ISSUE 07 | FALL/WINTER 24/25
VELOMA
By Hasi Rajao
ELEVATE
GROWING PAINS
May You Live
Veloma,
Or in other words, May You Live
Is like the Latin of my country mates,
The forgotten words of my blood,
One of those that hold so much meaning
But we have tuned it down into a simple thing,
Always lost in translation.
Veloma,
Or in other words, May You Live.
The best thing you could say to anyone,
No matter if they blessed you or cursed you,
Loved you or hurt you.
Because when you part, May You Still Live.
No matter the gravity of the offense,
May You Live.
No matter the bitter heart after the quarrel,
May You Live.
No matter how many times you’ve screwed up.
May You Live.
My tongue has chosen mixed words
The English rolls, the French pastries,
And other cultures’ delicacies,
I’ve forgotten our own.
The day I left, though, I remembered.
The word I didn’t get to say.
Veloma. May. You. Live.
PLACES WE ARE AT
HASI RAJAO
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"My art is deeply rooted in my journey across continents. I believe that as much as we inhabit places, they also live within us. Having spent the first half of my life in Madagascar, the second in China, and now starting anew in Canada, these places have shaped who I am and what I create. My work explores how different environments call forth different parts of ourselves, allowing us to be reborn through a paradox of painful and joyful growth. With the theme of [UP]ROOT, I reflect on the experience of being displaced and the bittersweet farewell of saying goodbye— Veloma."