The Weikenings
A quest through the subconscious in search of identity.
Letter A – Blessed are those who adapt, for they shall endure all circumstance.
Arivah – Arivah, Arivah, what do you see? Altruism alive and well within me? My being is primed for selfless expression—no matter the price of a noble impression.
Arivéh – Arivéh, Arivéh, what do you see? Through all the anxiety wrapped up in me? My stomach is turning my breath is but gone -all in attempt to sing you my song.
Arivoh – Arivoh, Arivoh, what do you see? As adrenaline runs through the veins within me? My heart is exploding with power and pain to prepare for a race where the lead I shall gain.
Letter B – Blessed are those who begin, for they shall be shown the way.
Bralla – Bralla by Bralla a bounty is set, patiently waiting for one to accept a priceless gift promised at birth, measured to match my infinite worth.
Brallé – Brallé by Brallé a bridge I require to cross a pit alight with fire. Deep in my mind this crater burns destroying my peace as the heavens turn.
Brallo – Brallo by Brallo a balance is key when holding the doubts kept deep within me. They come to my mind when I sleep through the night and my threshold is peaked by the first morning light.
Letter C – Blessed are those who choose, for they shall be free.
Chapa – Chapa cheers Chapa bestow this to me, I dream of the courage to set my heart free. Then one day with spirit in hand I’ll test out my strength in some foreign land.
Chapé – Chapé cheers Chapé I crave but one chance to imbue this life with great romance. Sharing my heart from the seat of my soul, a love that is pure, honest & whole.
Chapo – Chap cheers chapo my curious nature sets into motion attraction to stranger sights and sounds I’ve never seen wondering what they all could mean.
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I would confidently say that The Weikenings story is safe for precocious children as young as seven or eight. However, the heavier subject matter regarding trauma, as well as the more philosophical subject matter regarding identity might be better suited for tweens and adolescents. On a personal level, I think this story could be enjoyed by anyone at any age, especially by those who gravitate toward aesthetics and ideas bordering on surreal, phantasmagoric, and whimsical themes.
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The technical answer would be that The Weikenings is an alphabetical allegory for dissociative amnesia. The literary answer would be that The Weikenings is a story about a nameless girl who goes on an adventure through her subconscious in order to recover her lost marbles. Each of the chapters corresponds with a different letter of that alphabet, where she becomes reacquainted with different qualities inherent to our humanness. Throughout this process, she is accompanied by different weikening creatures that guide her through this surreal landscape with the intention of helping the girl accomplish her goal of reuniting with her most precious possession.
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The Weikenings began in 2007 while interning for an international stationary company. During this time, I was commissioned to draw a series of pen and ink illustrations depicting various woodland flora and fauna. In between completing imagery for this assignment, I would sketch for myself in order to break up the tedium of my appointed task. Before the collection of woodland illustrations was finished, I had created the first ten weikening creatures and committed myself to uncovering their story.
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Updates for The Weikenings can be found on social media. There you will find teasers for the upcoming chapters as well as announcements regarding convention appearances, finished books, and merchandise ready for purchase.
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In the process of uncovering the meaning and significance behind the Weikenings, I discovered my truth as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Without initially knowing or understanding, the completion of this project has played an instrumental role in my recovery. The more The Weikenings story expands, the closer I come to integrating those lost, hidden, broken, and rejected parts of my identity that were severed as a result of my abuse. This story gave me a second chance at living my life as a functional and thriving human being. My hope is that by sharing this story with the world, other people who have experienced similar trauma will feel seen, heard, supported, and validated as they move through their recovery journey.
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The numbers, letters, and weikening creatures are all hand drawn with 005 Sakura Micron Pens. The surrounding graphic novel is sketched by hand using a non-photo blue mechanical pencil, however, the process to finalize the narrative illustrations has yet to be determined.