Tribute Island

Sometimes, one has the pleasure of visiting somewhere strikingly original in Second Life – and Tribute Island is one of those places.

It’s extraordinary in the range of emotions one sim is able to evoke. The first time I was there, I was dancing the night away in the music area and having a thoroughly good time. The next time, I was walking between the rows of gravestones commemorating the British soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, moved almost to tears by this simple, poignant memorial …

And then later I found myself posing for a bit part in Star Wars, and screaming as I was clutched in King Kong’s hand … all in the same sim!

So what is Tribute Island?

It’s been created as what it says – a Tribute. And that means it combines a place to both remember and reflect, and to salute those who have gone before and given us knowledge, and beauty and even sheer unadulerated fun.

So, you can enjoy your Fay Wray fantasies, or visit the cinema complex to remember your favourite films (and those who created them) – or even visit the film studios and play a part in their making. You can pay tribute to your favourite poets or dance under the benevolent gaze of favourite musical luminaries such as John Lennon, Elvis and Dudley Moore (a noted jazz pianist).

But you can also visit memorials to ordinary people caught up in the horror of war, or terrorism, or sheer ghastly accidents. To me one of the most moving parts is a lovingly detailed recreation of an London Underground station, with plaques of the names of those who died in some of the most recent (last thirty-five years) and horrific incidents on the London Underground: the bombings of July 7th 2005, the King’s Cross Fire back in 1987 and the Moorgate crash of 1975.

And there’s emphasis on commemorating ordinary people, throughout the island. Every exhibit contains a link – sometimes leading you to discover more about the individual or the event that is commemorated, but also supplying links to the website Lasting Tribute, an amazing UK site where you can leave a tribute to well-known people you have admired, or create or join a tribute to people who may be less well-known in the wider world, but have nevertheless touched your life in important ways.

Tribute Island was built during October ’07 by Associated Northcliffe Digital (part of the DMGT Group), with the senior design consultants and master builders of Wind Meta Works.

It’s UK-centric, reflecting the nationality of its main creator, Nick Huet, although many of the tributes reference international figures – such as the stepping stones here which salute a variety of American musicians, including Nina Simone, Tupac Shakur and Barry White.  And, despite its corporate input, it’s also a very personal choice by Nick as to what to feature – which is no bad thing.  At the very least, you will find yourself learning a variety of new and fascinating facts about people and events you may know well – and some ythat you’ve never heard of.  And – especially if you visit with friends – you may well find yourself in the sort of ‘lists’ discussion, where you can decide who and what YOU would put on your own personal Tribute Island.

Actually, you could find them commemorated on Tribute Island itself – Nick has asked that if anyone has an idea for a tribute they should contact him.  And he’s busily adding more tributes to those we have sadly lost since the island opened – Evel Knievel and, most recently, George Macdonald Fraser.

There’s a lot to see and do at Tribute Island – and it’s my intention to point out some more things in a couple more blog posts.  For the moment, I recommend you all go and visit it – and then drop back here to tell us what struck you!