Stories about Arts & Culture from September, 2007
Oman: Rent Law and Life in Muscat
Oman's bloggers are ranting about increasing rent and driving in Ramadan in this round up of Omani blogs. Also, how was life before the opening of mega malls and are you interested in attending Oman's first bloggers meeting on October 3?
Bahrain: Halfway There!
From Bahrain this week: a mid-Ramadan celebration, great happiness to be at university, a description of some dating practices, and a packet of rice that just doesn't make sense!
Ukraine: “Who's Who in Political Advertising”
Taras of Ukrainiana has collected videos of campaign advertising by seven Ukrainian blocs and parties – and has translated their messages into English. An invaluable resource for anyone who would like to experience the 2007 parliamentary election campaign the way ordinary Ukrainians have.
China: Reality shows forbidden
No one would forget how popular Super Girl was on 2005. As a talent-search reality competition, it created a miracle both in economy and culture impact. Besides over 400 millions viewers watching the final episode, varied fans clubs founded across China and a revenue of 9 figures high in total,...
Arabeyes: Meet Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Egypt-based blogger Maryanne Stroud Gabbani started blogging in 2003 at the age of 54, after becoming frustrated with trying to answer people individually regarding how it was that she was so happy living in a place that the news said was so opposed to "western women". She figured that hopefully a blog would reach more people and give Egypt a human face and has never looked back since.
Bahamas: Artists or Liars
“Where we don't explore ourselves, we pay the price”: Nicolette Bethel, guest authoring at Bahama Pundit, explains how lack of any real emphasis on the arts translates into creating “a society of liars.”
Sri Lanka: Vehicle Art
Cerno has pictures of vehicle art in Sri Lanka.
China: TV Series Banned
A popular TV series called Red Question Mark was banned by SARFT – more from DANWEI.
Culture and Art with an Iranian Accent
Sepideh Saremi is editor of Pars Arts, a collaborative citizen media project covering culture and art related topics in Iran. Saremi talks with Global Voices about the project, its goals and its challenges.
Dominica, Guyana: Making Music
Living Dominica posts video of street musicians in the island's capital, while Living Guyana shares what he thinks is the problem with Guyanese music.
Hong Kong: Fire Dragon Dance
Jacky Szeto posts some great photos of fire dragon dance at Taihang in Hong Kong (zh). It is a traditional ceremony during mid-autumn festival in Hong Kong. The dragon will dance for three days, and tonight will be the last day.
Moldova: Transnistria Photos
Scraps of Moscow links to a photo project devoted to Transnistria and writes about the problem of “passportization” of the Transnistrian population.
Russia: “Art Concrete”
Copydude writes about what may pass as Soviet roadside art, and about a misadventure with a Russian woman in Kaliningrad.
Russia: Kasparov; “The Italian”
The Accidental Russophile comments on the New Yorker 12-page piece on Garry Kasparov, and writes about The Italian, a Russian movie by director Andrei Kravchuk.
China: Naked Performance
A Chinese blogger Hairong Tiantian who gained her fame by soliciting pictures of limp dicks has recently performed another nude art performance called 99 Tents, 99 Dreams. The performance is widely reported in the Chinese Internet and Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist also blogs about it.
Ukraine: Devushka Fall Fashion
Carpetblogger posts some Kyiv devushka pictures and writes about “what's hot on the streets of Kyiv this season.”
The Baltics: Unity Day; Latgallia
Marginalia writes about Latgallia, and the history and politics of the Baltic Unity Day, marked on Sept. 22.
Croatia: A Vacation Report
While reading Csíkszereda Musings‘s report on his vacation in Croatia, try to come up with the names of at least “five famous Croatians.”
Ramadaning in Kuwait
Ramadan, food and shopping were top priorities among Kuwaiti bloggers last week. Abdullatif AlOmar takes us on a tour of Kuwaiti blogs which include a shopping trip at a hypermarket where even the shampoo looks interesting when you are fasting!
China: Guide To Etiquette
The State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) has issued a guide to talent shows, which includes a pre-screening process for program content, length, judges, hosts, and special guests. Joel Martinsen from DANWEI has translated the guide into English.
Belize: Carnival Time
“Due to our most recent hurricane scare, Carnival was rescheduled to yesterday”: Belize-y Livin’ mixed fun with responsibility as she “handed out the condoms and HIV/AIDS literature to adults when we were walking behind the float…HIV/AIDS affects Belize more than any other Central American country.”
