Indigenous People

Guest Blog Post: Equines Empowering Women! By Anne Leueen

da-AL Animal Husbandry, Animals, Business, Family, Farming, Gender, Girls, Global, Guest Posts, Happiness, Indigenous People, Mothers, Reblog, Self Esteem, Women

Did you know that owning and caring for a horse or a donkey empowers women? Here blogger Anne Leueen fills us in…

HorseAddict

In the developing world two-thirds of the livestock keepers, that is a total of approximately 400 million, are WOMEN

The Brooke, a charity that focuses on working equines,(horses, donkeys and mules) is a major supporter of the women and of their working equines. The Brooke works in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East reaching over two million working horses donkeys and mules. The Brooke is not a rescue organization but with vets, animal welfare specialists as well as advocacy and development specialists works to improve the lives of working equines and to educate and support their owners.

Photo from Brooke Website

Here is what the Brooke has to say about their work with women.

Owning and caring for equines, alongside earning income from their work, raises women’s social status and recognition in the community. Equines help with household chores, which frees up time for women to participate in…

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Beauty of Brisbane, Australia by da-AL

da-AL Art, Australia, Beauty, Environment, Indigenous Abodes, Indigenous People, Magic, Modern Art, Museums, Painting, Queensland, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacations
Up, down, inside and out, Brisbane is an arty city!

Note: Here in the U.S., ‘museums’ can have art, science, and sometimes both. In the States, ‘galleries’ are just for buying art. However, in Australia, science goes into a museum and art goes into a gallery that maybe sells, maybe doesn’t.

Brisbane, Australia, dazzles the senses indoors and out. Though we only had a day there, several sights were a short walk apart. After meeting some beasts, we strolled to the Queensland Art Gallery (QAGOMA), where there’s sooo much wonderful art!…

“Albert and Vincent” 2014, by Vincent Namatjira is from the north of S. Australia, here with his artist grandfather.
“Dingo Dreaming” 1978, by Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, Pintupi people of Australia.
“Triptych: Requiem, Of Grandeur, Empire” 1989, by Gordon Bennett of Queensland, Australia.
“Untitled (HNDFWMIAFN) 2017, by Daniel Boyd, Dudjla/Gangalu people, Australia.
“Stucco Home” 1991, by Howard Arkley of Victoria, Australia.
“Love a Teacher” 2018, by Simon Gende, Kuman people, born in Papua New Guinea.
“Death Adder” (right), “An Aboriginal family” (top), “The Southern Cross and the Coal Sack (the Wanamoumitja brothers spearing Alakitja)” bottom, 1948, by Groote Eylandt Community, Anindilyakwa people, Australia.
“Majority Rule” 2014, by Michael Cook, Bidjara people, Australia.
“Utopia Panels” 1996, by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Anmatyerre people, Australia.

Brisbane was a wonderful day in our vacation that began New Zealand’s beautiful Auckland / Rotorua / Redwoods / Huka Falls / Craters of the Moon / Waitomo Glowworms Caves / Taupo / Pirongia / and Hamilton Gardens. The second half of our vacation was in Australia, starting with Gold Coast, where we met terrific family, observed these exciting birds — and these too, hiked breathtaking views, enjoyed delicious eats at the beach, saw some wild things and cute things at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, had fun with Rita Rigby, saw soem of the beasts of Brisbane, and enjoyed Sydney this much and that much, as well as the purring there!

What art museum means the most to you?…

Spectacular Views in and Around Gold Coast, Australia by da-AL

da-AL Australia, Beauty, Environment, Family, Hiking, Indigenous People, Languages, Nature, Parks, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacations, Volcanos, Words
Best of all Lookouts, Springbrook National Park.

“Best of All Lookouts,” located on the rim of a 20 million-year-old volcano, is aptly named. Australia has more beauty than one can visit in a lifetime. Fortunately for my husband and me, our family there was generous about sharing many sights near their home in the Gold Coast.

From New Zealand’s Auckland / Rotorua / Redwoods / Huka Falls / Craters of the Moon / Waitomo Glowworms Caves / Taupo / Pirongia / Hamilton Gardens — to Australia’s Tai Chi in Gold Coast / Birds Part 1 / Birds Part 2 / ate a delicious meal on the beach / saw wild things and cute things at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary / had fun with Rita Rigby / met the beasts of Brisbane and the beauty there / enjoyed Sydney this much and that much, as well as the purring there! — our vacation was filled with spectacular beauty.

Near Best of All Lookouts is Purling Brook Falls…

Purling Brook Falls, Springbrook National Park.

and this memorable tree…

Khashayar takes a break in a tree while Rita and I look on.

with remarkable bark…

Tree bark: nature is the ultimate artist.

And this great dictionary…

Terminology sign, Springbrook National Park.

