27 May 2016
In the early parts of the 20th century and far removed from the political and military turmoil shaking the foundations of Imperial China, life in the small outlying villages of the southwest region remained largely unchanged. Isolated by the mountainous terrain, these villages were home to an ethnic minority called the Miao. Night had fallen, but a flicker of light could still be seen in o...
22 April 2016
Tibet has always existed in geographic isolation, buffered by the Himalayas to the south; the Kuen Lun Range and Tsaidam Desert to the north; the deep river gorges of the Salween, Mekong and Tangtze rivers to the east; and the Karakoram Range to the west. In addition, the country existed in political seclusion to just about all but neighboring countries. As a result, the Tibetan people and...
07 March 2016
Kuba art is renowned for their use of rhythmic geometric patterns that decorate all sorts of ritual objects, masks, textiles and these highly collectible ceremonial cups. The Kuba have been described as a people who cannot bear to leave a surface unadorned. It stems from a tradition that associates elaborate ornamentation with high status and prestige. You might say, to the Kuba people, m...
12 February 2016
In the 200 years between the early 1400s and the 1600s Portugal was the leader in world exploration and trade. While the rest of Europe was mercilessly ravaged by the Black Plague, Portugal remained largely unharmed due to its relative geographic isolation. Prior contact with the Islamic world had also given the Portuguese greater mathematical knowledge, allowing them to build ships sturdy...
08 January 2016
Most often minkisi are wooden carvings of anthropomorphic or zoomorphic figures, but they can also be shells, gourds, horns and clay pots used for the same purpose. To create minkisi, the nganga first commissions a figure from the village carver or carves the figure himself. These “naked” figures usually include a hollowed head or stomach, considered to be spiritual focal point...
20 November 2015
If you were forced to flee your home, what would you bring; your phone, a wallet, or perhaps a family heirloom? Let's hope you never have to make such a decision; but throughout history there are thousands who have had to do so. Historically, fires, earthquakes and floods are natural disasters forcing people to flee their homes; but the cruelty of war; genocide and humankind’s own in...
09 October 2015
Anyone who has come face to face with a giant boar knows the danger and fear these animals can create. Armed only with a slingshot, the hunter knew he was no match for the boar. Suddenly, the animal charged forward, and as it darted toward him he raced up the tree to the branch where his original prey now beckoned him to safety. When he arrived the bird took off, its wings waving goodbye...
05 October 2015
Flags were first used by knights in medieval times to identify their allegiance, but earlier predecessors such as banners and cloth-draped staffs called vexilloids reach far back into the ancient world. First and foremost, these types of identifying markers were utilized as a practical method of differentiating friend from foe during battle; however, they also collectively represented nobl...
25 September 2015
As one of the most important officials of the royal court, the Okyeame holds a special form of court regalia when he speaks. Known simply as an linguist’s staff, it is a carved work of art with a detachable finial. Some might say it is the equivalent of a king’s scepter. While the development of the staff was directly influenced by European canes, the finial artwork at the top ...
14 August 2015
In the flickering light of a dozen butter lamps, the sight of dancing, masked demons could scarcely be seen. Their shadows moved in an unnatural, eerie fashion. If your eyes adjusted, you could see open mouths grinning and laughing along with eyes bulging and gleaming in a menacing manner. Yet, none of what you saw was a cause for concern. As an audience member you sat unafraid, deep in the mou...