CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
HUMAN TRACES:
ETHIOPIA
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
THE BALANCE OF FACTS
DESTINATIONS
DESTINATIONS
The Dreamtime, or the Dreaming, portrays the Aboriginal beliefs in spiritual existence. According to the tribes that first settled down in the continent, the Dreaming's roots date all the way back to the very begging of the creation of the world. The meaning and ideology of the term is generally not so well-understood by non-indigenous people as it is referred to as part of the culture of one of the early nations, which differs from modern perceptions.
The Spirits were the creators of everything. They made the land and the seas, the rocks and the plants, the sky and the earth. They were the higher power and the Australian Aborigines spent their lifetimes honoring this power, which guided their path and shaped their way of thinking. Not only creators of everything, which could be seen as well as felt, the Spirits also gave the Aborigines the Dreaming.
The time when everything started existing according to the initial Australians, was called the Dreaming. This is the foundation of the continent's culture. The origin of the Dreaming goes way back - 65 000 years back in time to be exact. The Ancestors of the nation shaped the land, forming some parts of it as sacred. The Aborigines were very careful and overprotective of those places, strongly believing in their significance.
The Australian Aborigines are known to have believed that the world didn't have any shape and was therefore empty. Darkness dominated, and life was simply asleep, but this changed when the creation began happening. After the Dreaming and the influence of the Spirits, objects began taking shapes and came to be. They created the four elements: water, earth, air and fire, as well as all the planets, the Sun and the Moon. The Dreaming therefore is a continuous process, which never ended. It is a small cosmos on its own, unifying the past, present and the future into one.
The Australian Aborigines' home riches so many vivid areas of the continent, including Fraser Island, Tasmania, Palm Island, Groote Eylandt and Mornington Island. The Aborigines had very strong believes in relation to the powers of the land, claiming that they never owned it - it rather owned them. The only reason they were able to call it their home is because they were looking after it and the land was taking care of the people in return.
Equally important to the Dreaming was the tribes' understandings of the disappearance of the Spirits. There came a time, when the creators of everything vanished from sight. Some of them were thought to have started living in sacred places, which is why the Aborigines perceived their homeland to be so sacred. The ancestors of today's Australians used to believe that the creators started living in rocks, in water holes and some went up to the sky to guide the people from above and keep them safe. Others transformed completely, taking the forms of the rain, the lightnings and the thunderstorms so they could be part of peoples' life.
Among the hundred's different Aboriginal languages, there isn't a word to describe 'time', because to them this simply doesn't exist. Dreaming and Dreamtime are used to replace it and summarize the ideologies of the Aborigines about everything they knew, everything they could see, feel and experience. This is why the Dreaming has such a vivid, and overwhelming meaning and has survived the obstacles of time. For the past couple thousand years, the Dreaming has built a rich cultural heritage that can identify a whole nation.
Read more about the Land, its connection to people and the way it has been perceived from different generations in the very first print issue of ORIGIN. The Land Issue covers varied topics, most of which remain related to cultural aspects of the land and its importance.
A lot of people travel to explore places and learn about them which is the message that ORIGIN wants to spread. With traveling, however, comes certain responsibilities that we should all be aware of. Elephants riding has become a popular way to explore locations by land. People have been doing this as part of their trips, mostly to places such as Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia and other parts of Asia. It is a common thing to see in certain places in Africa as well. We investigated the activity to explain why it is wrong and riding elephants should be banned everywhere.
Our first print issue studies culture and traveling represented through the land. We explored various location around the globe and learned what makes the land so valuable, which nations cherish it and how it helps us establish an identity. Traveling is important to us but traveling responsibly and making an impact is what we feel proud to stand behind. This is why riding elephants as a way of amusement should be reconsidered.
Let’s talk about the details. Elephants are very caring and extremely intelligent animals. It is a well-known fact that they never forget anything. When kept in captivity instead of spending their life in the wild, elephants die younger. Unlike in other species, this is common for the gentle giants and is often a result for stress.
