Culture Centric

“Culture makes people understand each other better. And if they understand each other better in their soul, it is easier to overcome the economic and political barriers. But first they have to understand that their neighbor is, in the end, just like them, with the same problems, the same questions.”
–Paulo Coelho

Steamed buns of AsiaMay 13, 2021
Mantou, soft steamed buns, originated in Northern China. Through trade and conquest, this recipe reached all of Asia, with each country enjoying it in its own way.
Varanasi – a spiritual and a sensory overloadMay 9, 2021
Varanasi, also known as Banaras, Benares, or Kashi, is located on the banks of the river Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the world, with evidence of settlements dating back to 1800 BCE. This city holds high regard for Hindus, Jains,…
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Enormous lip plates of the Suri and Mursi women- beautiful or scary?April 30, 2021
Along the Omo River valley in Ethiopia, one can find the women sporting enormous lip and ear plates. This unusual beauty standard of theirs has made them a popular tourist attraction. Mursi and Suri people live an egalitarian agro-pastoral life. Yet many of their girls readily decide to plug their lower lip with clay plates…
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