Advocacy & People. Delima Silalahi. Defending traditional forests
She has led a campaign to secure legal stewardship of 17,824 acres of tropical forest land for six Indigenous communities in North Sumatra. Her community’s activism reclaimed this territory from a pulp and paper company that had partially converted it into a monoculture, non-native, industrial eucalyptus plantation. The six communities have begun restoring the forests, […]
Oral Literature. Cheetah and the Rock Dassie
The world was a very pleasant place in which to live. All the animals were friends and although they occasionally had disagreements, they would never think of fighting, or harming one another. Indeed, there was only one thing to be feared – and that was fire. Not the safe, warm fire that Man kept in […]
Belize – Garifuna celebrating the African tradition
Every November 19, the entire nation of Belize turns out to celebrate its rich African tradition. Belize is on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is the only country in Central America where they speak English, even though when you arrive at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City, you can hear […]
Contradictions and Opportunities at COP 28
It will be held in Dubai and the president will be Al-Jaber who also presides over one of the most important local oil companies. The 28th annual United Nations Climate Conference will be held in Dubai in December, a session that is expected to be rather delicate; 2023 saw an acceleration of extreme climate events […]
Vocation Story. Fr. David: “25 Years That Have Been Worthwhile”
“Experiences with the poor and hungry have given me the strength to continue living my missionary life. The good that I have been able to do is due to the collaboration with so many people. I am so thankful to all”. Father David Domingues a Portuguese Comboni Missionary tells. People say that to commemorate is […]
Advocacy & People. Kenya. Mama Shamsa. “I am a mother to them”
Faced with the violence of criminal gangs that have overwhelmed the lives of many children, the Kenyan activist opened the doors of her home, giving young people an opportunity. A commitment that earned her the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity 2023. Shamsa Abubakar Fadhil is a Kenyan activist and first president of the National Women’s […]
Reflection. Day of the Dead: The triumph of memory over oblivion
Sr. Helga Leija, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, lives in Atchison, Kansas. She shares a few thoughts with us. As I walk around our Benedictine monastery in Atchison, Kansas, and see our trees slowly changing their colours for fall, my heart takes me back to the Mexican markets of my youth, where the […]
Mexican Catrina: A Celebration of Life
“Calaca’s taken him” is a Mexican expression that is used when someone dies. Also known as ‘Catrina’, a figure in high heels and a hat is the star of thousands of celebrations throughout the country in November. Here, we examine this character. On the 1st and 2nd of November each year, Mexico celebrates ‘The Day […]
The Philippines. All Souls’ Day
The Filipinos are the most thoughtful when it comes to celebrating All Souls’ Day. In the Philippines, we honour our loved ones who have moved on to the afterlife to let them know that we will never forget them. Throngs of people flock to the cemetery. Candles lit. Feast for the souls. Visiting departed loved […]
Ghana. The Last Rites
The Asantes, an ethnic group living in the central part of Ghana, perform rituals for their dead kinsmen and loved ones generally known as ayie (funeral) in the Akan language. The traditional Asante funeral is a festive celebration in which the whole community participates (not only family and friends of the deceased), where the predominant […]