A little known fact outside the mermaiding community is the fact that mermaids have personas. Mersonas. It's a thing. In a strange way, it's much like the profession of being a clown or a mime (and I mean that in the most respectful way--to both clowns and mermaids)--it's not just playing dress-up, it's an act of becoming. You are putting on a character. So, I suppose, Uada is my clown. She is the character I become.
And she's a lot more graceful than I am, let me tell you--maybe because she doesn't speak as much--ha!
The jist of Uada is this: she was born into captivity in a side show, and released at a young age back into the sea. Her parents were Irish and Japanese, so her affinity for those two cultures becomes evident from time to time. Her life has been a collection of experiences following ships, analyzing people, perhaps making off with a few trinkets along the way (she is fond of stained glass, old keys, messages in bottle and the occasional feminine garb). Her past grew her accustomed to strongly brewed tea and coffee with real cream. She is child-like and whimsical, merrimaking and troublemaking, but generally well-meaning (unless someone she is fond of is threatened).
I cannot be in a tail all the time, but I would like to thing Uada embodies and preserves many passions and tendencies I would like to present in this world. She is gentle, curious, adventurous, loves travel, loves people, and loves to learn. Whatever I am, this is what I would like to present and manifest in this world.
She also has a tendency to want to connect to and help others, whether or not she truly knows how. Hopefully, I will find a way to manifest this as well. Slan.
Photography by Jillian Pyle of the Salish Sea Sirens.
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