Stories about Arts & Culture from September, 2010
Nigeria: This Bitch of a Life Tour
This Bitch of a Life Tour in Nigeria: ““Fela: This Bitch of a Life” is a moving account of Fela, told from the inside. During his stay in Nigeria, Carlos will read from the book, discuss Fela and his times with Very Special Guests…”
Japan: Pachinko, a legal gambling game
A blogger at theJapaneseTutor.com shortly explains [en] what pachinko [en] is and why this gambling game is legal in Japan.
Morocco: “Why Belle is a Peace Corps Volunteer”
A blog meme is making the rounds amongst female Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco; though neither of the bloggers who posted the meme disclosed its origins, both women say that they relate to it. The meme in question? "Why Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, is actually a Peace Corps Morocco volunteer."
Iran: The Art and Design of the ‘Green Movement’
“Where is my Vote” is an exhibition of 150 political posters for the Green Movement in Iran that was on display at the School of Visual Arts in New York by graphic artists from around the world in support of the protests in Iran that followed the 2009 presidential election.
Egypt: “The Inevitable Mubarak Photoshopping Contest”
In its coverage of the 2010 Peace Talks–the latest round of direct negotiations between leaders from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and the US, Al Ahram newspaper used Photoshop skills to place Mubarak at the front and center in the lineup of heads of states. Bloggers take the cue to launch their own Mubarak Photoshopping Contest!
UK: Interview With Donald Newholm On ‘History of USSR’ Tetris Song
A Good Treaty interviews Donald Newholm of Pig With The Face Of A Boy about the band's popular song, “A Complete History of the Soviet Union As Told By A Humble Worker, Arranged To The Melody Of Tetris” (the YouTube video to this song has been viewed over 500,000 times).
Hungary: “Roma Reports”
“Roma reports” at Pestiside.hu: a video about a “Roma fashion show” recently held in Budapest; and a Romanian Roma music video that “seems to have… borrowed quite a bit” from a Hungarian Roma music video.
Iran:Facebook for Art
Iranian artists have launched Iran's first ever contemporary art competition on the social networking website, Facebook.
Music: CD Brings together banned and censored musicians
Listen to the Banned is a music CD bringing together musicians who have been banned, censored or imprisoned due to their music. It features artists from Afghanistan, Cote D’Ivoire, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, Turkey, Uighurstan and Zimbabwe.
Trinidad & Tobago: Parang Time
Simply Trini Cooking blogs about Parang – “one of Trinidad and Tobago's folk music that seems in a remarkable way to stay true to its original form” – here and here.
Uruguay: A Weekend Celebrating the Country's Heritage
Every year, Uruguayans dedicate a whole weekend to remember their heritage during the so-called “día del Patrimonio” (Heritage Day); they attend different cultural events and visit historic sites and venues. To commemorate the weekend, Todo Por la Misma Plata [es] shares three videos of Uruguayan musicians.
Russia: Lost and Found in Translation
Poemless posts a follow-up to her earlier entry about the contemporary Russian literature available in English.
South Korea:Korea Won the U-17 Women’s World Cup
South Korea won the U-17 Women's World Cup for the first time.Korea’s online media Pressian[kr] focused on women team’s humble beginning; it started out to boost cultural exchanges with North Korea, and the player's quality was an optional matter. In 1990, it lost to Japan by 13-1 and to North...
Russia: Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” Song
A Good Treaty writes about and translates Sergei Shnurov's “Khimki Forest” song, “an obvious satire of liberal-leaning musicians prone to activist art.”
China: Tibetan writer awaiting trial
An update in the case of imprisoned writer Tagyal and the latest hit single from hip-hop group Green Dragon are among the stories in Dechen Pamba's roundup of the Tibetan blogging scene at High Peaks Pure Earth.
Lebanon: March to Save Beirut’s Architectural Heritage
“Beirut used to be a city of gorgeous mansions and gardens and now it has become a boring heap of high-rises and construction projects,” said Yvonne Sursock Cochrane, 88, founder of the Association for Protecting Natural Sites and Old Buildings in Lebanon. Around 150 Lebanese men and women marched late...
India: Tips For Eating At An Indian Buffet
Anirban takes a hilarious look at the proper way to eat at an Indian buffet.
South Korea:Soap Opera Fans Damaging Traditional Constructions
The Jeonju Hanok village is a treasured tourism spot where hundreds of traditional houses are preserved. A famous historical soap opera is being filmed there, and its fans have molested the village by scribbling the character's names on the wall with permanent marker pens, making people frawn at these photos...
Trinidad & Tobago: Dat is Mas
Repeating Islands notes that “‘Mas Man Peter Minshall’ has won the prestigious Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at The New York International Film Festival.
Angola: Meet the Country Through its Windows
Uma janela aos domingos [A window on Sundays, pt], is a series of weekly posts featuring photos from Angolan windows with stories told by their authors. As Gabriel Toureg explains, “it's a way to know more about the country, its culture, remote locations, architecture and people of Angola”.
Latvia: Translation of Rainis’ 1929 Article
All About Latvia translates an article on “the process of convergence” between ethnic Latvians and Latvia's Jews, Russians and Germans, written by Latvian poet and politician Rainis hours before his death on Sept. 12, 1929.
