about us

Wari Tumas in my language, Tok Pisin, means worry too much. The word depression doesn’t exist in the language because mental health doesn’t exist in the culture. Growing up a phrase I heard often was, “Jodie nonken wari tumas” which means “Jodie, don’t worry too much.” And the phrase stuck out in January 2018, my pastor (believe it or not it was a pastor!) suggested that I had severe depression.

I didn’t understand depression or mental health and for most of my life tried to hide my pain behind a well-crafted mask. I mean the word didn’t exist in my language and in the culture, I grew up so how was I supposed to embrace this depression which I had learned growing up was a made-up problem.

I initially created Wari Tumas, my blog, as a way to process my thoughts about my struggle with depression and various topics that I’m passionate about. I wanted to understand depression and eradicate the silence that had engulfed my life. My battle with depression left me isolated and alone because I didn’t have the vocabulary, the understanding, or the ability to be vulnerable about it with my closest friends and family.