OEL NGATI KAMEIE — I SEE YOU

In James Cameron’s movie Avatar, the Na’vi people’s greeting “Oel ngati kameie” is translated as “I see you.”

There is something beautiful about the expression because it means much more than simply noticing someone with your eyes.

We see people every day. We see our tutee who always arrives late, the mesho who seems unusually quiet, the student who excels at everything, and the colleague who seems to be struggling.

But do we really see them?

Sometimes the person who appears arrogant is battling self-doubt. The student who seems uninterested may be struggling to find their place. To see someone is to look beyond appearances. It is to notice effort that receives no applause, improvement that others overlook, and difficulties that are hard to express.

Notice someone's effort. Acknowledge someone's improvement. Thank someone whose contribution is often taken for granted. Include someone who is being left out.

Our eyes allow us to look at people.

But empathy allows us to see them.

Oel ngati kameie.

I see you.

Ms. A. Chiwaya

Law & Psychology Teacher