CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
DESTINATIONS
DESTINATIONS
The Dreamtime, or the Dreaming, portrays the Aboriginal beliefs in spiritual existence. According to the tribes that first settled down in the continent, the Dreaming's roots date all the way back to the very begging of the creation of the world. The meaning and ideology of the term is generally not so well-understood by non-indigenous people as it is referred to as part of the culture of one of the early nations, which differs from modern perceptions.
The Spirits were the creators of everything. They made the land and the seas, the rocks and the plants, the sky and the earth. They were the higher power and the Australian Aborigines spent their lifetimes honoring this power, which guided their path and shaped their way of thinking. Not only creators of everything, which could be seen as well as felt, the Spirits also gave the Aborigines the Dreaming.
The time when everything started existing according to the initial Australians, was called the Dreaming. This is the foundation of the continent's culture. The origin of the Dreaming goes way back - 65 000 years back in time to be exact. The Ancestors of the nation shaped the land, forming some parts of it as sacred. The Aborigines were very careful and overprotective of those places, strongly believing in their significance.
The Australian Aborigines are known to have believed that the world didn't have any shape and was therefore empty. Darkness dominated, and life was simply asleep, but this changed when the creation began happening. After the Dreaming and the influence of the Spirits, objects began taking shapes and came to be. They created the four elements: water, earth, air and fire, as well as all the planets, the Sun and the Moon. The Dreaming therefore is a continuous process, which never ended. It is a small cosmos on its own, unifying the past, present and the future into one.
The Australian Aborigines' home riches so many vivid areas of the continent, including Fraser Island, Tasmania, Palm Island, Groote Eylandt and Mornington Island. The Aborigines had very strong believes in relation to the powers of the land, claiming that they never owned it - it rather owned them. The only reason they were able to call it their home is because they were looking after it and the land was taking care of the people in return.
Equally important to the Dreaming was the tribes' understandings of the disappearance of the Spirits. There came a time, when the creators of everything vanished from sight. Some of them were thought to have started living in sacred places, which is why the Aborigines perceived their homeland to be so sacred. The ancestors of today's Australians used to believe that the creators started living in rocks, in water holes and some went up to the sky to guide the people from above and keep them safe. Others transformed completely, taking the forms of the rain, the lightnings and the thunderstorms so they could be part of peoples' life.
Among the hundred's different Aboriginal languages, there isn't a word to describe 'time', because to them this simply doesn't exist. Dreaming and Dreamtime are used to replace it and summarize the ideologies of the Aborigines about everything they knew, everything they could see, feel and experience. This is why the Dreaming has such a vivid, and overwhelming meaning and has survived the obstacles of time. For the past couple thousand years, the Dreaming has built a rich cultural heritage that can identify a whole nation.
Read more about the Land, its connection to people and the way it has been perceived from different generations in the very first print issue of ORIGIN. The Land Issue covers varied topics, most of which remain related to cultural aspects of the land and its importance.
A lot of people travel to explore places and learn about them which is the message that ORIGIN wants to spread. With traveling, however, comes certain responsibilities that we should all be aware of. Elephants riding has become a popular way to explore locations by land. People have been doing this as part of their trips, mostly to places such as Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia and other parts of Asia. It is a common thing to see in certain places in Africa as well. We investigated the activity to explain why it is wrong and riding elephants should be banned everywhere.
Our first print issue studies culture and traveling represented through the land. We explored various location around the globe and learned what makes the land so valuable, which nations cherish it and how it helps us establish an identity. Traveling is important to us but traveling responsibly and making an impact is what we feel proud to stand behind. This is why riding elephants as a way of amusement should be reconsidered.
Let’s talk about the details. Elephants are very caring and extremely intelligent animals. It is a well-known fact that they never forget anything. When kept in captivity instead of spending their life in the wild, elephants die younger. Unlike in other species, this is common for the gentle giants and is often a result for stress.
