Stories about Arts & Culture
Sevdah: The perfect marriage of preservation and innovation
Sevdalinka (also known as sevdah) is the folk musical expression characteristic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has taken deep roots in the musical cultures of several other Western Balkans countries.
How China is trying to turn Xinjiang from concentration camp into tourist paradise
Overall, the accelerated and intensified assimilation program appears to have worked, and the authorities seem to have loosened the reins.
Romani language edition of the Dikan comics published in Serbia
The latest two issues of popular Serbian magazine Politikin Zabavnik include inserts with the comics Dikan, for the first time in Serbian and Romani.
Serbian movie about Roma singer become a hit in several Balkan countries
Biographical movie dramatizing the life and career of Džej Ramadanovski, a Serbian singer of Romani ethnicity, has achieved commercial success in several neighboring Balkan countries.
Kyrgyzstan’s unsung heroes get recognition through street art
The Kadam project is an example of an initiative by individuals who are passionate about bringing social change via creative means.
Central Asia’s unique tradition of singing during Ramadan keeps evolving
Jaramazan’s growing popularity has taken it to restaurants, parks, roads, and offices, where it is performed by professional singers, small children, and youngsters alike.
Arabs in Hollywood: Savage, evil, barbarians
Shaheen wondered whether there existed an unwritten law that Hollywood must portray Palestinians as irrational and evil, while depicting all Israelis as rational and righteous.
From entertainment to rebellion: The various roles music has played in Tanzania's history
Music has played various roles in Tanzania, from serving as entertainment to acting as an educational, politicizing, and unifying force.
The slow but steady erosion of India’s civil society
While India has a rich, vibrant, and ideologically diverse political and civil society landscape, the state's systemic crackdown on dissenters and NGOs is becoming increasingly concerning.
Solving the invasive aquatic weeds problem in Nepal
Water hyacinth, an invasive Amazonian species, clogs Nepal's waterways, suffocating native flora and blocking essential nutrients for aquatic life. A Nepali handicraft collective creatively repurposes its fibre for household items.
A farming community's fight for land and legacy in Sri Lanka
A story of resilience and resistance emerges in the struggle between farmers and the authorities in Uva Province over a land-grab of maize fields for a proposed sugarcane factory.
Half a century after first flight, Trinidad & Tobago Carnival designer Peter Minshall's seminal hummingbird continues to bring joy
"It is monumental to underline that art coming out of Carnival and performance is equal to what is considered contemporary art.”
Creating digital collage in Uzbekistan: Interview with artist Oyjon Khayrullaeva
Uzbekistan is known for its Silk Road architectural gems often presented in a traditional way. But young Uzbek artists are claiming this heritage in a new way to create striking art.
Brian Heap, a generous teacher and inspiring figure in Jamaican theater, dies at age 73
"He had the ability to incorporate ordinary details of Jamaican culture in his work and to turn the ordinary into something special."
The song about Belarusian migrants, ‘Can I Come with You,’ has become an anthem for homeless animals. Where did it come from?
The song "Can I Come with You" has gone viral on Russian language TikTok: users of the social network are sharing stories about homeless animals set to the song.
Chad as a literary territory: Interview with francophone novelist Nétonon Noël Ndjékéry
Chad is a pivot country between North and Central Africa. It is rarely covered as a place of literature, thus Global Voices interviewed francophone novelist Nétonon Noël Ndjékéry.
How Tanzanian artists are leading the musical renaissance in Africa
While digital platforms have helped grow the market and reach of music for African and in particular Tanzanian music, there are genuine concerns about monetization and loyalties.
‘Game changer': A Kenyan radio station is reviving a dying Indigenous language
The radio station, Sogoot, which in the Indigenous language Ogiek means 'leaves,' broadcasts in Ogiek from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, educating and giving direction to thousands in its community.
Nigerian artist Sor Sen explores the ‘connectedness between humans and trees’
"When I see branches of a tree clustered, the intricacies, the manoeuvres and general structural organization, it reminds me of the somewhat chaotic nature of the human condition."
Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
According to the film’s director Ruslan Akun, its main goal is encouraging people to be merciful towards each other and do good deeds.
Deepfakes and the risks from the growing use of video fraud
" ... [T]he truth is on the edge of "death" because, with the increase of deepfakes in circulation, it will be more and more difficult to understand what the truth is."