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wari Tumas

What does it mean?

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.

I began my journey to understanding mental health and start to mend my brokenness and find healing and wanted to share that journey and process with others.

I’ve since then embraced the word Wari Tumas as my anthem, as a culture and mindset shift. I choose to embrace my depression and ultimately my mental health and want to find a community that feels the same.

Wari Tumas has evolved into a life choice for me to break the chains of silence around my heart and my life so that I can live authentically and vulnerably. 

about the author

Meet Jodie

I’m Jodie Gelnett. Happy to meet you. I am from everywhere but nowhere. I live in central Pennsylvania with my husband, Jonny of three years and our son, Jonathan. I know all “J”‘s in this family.

I’m passionate about traveling around the world and interacting with new people and cultures, coffee oh so much coffee, M&M’s, Horror movies with friends, serial killers, true crime, and The Walking Dead! Did I say I love Zombies?

 

Learn more about the author

read posts about jodie

Here’s a few blog posts that give an insight into my upbringing, my faith and a few of my struggles. My goal with the blog is to be vulnerable. Head over to our blog for more content like this.

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