To Nåna: A Zine Dedicated to the Powerful Women of the Mariana Islands and the Matriarchs of My Family
Lydia Jovi Cruz
Honors Project: To Nåna: A Zine Dedicated to the Powerful Women of the Mariana Islands and the Matriarchs of My Family
Honors Course: Honors Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies
Instructor: Lindsey Hewitt
My name is Lydia Jovi Cruz and I will graduate from Oakton College in Spring 2024. I am planning to transfer to a four-year institution to study Digital Marketing and Digital Media. From a young age, I always enjoyed creating visuals for various projects, whether through digital or traditional art. Whether I am storytelling, advertising a product, or even promoting an event, I enjoy creating art for such. Coming from a family of Filipinos and Pacific Islanders, I had to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to pursue such a creative path. Luckily I did get the support I needed from my family, friends, and colleagues. Yet what truly jumpstarted my path in digital media was attending Oakton College and being included in the Honors Program at the institution. During my time at Oakton and the Honors program, I was delighted to partake in certain classes such as Environmental Humanities, the Learning Community containing Introduction to Anthropology and Plants and Society, Introduction to Environmental Studies, and also completing some Honors Contracts.
To Nåna is a digital zine I created that connects my time in the Honors Program and Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program to myr Chamorrou/Pacific Islander Culture and History. I aimed to share messages of generational trauma, loss and love, and go deep into matrilineal customs within the Mariana Islands. The zine contains art, poetry, and entries I created, and also includes personal photos of my grandmother, who is the muse of the zine. I hope to share with the reader what it is like to be raised in a matrilineal society while also going against ongoing troubles in the Mariana islands such as militarism, imperialism, and the ongoing colonialism of the United States.
