Mofolo, Katleho2025-04-142023Mofolo, Katleho. (2023). Digital avatar design and social masks: the atavism of totemic-storytelling [Masters dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44777https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44777A research report Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts in Digital Arts: Part Time, In the Faculty of Humanities , School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023Humans, often known as Homo sapiens, have long had a strong desire to create their own identities, both biologically and artistically. The human being is a storyteller who makes sense of the world through a chronological and linear pattern of narrations. Humans, on the other hand, have broadened storytelling through a variety of immersive means more than any other living organism. Some of these interactive approaches are becoming increasingly (1) digital, (2) augmented, and are now rapidly moving toward (3) virtual reality —the metaverse. These universes contradict our understanding of the physical world. Second worlds, alternative worlds, and the parallel universe are all terms used to describe worlds and spaces designed for extended human social interaction. In the 21st century is there enough progressive value and a sense of ethical evolution in the way humans communicate stories and alter social identity relationships to beam virtue into the virtual?en© 2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.UCTDAvatarsTotemsStorytellingEnd-user |UX and UIDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure