· August, 2010

Stories about Arts & Culture from August, 2010

Nigeria: Nigerian Spoken Word Crusader

  31 August 2010

Jibola introduces you to Plumbtifex, the Nigerian spoken word crusader:”As a person, he embodies an activist in all that he is. His dissatisfaction with all that is wrong with the Nigerian situation and general societal ills already mark him different.”

Trinidad & Tobago: Music Royalties

  30 August 2010

“Fight down, fight down, and more fight down. That seems to be the life of the local artiste”: Outlish Magazine shines the spotlight on “a recent decision taken by the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association…which allegedly paves the way for radio stations to not pay royalties to their...

Taiwan: Learn Wing Chun with blog

  30 August 2010

Meow Asks Taipei(妙問台北) constantly shares her experiences[zht] of learning and practicing Wing Chun(詠春), a martial art originated from southern China, with detailed human figures and graphs drawn by herself.

Angola: “Alambamento” and Marriage Practices

  29 August 2010

In Angola, there is quite strong cultural tradition of the asking of the hand of bride in marriage, called alambamento. Considered by some more important that the civil or christian marriage, the alambamento consists of a series of rituals, like the delivery of a letter, material goods and money.

Egypt: Ramadan Television and the Muslim Brotherhood

This year in Ramadan the Egyptian TV decided to produce a series about the opposition party Al-Ikhwan (The Muslim Brotherhood). The TV series, which is called El Gamaa, tries to shed light on the history of group and it's founder Hassan El Banna, bringing criticism from many bloggers that it reflects nothing but the regime's point of view.

South Korea: Extras Went On Strike

  28 August 2010

In South Korea, about one hundred extras from movies and soap operas went on strike, protesting over low pay and verbal abuse in the work place, South Korea's Segye [kr] reported.

Russia: Mari Paganism and Charges of “Extremism”

  28 August 2010

OpenDemocracy.net reports: “In their remote forest republic 400 miles east of the Moscow, the pagan Mari people are once again being harassed by the authorities. […] Ethnically kin to the Finns and Hungarians, their profoundly ecological religious worldview challenges Russian-led designs on their republic’s natural resources.”

Ukraine: Anthem in 14 Languages

  28 August 2010

Ukraine's national anthem performed in 14 languages (Ukrainian, Greek, Tatar, Gagauz, Polish, Romanian, Georgian, Yiddish, Romani, Russian, Hungarian, Belarusian, Armenian, Azerbaijani) – at Ukrainiana.

Russia: Khimki Forest and Bono's “Intervention”

RuNet Echo  28 August 2010

Natalia Antonova comments on Bono's role in the resolution of the Khimki forest situation during his visit to Moscow earlier this week: “There was an “intervention” on behalf of Bono in regards to the destruction of the Khimki forest? Where is the evidence of this intervention?”

Ghana: Recycled Bolga Baskets

  27 August 2010

Photos of recycled Bolga baskets from Ghana: “But this is not crappy marketing, this is just being honest. These baskets go quickly. So quickly that the photos to show from last week’s delivery are redundant because the damned things sold out already.”