of trauma, our hearts heavy with the weight of suffering, particularly of the others.
Yet, here we are, choosing to believe that our words, our intentions, can weave threads of empathy to heal and transform.
Within the confines of this podcast, a different narrative unfolds—one of compassion, love, peace, collective consciousness, and hope.
So, now, with my new endeavour beckoned, a virtual community in the making, social media—a double-edged sword— is to be explored. Perhaps, it is time. Time to amplify voices, share stories, and create ripples of change in a different way. A different approach to what I am used to thus far.
However, I am taking a step forward to cautiously explore it with purpose. My wish is to build bridges across screens, hearts pulsing in sync for the better.
I tell myself, tread carefully. Choose platforms that align with my purpose. Seek spaces where empathy thrives, where solidarity blooms. And I will always remember: every click, every share, every word I use is shaping the narrative.
My unwavering commitment lies in building empathetic and supportive communities and harnessing the transformative power of collective consciousness.
In the upcoming episode, I will bring you the conversation with Vinod Bal. He and I co-founded Adhikaar Aotearoa—a charitable trust dedicated to uplifting the lives of people of colour LGBTQIA+ communities.
I hope you will join me.
Thank you for tuning in to “The Hello Frequency”.
Remember, in a world where discord echoes loudly, let empathy be our pluriversal language!
Until next time, this is Caya, tuning out from the Hello Frequency J
Copyright and Citation
© Divakalala, C. (2024). The Power of Connecting Continents. The Hello Frequency, A Lifestyle Podcast.