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.
PALM OF FERONIA
"NATURAL SKINCARE FOR THE SOUL"
Read our exclusive interview with founder, Sophia Harding, as she shares her favourite self-care routines and the benefits to using Palm of Feronia’s eco products
Words: Aleksandra Georgieva
Photography: Palm of Feronia
26 January 2021
If you have ever wondered of ways to improve your skincare routines, look no further for brands that are beneficial to your skin type while also remaining sustainable to the environment. Taking after the Roman goddess of healing, fertility, wildlife, health and abundance, Palm of Feronia is one of the purest skincare brands currently on the market.
Born out of Sophia Harding’s passion for clean and earth-derived products, this small-batch natural skincare brand is all about sustainability, selfcare and transparency of its organic, earth-derived ingredients. Palm of Feronia’s products are also made to connect the brand lovers with nature as their therapeutic qualities generate a positive effect on the physical, spiritual and emotional well-being.
‘‘The brand always had a strong association to ancient gods and goddesses through that affinity with old herbal remedies which were effective for thousands of years.’’
Sophia Harding, founder of Palm of Feronia for NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine
Sophia is also passionate about leading a carbon neutral business and remains far from indifferent to the growing issues surrounding the global ecological collapse. To tackle the climate crisis, Palm of Feronia partners with Ecologi and plants a tree for every purchase. While taking part in the organisation’s CO2 reduction projects, Palm of Feronia’s philosophy also ensures that plastic waste is reduced, all packaging is sustainably sourced and fully biodegradable, product refilling options are available and that a fair wage is paid to everyone involved in their production and supply process.
Read our exclusive interview with the woman behind one of the purest skincare brands on the market. In conversation with NOMADSofORIGIN’s editor-in-chief, Sophia shares insights to her favourite self-care routines and the benefits to using Palm of Feronia’s eco products.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Why did you name your brand after the ancient Roman goddess Feronia and what else inspires your skincare products?
Sophia: A happy accident in some ways! We started out with a different name, but after receiving a cease and desist I had to change it with only a couple of days to do so. The brand always had a strong association to ancient gods and goddesses through that affinity with old herbal remedies which were effective for thousands of years. I spent time fully exploring ancient gods and goddesses and who felt closest aligned to the brand values and Feronia - as the ancient Roman goddess of wildlife, fertility, health, healing and abundance - really stood out!
I also take inspiration from a “feel” or a “moment” and I think the pairing of crystals and essential oils really plays into this as both have such a strong impact on the emotions. I’m such a visual person so when I think of a smell, it’ll make me think of a mood, a colour, a tone, a crystal that would work with it and this is how most of our products begin.
NOMADSofORIGIN: What's the best skincare advice you've been given?
Sophia: I don't think anyone ever told me this, but I’d say it’s the best advice I can give - do what feels best for your skin! I spent over a decade following the advice of so many people when it came to my skin, but I think it’s such an individual thing and you’ll know if something feels right for you. Choose intuitively.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Your products are made from organic, clean and earth-derived ingredients. Why is the sustainable approach so important for your brand?
Sophia: It just wasn’t ever an option to not build in sustainability as a core pillar of the brand, especially in the world we live in today. It’s always a work in progress and making the most sustainable choices certainly has an impact on things like cost and scalability, but it’s at the forefront of every decision I make for the brand. I’m a big believer that little steps in the right direction can build up to a bigger impact!
NOMADSofORIGIN: In your opinion what are the benefits of using eco products instead of non-sustainable skincare brands?
Sophia: Skincare on the whole is an overwhelmingly polluting and non-sustainable industry (Google skincare empties!). When you consider that someone might purchase 3-4 tubs of moisturiser in a year, and if each is made of non-recycled or recyclable plastic, that really builds up. Then when you consider the volume of all products used, it’s a huge amount of waste. Switching to eco-friendly alternatives around the home is, of course, super-important too, but creating a more sustainable skincare routine is an effective place to start!
Whilst, in some circumstances you may pay a little more (for example, glass packaging is more expensive), I’d always advocate for buying less, choosing well and making it last.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Your brand promotes transparency of the ingredients that go in your products. Why do you think is important for consumers to keep track of what makes up cosmetic and skincare products?
Sophia: It’s so easy for big companies to hide toxic ingredients in a long ingredients list and many people just wouldn't spot it, but I don’t think brands should make it that difficult for customers to understand. If you’re not able to shout about it, should it be in there in the first place?
Not only will understanding your ingredients list help avoid allergic reactions or sensitivities, but it will also help you to understand what you’re paying for. I’ve seen super high-end brands fill their products with the equivalent to vaseline and charge £100+.
I feel consumers are becoming much savvier and paying more attention to the ingredients list and there are some brilliant platforms out there to help you understand those ingredients and the safety surrounding them.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Alongside skincare Palm of Feronia is all about self-care. What is your favourite self-care routine to perform at home?
Sophia: A bath, always aromatherapy-infused! For me, a bath is a truly grounding practice and will always help me feel centered and balanced if I’ve had a stressful week.
NOMADSofORIGIN: Your products are cruelty free, vegan and organic where not botanical. Can you share some of the difficulties you face in sustaining your eco approach?
Sophia: One of the hardest things is the cost associated. I’ll always focus on creating effective, sustainable products first and foremost, but unfortunately the cost of organic ingredients can be double or triple that of a non-organic alternative. I am aware that this sets Palm of Feronia at a higher price point and so won’t be suitable for everyone, but I feel the benefits of using organic, sustainable products outweigh the cost.
NOMADSofORIGIN: What's your favourite Palm of Feronia product?
Sophia: This changes frequently and depends on the season. December was an incredibly busy month which meant less time to relax and recuperate, so I’ve been using the Amethyst & Dead Sea Bath Soak whenever possible!
Shop the natural skincare products online
See below the ones we love and follow the brand on social media.
NOMADSofORIGIN x Palm of Feronia
This interview appears in NOMADSofORIGIN Magazine print #04 The Escapism Issue
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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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