Three months after Jaylen Griffin’s disapperance, his 18-year-old brother was shot dead near his home

If you've never seen a Maori haka performed‚ you're missing out.The Maori are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand‚ and their language and customs are an integral part of the island nation. One of the most recognizable Maori traditions outside of New Zealand is the haka‚ a ceremonial dance or challenge usually performed in a group. The haka represents the pride‚ strength‚ and unity of a tribe and is characterized by foot-stamping‚ body slapping‚ tongue protrusions‚ and rhythmic chanting. Haka is performed at weddings as a sign of reverence and respect for the bride and groom and are also frequently seen before sports competitions‚ such as rugby matches.The intensity of the haka is the point. It is meant to be a show of strength and elicit a strong response—which makes seeing a tiny toddler learning to do it all the more adorable.Here's an example of a rugby haka:Danny Heke‚ who goes by @focuswithdan on TikTok‚ shared a video of a baby learning haka and omigosh it is seriously the most adorable thing. When you see most haka‚ the dancers aren't smiling—their faces are fierce—so this wee one starting off with an infectious grin is just too much. You can see that he's already getting the moves down‚ facial expressions and all‚ though. @focuswithdan When you grow up learning haka&;#33; #haka #teachthemyoung #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou #kapahaka ♬ original sound - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓 As cute as this video is‚ it's part of a larger effort by Heke to use his TikTok channel to share and promote Maori culture. His videos cover everything from the Te Reo Maori language to traditional practices to issues of prejudice Maori people face.Here he briefly goes over the different body parts that make up haka: @focuswithdan ♬ Ngati - Just2maori This video explains the purerehua‚ or bullroarer‚ which is a Maori instrument that is sometimes used to call rains during a drought. @focuswithdan Reply to @illumi.is.naughty Some tribes used this to call the rains during drought 🌧 ⛈ #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp ♬ PÅ«rerehua - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓 This one shares a demonstration and explanation of the taiaha‚ a traditional Maori weapon. @focuswithdan Reply to @shauncalvert Taiaha‚ one of the most formidable of the Māori Weaponry #taiaha #maori #māori #focuswithdan #fyp #foryou ♬ original sound - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓 For another taste of haka‚ check out this video from a school graduation: @focuswithdan When your little cuzzy graduates and her school honours her with a haka #maori #māori #haka #focuswithdan #fyp #graduation @its_keshamarley ♬ Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Ruanui - 𝕱𝖔𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍𝕯𝖆𝖓 Heke even has some fun with the trolls and racists in the comments who try to tell him his culture is dead (what&;#63;). @focuswithdan Credit to you all my AMAZING FOLLOWERS&;#33; #focuswithdan #maori #māori #followers #fyp #trolls ♬ original sound - sounds for slomo_bro&;#33; Unfortunately‚ it's not just ignorant commenters who spew racist bile. A radio interview clip that aired recently called Maori people &;quot;genetically predisposed to crime‚ alcohol‚ and underperformance‚&;quot; among other terrible things. (The host‚ a former mayor of Auckland‚ has been let go for going along with and contributing to the caller's racist narrative.) @focuswithdan #newzealand radio in 2021 delivering racist commentaries 🤦🏽‍♂️ #māori #maori #focuswithdan #racism DC: @call.me.lettie2.0 ♬ original sound - luna the unicow That clip highlights why what Heke is sharing is so important. The whole world is enriched when Indigenous people like the Maori have their voices heard and their culture celebrated. The more we learn from each other and our diverse ways of life‚ the more enjoyable life on Earth will be and the better we'll get at collaborating to confront the challenges we all share.This article originally appeared on 01.28.21

Even though I don't wear very much makeup‚ every few days or so SOMEONE... (friends‚ family‚ internet strangers) ...will weigh in on why I &;quot;don't need makeup.&;quot;Now‚ I realize this is meant as a compliment‚ but this comic offers a hilariously truthful (and slightly weird) explanation of the &;quot;too much makeup&;quot; conundrum.Not everyone is able to turn into a badass lizard when someone asks about their face-painting hobbies. Don't you kinda wish you could&;#63; Just to drive this hilarious comic all the way home‚ here are four reasons why some women* wear makeup:*Important side note: Anyone can wear makeup. Not just women. True story.Four reasons some women* wear makeup:1. Her cat-eye game is on point.2. She has acne or acne scars.3. Pink lipstick.4. She likes wearing makeup.While some people may think putting on makeup is a chore‚ it can be really fun&;#33; For some‚ makeup is an outlet for creativity and self-expression. For others‚ it's just a way to feel good about themselves and/or enhance their favorite features.That's why it feels kinda icky when someone says something along the lines of &;quot;You don't need so much makeup&;#33;&;quot; Now‚ it's arguable that no one &;quot;needs&;quot; makeup‚ but everyone deserves to feel good about the way they look.For some people‚ feeling good about their appearance includes wearing makeup. And that's totally OK.This article originally appeared on 05.28.15

Sabrina Benaim's “Explaining My Depression to My Mother&;quot; is pretty powerful on its own.But‚ in it‚ her mother exhibits some of the most common misconceptions about depression‚ and I'd like to point out three of them here.Misconception #1: Depression is triggered by a single event or series of traumatic events.Most people think depression is triggered by a traumatic event: a loved one dying‚ a job loss‚ a national tragedy‚ some THING. The truth is that depression sometimes just appears out of nowhere. So when you think that a friend or loved one is just in an extended bad mood‚ reconsider. They could be suffering from depression.Misconception #2: People with depression are only sad.Most people who have never experienced depression think depression is just an overwhelming sadness. In reality‚ depression is a complex set of feelings and physical changes in the body. People who suffer from depression are sad‚ yes‚ but they can also be anxious‚ worried‚ apathetic‚ and tense‚ among other things.Misconception #3: You can snap out of it.The thing with depression is that it's a medical condition that affects your brain chemistry. It has to do with environmental or biological factors first and foremost. Sabrina's mother seems to think that if her daughter would only go through the motions of being happy that then she would become happy. But that's not the case. Depression is a biological illness that leaks into your state of being.Think of it this way: If you had a cold‚ could you just “snap out of it&;quot;&;#63;No&;#63; Exactly.These are only three of the misconceptions about depression. If you know somebody suffering from depression‚ you should take a look at this video here below to learn the best way to talk to them:This article originally appeared on 11.24.15

&;quot;It’s coming you little bitch...&;quot; The post ‘Tropico’: revisiting Lana Del Rey’s cinematic short film first appeared on Far Out Magazine.