parnee

I am Tagalog and Kapampangan, born in the arkipelago referred to as the Philippines and raised in the suburbs of Peoria, Anishinabewaki, Odawa, Mississauga and Sauk Territories (East Lansing, Michigan), where I had friends from all over the world. My dad, Anacleto Sawal Paras, Jr., is Kampampangan and graduated from Michigan State University with a PhD in Agricultural Engineering and my mom, Florita Enrile Paras, is Tagalog and worked as a nurse and celebrated mine and my siblings’ birthdays with memorable birthdays every year. I lived in the diverse MSU community at Spartan Village. Our food and languages were celebrated annually with “International Night” at Spartan Village Elementary School. I spent most of my adult years in the Anishinaabe Territory, where I studied English literature, photography, biology, conservation, nursing, massage therapy and martial arts, my love of nature was deeply cultivated by Gitche Gumee’s crashing waves, northern climate with trees and slopes. After building a structure modeled from traditional wiigwams, of the Anishinaabe of the Gitche Gumee region, I lived in the hybrid “wiigy” and off the grid for two years, further deepening my appreciation of sustainability and living with the earth’s rhythms. At the urging of a new friend, Meisha Lamb, I spent over two years living in the rainforest of the Tlingit, Métis and Dënéndeh Territories (Haines, Alaska), surrounded by over 3000 feet tall mountains and going for long walks with my dear friend, Sissy, a Husky mix.

I practice massage therapy, study and teach martial arts/self-defense and I create art in Miami, Menominee and Oceti Sakowin Territories (Northeastern Wisconsin). I can be found on instagram: instagram.com/TaraBreathe

Acorn Designs is honored to work with parnee, find their artwork and product listings below.