Bolivia, Yanantin: The principle of harmony
Andeans believe that everything in the universe has a complementary half, and at every level, things are bonded as pairs. The Yanantin principle preaches harmony among all beings of the Andean Pacha. In the Andean worldview everything has a pair, and the pairs are opposites. The pairs, although they are opposites, don’t threaten one another; […]
Niger: To spark mutual understanding
A meeting to seek concrete solutions to problems and, most of all, to get to know one another. A Catholic nun livens up the proceedings. Room has run out in the convent hall. People are talking loudly. We exchange greetings. In the end there will be 350 people here including imams, village chiefs and the […]
Bangladesh: The mission of dialogue
After 45 years of missionary work in Bangladesh, Fr Bob still continues pedalling to find and bring help to rural disadvantaged people. His energy comes from prayer and a sober diet of veggies. He tells us his story. After my ordination in 1964, I was assigned to the Philippines. For 11 years, I lived in […]
Uganda, Murchison Falls: a tour through the largest national park in Uganda
The Murchison Falls National Park is named after its famous waterfall. George Atube, a retired ranger, accompanies us during our tour through this spectacular place. The Murchison Falls National Park is the oldest and largest park in Uganda and was established in 1952. It is situated in the north western part of the country, covering […]
Oral Literature: The Fox, the Monkey, the Hare and the Horse
The fox is the wicked animal in the forest, and everyone hates him. He is forever cheating people and playing tricks on everyone. There is not a single animal in the whole neighbourhood that has not been fooled by him, but for a long time no one could think of a way to get their […]
Herbs and Plants, Cyathula Prostrata: A wild plant with vast medicinal applications
The plant is often harvested from the wild for local use, especially for medicinal purposes but also as a food and source of soap. The use of wild plants in traditional medicine is still a very common practice in many parts of the world. Cyathula prostrata, which belongs to plant family Amaranthaceae, is one of […]
Bolivia: The Corn Festival
Sara Raymi is the feast of corn celebrated by the Andean people. It’s a blessing from the God of life in response to the work of men. Sara is a Quechua word that means corn. Raymi means festival. Sara Raymi is the term with which the Andean people refer to the festival of corn or […]
Afghanistan: among the children of Kabul
The long years of conflict have transformed Afghanistan into one of the worst countries in the world to be a child. Being so young they have to struggle to survive but there is no shortage of dreams or ambition. A loud explosion. A large black cloud of smoke darkens the blue sky over Kabul. The […]
Oral Literature: The Hare and The Elephant
One day the hare, feeling hungry, went to look for food. Now, although he was full of mischief, the hare was also very lazy, and whenever he could conveniently do so, he took life easily and let others toil while he benefited from their labours. After aimlessly wandering about the bush, hoping that he could […]
Vietnam: The art of weaving “Zeng”
The Ta Oi is an ethnic group living in A Luoi a rural district of Thua Thien-Hue province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam. The women of the Ta Oi have long been renowned for their skill at weaving “zeng” – a particular type of brocade. It is not only sophisticated but is […]