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.
PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE ARCHIVES
The Best PHOTOGRAPHY from the Archives
We selected our favourite photography from the print archives to celebrate culture through the lens
Words by: The Editors
18 August 2022
Five print issues, countless travels and endless wanderlust stories - our independent publication has grown so much since we launched back in 2019. We have had the opportunity to explore countries from all corners of the world, take you on adventures to all continents and capture the essence of local culture whether we have ended up off-the-beaten path in the villages of Africa or walked down the pristine white sand beaches of some of the most picturesque bays of Asia.
The photographers we have collaborated with along the way, the trailblazers we have interviewed and the creatives behind the lens of the camera have documented nomadic travelling from an entirely authentic perspective. Follow us to the jungles of Kenya and the forests of Madagascar to the deserts of Jordan and the mountain peaks of Switzerland. Here is a quick run-through of our team's top pick of favourite photography from the print archives.
Call of the Wild
(from #04 The ESCAPISM Issue)
In our wildest dreams we visit African countries to connect to the wildlife, explore the local communities and learn about how to help build a brighter future for sustainable safari travelling.
Rachel Claire
(from #04 The ESCAPISM Issue)
Rachel, also known on Instagram as @fieldnotes__, is a travel photojournalist who documents culture during her travels across Australia and the rest of the world. In our exclusive interview with the trailblazer, we discussed her photography style, how she stays inspired to create and what advice she has for the modern generation of sustainable explorers.
Uncover the Island Kingdom of diversity
(from #04 The ESCAPISM Issue)
Get lost in the abundance of cultural mosaic as we explore the melting pot of traditions and spiritual believes rooted in the island of Indonesia to carve the place as home to a nation that finds unity in diversity. From an ode to appreciate the beauty of the island country to a deep dive into Indonesia's plastic epidemic, we explore what is the ultimate footprint that the tourism industry contributes.
‘‘The daily life in Bali is a spectacle of colours, dazzled by the practice of Hinduism where women make a procession through the streets, carrying cakes, fruits and colourful flowers on their heads as an offering and travellers are welcomed to a land of immence diversity.’’
The ESCAPISM Issue
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
An Open Letter... to the Community
(from #04 The ESCAPISM Issue)
Trying to adapt to the new normality of living life from home inspired us to reach out to the loyal community of NOMADSofORIGIN's escapists who remain eager to chase adventures once it becomes safe to travel again. As we acknowledge the privilege and opportunities available to escapists, we accent the importance of supporting one another in times of need and building a better, more eco-conscious future for the next generation of travellers.
The Charm of Santorini's Island Nation
(from #03 The NOMADIC Issue)
Explore our photo guide as we try to capture Santorini's charm and Greece's historical legacy. Learn the tale of the island nation through one of the world's biggest volcanic eruptions, which led to the formation of one of the most beautiful islands on Earth.
Léa The Label
(from #03 The NOMADIC Issue)
Léa Daaboul, founder of Léa The Label, was inspired by the ocean to create timeless, yet sustainable swimwear from pre-consumer waste pulled out from the world’s oceans. We talked about the craftmanship of the designs, her fashion statement for the industry and her go-to destinations ideal for sun lovers.
Adrenaline Rush
(from #03 The NOMADIC Issue)
Base jumping, swimming with sharks, free climbing, big wave surfing - adrenaline sports attract risk takers with no fear of diving into the unknown without a sfety net. We take a look at the origins of complex adrenaline sports, the nomadic lifestyle they lead to and the most exciting ways to become one with nature whilst on a quest to feel adrenaline rush.
‘‘From volcano boarding to paraskiing, people's creativity knows no boundaries. Such type of activities requires a connection between nature and people. Nature is the spine of extreme sports and the element that makes most adrenaline practices possible.’’
The NOMADIC Issue
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
The Nation of Many
(from #01 The LAND Issue)
The legend tells the story of the 'river of running sand' where the Karen people used to cross. We transport you to Myanmar (Burma) in Asia to learn about patience, perseverance and the power of human spirit from the locals culture.
Desert Kingdom
(from #01 The LAND Issue)
Located in the Middle East, the biggest part of Saudi Arabia is represented by uninhabited desert. Empty Quarter - the world's largest contiguous desert land - is part of the landscape, intensifying the mystery of the country. The image from our cover story is a portrait of a local bot in Saudi Arabia.
‘‘Sand dunes dominate the Saudi Arabia's landscape. When lost in the desert, whispers of the winds are the only spoken language and the silhouettes of the sandy hills, rising from the bowels of the earth, are the oasis seen in the distance.’’
The LAND Issue
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
Will&Bear
(from #02 The CLIMATE CHANGE Issue)
Designed in Australia, homemade for the world. On-the-road lifestyle, incredible places and the lust of travellers was the inspiration for creating Will&Bear. The high-quality brand exists because of the love of travel. In our exclusive interview we talked to Lauren (Will) and Alex (Bear) about their journey, the reason they founded the business and why seeking adventure is so important to them.
From a Generation to a Generation
(from #02 The CLIMATE CHANGE Issue)
Our ancestors used to think of climate as a natural cycle and co-existed with it in harmony. Nowadays we are fighting with the consequences of its cataclysms on a global scale. We explore the origins of climate change through different generations to see how it influenced the way we think about the future.
‘‘This story begins five decades ago. This is how much time has passed since climate change was first used as a term to describe the effects that the rising CO2 levels have on a global scale.’’
The CLIMATE CHANGE Issue
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
A Journey Back in Time
(from #05 The WANDERLUST Issue)
Jordan and its Lost City of Petra have been charming an increasing number of travellers in the past five decades, but there was a time when the sandy country was the desert’s best-kept secret. This is how to help explore the region sustainably and how the land of the Bedouins transformed from a deserted paradise to a bucket-list destination.
A Trip To Goblin Valley State Park
(from #05 The WANDERLUST Issue)
Camp with us beyond the canyons guarding one of the most stunning campsites in Utah to spend the night in Central Asian-style nomadic yurts in the heart of Goblin Valley. This is out travel guide to an otherworldly experience in the badlands of the American desert that is unlike any other.
‘‘Snuggled in the embrace of the San Rafael Desert, Goblin Valley State Park strikes visitors with the charm of an other-worldly destination. Thousands of hoodoos guard the valley and contribute to its ethereal appeal.’’
The WANDERLUST Issue
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
Desert Nomads
(from #05 The WANDERLUST Issue)
A total of 23 deserts covers almost one-third of the Earth’s surface area. With their predominantly uninhabited arid lands, deserts are some of the most stunning landscapes in the world. Deserts hold a great deal of mysticism, serving as a home to some of Earth's most stunning landscapes. Join us on a journey of exploring the unique lifestyle of the courageous nomadic people who have adapted to the extreme conditions of the desert dunes.
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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