Random Notes

The Mayor and the Indian Giver

Not every story begins in the workshop.

We came across some interesting facts that are pretty thought-provoking—nothing to do with fragrances and soaps.

Or perhaps they do.

Words carry history.

The term Indian giver is a pejorative American expression used to describe a person who gives a gift and later wants it back, or expects something of equal value in return.

It is based on what is often described as a "cultural misunderstanding" between the early European colonizers and the Indigenous peoples of North America.

Interestingly, the Europeans viewed the exchange of items as gifts (please laugh out loud here) and believed they owed nothing in return. The Indigenous people understood the exchange as trade—an equal exchange—and naturally expected something in return.

From whose point of view was it really a misunderstanding? We wonder..

If you have spent any time reading about colonization, words like guests and gifts begin to feel rather strange. After all, they were never invited in the first place.

The phrase Indian giver is, in many ways, a manipulation of history.

Language profoundly shapes our thoughts, leaving much to explore.

- from Wikipedia.

Here is a song by Alexandro Querevalú, which we often play while making our soaps and perfume oils."

This has nothing to do with soap. Or perhaps it does.

We look around, and there is war and unrest everywhere. In all that is to become of us as a race, we stumbled upon this beautiful true story.

In 1997, an orange cat named Stubbs became the honorary mayor of the Alaskan town of Talkeetna.

With a population of just 772 in 2000, it would not have taken too many votes to earn the position (the town did not have a real, human mayor anyway).

Stubbs proved remarkably good at the role.

He greeted tourists, gained admirers from around the world, and remained the town's beloved mayor until he died in 2017.

To everyone who nominated and elected Stubbs—you are our hope for the future.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/31a928_d5d2eb58e5454f8ab3b826032abbf513/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Some things find their way into OHAYO without ever becoming a soap.

At OHAYO, our cats behave much like Mayor Stubbs.

They sit in on meetings and say absolutely nothing. But when we watch parliamentary proceedings around the world, we believe a lot is said in our cats' silence.

Here is Velvet. We think he has excellent mayoral qualities. He walked into our premises and quietly took over, with all the grace and elegance one would expect from a Persian.

Our vet believes he may have been abandoned after being used for breeding.

Velvet has never confirmed the story.

If you happen to see a cat today, remember Mayor Stubbs.

Every great leader has to begin somewhere.

Now imagine all our history books after the cats take over. What do you think we will be studying?

On that thought,

Meow.