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.
TRAVEL GUIDE TO IZAMAL, MEXICO
Home to grand man-made temples and ancient Mayan pyramids, the Yellow City displays the cultural significance and unique architecture of rural indigenous communities. From learning about the history of the picturesque City of Hills to tips on what to do in this part of the Yucatán, this is our travel guide to Izamal, México
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
Photography: Jose Pablo Dominguez
04 January 2022
The Izamal of today is a quiet provincial town, nicknamed La Ciudad Amarilla (the Yellow City) for the traditional golden-yellow buildings that spiral out from the center like a budding daisy. It’s easily explored on foot, and spiffy horse-drawn carriages add to the city’s charm. This unique destination is located in the state of Yucatán in southern Mexico. Travellers seek to immerse themselves in the traditional city's picturesque architecture and the well preserved culture of the City of Hills rooted in actual remains of ancient temple pyramids.
In ancient times Izamal was a center for the worship of the supreme Maya god, Itzamná, and the sun god, Kinich-Kakmó. A dozen temple pyramids were devoted to them and other gods. No doubt these bold expressions of Maya religiosity are why the Spanish colonists chose Izamal as the site for an enormous and impressive Franciscan monastery, which still stands at the heart of this town, about 70km east of the state capital Mérida.
Izamal was founded during the Late Formative Period (750–200 BC) and was continuously occupied until the Spanish Conquest. The city became an incredibly important archaeological site of the Pre-Columbian Maya civilization. The development of particular constructive techniques made the city stand out with its defined architectonical characteristics involving use of thatched roofs at superstructures, megalithic carved blocks and rounded corners. After the end of the Pre-Columbian era, Izamal became a site of pilgrimages in the region where its principal temples were sacred to the Sun god Kinich Ahau and the creator deity Itzamn.
The Grand Structures of The Yellow City:
Today huge Pre-Columbian structures are still part of the city's charm. A great pyramid of ten levels is built atop a grand base covering over two acres (8,000 m2) of land dedicated to the Maya Sun god, Kinich Kak Moo. During the 16th century the huge building Ppap Hol Chak was partially destroyed, but the great temple Itzamatul still rises amid the city south of what was once a main plaza.
In the west part of the plaza lie the remains of the temple known as Kabul, while the south-west side is occupied by the pyramid of the Hun Pik Tok. Mexican archaeologists have worked for over a decade in Izamal, uncovering thousands of residential structures and over 163 archaeologically important structures. Xtul (The Rabbit), Chaltun Ha and Habuc are some of the restored residential buildings in this city. The grand man-made constructions in Yucatán's Yellow City were likely built up over several centuries to support the local temples and palaces.
A Spanish colonial city was founded on top of the existing Maya one after the Spanish conquest of Yucatán in the 16th century. Instead of leveling the two huge structures, the Spanish built a large Franciscan Monastery atop the acropolis and a small Christian temple atop the great pyramid. The open atrium of the Monastery was named after San Antonio de Padua. It's construction was completed in 1561 and to this day is second in size only to the one at the Vatican. The surrounding Spanish buildings, monasteries and curches in Izamal were built using the cut stone from the Pre-Columbian city.
Izamal Today:
Scenic with its yellow-painted buildings and remains of ancient temples, Izamal remains a highly desired destination to visit by the lovers of well preserved culture and unique architecture. In 2002 the city was named a "Pueblo Mágico". Several local saints statues are said to perform miracles including one of the Yucatán state's patron saint and an early colonial era statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception ("Our Lady of Izamal"). The Maya language is still the first language spoken in the majority of local people's homes, but Spanish is also widely used in the city. Izamal is home to agave plants which are used to produce an eponymous mezcal in the local distillery. The city holds major Fiestas on April 3rd, May 3rd, August 15th, and December 8th.
Did you know:
Izamal is known in Yucatán as the City of Hills - there lay actual remains of ancient temple pyramids.
In 2000, the city's estimated population was 15,000 people.
Izamal is also known as the Yellow City due to its picturesque buildings painted yellow.
Things to do in Izamal:
1. Taste the city
One of the best ways to explore a destination is to try the local food. Kinich is a unique restaurant where the staff wears traditional huipiles (long, sleeveless tunics) and serves fresh, handmade Yucatecan cuisine at its finest. From the starter menu make sure to order the house specialty papadzules kinich – rolled tortillas stuffed with diced egg, then topped with pumpkin-seed sauce and smoky sausage. Other dishes Kinich is famous for include a shredded venison dish called dzic de venado and its mouthwatering empanadas.
2. Experience Izamal like a local
One of the best places to visit in Izamal is Restaurante-Cafe Los Arcos. It may not look like much but this venue is the go-to place for locals. Situated in the heart of the plaza, the café is ideal for travellers on a budget who enjoy people-watching. It is also one of the few places in town, which stays open late and a great spot to grab an evening plate or a midday drink.
3.Visit Convento de San Antonio de Padua
After the Spaniards conquered Izamal, they built one of the first monasteries in the western hemisphere with stones from the destroyed Maya temple and Ppapp-Hol-Chac pyramid. The monastery of Convento de San Antonio de Padua was completed in 1561 with unmistakable mazelike design breathing in the location's compelling historical and cultural significance through the use of the Mayan temple stones. Travellers can reach the monastery’s principal church, the Santuario de la Virgen de Izamal, by a ramp from the main square, which leads into a huge arcaded courtyard, known as the Atrium where the fiesta of the Virgin of Izamal takes place each August 15. Original sundial projecting are seen at the roof’s edge when one stands at the courtyard to the left of the church and looks up towards the Atrium. At the back lays a small museum commemorating Pope John Paul II’s 1993 visit to the monastery.
4. Take a detour
If you have time to spare in this part of México, consider taking a detour to Kinich-Kakmó. The third largest in Yucatán is the 34m-high Kinich-Kakmó, where three of three of the town’s original 12 Maya pyramids have been partially restored. Its located north of the monastery and according to the local legend a deity in the form of a blazing macaw swoops down from the heavens to collect the offerings left at the site.
5. Admire the city's art
Popular art from around México is on display at the cultural centre and museum just across the square from the monastery in Izamal. There are cards in English that give excellent summary of the exhibits, while the shop sells fair-trade-certified crafts, which are made by artisans from nearly 40 indigenous communities. Any purchases made there are a direct source of income for rural indigenous families.
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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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