Stories about Indigenous from March, 2007
Bangladesh: Development Against All Odds
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Bideshi Blond provides the relevant statistics proving the claim. Being a developing country with limited resources it is really tough to take the country forward. No wonder many development activities are being carried out by the government and...
Syrian Blogsphere on Culture: Old Damascus Campaign, Norouz Day and “Tleebeh”
In this past week, most of the Syrian blogsphere was busy sponsoring yet another campaign in favor of saving what's left of the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, Damascus. The new plans that the Damascus City Counsel is trying to put to effect, include bulldozing two historic souqs (bazaars), Souq...
Poland: Demography
The beatroot writes: “Poland’s population is shrinking faster than any other country in the EU. Strange that, in a country that claims to be 95 percent Catholic, don’t you think?”
Palestine: Donning the Kuffiyeh for Fashion or Politics
Palestinian blogger Maytha, who is based in the US, predicts that the Kuffiyeh (Palestinian head gear) is making a comeback on the West Coast. “(M)aybe it's LA fashionistas sheer dedication to innovative and cutting edge fashion trends…or maybe it's just the complete ignorance surrounding the socio-cultural history of the kuffiyeh...
Bahrain: Newspaper Accused of Spreading Sectarianism
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif blames a local newspaper for spreading sectarianism. “Whatever it is, the only way to defeat such sectarianism is not to give in to it and expose it wherever and whenever you encounter it no matter how small the incident is,” he writes.
Algeria: Special Focus on Mauritania
Algerian blogger Lameen Souag has kind words for Mauritania. “On the rare occasions when it makes Western headlines, it's generally for slavery or famine, but this week it's distinguishing itself in a rather nobler fashion: holding its first free presidential elections,” he writes, while giving special attention to languages there.
Guatemala: Purification after Bush's Visit
Ecuadorean-Mexican blogger Eduardo Arcos can't help but draw attention to the fact that some indigenous Guatemalan organizations will purify holy places [ES] following the visit of George W. Bush. Arcos adds, “I still don't understand why Bush insists on visiting Latin American countries. Nobody wants him.”
Belize: A Mayan homeland
Godfrey Smith outlines some of the complexities underpinning the establishment of a Mayan homeland in Belize.
The Middle East and North Africa on Women's International Day
While half the world is today celebrating the International Women's Day, the other half seems to be blogging about it I suppose. Here's a run down of some of the reactions and acknowledgement the day received in the Middle East and North Africa. Our first stop is in Israel, where...
Brazil: Photography: Antonio Mari
The Travel Photographer introduces Brazilian photojournalist and ethnographer Antonio Mari.
Syria: The Destruction of Old Damascus
The Syrian government is sponsoring a project that will destroy the last pieces of the Old City of Damascus [World's oldest continuously inhabited city] remaining outside the city walls, including Souqs (bazaars) that date back to the Mamluke period, reports Ammar. “Despite ample protests by civil society advocates, current residents...
Arabisc: An Open letter to the Saudi Labour Minister
Saudi Arabian blogger Raed Al Saeed has written an open letter to his Labour Minister Dr Ghazi Al Gosaibi, who is also a distinguished writer and diplomat, and posted it online. The letter, whether it made it to Dr Al Gosaibi's office or not, is available on the worldwide web...
Egypt: A Busy Complaints Department
“So I live in a place that is sunny almost every day and I can ride my horses out my gate into the Sahara Desert to visit pyramids and the food is wonderful because it's fresh all year round. So what can I possibly complain about?” writes Egypt-based blogger Maryanne...
Egypt: Thomas Friedman – A “Dangerous” Man
“Someone has to give Thomas Friedman an education before he makes the view that Arabs and Muslims are congenitally amoral subhuman hordes completely mainstream,” writes Issandr El Amrani in The Arabist, adding that the man is “becoming dangerous.”
Forced evictions in Guatemala: whose land is it anyway?
Land ownership and occupation are complex and highly contentious issues in many parts of Latin America, and the tropical, resource-rich plains of northeastern Guatemala are no exception. On the one hand, legal title to land is generally brokered in formal processes between governments and private buyers. On the other hand,...
Bilingual Education in Guatemala
[Editor's note: The following post was originally written by blogger and journalist Juan Manuel Castillo and posted at La Nana. It was translated to English by Guatemalan contributor Renata Ávila.] Tz´ikin Jaay in Spanish means Santiaguito, or “Little Santiago.” It is the name of a school in Santiago Atitlán in...
