From Thailand...
The Akha are a semi-nomadic tribe of Southeast Asia who make their homes on the steep slopes of high mountains. Originally from Tibet, the Akha migrated to Thailand in the past 200 years. These people move across national borders often fleeing oppression without regard for the particular country in which they reside.
The Akha adorn themselves in intricate silver ornamentation and embroidered textiles. Their economy is based on rice, corn and opium. The Akha hold animist beliefs with an emphasis on ancestral worship. Shamanism also remains an important part of their culture.
Can you imagine living a nomadic life? Does it appeal to you? Why? Or why not?
From Ethiopia...
The Hamar are a tribal people in southwestern Ethiopia. They are largely pastoralists and place a high value on cattle.
The women are graceful with long, braided hair and adorn their necks with polished iron jewelry. Their backs are covered with scars, the sign they have endured pain for a brother or relative and can later to him if she falls on hard times.
Women marry young, typically to much older men. As a result, women commonly end up as heads of families. Widows are not allowed to re-marry.
How adaptable are you to other cultures? How open-minded are you towards foreigners?
From Papua New Guinea...
Papua New Guinea is one of the most diverse countries on Earth. Out of a population of just under 7 million, it has over 850 indigenous languages and at least as many traditional societies. It is mostly a rural nation, with only 18% of its people living in urban centers.
The country is one of the world's least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior of Papua New Guinea.
The majority of the population lives in traditional societies and practice subsistence-based agriculture.
What's your relationship to the natural world? Do you think it's relevant? Why? Or, why not?
From China...
Foot binding began as a fashion among the rich in China in the 10th century. By essentially crippling a woman and rendering her unable to work, bound feet indicated her family's wealth and status. Eventually, the practice spread to all levels of society and became a prerequisite for marriage.
Li was born to a farming family. From a young age she helped her mother in the fields. When she was 8 her mother decided it was time to begin the foot binding process. It was painful and grueling. She remembers being unable to work for a full winter. Li is now a 93-year old great-grandmother.
She explained to the photographer, Lisa Kristine, that binding was an essential part of her life. Li had a wonderful husband and 7 children. She said none of this would have been possible if her feet had not been bound.
Status, what is it? How do societies determine it? What are your thoughts about it?
From Hawai'i...
Like her ancestors, Hula Master Dr. Pualani Kanaka'ole Kanahele, epitomizes cultural brilliance, beauty and power. Hawai'i is rich in ancestral memory. Like Pua, who is of pure Hawaiian descent, most Hawaiians trace their genealogy to ancient wayfinders, Polynesian royalty and cultural deities. Pualani's family is descended from the fire goddess Pele.
Hawaiian culture weds itself intimately to the natural world. The dance of nature is Universal whether one celebrates the movement of clouds, the rising and setting of the sun, the downpour of rain, the quiver of grass on the fields, the blooming of the flowers, the freshness of the earth after a morning rain or the undulation of the ocean tides. To Hawaiians, Universal knowledge is a collective understanding of life.
What does cultural brilliance mean to you? How has your ancestral backstory influenced your understanding of life?
From Dharamsala, India...
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, was born on July 6, 1935. Dalai Lamas are believed to be enlightened beings who have postponed their own nirvana to serve humanity.
In 1989 he received the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet. In the face of extreme aggression, he advocates for non-violence. He's also the first Nobel Laureate to be recognized for his global environmental concerns.
What would you ask H.H., the 14th Dalai Lama?
From China...
Passed down through generations for 1,300 years, the traditional method of cormorant fishing in China is still practiced today. Using leashes, a fisherman controls up to a dozen birds, perched on high outreached arms with rings around their necks to prevent them from swallowing the fish they catch.
Lanterns suspended over the water from simple bamboo rafts attract the fish, which the cormorants snatch and disgorge for their handler. When they have caught enough fish, the rings are removed so the cormorant can feed. One cormorant can feed an entire family.
What fascinates you about the relationship between human culture and the natural world?
From Morocco...
The small mountain village of Chefehouen, Rif Mountain, Morocco, was founded in 1471 as a base for the Rifian Berber tribes to launch attacks on the Portuguese. The community remained isolated until the 1920's when the Spaniards invaded the town.
The blue dwellings, typical of the village, were introduced by the Jews in the 1930's and replaced the whitewashed buildings with green doors and windows, a traditional Muslim color.
Today, the village is a quiet haven of steep narrow streets, blue lime-washed buildings, small quarters and fountains. A woman swathed in traditional red and white Berber textiles enters her home.
Are you curious about your own cultural evolution? Do you wonder about your ancestral backstory?
From Bagan...
Bagan was the ancient capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady River, southwest of Mandalay.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, Bagan became a truly cosmopolitan centre of Buddhist studies, attracting monks and students from as far as India, Sri Lanka as well as the Thai and Khmer kingdoms. In 1287, the kingdom fell to the Mongols. The city declined as a political centre, but continued to flourish as a place of Buddhist scholarship.
The military junta has haphazardly restored ancient stupas, temples and buildings, ignoring original architectural styles and using modern materials which bear little or no resemblance to the original designs.
How do you define cultural loss? What ideas do you have about cultural conservation?
From Myanmar...
The history of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is long and complex. Myanmar is the largest country by geographical area in Indochina. Humans have lived in the region as early as 11,000 years ago.
There are many ethnic groups, the oldest of which are probably the Mon or the Pyu. Theravada Buddhism is intertwined with local elements of spirituality. Theravada literally means, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching," and is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. The history of the region comprises complexities not only within the country but also with its neighboring countries, China, India, Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand.
How does the history of a region impact current culture? How might these views inform the future?
