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Culture

Music, book and film reviews from the last 3 months

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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Ethiopia. The sacred waters of Lake Tana.

This internal lake of Ethiopia is an Alpine circle of muddy waters, more than three thousand five hundred square km. This is where, forming a slow and calm stream, the Blue Nile rises. Lake Tana is a sacred boundary, a frontier of Christianity. Almost all of the thirty seven islands conceal a monastery, a church…

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Herbs & Plants. Albizia coriaria: anti-depressant medicinal plant.

It is used for a treatment of a number of diseases. The plant can be prepared in a number of ways such as decoction, maceration and infusions. It belongs to the plant family Fabaceae and is a deciduous tree that is widely distributed in tropical Africa. It is heavily branched forming a spreading dome-shaped crown.…

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Africa. The Giraffe. ‘Higher than the trees’.

Giraffe, in the Sindebele and Zulu languages, is Ndlulamiti, meaning literally ‘higher than the trees’, is one of the most iconic animals of the African continent. The tallest animal in the world, it can reach a height of six metres. The characteristics of this mild herbivore have enabled it to survive by blending in with…

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Ecuador. The Shuar. The people of the sacred waterfalls.

The Shuar are an Amazonian indigenous people whose culture, life, and spirituality are based on water. The Shuar people live in the foothills of the Andes, Cutucú and Condor mountain ranges in the Amazonian provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe in Ecuador. This is an area characterized by abundant rivers that form wonderful waterfalls,…

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Togo. A Voodoo is born to us.

Among the waci (a name that means ‘the souls of our ancestors dwell here’) of southern Togo, the birth of a child is seen as a precious gift, a sign of divine blessings. We now consider the breech delivery. Unusual births, ones that are so difficult that they endanger the life of the mother or…

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The fascinating mystery of migrations in the African skies.

Hundreds of species of bird migrate seasonally, covering enormous distances, urged on by irresistible instinct. Scientists have discovered the origin of this behaviour and the surprising ability of birds to ‘learn’ from their journeys. The African skies are full of migrating species of birds that move, according to the season, from one specific place to…

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Uganda. The art of dance.

For the Karimojong, a pastoral and semi-nomadic tribe living in the north-eastern regions of Uganda, dancing is part of life. An artistic expression to be found in the various situations and events of the community. Loud hand-clapping in time with the singing sustains the dance. A young man and woman enter the circle as they…

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Ethiopia. That propitious day.

The Gedeo are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia. Among the Gedeo, there are three main ways to find a girl to marry. The first way is called bultane which means in peace and full agreement. The two families are fully involved in the process. The first step is taken by the father of the…

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Advocacy

Maria Ressa. Information that gives hope.

“We want to create a federation of international journalistic organisations that collaborate in this effort, starting from the global South,” says Filipino journalist and 2022…

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Baobab

The Leopard, the Dog and the Tortoise.

Once upon a time, there was a leopard. He had a huge walnut tree that was full of nuts. Stingy as he was, however, he forbade…

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Youth & Mission

Mission. In the school of life and humanity.

Three young Comboni missionaries from three continents share their vocation stories and missionary experiences. Fr Victor Cunanan Parungao from the Philippines reflects on 15 years of…

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