Music, book and film reviews from the last 3 months
The Asheninka, are an indigenous ethnic group that lives in the centre of the forest in the district of Ucayali in the province of Atalaya in the northern part of Peru. Minga: not only communal work but also small informal tasks for the family. The term minga comes from the Quechua culture mink’a meaning ‘asking…
Read moreMention Colombia and one immediately thinks of cumbia: a rhythm, an atmosphere, a dance, a way of singing, a synthesis of the essence of a people. A people still struggling to find a balance and social pacification between modernist and traditionalist thrusts, between terrorist regurgitations, the ever-untamed violence of drug traffickers and a complex interracial…
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The rumba is a typically Congolese rhythm. This popular music, which crossed the Atlantic Ocean during the slave trade, spread to Latin America. Transformed, it returned home to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo, from where it conquered the African continent and the whole world. Since 2021, it has been…
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The ancestral Andean Amazonian wisdom is transmitted through songs, mythological stories, and the narratives of the wise men and women, whose message is the importance of generating, preserving, and caring for life in its entirety. The Ayahuasca ritual in the Peruvian Amazon and the preparation process of the aspiring Amazonian shaman. The name ayahuasca is…
Read moreIt is a multipurpose medicinal plant and can be used, in particular, to treat pneumonia, asthma, arthritis, chronic ulcer, sore throat, and fever. An essential oil is obtained from the leaves which is used for various purposes. Steganotaenia araliacea (Family Apiaceae/Umbelliferae), commonly referred to as the carrot tree, is a small, aromatic, deciduous tree growing…
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Drums play an important role in the life of African people. Traditionally, drums represent the soul of the community. They are used for celebrating ceremonial events and rituals within the community. Here are some popular African drums. The Karyenda comes from Burundi and used to be the main symbol of the country. It also…
Read more“The world calls me Ustad, the teacher, but I personally feel I am a Shagird, a disciple of music”. This is how Naseeruddin Ustad Saami, one of the most significant personalities in Pakistan and musical Sufism, defined himself. His songs and his music are infinitely distant from what is heard in the West; so much…
Read moreIt is an important and frequently used medicinal plant in tropical Africa. It can be used to treat various human diseases. Euclea natalensis (Family Ebenaceae) is a dioecious shrub or small bushy tree with a straight trunk and a dense spreading crown. It grows to an average of 15 m in height. The bark is…
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Three interesting books for this summer. Why is Africa still perceived as a country when there are around 2,000 languages spoken on the continent alone? The book It’s a Continent seeks to counter the misconception that Africa is a country by breaking down this vast, beautiful and complex continent into regions and countries. Each of…
Read moreSounds with an unmistakably Arabian and Middle Eastern flavour, the sort of music that passionately involves those who hear it. There are masterpieces that germinate far from the great circuits of the music business and pop up where you least expect them. This is the case of Fleuves de l’Âme by the Tunisian musician Houeida…
Read moreThe Blood Sisters miniseries has disembarked on Netflix. Filmed during the pandemic by Biyi Bandele (Half of a Yellow Sun, Fifty) and Kenneth Gyang (Òlòtūré, Confusion Na Wa) and produced by EbonyLife Studios, the 4-episode miniseries has already found considerable success both in Nigeria as well as in the UK and the United States. The…
Read moreOn the trail of men and women who dress luxuriously without being rich. Weekend dandies convinced they can stimulate emancipation and social criticism with their dress and posture. There is no shortage of proselytes. “There are no schools to learn to be like me. But you can see a little boy soon manifest the character…
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Determined to protect his homeland from mining, Batmunkh Luvsandash’s activism resulted in the creation of a 66,000-acre protected area in Dornogovi province in April 2022,…
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Once upon a time, there was a girl of enchanting beauty. Her name was Nyanjira. She had soft, smooth skin and a very sweet smile that…
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During his pontificate, Pope Francis has placed young people at the centre of his pastoral attention, recognising them as key players in building a better future.…
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