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SOUTH SUDAN: MUSIC AND DANCE
For most of South Sudan’s history, they shared a common musical heritage with neighboring Sudan. South Sudan is known for a type of music called wayo, a kind of communal music circle that includes a...
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SOUTH SUDAN: THE FOOD
Hope everyone had a good start to 2019! My kids’ winter vacation is winding down, and they go back to school tomorrow. And of course, we also have to finish up an American Indian project that’s due...
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SPAIN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
I’ve had an interest in Spain for quite a while. And my kids go to a Spanish immersion magnet elementary school (well, my daughter finished and is now in middle school). Their math and science classes...
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SPAIN: ART AND LITERATURE
Many books and movies have been written about Spain, and it's hard to talk about Spain without its art and culture. Many of its artists have become so iconic in the realm of art history that their...
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SPAIN: MUSIC AND DANCE
When people think of Spanish music, typically thoughts of Spanish classical guitar and flamenco probably come to mind. And while you wouldn't be wrong with that, but those styles only scratch the...
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SPAIN: THE FOOD
Well, we are definitely in winter now. Last weekend, we had several inches of snow, and then yesterday we got more snow (this time with ice!). Oh, but now we also have frigid temperatures, too! I...
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SRI LANKA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
Sri Lanka has always stood out to me for one reason but probably not the reason you think. I was always conscious of key aspects of linguistics, but didn’t even know linguistics was a thing until I was...
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SRI LANKA: ART AND LITERATURE
Visual arts have a long tradition in Sri Lanka, dating back to a century or two before the common era. One of the most notable examples of early art are the Kandyan era frescoes.The Kandy Empire was...
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SRI LANKA: MUSIC AND DANCE
The music of Sri Lanka is diverse and is a reflection of its geography and history. It generally falls into four categories: ancient folk music, traditional music tied to Buddhism, music that was...
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SRI LANKA: THE FOOD
Well, it’s time for my annual anxiety activity: filing taxes. Luckily, it didn’t end as bad as it did last year, and for that I’m grateful. We might finally be able to move into the house we’ve been...
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SUDAN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
This morning, I read an article about how Sudanese women are using secret Facebook groups to post pictures of police and others abusing protestors to identify them. Not only did these women unload on...
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SUDAN: ART AND LITERATURE
Tribal life dominated the early art of Sudan, from tools and other practical matters to items used for religious/spiritual purposes. And even today, their past cultural lifestyles creep into their...
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SUDAN: MUSIC AND DANCE
Sudan's multi-ethnic society has had a tremendous impact on their culture since antiquity. And several of these ethnic groups contributed different styles and instruments. Music and dance are often...
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SUDAN: THE FOOD
It’s been a busy few weeks. I’m the new communications manager for a nonprofit that links Indiana with the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. I am also one of the coordinators for our Youth...
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SURINAME: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
If you’ve ever looked at a map of South America, there are three small countries in the top right corner. The one on the left is Guyana, which I covered already. The one on the right is French Guiana,...
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SURINAME: ART AND LITERATURE
The art traditions from Suriname showcase its diverse cultural makeup and stem from a number of origins, representing its broad diversity. Even though the Amerindian population only comprises about...
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SURINAME: MUSIC AND DANCE
Music in Suriname is a reflection of its people: coming from different origins, mixing together and creating something new, telling the story of its past and future. Carlo Jones & the Surinam...
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SURINAME: THE FOOD
It’s time for spring break! Not that we’re really going anywhere, but I’m excited I can sleep in an extra hour for the next two weeks. And I finished my fundraising class last weekend, so now it’s time...
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ESWATINI: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE
This drives me crazy, but I understand it. Just a week or so ago, I was at work and an email about release notes came through (I work for a software company). One of them was an update changing the...
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ESWATINI: ART AND LITERATURE
I love beads. The colors, the shapes, the materials they’re made with. The variety is infinite. They tell a story, show a social distinction, and are sometimes just simply decoration. Many African...
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