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.
CULTURE OF SAUDI ARABIA
Devoted to traditionalism, Saudi Arabia is a one-of-a-kind place when it comes to cultural identification. Learn about the proper attire, praying rituals and eating customs of the locals
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
Photography: Mohammed Hassan, Sulthan Auliya
29 November 2020
A country of conservatism and centuries-long traditionalism, Saudi Arabia is irresistible for nomads. Having been inaccessible for nomads for so long, nowadays the Asian country is a travellers' hot spot. Famous for being one of the most religious places on Earth, Saudi has a lot of rules to follow when it comes to tourists visiting.
Each custom is interesting and unique in its own right. The traditions are highly valued and always respected. Religion is very important to the locals and sharing a religious point of view different to Islam is strictly illegal. Locals pray five times a day - during fajr, duhr, asr, maghrib and isha. During prayers time every place from supermarkets to restaurants and coffee shops close down for as long as fifteen to thirty minutes.
Appropriate clothes attire is expected by locals and travellers alike so make sure to brig along loose-fitting clothes that are comfortable and conservative. Although not requested by law anymore, it is a good idea for women to purchase a headscarf and an abaya as alternatively you might be the only woman dressed differently and this in turn will attract some negative attention your way.
Saudi Arabians don't speak English freely. Various Arabic dialects are spoken across different parts of the country. However, the country is aiming to inspire more tourists to visit so at certain popular spots you might occasionally hear English being spoken. We recommend bringing an Arabic phrasebook along with you to make the most of your travels and learn as much as possible about the culture of the country.
There are different rules that men and women need to follow. For instance, men have more freedom, whilst women are required to sit at a different table in restaurant, exercise at gyms dedicated only to women and even and make as little eye contact as possible. However, unlike at some other destinations like Iraqi and Iran, Saudi men are respectful and polite to women. Although until a couple of years ago women were not allowed to vote, drive and even book a stay at hotels without a man's approval, things have started to change and this is no longer the case. Progress is slow but it is noticeable, even in areas like the ban on cinema being lifted after over three decades.
The food in Saudi Arabia is also exceptionally distinctive. It is known as a crossroad of cultures and this is reflected in the cuisine Different dishes have been influenced by travellers who came to the country either by land riding camels or by sea arriving through ships. The food has similarities to the dishes in various different countries as Mecca and Medina have been intriguing travellers for centuries. Expect to taste chicken, rice, yogurt and a lot of herbs and spices. From jareesh (wheat porridge) to laban (yogurt drink) and murtabak (stuffed pancake), the menu goes on and on. After a meal you can enjoy an Arabic coffee or sweet tea - what better way to experience the culture of a country than to taste it!
Of course, here is an etiquette when it comes to eating too. Mostly, traditional meals are consumed whilst sitting on a mat on the ground and shared with family and friends. A central plate is places so that everyone can share the meal. Forget about cutlery - Saudi eat with their hands as food is expected to taste better that way. Use your right hand only to pass and consume food and don't be shy to refill your drink when your cup is empty. Saudi also sit cross legged or with their knees bent as extending one's feet is considered rude.
With centuries old traditions and exceptional culture, Saudi Arabia is one of the most intriguing places in the Arabic world. Since you now know what is acceptable and required by etiquette, explore the country in more depth and get inspired to plan your own visit there.
RELATED STORIES
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.
SOCIAL
© NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine 2023. All rights reserved.