Feel It! Multi-dimensional Motion Arts

"Girmit is evocative storytelling at its best, blending different digital art forms to immerse the viewer in the important historical and cultural story of Fijian indentured labour." Sarah Allen, Director MozFest

“Defining Moments” multi-dimensional motion arts (MdMA) experimental experience. That transports the audience on a mind expanding incredible journey of the “Girmitiyas”. To see, understand & feel what it must have been like to be “Laali” - a 14yr old Indian boy on the 7,000 mile trip, to work in sugarcane fields of "Colonial Fiji", and "Saati" who was born in Fiji to indentured labourers and grew up on the island where she met Laali. The two ended up getting married, working through the hardships at this testing time in history, creating an amazing life together.

Despite a global diaspora of tens of thousands of “Girmityas”, the word “Girmit” slang for “Agreement” is not included in the Oxford English Dictionary, heightening the senses, that this is an untold human story and contemporary counter narrative exploring “Indentured Labour” for our post truth and fakebook times - that needed to be told.

"Rather than take a seat at the table where their protests might be digested into institutional credibility, indentured laborers & a mass movement left the proverbial room where it happens to write their own counternarrative on the realities of indenture" The Harvard Law Review, Legal History 2021

The mixing of traditional and emerging technology for artists and creators, was in part, a result of Covid 19. In ‘normal’ times, the story would have been presented as a ‘Nutkhut’ live theatrical performance. Due to the multiple lockdowns and for show to go on, hybrid and low budget more accessible ways of multi-dimensional storytelling were harnessed..

"I brought together a collective of artists, academics, educators & technologists - to create a multi-dimensional arts project that retells the human story of indentured labour" Ajay Chhabra, Nutkhut & Girmit Artistic Director

PlayLa.bZ worked with Nutkhut to unite virtually through social media and video calls a global village crew of artists and creators. Including Pasifika Manga Artist, Tui Ledua in Fiji. Helping to support neurodiversity, literacy & authentic storytelling with a one dimensional “Girmit” graphic novel, engaging young minds by remixing this counter narrative for the 21st Century.

"Working with an amazing group of creatives, from the other side of the globe & telling people's stories in familiar & new media. Blessed." Tui Ledua, Founder Kanaluva Animation

The Girmit Experience is free and available now on the https://Girmit.World portal, mixing “DIY Experiential Technology” presenting institutions with alternate ways to bring Immersive Arts and Heritage into remote home and school learning.

"Totally transported by the world of @lornainmanart and the incredible voice of @TheShamaRahman" Dr María del Pilar Kaladeen, Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies

The Girmit 360 Immersive Experience a “Tilt Brush Epic” is virtually hand crafted by rising star Lorna Inman in the UK made with open source software and accessible to a global audience of 2Billion on YouTube. It features five world-sized sketches stretching the creator & technical limits, with around thirty smaller sketches that flow into the large kaleidoscopic scenes. Every multi-dimensional brush stroke imagined and painted by Lorna, from the skies, seas, sun & sugarcane to the ‘Girmitiya’ fingertips.

"..uncovering more hidden stories & exploring new ways to create immersive experiences in virtual reality" Lorna Inman, Girmit Tilt Brush Artist

Sonicly blending “You are the poems of a living land.” the abstract floating and mystical spoken word of Artist & Neuro Scientist Dr Shama Rahman, freestyling from the original poem “The Gifts of the Girmityas” by Professor Satendra Nandan, The University of Canberra.

"I kind of gave up on the idea of home being a geographical location, so music became my proverbial home." Dr Shama Rahman, Artist & Neuro Scientist

Transcending dimensions of the Girmit Graphic Novel & YouTube 360 Immersive Experience. An original multi-dimensional heirloom collection was created for SketchFab by Lorna, to promote creative commons distribution and AR / VR use; plus a custom and collectible Girmit Cardboard VR headset compatible with most smartphones was distributed for free. With a custom Girmit Mozilla Hub space for future proof virtual shared learning, supporting young minds remotely during lockdown.

Using innovative technology Nutkhut & PlayLa.bZ immersed us within this important history. Future learning should no longer be 2 dimensional" Sarah Allen, Director MozFest

PlayLa.bZ brought onboard immersive audio partner SubPac & collection of soundscape artists Snooks & Freaksta, tuning into the bio-data sound waves of the Kew Gardens Sugarcane to experience the conceptual feels of the human & Botany Economics world, using Plantwave and SubPac wearable haptic technology.

"Its very similar to how a speaker works but your body is the medium for the sound as opposed to the air." Steve Snooks, SUBPAC Head Of Partnerships & Girmit Soundscape Artist

While filming the ‘bio-economics’ making of ‘Girmit’ story Ajay spoke with Kew Director, Richard Deverell. With the project organically becoming part of the 2021 zeitgeist through Kew Gardens announcement acknowledging the unearthed links between sugarcane and the colonial times slave trade.

Playla.bZ latest research & technology innovation project, “GenieMo” supported by Innovate UK, is used to capture Nutkhut’s Creative Director, Ajay Chhabra, spatially social-casting into the multi-dimensional artwork environments. To announce the Girmit World official partnership with Mozilla Festival Virtual, championing a free and open web, which runs into the summer 2021.

"All Art is universally make believe! & the finest make believe art tunes into our cosmic wavelengths & earthling feels, as one." James E. Marks FRSA, PlayLa.bZ Co-founder & PsychFi Artivist