Many African cultures respect elephants, believing they symbolize strength, loyalty and power. However, power can be a very tender concept. Elephant used as a tourism tool suffer from great pain daily. Elephants can be hurt very severely from the weight of carrying people and a trainer on their backs. The reason for this is the design of their spines. They have sharp protrusions, extending upwards from their spine instead of having round spinal disks. The protrusions and the tissue that serves to protect them can be harmed easily from weight pressure. Once a damage to their spine has been made, there is no going back and sometimes the harm can be irreversible. While this can’t be physically seen, the harm that the chairs can do to the elephants’ skin is. It is often the case that the chairs and the weight on their back can damage the animal’s skin and cause pain to their body. The chair, called Howdah, that gets attached to their backs, rubs on their skin and can cause blisters, which can sometimes get infected.
The training that elephants are required to go through when in captivity sometimes adopts a traditional Thai ‘phajaan’ or ‘crush’ technique. Explaining the technique would compare it to the animals’ spirits constantly and continuously being broken by the means of torture and social isolation. This is done in order to tame them. Elephants are wild animals, this is their nature as they are born in such conditions. Making them safe and obedient around people requires them to go through such training. As horrible as it sounds, in some places young elephants are taken away from their mothers to be abused with nails, bull hooks and bamboo sticks to make them obey rules, given by people. The animals often lack sleep and are starved to become submissive.
Actions from such nature are cruel and harmful as the technique is used to crash the animals’ spirit. Once wild and free, elephants become a source of tourism and entertainment. Nobody, who cared about sustainable tourism should ever ride an elephant.
In a sense, elephants have a human soul. They socialise and feel everything – pain, happiness, grief, sadness etc. They spend their life building families and finding friends. The largest land animals are a gift from nature and it is our responsibility to take special care of them and make sure they live according to their nature. Many animals, who are kept in captivity, are forced to live in isolation and carry heavy loads all day long, which is a wrong way to treat them. Their strength and power shouldn’t be abused but treated gently and celebrated by people. Elephants require minimal care to stay happy and healthy, which comes from giving them freedom to behave naturally and socialise. It is our responsibility to be culturally aware while traveling and make sure to spread awareness about the problem.
You can read the rest of the article as published in the LAND issue.
BEST ISLAND BEACH GETAWAYS
In case you need a break from reality, this is our list of the twelve best island beaches for your next getaway trip
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
Photography: Oliver Sjostrom, Vitor Pinto, Simone Fischer, Jean Caro
20 September 2020
Whether you enjoy relaxing on the calm Caribbean coastline, or you seek the adventurous jungle side of wild Fiji, these are our choices of island beach hotspots to suit every traveller. From catching waves in Hawaii to snorkelling in the waters surrounding Aruba, dive into our recommendations for a memorable summer vacation and chose what suits you best.
Seagrass Bay, Laucala Island, Fiji is an escape from the everyday hustle and less than an hour-flight from Nadi. The private island stretches across seven and a half square miles of fine sand and tranquil waves beyond the tropical jungle of Fiji. The bay is reached via horseback rides or guided walks. The coast is home to thriving marine life. You will also be sharing the pristine beaches with some of the archipelago’s rarest birds and animals. One of the most relaxed and quiet beaches of the area is Seagrass Bay where visitors can also enjoy open-air dining.
Psarou Beach, Mykonos, Greece makes our list since the area is no stranger to tasteful beaches. Located at the top of the horseshoe bay, Psarou is not the largest of the surrounding beaches, providing a bit more privacy than other coastlines in the area. After a long day of water sports travellers can reward themselves in any of the chic beach bars and restaurants that accommodate vacationers with reservations in high season.
Temae Plage Publique, Moorea, French Polynesia is the perfect escape for the lovers of sea creatures. Temae's coral thrives with marine life, where the ocean is so clear, transparency showcases everything on the seafloor. Surfboard enthusiasts can roam the sea alongside the company of the captivating and harmless sting rays that often visit the shallows. Positioned on Moorea’s northeastern shores, this is a public beach that gets crowded rarely, allowing visitors to calmly enjoy sunbathing or snorkelling. The spot also unveils views to the island of Tahiti across the lush Sea of the Moon.
