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.
THE TURTLE-SAVING HOLIDAY IN FIJI
YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED
Turtle Island greets visitors with the rare opportunity of experiencing a holiday of luxury and sustainability. From saving endangered sea turtles to benefiting the local communities, Fijians inspire travelers to live in harmony beyond their island visit.
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
09 August 2019
Fiji is often associated with luxurious vacations and isolated beaches but there is so much more to this unspoiled destination. Fijians inspire visitors to nurture the human spirit and to leave an eco-footprint on the planet. Turtle Island teaches guests to slow down and live in balance. Travellers not only benefit from a highly sustainable vacation, but they also experience a holiday they will likely never forget.
The Island:
Turtle Island braces itself as “the heartbeat of humanity”. Located in the central Yasawa Group in Fiji, it has seven neighbouring villages. No trace of development spoils the land, which some may know from the setting of the 1980 film Blue Lagoon. Unique with its lack of shopping malls, tennis courts and modern-day concrete resorts, Turtle Island bathes in natural beauty.
The Fijians:
Home of the Fijians, Turtle Island offers visitors an insight of an incredibly warm and loving community. The belief that friends and family are the most important aspect of life sits at the core of Fijian culture. Visitors are generously greeted with the opportunity to experience the hospitality and traditions of locals first-hand.
The Turtles:
Endangered sea turtles often swim by Turtle Island and the locals have found a rather unconventional way to help save their lives. The Turtle Release program on the island works to tag these ancient animals in partnership with World Wildlife Fund. Green and hawksbill turtles are bought from local fishermen and auctioned off to resort guests, who paint their names on their shells. The paint is specifically chosen to be permanent, yet non-toxic. That way it doesn’t hurt the animals and it doesn’t harm the environment, once the turtles are released back into the ocean. Tagging sea turtles has become a vital approach towards saving them from extinction. This conservation method takes away the appeal of turtle shells, if they fall into the hands of trophy hunters.
The Experience:
A holiday at the all-inclusive island promise relaxation and indulgence into pure delights. The luxurious villas offer views to the turquoise Blue Lagoon waters and the neighbouring Fiji and Yasawa islands. The locals are very cautious of the environment at this paradise destination. They grow vegetables and tropical fruits on the island, which are used to accompany the fresh seafood dishes. Turtle Island resort is family and romance friendly. Tropical flower scents will tickle your senses, while the 12 private beaches will tempt you to pure relaxation and a swim in the crystal azure waters surrounding the island.
The Sustainability:
Richard Evanson, owner of the 500-acre Turtle Island, doesn’t just run a high-end resort. He also embraces sustainability to a significant extend. Evanson established the Yasawas Community Foundation to support the local communities through tourists’ donations. The Turtle Release program is only one of the eco-friendly approaches that make the destination beyond worth visiting. Turtle Island employs over 120 Fijians and encouraged locals to plant over 300,000 trees. The resort additionally benefits from an investment in a four-acre hydroponic and organic vegetable garden.
The Accommodation:
Considering what this South Pacific destination offers to visitors, by now you probably figured out that Turtle Island hosts some of the most luxurious accommodations in Fiji. Numbers are important so we won’t sugar-coat the prices of this paradise resort. Turtle Island could easily cost as much as $1,632 per couple/night, which includes three meals per day. If this seems a bit shocking, here are some alternatives. Nearby is Nacula where tourists can book a stay at Oarsman’s Bay Lodge from $14 per night/dorm. Another option is Nanuya Lailai, offering guests dorms at the Sunrise Beach Resort from $38 per night.
Turtle Island combines the wild and unspoiled beauty of nature with the generosity and the humble nature of the local communities of Fijian people. The rare combination of the two is a promise for an unforgettable experience, indulged with both relaxation and environmental sustainability.
Turtle Island is not just another luxurious destination. The Fiji resort aims to inspire guests to live in harmony not only on the island but beyond the lifespan of their vacation. Turtle Island is one of the few holiday destinations that inspire travellers to care for the planet and one another above all else.
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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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