The Story

The Spirit of Moodoobaanjii             

Pronunciation [ /mo͞o//do͞o//bän//jē/ ] 

As the Pacific sky lit up in a massive mushroom cloud, my grandfather held up his measuring device. He was one of the many young soldiers tasked with recording the reaction of high radiation exposure during Operation DOMINIC 1 in 1962. During his service, my grandfather stood too close to the nuclear test blasts. At just 17, he needed a signed permission from his mother (my great grandmother) to join the armed forces. However, by signing up for these dangerous missions, he would get out of the Navy early… But he didn’t know the consequences the radiation exposure would have on his health…

Moodoobaanjii was inspired by my grandfather’s life. After leaving the Navy, he lived as a free spirit. He would travel around with only the possessions he had in his old van. He would camp under the stars and keep warm by making campfires. He lived his life in accordance with the Law of Attraction — the belief that positive and negative thoughts lead to positive and negative life experiences. While his philosophy led to a fascinating life, no number of positive thoughts could overcome his radiation induced cancer diagnosis…

Today, our streetwear collections remind us to live life to the fullest, despite the fact that sometimes our faith is decided by external events. We donate a portion of the profits to veterans who like my grandfather sacrificed their health for our freedom.

So why streetwear?

Before my grandfather passed away, he came up with this word called “Moodoobaanjii.” To him, this odd name referred to his spirit and the belief that positive thoughts can impact bad situations. I only truly came to appreciate this idea in 2020. That year, I lost my grandpa to cancer, my brother was killed in a unknown drowning, and we lost our home to smoke damage evacuating from a wildfire…

After all that, my family decided to relocate and start fresh somewhere new. We had saved my grandpa’s artworks from the fire and they became the inspiration I needed to move on. I remembered what he had told me all those nights by the campfire as we were gazing at the stars: To always seek the light to overcome the darkness. When he was alive, we talked about turning his art into t-shirts and hoodies that people could wear everywhere.

In his honor, I founded Moodoobaanjii to transform his art into a modern streetwear brand. Through his art, grandpa Terry will live on to inspire others to see the world from a different perspective. Like a campfire light that shined on me as positive energy, he always had the right advice. Now Moodoobaanjii can guide others to find a balance in life — even when negative experiences overshadows  everything.

Moodoobaanjii has the purpose to empower anyone going through hard times to never give up seeking the positive. A portion of our proceeds will be donated to the Veterans’ causes in memory of their devotion to our freedom.

 

 In memory of Grandpa Terry (1941-2020)

Thank you for your service, your sacrifice and your always valuable advice!