I'm enamored by the freedom of birds. Catching a current, or flapping against it, always at the mercy of the wind. What if I could relinquish myself to the wind currents of life’s circumstance, might I become as UNBOUND as a bird?

A yearning to define freedom for myself has served as a compass most of my life, directing my path to the vital questions that propel me from one to the next.

 

In June 2025, after being introduced to the Japanese concept of Ikigai and eager for a new question, I decided to go back to the beginning story that largely shapes my worldview, One Piece. To study Luffy's journey through the lens of Ubuntu (the Outward) and Ikigai (the Inward). I believe Luffy's embodiment of these two ethics, even if imagined, is profound. This happened to coincide with the Straw Hat Jolly Roger being used as a symbol of solidarity at protests across 20 countries and emerging as the defining symbol of Gen Z resistance worldwide.

What started simply as a study of my favorite character morphed into a familiar quest to define freedom, and what it means for me to live UNBOUND.

 

This familiarity drew me back to my Kenyan explorations and the examples of freedom I found there.

In Kajiado's vast expanse, I experienced a "Night in the Bush" with a Maasai family, who moved at the pace of the herd of cattle and sheep. An enlightened pulse of knowledge and wisdom exchanged through lineage. Here, the magic happens when the moon sets, floating, free as Stardust.

 

Kibera showed me what a freedom-filled smile felt like. A city within a city. A marvel of resilience. An unexpected opportunity invited me into the Kibera slums with its native Sun, Octopizzo. Here, one's imagination must be free to fathom oneself beyond an inherited circumstance, and freedom must be improvised through creativity and community.

 

Lamu transports us back to a time of simpler Swahili living. Where donkeys have the right of way, and Pole Pole (slow slow) is the governing ethic, in this UNESCO World Heritage City. Here, the informal brilliance of the Fundis and the dhow captains held me in awe. I can never seem to find the words to describe Lamu, but freedom permeates this beautiful archipelago.

 

UNBOUND: A Visual Study on the Nature of Freedom was created from this question: What does freedom look like when it’s not about acquiring more, but requiring less?

 

~ Steven CW Taylor ~