Time travel, huh? We know a couple of ways to do it.
Supamodu has proven itself indispensable in preparation for when humans finally master time machines. It’s easy: the more you know about the world’s cultures, the safer you’ll be if your time machine malfunctions.
We realize that the minute you get the chance to go back in time, you’ll probably want to see Freddie Mercury perform live. But say there’s a glitch and you end up in the middle of the Pacific Ocean a hundred years ago today?
You see a bunch of islanders approaching, and they’re welding large colorful sticks. Surely they must be weapons with which you’ll be murdered? Wrong! And you’d know this if you were following Supamodu closely. Or if you’re from New Caledonia.
But let’s pace ourselves. Here’s this newsletter’s map:
And here’s the answer to the time travel conundrum above: no, these islanders don’t want to kill you. They’re using their bamboo canes to perform a welcoming dance. We know because we have been exploring the wondrous work of Micheline Néporon, an indigenous Kanak artist, who time travels by keeping in touch with her ancestors through this ancient art-form.
FROM KANAK PEOPLE and NEW CALEDONIA:
Bamboo canes with intricate designs had been made by the Indigenous New Caledonians for generations. Micheline Néporon is adapting the technique to link the heritage of her ancestors to the future
Another way to time-travel is to rewrite your history. Zhipara, the roguish healer from the remarkable film “Suleiman Mountain,” decided that this was a nice way to fix the problems in her relationship. You can learn from her, but if it feels like too much, perhaps knowing Zhipara’s belching healing rituals of Suleiman mountain might come in handy if you forget your antibiotics while traveling back in time?
FROM KYRGYZSTAN, RUSSIA and POLAND:
A husband, his two wives, and estranged young son grapple with opportunities and morals in rural Kyrgyzstan—a powerful road-movie from a young Russian director
You can also travel through time by using your imagination. Aren’t you curious about what would happen if you were to start dating that cute person from that one-night stand 20 years ago? Watch the haunting Argentine drama “End of the Century,” and try it for yourself. Just don’t get too excited. That cute person might have been friends with Jeffrey Epstein in the years since.
Two men hook up and recognize each other from a brief encounter twenty years ago. What could have been if they had acted differently back then? A highly imaginative Argentine feature debut
Either way, if thinking about time travel has filled you with longing, remember this: the present is better than both past and future. Because this is where you can execute change to affect both the future and the past.
So if you commit to reading more Supamodu to learn about the world’s cultures right now, you’ll be smarter in the future. And as you look back on this commitment, you’ll know that back in 2020, you were one sexy, magnificent, curious human.
Hope you enjoy Supamodu and feel compelled to share it with your friends.
— The Supamodu team
