Oftentimes when travelers are asked what they think about Japan, the one word that comes up time and time again is “polite.” As a whole the people of Japan are known to be gracious and polite, yet they live and work in heavily populated areas which, in other countries, usually creates a recipe for contention and aggressiveness.… [Read more]
In seclusion on an island in Hawaii, men move in strong succinct, yet graceful, motions guided by the rhythm of a polished gourd struck with purposeful motion of the chanter. The ocean rails against the shore competing with their calls, their chanting, and their hula.
Kahiko is the most ancient form of hula and it is never performed with a grass skirt nor accompanied by a ukulele and steel guitar.… [Read more]
A man quietly observes birds consuming berries from a plant and concludes that the berries made the birds ‘spirited’ after consumption. Eventually, the observer decides to eat the berries and he finds that they have indeed had an energizing effect on him, so he sets out to find new ways to consume the berries.… [Read more]
Ever heard the phrase ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead?’ Well, the reality is that the lack of sleep will bring death to one’s door sooner than one may think. Across the United States, it’s evident that American culture has been blessed by its ingenuity and determination to pursue goals, dreams and careers. However it has also been plagued by this drive, which forces one to sacrifice… [Read more]
A young lady holds up her favorite writing pen she likes to use. It is a black ink pen with a plastic body, a metal spring component, and a rubber sleeve next to the tip for finger comfort. She looks at the pen, and decides that she wants another just like it, so she locates the manufacturing code issued to this pen and enters it into a field box on her smartphone.… [Read more]
Not long ago the United States government believed that Native Americans must learn to embrace the ways of the non-natives so that they would assimilate better in modern American society. Children were rounded up and sent to government-run boarding schools where they were forbidden to use their native language and denied the ability to dress like their people.… [Read more]
Within every human there are thoughts, there are stories, and there are insights. Every individual possesses them in the far reaches of his or her heart. When they are not shared with anyone, they are known as secrets. Imagine, there are people walking this earth at this very moment in time, keeping some of those secrets so bottled up inside, that it clogs the very flow of their emotions preventing them from forming genuine intimate bonds with others.… [Read more]
There is an odd habit in the American culture. It is regarding the naming of places. An area where eagles are often spotted nesting, eventually is named “Eagles Nest” referring to the very inhabitants that were displaced to shopping malls or a new housing division. The Native American tribes are rolled up and placed on reservations, only to have their tribal names used in hotel monikers, street signs, ski lodges and resorts.… [Read more]
Without breathing tanks, a young man dives into the ocean waters of his homeland. As he fights the gentle push of the current, he discovers the object of his desire. A statuesque creature clings to sprouting kelp on the ocean floor. It gently bows to the current pushing its back and elegantly extends as the returning waters brush through again.… [Read more]
In the 1970s the United States economy was under incredible pressure from situations like the closing-out of an unsuccessful war, a fuel crises, and even a hostage situation in Iran. All of these issues contributed to some of the highest interest rates, inflated food prices, and exorbitant costs in consumer products. Some would say that this point in time was headed towards one of the bleakest periods short of The Great Depression.… [Read more]
Education may not necessarily mean literacy. In fact the very definition of literacy shows it simply to be the ability to read and write, whereas education involves the gathering of knowledge that is focused in specific studies. Sanjit “Bunker” Roy (often referred to as “Bunker Roy”) understands this fact and it is one of the driving forces behind the continued development of his brainchild: the Barefoot College.… [Read more]
Modern day technology in this 21st century has opened borders to areas once thought to be unattainable by people living in Third World countries. However it is becoming apparent that technology is helping places around the globe to stabilize their economic situation in a very positive direction. An example of one such country is Kenya, whose people are not only grasping technology, but are adapting it to areas that were thought to be one of the last places in need of digital devices.… [Read more]
