The Last Dance – An Open Letter To Ali Sadpara

(اردو میں پڑھنے کے لیے نیچے سکرول کریں) Dear Ali bhai, I’ll never forget the only time I saw you. It was at the Value of Life event in Islamabad a few months ago, but it feels like yesterday. As soon as our eyes met, I waved to you from the audience seats. You placed … Read more

Grass Dancer

This particular drum I have here is made out of a buffalo. We never harm an animal to make our instruments. We never harm an animal to make our outfits. We never take feathers from a bird that’s alive unless it comes off a nest and falls to the ground. Then we put down tobacco … Read more

Navajos

Today, some 2 million Native Americans inhabit the United States, making less than 1% of the country’s population. There are 567 federally recognised Indian tribes, each with its own history and culture. Another 150 tribes are currently petitioning for federal recognition. Since the arrival of Spaniards, about 200 tribes have gone extinct. Today, the tribes … Read more

The Dance of Flyers

[stag_dropcap font_size=”80px” style=”normal”]A[/stag_dropcap]s I stepped down from the bus, my head spun like a top. I barely managed to stay on my feet. I had just finished a tour of a tequila factory where I was invited to taste the samples, but that proved too much for me. This town is so well known for … Read more

Alejandro The Dancer

The cathedral square in San Cristobal de Las Casas is a popular spot for both residents and visitors. Friends and families come here to pass time; couples lie in each others’ lap; indigenous women with babies on their backs and handicrafts in their arms walk all day long from one person to another and plead … Read more