Watermelon Mafia & the Battle for Mau Mau
Over twenty collectives, combines, artists, innovators, and adventures joined in a battle of epic proportions this weekend in the middle of Jamaica Bay. Flux Factory assembled a team of current and former residents, administrators, board members, and extended community members in an effort to build a seaworthy boat vessel to compete in the Second Annual Battle for Mau Mau Island, organized by Swimming Cities. Under the guidance of boat-builder extraordinaire Jean Barberis, Flux Factory created a boat from scratch and successfully paddled it into the “100 Boats of Battle Atoll.”
This year Fluxers and friends-of-Flux Adrian Owen, Angela Washko, Cullen Kasunic, Georgia Muenster, Ingrid Staats, Jason Eppink, Jean Barberis, Julius Schmiedel, Phuc Le, and Scott Hirst braved the fierce battle. Instead of attacking rival vessels, Flux provided participants of all collectives relief from the oppressive heat and intense combat in the form of refreshing, delicious watermelon. As members of the Flux Factory impromptu team, The Watermelon Mafia, would say: “It was an offer you couldn’t refuse.”