I'm glad you asked, and I do. It's been a journey in itself to state that without hesitation, for a number of reasons: I grew up with a deep interest in witchcraft, astrology, and tarot, but always felt a bit of an outsider/imposter to the Western European-based pagan traditions that were most commonly covered in the literature available to the average teenager in the 90s. I have kept it hidden from public view for most of my life. It wasn't until relatively recently, when I started digging into my indigenous roots in earnest, that I realized my Native Hawai'ian ancestors were actually witchy as fuck. Their intimate understanding of and reverence for the natural world and the cosmos, and the ways in which they expressed this in chant, ritual, song, dance, and storytelling—their very relationship to the land, and to time and space, on an individual, societal, and spiritual level, intergenerationally—it's just such a staggeringly profound revelation to me. My understanding of "witchy" expanded beyond the deities, spells, and rituals I had grown up with as a near-solitary practitioner. That reconciliation of the history and traditions of my practice and my personal identity was a major turning point in my life, to say the least.
You have such a gorgeous collection of patterns you've created! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started designing?
Thank you, Ana! I started designing in 2008 on a whim. I self-published a cowl, then a pair of mitts, and then a shawl. Soon after that, I think mostly by luck/chance, I began working at various yarn companies, which spanned the next ten years. My favorite part about that experience is getting to meet and work with so many talented, wicked smart people—designers, technical editors, writers, and knitters—who have become lifelong friends, and who helped me grow in my own design work (particularly garment design). Within the past year I've returned to independent publishing—specifically so that I could be more intentional about who I work with and support in any collaborative endeavor.
As a fellow lover of Ravens (for those who haven't seen me in person, I have a raven tattooed on on my left forearm), I'd love to learn more about your connection to Raven. Would you be willing to share part of your story?
I've had a lifelong love of ravens. They weren't common in the areas I lived in growing up, so whenever I saw one it was a magical event for me. I would take those sightings as messages. I have always had what some might call a "morbid obsession" with death, and our relationship to it, and the concept of the pyschopomp really resonates. Impartial guides between the realms of the living and the dead...what an important role! Lore has not always been kind to the raven, but I love any and all raven stories. They are special kin. Their distinctive call is one of my favorite sounds in the world.
In my 20s I ended up marrying a wonderful person whose surname was a derivation of the word "raven." We eventually parted ways, but when it came time to update my legal name I decided to mark the point I had arrived at in a forward way: instead of reverting to my maiden name, I chose a new last name for myself—Raven. Names are incredibly powerful things.
I'd love to see your tattoo. I have two ravens at my upper chest. They aren't related to Odin's Huginn and Muninn of Norse mythology, but symbolize my Gemini rising nature, which I have definitely leaned into much more as I grow older.
Thank you for sharing this story. I am heavily involved in psychopomp work too, and one of my cats is named Munin! Can’t wait to dive more into this with you in the future.
You recently launched Aroha Aloha, a new collaboration with Francoise Danoy to highlight the work of indigenous fiber artists. What do you want folks to know about this project?
