201 Wingbeats - La Riqueza Que Buscamos

The Story of the 201 Birds: Finding the Wealth You Are Sitting On

In the ancient wisdom of Ogbe Di, there is a story about Eshu, the great messenger, owner of the roads, and opener of doors.

There was a time when Eshu was feeling low, worried, stressed, and broke. He went to seek guidance, and was asked to bring 201 birds as an offering. The number 200 representing in the Yoruba culture a number too large to count and the 1 meaning anything extra you might want to offer in addition to the 200.

One by one, he gathered those birds, put in the effort, the time, and the heart. As he stood up to offer his 201 birds, he happened to look down at where he had been sitting. Right there, underneath him, was the wealth and fortune he had been seeking the whole time! He just needed get up and "do the work".

What "201 Wingbeats" Means for Us Today

I created the 201 Wingbeats installation because, like Eshu, so many of us feel like we are "lacking." We feel disconnected from our history, our power or our wealth.

But this project is a reminder that our Ancestry is our Wealth. Each bird in this collection represents that one thing you need to be doing to realize that you are sitting on your wealth. YOU are the wealth. My intention when you interact with these paintings—when you hear the music and see the birds take flight in the video and AR overlay —is that you realize that you are participating in the same "Aha!" moment Eshu had.

The wealth isn't coming from somewhere external to us. It’s already within us. It’s in our stories, our songs, and the way we move together acknowledging the guidance of our ancestors.

The Secret of the Rock Dove

Did you know the Rock Dove (the humble pigeon) is actually a natural-born navigator?

Inside their tiny brains, they have a mineral called Magnetite. It acts like a built-in GPS, allowing them to feel the Earth’s magnetic pull. No matter how far they fly or how lost they seem, that "inner compass" always pulls them back home.

In this project, the Rock Dove is a symbol for us. Like the bird, we carry our own "Magnetite"—our ancestral memory and our culture. Even when we feel displaced or "broke" like Eshu, we have a biological and spiritual compass that knows exactly how to find our way back to our wealth.

Why All These Birds? A Continental Connection

You’ll notice that along with our local "Rock Dove," the project features vibrant national birds from across Latin America and the Caribbean. From the Reinita Mora of Puerto Rico to the Condor of Andes and the Palmchat of the Dominican Republic, these birds represent the ancestry we carry in our blood.

The Vision: Just as these birds migrate across borders without passports, our culture and our spirits are sovereign. By bringing the "country birds" of our homelands into the heart of the city in the video, we are reminded that no matter where we land, we are never truly "away" from home. We are one ecosystem, one song, and one massive, colorful family.

The GPS of the Soul: From Magnetite to Ancestry

The Rock Dove (our city pigeon) with its tiny bit of Magnetite in its beak always knows the way back home.

Our Ancestors are our Magnetite. In the 201 Wingbeats video, you’ll see the vibrant "Country Birds" of Latin America and the Caribbean flying alongside our urban Rock Doves. These aren't just pretty birds from far away; they represent the Guiding Spirits of our homelands.

Just like that bit of Magnetite pulls the pigeon home, our Ancestors pull us back to our truth and wealth. They are the "invisible signal" that supports every urban dweller. They remind us that even in the middle of a concrete jungle, we are being guided by a map that was drawn long before we were born.