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.
OUR FAVOURITE SUMMER COCKTAIL RECIPES WITH A TWIST
We take our favourite summer classics and give them a twist so you can step up your cocktail game this summer
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
Photography: Alev Takil
17 August 2020
The summer season is kicking with full force as temperatures spike, vacationers flee to tropical coasts and backyard grills are firing up everywhere. To celebrate a refreshing summer, we bring you some of the all-time-favourite cocktails. If you think you know how to make these classic refreshments, think again.
This summer you can master the craft of cocktails to perfection as we bring some delicious twists and unexpected alternatives to everybody’s favourite traditional recipes.
THE MIGHTY MOJITO
Summer brings out some of the tastiest and most colourful produce at farmers’ markets. As gardens blossom with fresh mint leaves, mojitos become the perfect summer cocktail at any holiday destination or after-work happy hour. Homemade mojitos are quick and easy, refreshing and vibrant with tart tasting notes of a bright summery flavour. We bring a twist to the classical recipe. Follow this guide for the ultimate refreshing mojito naturally sweetened with honey instead of sugar.
INGREDIENTS:
White rum (50ml).
Fresh lime juice.
Fresh mint.
Club soda.
Honey.
Crushed ice.
DIRECTIONS: Muddle fresh mint leaves between your palms. Combine the honey, lime juice, rum and mint in a cocktail shaker. Use a cocktail muddler to release some more of the mint flavours but be gentle not to break the leaves into too many tiny pieces. Add ice and shake for about 15 seconds until chilled. Fill tall glasses with ice, pour the liquid over a strainer and top up with club soda. To garnish before serving, use fresh lime slices and mint leaves.
THE TWISTS: If you are looking for something new to spice up the traditional flavour, experiment with mojitos by adding a little something extra. Fresh cucumber slices will add refreshment. Add a splash of coconut water/milk for a tropical taste. If you’re looking for extra sweetness, try fruit such as berries, mango, orange or pineapple. Should you seek a bit of a kick, muddle in a tiny bit of serrano pepper or jalapeño pieces to infuse some spice.
GIN & TONIC
This classic is many people’s go-to. Easy to make and always refreshing, this one never fails to quench your thirst even if you don’t have cocktail equipment available. While the recipe may seem quite straightforward, many components compliment the drink apart from the seemingly trivial mixology. The glass is important – to get all fragrant botanicals of the gin enhanced, you must choose a tumbler or red wine glass with a hood opening. To taste the quality of the gin, you must go as cold as possible – it is vital to chill your glass and add plenty of clear ice to avoid dilution.
INGREDIENTS:
Gin (50ml).
Tonic Water.
Fresh lemon wedges.
DIRECTIONS: For the best G&T it is crucial that you get the order of ingredients right. Chill your glass as much as possible before adding ice – remember to pour out the excess water. First add the gin, then the tonic and stir well before garnishing. Experts recommend the following ratio: add 50ml of top-notch quality gin and three-quarters tonic per glass. Since it is the garnish that really enhances the taste, try to avoid flavoured tonic waters.
THE TWISTS: Don’t be afraid to go a bit adventurous with your G&T mixology. The garnish is half the fun and we have the most complimentary suggestions. You can never go wrong with adding a bit of a citrus taste so the classic lime wedge is always a refreshing idea. To bring out floral notes, add some thyme elderflower or rosemary. Strawberry goes well with basil, while a lime and chilli combination is something a bit more unconventional. The lovers of that spicy and a bit warmer taste will also enjoy a garnish of star anise, pink grapefruit or orange peel. If you like refreshing summer taste, try a garnish of mint, black peppercorns and cucumber pieces.
Pro Tip: Look out for the gin flavours – if your choice of gin has hints of ginger and juniper for example, garnish with a slice of ginger as well, to emphasise on the tasting note.
PINA COLADA
A summertime legend among cocktail drinks, Pina Colada will have you feeling like you are on a sunny Caribbean island where nothing but the current moment matters. The drink was made for the very first time in Puerto Rico back in 1952. The classical recipe extends to rum, pineapple and coconut cream. The cocktail is sweet and enjoyable among the summer heat.
INGREDIENTS:
Pineapple (around 6 chinks).
Bacardi Carta Blanco rum (50ml).
Fresh pineapple juice (50ml).
Coconut cream (1 tablespoon).
Sugar (1 tablespoon).
Ice.
DIRECTIONS: Making Pina Colada is simple. All you need to do is place the ingredients in a blender and blend until reaching a smooth consistency. The tropical cocktail is served in a chilled glass. For best taste, try pouring into a frozen glass. Finally add the garnish and serve. The most suitable garnish for Pia Colada is a pineapple leaf – it’s classical, appealing and complimentary. Cheers!
APEROL SPRITZ
The bitter-sweet aftertaste of this refreshing cocktail turns it into the perfect summer triple. Aperol consists of rhubarb and oranges, which give its distinctive flavour and bright colour. It originates from Italy. Aperol is a combination of white wine or fizzy Prosecco with sweet liqueur – an infusion of roots and herbs. It is best served as aperitivo with friends at the end of a workday, since Aperol is unconventionally light liqueur containing only 11% alcohol.
INGREDIENTS:
Aperol.
Chilled Prosecco.
Soda (chilled).
Ice.
Orange slices.
DIRECTIONS: To enhance the flavour and Italian heritage of Aperol Spritz, go for a fifty-fifty ratio. There is a common myth that the 3:2:1 recipe is the way to make it, but our half-and-half suggestion really brings out a balance of the sweet taste and sour flavour. Fill a tall wine or balloon glass with ice. Add equal parts of Prosecco, then Aperol. Top up with a splash of soda water and garnish before serving. To make the classic Aperol drink really pop out, garnish with a slice of orange and olive on a stick. For better impression, make that a blood orange. The citrus flavour really compliments the bitter-sweet aftertaste, while emphasising of its vivid appearance.
THE TWISTS: Different mixologists recommend interesting alternatives to enjoying the classic Aperol. For a Japanese twist, mix 150ml sparkling sake with 35ml Aperol, a splash of fresh lemon and yuzu juice. If you don’t like Prosecco, replace it with white wine mixed with Aperol (or Campari) and top up with soda water and lemon garnish. For a “Cloudy Prosecco” with a refreshing chrisp taste, mix two parts Aperol, three parts Malibran and one part soda. Sgroppino is another way to drink Aperol as both a digestif and an aperitif – combine 50ml Aperol with 100ml Prosecco and two scoops of fruit (grapefruit, orange or lemon) sorbet. For a truly fragrant and zesty taste make yourself the Aperol smash alternative where one part whiskey, one part lemon juice and two parts Aperol mix together with a citrus cut straight through the alcohol taste.
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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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