Stories about Ethnicity & Race from February, 2009
Armenia: St. Sargis Day
Although the world celebrated St. Valentine's Day yesterday, many Armenians instead prefer to celebrate St. Sargis Day. Writing on her DOTCOM blog, 14-year-old Diana details the tradition observed by young...
Armenia: New and old traditions mix on St. Valentine's Day
Founded in 301 AD, Armenia’s longest surviving institution, the Apostolic Church, is considered the world’s oldest national Christian order. But, over 1,700 years years later, pagan traditions remain alive in the country even if now absorbed into the Christian calendar. While much of the world marked St. Valentine's day, Armenians also celebrated one such tradition -- Trndez.
Sri Lanka: Tamil Politics
Dayan Jayatilleka at Groundviews discusses the future of Tamil politics: “Tamil political discourse has to rediscover the heritage of Tamil progressivism.”
Russia: More on Racial Violence
Moscow Through Brown Eyes posts more notes on racial violence in Russia.
Sudan: Video Declarations on Darfur Genocide by the Perpetrators
A video recently released by Aegis Trust shows the testimony of four men who state they actively participated in the violence and massacres on Darfur, and who are not afraid to call it genocide. The video was uploaded on The Hub and it is hoped that people will see it and then pass it on to others in order to spread this information.
Martinique: Bitterness after “The Last Masters”
Ever since the February 5th broadcast of The Last Masters of Martinique, a documentary about the Békés, the French West Indies have experienced the equivalent of a sociological tsunami. Bloggers and regular citizens alike are writing to express the shock, sadness and humiliation felt by many non-Béké Martinicans after watching the documentary.
Haiti, U.S.A.: She's My Daughter
“Does our obvious bond seem fake? How could she be anyone other than my daughter?”: Designer Mama relates an unsettling incident at the Canadian border as agents question the legitimacy...
Trinidad & Tobago: Transitioning
“We have created a rich and wonderful culture that is unique to Trinidad and Tobago…but sometimes I wonder if we are just waiting for the bottom to drop out”: Trin...
Hungary: The Roma and the Killing of Marian Cozma
Marian Cozma, a Romanian handball player, was killed in a nightclub fight in Veszprém, Hungary, on Feb. 8. Here's some of what's been written by bloggers about the circumstances of Cozma's death.
Philippines: Baro At Saya
One Sixth Sense posts photos of a doll donning different variations of the baro at saya, the Philippine national dress.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: LGBT roundup
With the traditional media in the South Caucasus rarely reporting on sexual or religious minority rights maturely, blogs have stepped in to fill the gap and Unzipped: Gay Armenia continues to post LGBT news from the region. Following recent homophobic remarks from local politicians and civil society activists as well as in articles in the local press, the blog says there is actually some good news for a change.
Brunei: Who deserves the undistributed zakat funds?
Before Brunei was swept by floods, the hot topic in town was the hundreds of millions in surplus of the zakat or tithe collections. The recipients of the zakat should be the very poor and needy. However, those who were burdened with debts due to overindulgence were also claiming for a share of the undistributed zakat.
On Overseas Filipino Workers
That Word in Me reflects about Overseas Filipino Worker (OFWs). “OFWs are not heroes. They don’t work abroad so they can help ‘alleviate’ our country’s economic status by their remittances…...
Russia: “Race, Gender, and More Violence in Moscow”
An update on “race, gender, and more violence in Moscow” – at Moscow Through Brown Eyes.
Nepal: The Brahmin hegemony
Divas at abc – voices sans borders criticizes the predominance of the Brahmin caste in all walks of Nepali lives and asserts that Nepal should replace its Brahmin leaders.
Afghanistan: Who are we?
Azar Balkhi provides an in-depth analysis of the Afghan national identity, covering both linguistic and historical roots of the nation.
Martinique: The last masters of the islands?
As the two-week-long-protest in Guadeloupe continues, the other French Overseas Departments of America - French Guiana and Martinique - are thinking about their own contribution to this deep thinking and massive mobilization. In the midst of this brainstorming, the French-encrypted and sometimes trouble-making channel, Canal+ is seasoning up the debate with a sizzling hot documentary about the tight relationships between certain ethnic groups and economic domination on the French island of Martinique. The Martinican blogosphere, naturally, has been buzzing...
Azerbaijan: Tea Houses
Thoughts on the Road makes a stop at a roadside tea house in Azerbaijan and says that contrary to the upmarket stereotype of such establishments in the West, they are...
Hungary, Slovakia: Joint Session of Parliamentary Committees on Human Rights
Hungarian Spectrum writes: “It is hard to call the joint meeting of the Slovak-Hungarian parliamentary committees on human rights anything other than a fiasco. Or a scandal.”
Barbados, U.S.A.: Holder Sworn In
Cheese-on-bread! and Living in Barbados blog about the swearing in of Eric Holder – the first African-American to hold the post of Attorney General – who happens to have Barbadian...
Jamaica: View from Mount Diablo
“Two facts to bear in mind: I am white and I am 80 years old. the first precludes me from using Emancipation or any other black triumph as a poetic...
