Katarina Duke

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My Okanagan roots inspired my most recent tattoo. It serves as a reminder that, even though I am not where my "origin story" began, the Okanagan is still a part of my identity. The fox and hummingbirds--all seen while walking along the slopes of the lake. The fox symbolizes intelligence, adaptability, and spiritual guidance. The hummingbird symbolizes messages of hope and healing.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

If my ink could speak, it would convey my whimsical personality, reflected in my tattoos of childhood stories like Dr. Seuss and Where the Wild Things Are, as well as my profound connection to the natural world, my personal growth, and my resilience. My ink is a tribute to the power and beauty of Mother Earth, as well as a responsibility to honour and cherish her. They also represent the strength and love she has and continues to provide me throughout my life.

What would you do with the $25,000?

As a lifelong learner, I chose to take the next stage in my academic journey and pursue a doctoral degree. The $25,000 would help advance my research, which aims to explore the possibility that stories represented through play and playfulness can contribute to re-storying well-being and water security, thereby reimagining our ways of relating to each other and the natural world across the South Saskatchewan River Basin.