Kiran Pillay’s Image/Word Narrative

Kiran Pillay’s Image/Word NarrativeGallery

Sports Day in High School was always a colourfully fascinating experienceand in 2008, I was excited to be playing a large part in what was my graduating year.Each year, there would be a ‘theme’ to which non-sporting members of houseswould have to participate in decorating tents and creating mascots. This year’stheme was Flora, and each house would pick a corresponding plant – Sunflowerswere the obvious choice here.

Assunta Secondary School had four sports houses and regardless of the time ofyear, every student was divided into one of four houses, named after Catholic nuns:Assunta, Claire, Francis and Hermine. Teachers were also divided into the same houses.Speaking in Harry Potter terms, Francis was always the ‘Slytherin’ of the school – Talented,competitive and at times somewhat under handed. I had been stunned to see their tentcome up, knowing all the ART teachers were of the Francis house.

It never ceased to amaze me how much every student identified with thehouse they were in, taking after certain characteristic that often times decided whatkind of student they were. Clare students were always laid back, simplistic andoutgoing and they knew how to lose with a smile on their faces, shrug it off andcontinue with their peaceful lives. They were used to coming in last place, and yet Ialways felt that they were way ahead of everyone else.

I was always a part of Assunta, which was filled with people who were as outgoing andpassionate as the colour. We were always under the curse of second or third place, but neverapt to give up. I was not in charge of setting the tents up, although I wish I had been consultedstill. One shot, one run, Assunta is no one? Yes, sometimes student mistakes were quitecomical, they should have used an ‘#’! Even as I looked on and had a good laugh, I felt terribleto know that this would be the last time I would be a part of all the festivities, of belonging toAssunta, of competing and enjoying my adolescence. It’s a terrible feeling when you stand onthat threshold of supposed adult hood and realize that High school is over.

At last we reach the final stage – the mascot. I wasroped into the creation of this…creature, almostovernight. The advising teachers were hell bent ontheir vision and tasked me and two others withbringing this vision of theirs to life with the mostlimited amount of supplies. It had been anothergrand laugh watching this poor girl running downthe field looking like a recycling bin had thrown upon her, while she was supposed to be an elegantHibiscus. But the experience reminded me of whatbeing a part of Assunta was about – trying yourbest to make the most out of the least. In a way, itwas the essence of what we were about. We nevereven had the best athletes, unlike Francis, butAssunta was always about trying – for yourself andfor your team, whatever the handicap.I’m glad to say, that attitude that was first nature toeveryone who was a part of ‘Assunta’ is still a hugepart of me today.

Thank you for reading this Image-Wordnarrative.Your reward is to see what a real mascotshould look like! Hermine: they may nothave been the most creative throughschool, but they always had the funds tomake things work!