In North India, the festival of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on full moon in the Hindu month of Shravana (July-August).

In this, the sister ties a rakhi (holy thread) on the right wrist of her brother. In turn, the brother gives her a gift and promises to look after her. They both offer sweets to each other.

Those who don’t have a brother can confer ‘honorary’ status of brother on a man by tying a rakhi. One of the better-known stories about rakhi is of a queen of the small kingdom of Chittor. Her kingdom was threatened by the Sultan of Gujarat. She promptly sent off a rakhi to the Emperor of India, Humayun. The emperor, now her ‘brother’, rode in with his army to help his ’sister’ in distress.

Sister Puts Vermillion Tika on Brother

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“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” - Pope John Paul II

Poland has had the unfortunate luck of being sandwiched between the Russian, German/Prussian, and Austro-Hungarian empires during its history. Poland was partitioned three times by these empires, and was absent from the European map for a 123-year period, until 1918. Poles have been coming to the USA at least since the first partition (1772), evidenced by the American Revolutionary War (1776) hero Casimir Pulaski, who has two holidays, one in Illinois (Casimir Pulaski Day), and a US federal holiday (General Pulaski Memorial Day) dedicated to him.

The majority of Polish immigration to the United States came in 3 distinct waves: 1850-1920 during the partitions; post-World War II and during the communist takeover of Poland in the late 1930’s through late 1940’s; and in the 1980’s after the imposition of martial law in Poland (1981). It was after the November Uprising (1830-1831), an ultimately unsuccessful armed rebellion against the Russian Empire, the first known group of Poles made their way to Chicago.

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Aboriginal Flag

Artist Harold Thomas, a Luritja man from central Australia, designed the Aboriginal flag symbolising race and identity. It was first flown in 1971 on National Aboriginal and Islander Day in Adelaide, South Australia.

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My feet were killing me. My legs were practically devoid of feeling. Even my hip joints hurt. I was beyond tired but the thought of seeing the Basilica in all its glory kept me going. That, and a touch of pride too.

My group and I had joined tens of thousands of people from all walks of life in the biggest and most popular display of Christian faith in Argentina, the Peregrinación Juvenil -a 67 kilometre long trek from Buenos Aires to the sleepy town of Luján, home of the eponymous Basilica and the statue of Our Lady of Luján, the country’s patroness.

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Eisa is a dance unique to Okinawa Prefecture. Similar, in some ways, to the dances performed during Obon (An ancestor worship event in mainland Japan), Eisa may be seen anytime, year-round in Okinawa.

The photos below were taken on August 14, 2010 at an Eisa Matsuri (Festival) in Kin Village, my hometown. This time of year there’s a Festival going on somewhere every weekend and I attend as many as possible, sometimes two or three a day.

Traditionally all the performers had to be single men and women between the ages of 20 and 29. Over the past few years it has been difficult to find enough dancers to fill the Eisa Groups so, today many of the participants are married and in their thirties.

For now, I’ll let the photos and captions tell the story and introduce you to some of the characters.

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Do you have a lucky charm? Do you avoid calla lilies? Do you believe that to spill salt brings bad luck?

If you do, this article is for you. Here’s a round up of superstitions from different countries sent in by our contributors around the world:

Australia

Rebecca Kinsella wrote:

Australian Indigenous people believe in The Dreaming, a time when the Ancestral Beings moved across the earth, creating the animals, plants, rock formations and features of the landscape. Indigenous stories of creation are founded in Dreamtime myths and the supernatural. They form an integral part of Aboriginal spirituality, and in some areas there are separate beliefs for men and women.

Many Indigenous Australians are very superstitious people, and their connection with the land leads them to believe certain animal spirits can harm people. One belief is that killing a willy-wagtail bird makes the bird’s spirit angry; creating storms of violence that can kill people.

Willy-wagtail

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Central Asian bazaars are a place to buy all kind of goods from food to clothes, electronics and other household items.

Sons of Hedin invites us to look around Osh bazaar in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan:

“Osh bazaar is the largest of the city’s three markets, and consists of indoor and outdoor sellers. Individuals travel from distant villages selling livestock, local foodstuffs, and fresh vegetables. Fragrant spices and vibrant produce paired with calls of anxious sellers makes Osh Bazaar an unforgettable experience.”

Apricots and other dried fruit

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