Many African cultures respect elephants, believing they symbolize strength, loyalty and power. However, power can be a very tender concept. Elephant used as a tourism tool suffer from great pain daily. Elephants can be hurt very severely from the weight of carrying people and a trainer on their backs. The reason for this is the design of their spines. They have sharp protrusions, extending upwards from their spine instead of having round spinal disks. The protrusions and the tissue that serves to protect them can be harmed easily from weight pressure. Once a damage to their spine has been made, there is no going back and sometimes the harm can be irreversible. While this can’t be physically seen, the harm that the chairs can do to the elephants’ skin is. It is often the case that the chairs and the weight on their back can damage the animal’s skin and cause pain to their body. The chair, called Howdah, that gets attached to their backs, rubs on their skin and can cause blisters, which can sometimes get infected.
The training that elephants are required to go through when in captivity sometimes adopts a traditional Thai ‘phajaan’ or ‘crush’ technique. Explaining the technique would compare it to the animals’ spirits constantly and continuously being broken by the means of torture and social isolation. This is done in order to tame them. Elephants are wild animals, this is their nature as they are born in such conditions. Making them safe and obedient around people requires them to go through such training. As horrible as it sounds, in some places young elephants are taken away from their mothers to be abused with nails, bull hooks and bamboo sticks to make them obey rules, given by people. The animals often lack sleep and are starved to become submissive.
Actions from such nature are cruel and harmful as the technique is used to crash the animals’ spirit. Once wild and free, elephants become a source of tourism and entertainment. Nobody, who cared about sustainable tourism should ever ride an elephant.
In a sense, elephants have a human soul. They socialise and feel everything – pain, happiness, grief, sadness etc. They spend their life building families and finding friends. The largest land animals are a gift from nature and it is our responsibility to take special care of them and make sure they live according to their nature. Many animals, who are kept in captivity, are forced to live in isolation and carry heavy loads all day long, which is a wrong way to treat them. Their strength and power shouldn’t be abused but treated gently and celebrated by people. Elephants require minimal care to stay happy and healthy, which comes from giving them freedom to behave naturally and socialise. It is our responsibility to be culturally aware while traveling and make sure to spread awareness about the problem.
You can read the rest of the article as published in the LAND issue.
AURA HOUSE
AN ECO BAMBOO PARADISE
NOMADSofORIGIN’s editor-in-chief Emily Georgieva spoke with the team of Aura House about sustainability in architecture, the art of pushing innovation forward and the elegance of this bamboo masterpiece
If you are looking into booking a holiday in Bali and want to experience an eco-stay in the Asian oasis, we present to you Aura House. The villa has stolen the hearts of numerous guests. Photographers, influencers and supermodels such as Victoria Secret Angel Jasmine Tookes, are among those to have enjoyed a stay there. Located half an hour south of Ubud, the villa offers guests many comforts including their own privacy combined with the opportunity to connect with the surrounding nature. Standing at your very own terrace and drinking your morning coffee, you could be overlooking the magnificent jungle forest in the near distance. Aura House is a postcard-like place of splendour that will have you feeling as if you are living in a jungle fairy tale.
Possibly our favourite thing about the eco villa is its wild side. Although guests experience top-notch luxurious stay, they can also get to know Bali from a local rather than a tourist point of view. Aura House is part of the Green Village ecosystem – a community of individuals with the same values and a passion to educate more people about sustainable living. This is where Bali unwinds before your eyes – guests can see how locals use the gifts of nature to create beautiful spaces and bring the idea of sustainability as a lifestyle to new horizons.
The team of Aura House has created a space that helps guests detach from their day-to-day life so they can focus on their wellbeing whilst in Bali. The space surely makes this process a pleasure. A stay in the house is an amazing experience that one simply can’t forget. You can craft your stay according to your liking. Experience private yoga sessions or Balinese massages and finish off the day with open-air dining at the Ibu Kadek restaurant.
