Organic Inquiry Begins and Ends with the Researcher's Own Story
My research method, organic inquiry, emphasizes the healing power of telling, listening, and honoring stories. By creating and sharing this visual narrative with others, I am an active participant in my own healing; using digital media to share this story, my prayer is seeds of understanding and healing can be planted in others.
Juko's Response from Juko Martina Holiday on Vimeo. The video featured above is a brief multimedia narrative I created in response to the following question:
What is the connection between your faith and your experience of depression? |
The data I used to respond to this question included:
written and visual journals favorite quotes old photographs music I composed and recorded images of places in nature that are important to me original art a longer film on this topic I made earlier in the research process Music Credits: all music composed, performed & recorded by Juko with live & electronic instruments. |
Cecelia's Response : The Battles are Fierce, We Do Not All Survive
Cecelia, my birth mother, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and died from suicide in 2005. The video below is a short multimedia narrative I created using artifacts from my mother's life. After a period of preparation and incubation, I approached the artifacts as data and the juxtaposition of images as a tool for qualitative inquiry. The narrative presents some of the themes that emerged as I searched for clues about how she approached living with the ideations and behavior that were labeled as mental illness. My story is not possible without hers.
Cecelia's Response from Juko Martina Holiday on Vimeo. Music Credits:
"Choral Valley" by Inner Splendor Sleep Music and Relaxation Project "Untitled Original Composition", Juko Martina Holiday "You Can't Always Get What You Want", cover by Ituana on "Bossa N Stones" |
The data I worked with for this narrative included:
Original poetry Written journal Medication journal Original art Letters and emails she wrote to me Non-original art and images she sent to me (cartoons, postcards, care packages) Artifacts from her life (rosaries, jewelry, clothing, tarot cards) Saved voice messages Archived web pages that mention her Published essays and other original writing News articles and interviews Music that was meaningful to her Word collages composed using text she wrote |