Afghanistan is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. Afghanistan borders Pakistan to the east and south, China to the northeast, Iran to the west, and Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to the north. Because of its strategically important location connecting the Middle East, India, and the Eurasian Steppe, Afghanistan served as a central gateway on the anc

Located on the northeast coast of South America, Suriname is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the North, French Guiana to the East, Guyana to the West, and Brazil to the South. Paramaribo, the capital city, is home to approximately half of the country’s population. Though the smallest country in South America, Suriname is one of the world’s most diverse countries, so diverse in fact that it doesn

The Taíno people are the indigenous people of the Caribbean. They lived in Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola (today’s Haiti and Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and the Lesser Antilles. The term Taíno is thought to mean “good people,” possibly a reflection of them being a welcoming group who built relationships with neighboring islands largely through travel over water via canoe. Talen

“Inside a cave in a narrow canyon near Tassajara The vault of rock is painted with hands, A multitude of hands in the twilight, a cloud of men’s palms, no more, No other picture. There’s no one to say Whether the brown shy quiet people who are dead intended Religion or magic, or made their tracings In the idleness of art; but over the division of years these careful Signs-manual are now like a sea

In the United States, Hawaii is the happiest state according to a 2020 survey from Wallethub. In this report, Hawaii received top scores in the “Emotional & Physical Well-Being” and “Community & Environment” categories. In addition, Hawaii state has ranked number one in Gallop’s National Health and Wellbeing Index for seven years in a row. Aunty Pilahi Paki, the beloved Hawaiian poet and ph

Today we will continue to explore more aboriginal groups in this great country. The Orinoco River is the longest river in South America. The river created the Orinoco basin, a fascinating place with landscapes untouched by colonization. The people of the Basin still keep their indigenous housing styles and use canoes to travel. The Warao tribe is the guardian of the Orinoco River. The word

Venezuela is an immigrant based country, consisting of four main ethnic groups: Around 52% of its population are from the Mestizo, a group with a mix of European, Amerindian, and African ancestries; 42 % are of a European descent; 4% are of an African descent; and 2% population are native Venezuelans. The earliest settlers of ancient Venezuela are generally believed to be Siberians who crossed the

The Brokpa are a unique indigenous community mostly living in the Ladakh area of India. They are also known as the Brogpa or Drogpa. They refer to themselves as Minaro, which means “Aryan.” The term Aryan in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit translates as “distinguished” or “noble” and historically refers to a light-skinned people who spoke an Indo-European language. They entered ancient Ind

Brunei is located on the northwestern side of the tropical island of Borneo. The island is also home to parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. The national flag features an image of two hands, representing the benevolent hands of the government and its promise to provide welfare, peace, and prosperity to the people, as well as the national motto (in Arabic): “Render service unto God’s Guidance.”

The Ryukyuan people are an East Asian indigenous group native to the Ryukyu archipelago that dots the vast Pacific Ocean. Traditionally, the Ryukyuan people have been strongly influenced by ancient Chinese customs, and contemporary Ryukyuan culture has also integrated rich Japanese cultural elements. The earliest Ryukyuan islanders trace back to about 30,000 years ago. Ryukyu people have th

In this final episode, we will examine Ghana’s music, dance, and poetry. The traditional chiefs of the Akan people in southern Ghana have a special dance-drumming performance called “kete.” This ensemble is managed by the customary leaders and typically played at the funeral rites for Akan chiefs and in the inauguration of a new chief. Adowa dance is the most frequently performed social dance in t

Where did the kente cloth originate? A popular legend traces it back to the Ashanti Kingdom’s first ruler, His Majesty Osei Tutu. He invited weavers from across the region to visit the neighboring Ivory Coast to expand their weaving skills. The spider offered to teach the men how to weave the designs in exchange for some favors. The kingdom adopted their creations, and kente became a royal cloth r

Ghana is located along the Guinea Gulf and Atlantic Ocean in West Africa. Spanning over 560 kilometers of tropical coastline, Ghana is a place of natural beauty and colorful cultures. The country’s cultural mosaic encompasses over 70 different tribes and six major ethnic groups. Although English is the most common language, Ghanaians also widely speak in native tongues, such as Twi and Ga. There a

Today, we’ll continue to explore the country’s customs in regard to festivities, sports, crafts, agricultural products, and famous residents. Each spring on Whitsunday, the Procession of Queens is performed by young girls from the village of Gorjani in the Slavonia region of northeastern Croatia. Whitsunday is the 7th Sunday after Easter and it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Chri

Croatia is home to approximately 444 protected areas, including eight national parks, two strict nature reserves, and 11 nature parks, totaling an estimated 9% of the country’s land. Among these is the Plitvice Lakes National Park, which is unique for its exceptional beauty and attracts many nature lovers every year. When speaking of Croatia’s natural wonders, another location must be mentioned: t

The Republic of Croatia is a beautiful European country located at the crossroads connecting Central Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. The nation borders Slovenia, Hungary, and several other countries. Croatia features beautiful islands, silver beaches, and blue sea off of its coast. Its mainland has a number of mountain ranges, with Dinara Mountain being the highest peak. Due to its geographic lo

Both Ernst-Louis Arnold and Alfred Arnold were among the few notable bandoneon manufacturers in the early 20th century whose instruments are still highly valued and sought after today. After 1945, Alfred Arnold’s company was expropriated and nationalized to produce diesel engine parts, thus ended the mass production of bandoneons. Consequently, the instrument became a collectors’ item in Argentina

“In ancient times, the spiritual practitioners who are connected to Heaven, at times tried to replicate the mesmerizing, wonderful music of the celestial abode by creating instruments. So, many of the instruments we have – like the harp, the piano, the violin, the flute, the Scottish bagpipes, etc. – they all correlate with the sounds of real Heavenly realms, except the real ones are much more inc

Religion plays a significant role in the lives of many Êzîdî people. Their religion, Yazidism, is considered to be one of the oldest religions from the fertile area of Mesopotamia. According to some manuscripts, it dates back to the third millennium BC. It is an oral tradition whereby one generation passes on religious knowledge to the next. The overarching Êzîdî belief is in one God who ha

There is something magical about flying a kite on a fine day. With each pull and release of the string, the kite soars higher and higher. Watching it drift gracefully in the open space brings such simple happiness, satisfaction and contentment to our hearts. It’s no wonder kite flying has been such an enjoyable pastime for people of all ages and nationalities. Kites can be made from paper,