“During your stay in an innovative architecture masterpiece, we want you to be able to improve your wellness, experiment eco-living and develop your ecoskills.”
Aura Hose's team for NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
Upon arrival guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast on the first morning of their stay. The villa offers each guest access to two bedrooms equipped with king-sized beds, WiFi, parking, pool that reveals a view of the jungle and a kitchen that brings extra touch of comfort to the place. An isolated paradise, this villa combines everything a modern traveller needs – sustainably created space, effortless luxury, exclusive privacy and the opportunity to get to know Bali’s wild side.
This eco bamboo villa is not just visually stunning, it is also an architectural masterpiece. The founders teamed up with IBUKU to work on the design of the villa. Locally grown Asper bamboo was used in the construction. The material was not chosen without a reason. The strength, longevity and renewability of the bamboo made it the preferred choice for the villa – it is equally beautiful and ground-breaking. Aura House is a forward-thinking architectural innovation showcasing the graceful craftsmanship that people can achieve when working with sustainable resources.
We asked the team of Aura House about what inspired them to start the project, what the villa means to them and their take on sustainability.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Aura House’s encourages people to connect with nature. Is this an important part of the guests’ experience and why?
AH: It is important for our guests to connect with nature. They come to Bali for this specific purpose.
NOMADSofORIGIN: It seems that preserving the authentic characteristics of the area, such as the wildlife and environmental habitat around Aura House, is important for you. Do you think this is the future of travelling – exploring destinations with a mindset of preserving nature?
AH: We believe in sustainable tourism and try to show that it can be a credible alternative to classic tourism.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Aura House is made from locally grown Asper Bamboo. Do you believe that using sustainable materials should be adopted by more guesthouse architects around the world?
AH: Yes, we believe bamboo is a sustainable material and should be used more often - especially in places where it grows naturally.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Based on testimonials people seem to adore the house and everything it has to offer. What do you think guests take away from the experience of staying at Aura House?
AH: I think our guests love the experience of living in the jungle in a beautiful house connected with the surroundings. I believe they also love Green VIllage, and its philosophy.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Can you sum up in a sentence what Aura House means to you?
AH: In a nutshell, we couldn't be more proud to be the owner of Aura House!
Book your stay at this eco-savy 3 storey bamboo paradise and experience a luxurious stay like no other in the heart of Bali.
NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine reccomends:
must visit spots around AURA HOUSE
The Kul Kul Farm – take a workshop in this out-of-this-world beautiful farm and learn essential skills about gardening, growing wholesome food and even bamboo building. You will have the chance to talk to and learn from masters of their crafts who wish to spread the idea of sustainable living further.
The Green School – the school is dedicated to encouraging children to use their imagination and learn in natural environment. They are thought about nature and the importance of sustainability. Since it was founded by the Hardys in 2006, the school has worked with 400 students and has become a pioneer changemaker in the sustainability ideology.
The surrounding neighbourhoods – locals live in harmony with nature. This area of Bali represents the importance of connecting with nature and co-existing with it. Locals are respectful of everything nature gives them and use it to fuel the narrative of remaining mindful about eco-living.
The Ayung River – the river is part of the scenery but also a source of live. It is not just respected, but locals have also altered their communal areas around it to learn from nature and allow it to become part of their everyday life.
Bamboo U – the Bamboo U takes participants on day trips to the Bamboo Factory. Experts in their fields talk more about the future of architecture and explain how sustainability has become the core in the process of building anything in the area. Participants get insider knowledge on architectural techniques and alternative ways of building.
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NOMADSofORIGIN is an independent annual publication with a focus on sustainable travelling and global cultural values. Each issue features interviews, engaging articles and photo guides, which take our nomadic readers through different destinations and introduce them to local people's perspectives.
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