01 May 2015
As dawn broke over the crests of the Andes, the silhouette of a lone traveler navigating a high ridge was no more than a speck. An alpaca followed at his heels bearing several packs, blankets and wedding gifts. Slowly, the pair descended deeper into a valley dotted with plowed fields and windowless houses made of thrush. The year was 1808 and unrest was growing in many areas of colonial So...
27 March 2015
What constitutes idealized feminine beauty? The answer changes based on who is doing the answering and the year the answer is taking place; but if you really want to answer the question you need only refer to artwork of the period. For example, in many early civilizations a beautiful woman was considered one who had a generous full figure. She was curvy, had wide hips and large breasts. In...
20 March 2015
In a small nameless village among the grasslands of southern Burkina Faso, farmers were already hard at work in the fields while the morning sun was still low in the sky. It was planting season; and every available hand was busy plowing the earth, sticking seeds in the ground, and working in unison on what everyone agreed was back breaking work. Even young children helped by chasing away p...
13 March 2015
In 1950 Indonesia, the monsoon season was just beginning, drenching the island of Sulawesi with damp, humid air. Heavy clouds hung low over the tropical forest, obscuring the peaks of the nearby mountains. A small group of women were making their way through the lush forest, bearing baskets full of ripe fruits, and following doggedly on their heels was a young girl clutching a bright red m...
03 March 2015
Just about all women from tribal cultures know what it feels like to prepare a massive feast. They start preparing weeks ahead of time. Meanwhile, the men go about their business, typically more concerned about how much meat will be served at the feast. Women will hammer out multi-course menus, hunt down ingredients, horde spices and herbs, stock up on drinks, count dishes and glasses, and...
27 February 2015
What’s it like looking into a mirror for the first time? Dogs bark at their own reflection and run full speed ahead to play with the ‘newcomer,’ only to crash headlong into themselves. Cats stop, stare, and even pounce on the doppelganger. Babies smile, laugh and dance with the other little person in the mirror, even if they can’t stand up. Even as adults, whe...
20 February 2015
Propaganda posters featuring Mao appeared as early as the 1950s but it was during the Chinese Cultural Revolution that they reached their peak. The ‘Little Red Book’ was so named because it was small enough to be carried around in everyone’s pockets – and carry it they did. If a Red Guard demanded to see your book and you failed to produce it from your pocket the pu...
13 February 2015
Back before modern stuffed pillows emerged, when the concept of headrests first began in ancient civilizations, wooden or stone pillows were quite common all across the world. It should be noted, the main function of these pillows was not for comfort as we know it today, but instead, as a means to raise the head so insects could not crawl into your mouth, nose, ear, or hair. It seems huma...
03 February 2015
At one point during high school my room was home to nine chairs: a desk chair, a couch, an armchair, an ottoman, two bar stools, one dining chair, one swivel chair, and a bean bag cushion. As you can imagine, there was more sitting room than walking space, and my room wasn’t too big anyway. In looking back, the question arises: why did I have so many chairs? There is no convincing a...
23 January 2015
In 1865, Tibet was closed to foreigners. Authorities feared foreign exposure would destroy the country’s culture and religion; and worse that foreigners wanted to colonize the country. It’s probably true. The British were encroaching from India to the South; China was encroaching from the East; and Russia was expanding from the North. Tibet was a country under siege. It appeare...