Stories about Arts & Culture from November, 2009
Trinidad & Tobago: Will The Performing Arts Centre Perform?
The construction of Trinidad and Tobago's new National Academy for the Performing Arts has been controversial, but despite the obstacles, the academy was opened earlier this week, soliciting reactions from local bloggers...
Russia: Bird's Eye View Photos of Central Part of the Country
Russian landscapes from the board of a small plane. LJ-user Makarena [RUS] shared some breathtaking photos here.
Cambodia: Comics culture
Webbed Feet, Web Log notes that Cambodia had a thriving comics culture during the socialist era but it declined when the country adopted free market principles in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
South Africa: Sesame Street's HIV-Positive Muppet Raises Awareness
As the children's show Sesame Street celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, premiering its new season today, one Muppet named Kami, on its South African edition, continues to help combat and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
Americas: The Mayan Civilization Blog
Mayistas [es] is a blog that is dedicated to the Mayan culture, with a focus on anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, history and iconography, as well as upcoming educational confereces and seminars around the world. The Mayan civilization covers parts of Mexico and Central America.
Trinidad & Tobago: Getting Closer
Trinidadian artist Rodell Warner posts photos from a project called Closer, in which “passersby were asked to stand for a photo with a stranger, however close they were comfortable with, and to make eye contact.”
Qatar: Anticipation mounts over England vs Brazil football friendly
All eyes are on conservative Qatar, which is bidding for the 2022 World Cup, to see how it handles the upcoming England vs. Brazil football friendly, with residents alternately excited and anxious about the influx of potentially rowdy football fans.
Hungary: Comments on the Interview with Imre Kertész
The anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall has inspired Hungarian bloggers, too: they are discussing an interview with Imre Kertész, a Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian author living in Berlin, which appeared in the German newspaper Die Welt.
Colombia: Preserving Afro-Colombian Culture in San Basilio de Palenque
The descendants of escaped African slaves, who are now living in the village of San Basilio de Palenque in northern Colombia are working to preserve their cultural heritage through their oral and musical traditions.
Pakistan: Shanaakht Festival
Faisal Kapadia attended the Shanakht Festival in Karachi and writes: ‘I would recommend all of you to hurry and catch a glimpse of a side of us not often on show, plus its totally free folks!!”
Latin America: Photos of Cemeteries in Ecuador and Peru
In commemoration of the feast of All Saints, which is a holiday across Latin America where family members honor their deceased relatives, Natalia Cartolini posts a series of photographs she has taken of cemeteries in Ecuador and Peru [es].
Kazakhstan: Jumyr Kylysh or Two Warriors
KZBlog tells about the new album of the Kazakh band Ulytau and says that their style can be described as classical/rock/prog-rock/electronic pop fusion music, influenced by Yes, Metallica, and Bach, coupled by the Kazakh influence.
Pakistan: Devoted To Pomegranate
Owais Mughal at All Things Pakistan celebrates Pakistan's important fruit species pomegranate and its influence on art, literature, language and poetry.
Peru: One Hundred Years of Writer Ciro Alegría
Peruvian writer Ciro Alegía was born 100 years ago, and his best-known novel "Broad and Alien is the World" focuses on the struggles of an indigenous community in the northern highlands.
Azerbaijan: Traditions
Sheki, Azerbaijan makes two posts on specific traditions practiced in her home country. In the first post, the blog explains how the shoes of visitors to homes are paired outside the front door, and in the second it looks at pickling white cucumbers.
Israeli and Palestinian youth use video to understand the conflict
Two different organizations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories are using video tools to help both Arabic and Jewish youth to understand the conflict and bridge gaps between them.
Ghana: Ghana highlights part I
Gayle's first part of Ghana highlights: In Ghana, every region has something to offer. Culture, history, beaches, flora and fauna, you can sample it all over the country, from the tropical jungles of the south to the savannah plains of the north. If you’re a beach or history lover, you’ll...
Caribbean: French Literary Prizes
This week, two of the most prestigious French literary prizes were awarded to two French-speaking authors of African descent: The French-speaking Caribbean blogosphere has been buzzing over this double satisfaction, in this post from Haiti, this one from Guadeloupe and this one from Martinique [Fr].
Poland: Graffiti
Polandian writes about and posts photos of the Polish graffiti.
Ukraine: Ruslana and Science Fiction
Science Fiction Observer writes about a science fiction dimension of Ukrainian singer Ruslana's 2007 album.
Venezuela: Interacting with the Works of Artist Jesus Soto
The works of late Venezuelan artist Jesús Soto are meant to be experienced through touch and immersion. Some who have visited his works in museums have documented this firsthand experience.
