Philippines: The Tattoo Practitioner of Kalinga
In a remote village in Buscalan, Tinglayan Kalinga in northern Luzon, Whang-ud, a 90-year-old tattoo practitioner (manbatok) resides and continues to practice an age-old tradition of tattooing (batok). In the Butbut village, Whang-ud would sit quietly in her hut and would greet local and foreign visitors entering Buscalan. One could easily recognize Whang-ud with both […]
Ethiopia: A Grain of Hope
Bonga is one of the capitals of Ethiopian coffee. At the corner of every alleyway, one of those tiny coffee shops known as ‘buna bets’ is inevitably found. We start our journey to the deep heart of Ethiopia from this small town. It may be a small, plain, rural sort of town but Bonga has […]
African Witness. Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi
Forty years ago, Father Tansi concluded his pilgrimage here on earth. The legacy of this outstanding Nigerian priest and monk challenges the Church to be ever more faithful to its identity and mission. Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was born in 1903 in Igboezunu, southern Nigeria. His parents were Igbo farmers. At the age of […]
Africa: The Motorbike boom
Set to become the main mode of transport in Africa, motorcycle taxi invade roads and streets of cities, towns and villages. They are called by different names, boda boda , okada , and moto, and have come to define African city and village life in a fundamental way. The explosion of motorcycles in Africa is […]
The power of Ubuntu against racism and oppression
The concept of Ubuntu is deeply rooted in Africa and refers to human reality. It means confidence, sharing, collaboration. Mandela summarised it thus: “Are you willing to give something to help the people around you and so improve your community?” And he defeated apartheid. In times marked by the terrorist menace and by divisive arguments […]
Philippines: Dentist by Profession, Missionary by Vocation
Catalina Lucman, or Dentist Bambi as she is fondly called by her family and friends, is a dentist in the morning and a catechist in the evening. Keep smiling. The dual work as a dentist and catechist has been an interesting factor for Dentist Bambi. Asked how and why, she explains: “Whenever patients visit my […]
African Witness: Blessed Benedict Daswa
Pope Francis, in his decree of beatification, described Benedict as a “diligent catechist, a thoughtful teacher, a witness of the Gospel to the point of shedding his own blood.” Tshimangadzo Samuel Daswa was born on June 16, 1946, in the village of Mbahe in the province of Limpopo, South Africa, in what is now the […]
Panama: Sombrero pintao, a national heritage
The Panama’s sombrero pintao (painted hat) is worn during dances, parties and by farmers working in the fields to protect themselves from the sun. It is one of the most characteristic garments of the Panamanian folklore, and now it has become part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although there is little documentation on the origin […]
Uganda: Naleyo dance where women choose their dancing partners
The Tapeth are a small ethnic group living with the Karamojong in North Eastern Uganda. They are found in a village known as Tapac that is situated in the ranges of the Moroto Mountains in the Moroto district. Among the many cultures the Tapeth have is a dance known as the Naleyo dance which is […]
Vocation Story: Attitudes towards life and dignity
His dream was to become a Priest so that the people of his village could have Eucharistic celebrations every Sunday. Fr. Anthony Kibira tell us his story. He kept this dream a secret until one day when he confided in his Catechist and parents about it. After hearing their son’s confession, his parents were very […]
