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Culture

Music, book and film reviews from the last 3 months

Colombia. The Ticuna ritual called ‘Pelazón’.

The Ticuna indigenous ethnic group is one of the most numerous in the ‘Amazonian Trapezium’ which includes the triple border of Colombia, Peru and Brazil. The Pelazón ritual, which marks the transition from childhood to adulthood of a girl, is part of the cultural ceremonies of the Amazon community of the Ticuna people. Although some…

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Uganda. Ekipeyos. The prayer of the elders.

Stricken by adversity a Karimojong man, a member of an ethnic group of northern Uganda, does not keep it to himself but renders the entire community participants in his sorrow. Above all, he entrusts himself to the prayers of the elders who come to his aid with a traditional community celebration called the ekipeyos. The…

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Malawi. Dancing with the Spirit.

It is a country with over 10 ethnic groups, each with different cultural traditions and beliefs. The dance represents one of the highest cultural performances of these cultural groups. A glance at some of the dances. In the central region of Malawi live the Ngoni people and they are around 750 thousand people in all.…

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Jamaica. The roots of reggae.

The mention of Jamaica immediately reminds us of reggae music and such figures as Bob Marley or Shaggy. This wonderful land, lost in the azure Caribbean has much more ancient musical roots that largely go back to the arrival there of African slaves. It is there that the rhythmic way of life which has always…

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Bolivia. The textiles of the Andes.

The textiles of the Andean Valley stand out not only for the technical complexity of the weaving process or for the beauty of their colours and figures, but also because their artistic symbolism reveals the socio-political, cultural, economic and spiritual worldview of the Andean people. Once the wool is obtained from the sheep, alpaca, vicuña…

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Africa. The hippo and its passion for rivers.

It is one of the most iconic of the African land mammals. It lives in water but cannot swim. The hippopotamus implements strategies that enable it to stay afloat in all circumstances. Discovering its secrets. Weighing up to and even more than 3 tons, the hippopotamus has serious flotation problems. The rhinoceros has the same…

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Bolivia. Apthapi, a time for sharing.

Among the indigenous peoples of the Andes, every detail of life has a fundamental meaning because it strengthens one’s identity’. One example of this is the Apthapi: sharing food. The coexistence of the Andeans is interconnected with three existential spaces: Janaq Pacha (sidereal space), Kay Pacha (local space) and Ukhu Pacha (the space of depth)…

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Herbs & Plant. Talinum paniculatum. A vital medicinal plant.

It is one of the most popular herbal plants and has been used as a raw plant material for drugs that have become more widely available commercially. In particular, it is used for treating human herpes and inflammatory skin diseases Talinum paniculatum is known by various common names including Ginseng Java, waterleaf (Limon), cariri, Philippine…

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The secrets of the Lion King.

The animal symbolic of the African savannah is known all over the world for its strength and is feared and admired for its majesty. Less known are the laws governing its strict social life. Threats to its future. Discovering the sophisticated society of the largest feline in Africa Its roar breaks the silence of the…

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Uganda. A bride Mukiga girl.

The Bakiga or Kiga people are known as people of the mountain. They are a Bantu ethnic group of South Western Uganda and Northern Rwanda. We look at different stages of traditional marriage. Marriage among the Bakiga has generally been monogamous and it begins with courtship of the couple. The young man identifies the woman…

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Advocacy

Myanmar. Paul Sein Twa. Preserving Ancestral Territory.

“What we would like to achieve when we talk about peace. Peace means self-determination. Peace means biological conservation. Peace means revitalization of our culture and…

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Baobab

Inca. The Island of the Sun.

At that time Viracocha, the creator God, looked down upon the earth. He saw it was bare, shrouded in impenetrable darkness, for daylight did not yet…

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Youth & Mission

Celebrating African youth.

“Young Africans are playing an active role in bringing social change in the continent. They are contributing daily to the benefit of their communities and nations…

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