Banana Beach, Koh Hey (Coral) Island, Phuket, Thailand is part of a marine preservation area and a national park. The crystal blue waters spread beyond an evergreen jungle. This spot is ideal for soaking up the sun if you wish to escape crowded tourist destinations. The area lacks in infrastructure and even has a restaurant made of bamboo. The beach is popular in Banana Boat rides, kayaking, snorkelling and parasailing.
Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii is the place to be in winter if you admire big wave surfers. During summertime the seawater becomes flat calm and ideal for snorkelling while the view of the setting sun in this spot will have you daydreaming for your next return. Another Hawaiian hotspot is the Honokalani Beach, Wai'anapanapa State Park, Maui with its electric waters and black-sand shore consisting of tiny lava pebbles. The dark sand contrast with the jungle-like foliage of Honokalani Beach makes it ideal for the lovers of beauty and photography. Adventurers will also appreciate this spot’s excess of lava cliffs along the shore where sea caves are carved above the black lava sand.
Palm Beach, Aruba is found on the northwest side of the island. The coastline stretches for two miles and tempts visitors with the shade and a cool drink from the Pelican Pier Bar. Whether you prefer barefoot walks along the coast or you seek activities to keep you busy, this spot has it all. Palm Beach is home to some of the Caribbean’s best windsurfing. The shallows stretch for long, ideal for kids to learn paddle boarding or kayaking. Here you can also learn to snorkel or parasail before finishing the day at the lively restaurants, bars, casinos and nightclubs.
Bathsheba Beach, Barbados bathes in an untouched coastline of white sands. Big waves crash ashore seducing surfers and photographers alike. The sea in this summer hotpot is too wild to swim but the destination makes up with the beauty you can capture on camera to take home. Accommodation in the area is elegant and some hotels even offer outdoor film nights, themed parties or sunset sailing for two.
Matira Beach, Bora Bora, French Polynesia is home to an emerald lagoon hidden behind dense palm trees that create the island’s small jungle. The Polynesian culture here is everywhere as the local staff carries traditional tattoos, while the local food is unlike any other traditional cuisine. Restaurants in the area are named Iriatai ‘horizon’. Visitors can attempt the hip-shaking dance moves of the Upa Upa ‘music’ dance, while enjoying a stay at hotels named after moon goddesses. One of Tahiti’s highest ranked beaches, Matira is the only beach in Bora Bora with access to the public. If you wish to avoid the luxury hotels, you could still relax at the white sand beach as long as you arrive early enough to find a spot on the shore.
Blue Beach (La Chiva), Vieques, Puerto Rico is a thin, yet lengthy stretch of white sand alongside the Caribbean's crystal aquamarine waters. The middle of the island hosts the National Wildlife Refuge leading to an unpaved bumpy road, which is the only access point to the Blue Beach. Guided trips take travellers to secret underwater spots while diving enthusiasts can enjoy snorkelling solo in the island’s small cay.
North Malé Atoll, Maldives is one of 1,200 beaches in the Maldives. The island is a bit larger than average, surrounded by circular strands of sand. There is only one resort in the area, making the place a perfect escape spot for travellers who wish to avoid top tourist beach places. Ideal for both families and honeymooners, the villa accommodation offers tranquil views of the island’s shore.
El Nido, Palawan, Philippines is actually made of nearly fifty fine white sand beaches with immersive limestone formations. The sunsets in the area stuns visitors, who are first captivated by the intense blue of the seawater. Hotels in the area offer scuba courses at majestic diving sites. Other activities include boat tours around secret lagoons where the curious can explore freely.
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NOMADSofORIGIN is an independent annual publication with a focus on sustainable travelling and global cultural values. Each issue features interviews, engaging articles and photo guides, which take our nomadic readers through different destinations and introduce them to local people's perspectives.
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