Along the drive there, we stopped to admire Hinze Dam…

To stand in the middle of its road.
And to stop and admire the view.

Further along, we took in views in and around Point Danger, where New South Wales meets Queensland…

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What’s the most unique sight near your city?

Video: Taupo, New Zealand: From a Duckling to Rafting by da-AL

da-AL Adventure, Aggriculture, Animals, Babies, Dogs, Environment, Farming, Indigenous People, Library, New Zealand, Pigs, Rafting, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacations
Taupo Public Library.

At the risk of sounding like I’m getting paid for this (all us bloggers are wealthy, no?) New Zealand truly has everything! We loved urban Auckland, relaxing Rotorua, the stunning Redwoods, amazing Huka Falls, and astounding Craters of the Moon and Pirongia, as well as Hamilton Gardens. (Later in Australia’s Gold Coast, we visited familyand birds of Australia Part 1 of 2 plus Part 2 of 2, then we marveled at the Spectacular Views in and Around Gold Coast, enjoyed a delicious meal on the beach, saw some wild things and cute things at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, had fun with Rita Rigby, met the beasts of Brisbane and the beauty there, and enjoyed Sydney this much and that much, as well as the purring there!

In Taupo, we had great fun! We stayed at Sharon Drinnan’s small family farm cottage (you can reach her at DrinnanClan@Farmside.co.NZ). Sharon was so kind that she even made sure we saw this charmer who’d hatched only hours earlier!…

Can one ever get enough of looking wonderfulnesses that includes a dog as black and cute as mine? This dog belongs to our hostess, Sharon…

After breakfast, we drove into town. On the way — “Stop the car!” I yelled, intending to photograph a mamma pig with her small piggies. She, however, had other plans! Before I knew it, she’d corralled the babies into a far corner, then returned to confront me!…

Don’t mess with Mother Pig.

Anyone who visits Happiness Between Tails knows I adore libraries. Taupo has a great one! (More later about the Pūkana expression on the red Māori sculpture)…

The city of Taupo lies along the shore of Lake Taupo — where we enjoyed a river rafting adventure. We had too much fun to take photos. However, after our adventure, my husband took these photos of me with our river guide, Tau Thompson of Tongariro River Rafting when another river guide photo-bombed us. Those Pūkana expressions we’re making (same as on the library statue). Facial expressions are essential to Māori performance…

What’s your best facial expression?

Guest Blog Post: “Be Bold be Beautiful Be You,” in lisalemuya’s exact words

da-AL Africa, Aggriculture, Animals, Beaches, Boundaries, Celebration, Dance, Environment, Flags, Guest Posts, Happiness, Indigenous People, Kenya, Languages, Nature, Reblog, Sports, Wildlife

How much do you know about Kenya? One of the zillion things I love about blogging is how it makes the world friendlier and smaller. Here lisalemuya shares about her beloved Kenya …

Be Bold Be Beautiful Be you

I have noticed most of my followers are not from my native country and that’s great having different views from all over the world is a breath of fresh air i get to know a bit of their cultures and they can learn a bit of mine.Here it goes…

I come from Kenya a country on the eastern side of Africa

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we are made up of roughly 42 different cultural communities who have different languages(i know crazy but we manage).This makes us diverse and in a way very accommodating, actually if you compare us to our neighbouring countries we are very cosmopolitan. Apart from the 42 tribes we have various other non natives from all over the world we have expatriates  from all over the world who fell in love with the country and decided to be citizens for good .There is a considerable indian population mostly they came to…

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Female Shamans and Art in San Jose, Costa Rica by da-AL

da-AL Adventure, Art, Central America, Costa Rica, Female Shamans, Fine Art, Holidays, Indigenous People, Museums, Music, San Jose, Shamans, Travel, Uncategorized, Women

San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, is a constant hustle bustle of strollers, musicians, shops, and street vendors. Museums feature local artists, past and present. It’s the rare place where you’ll find ancient sculptures of female shamans.

Great facts about Costa Rica

  • Literacy there is 96.3%, among the highest in Latin America. When Costa Ricans abolished their army in 1949, they vowed to replace it, “with an army of teachers.”
  • They elected their first female president in 2010. In Latin America, female presidents are common.

Hover over or click photos for captions and to enlarge them.

Ancient Female Shaman, Costa Rica.
Ancient Female Shaman, Costa Rica.
Ancient Female Shamans, Costa Rica.
Art courtesy of San Jose Museum of Art.
Art courtesy of San Jose Museum of Art.
Art courtesy of San Jose Museum of Art.
Art courtesy of San Jose Museum of Art.
Downtown backstreet, San Jose, Costa Rica.
Downtown street music, San Jose, Costa Rica.

Learn more about Costa Rica here and here.