Hello!
This week I’m a bit scatterbrained so I’m just going to share the things of interest I’ve collected during the week.
How 'bout that election, eh?
I’m still riding high on the schadenfreude of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping mixup.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Artsakh, the disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan and this week Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a peace treaty, which included ceding land corridors that linked Armenia to the region. This has enraged Armenians, who then stormed the parliament.
This week is NAIDOC week in Australia, a week that celebrates and raises awareness of Indigenous Australians and their cultures. See more on their Instagram.
SBS has compiled stories written by First Nations writers and you can find them here.
I love this and wish I sent more letters: Australia Post encourages use of traditional place names following campaign led by Gomeroi woman.
News came out this week that researchers have found that native Australian grasses could be farmed for grain that’s not only more nutritious than wheat, but is gluten free, too. This revelation comes 200 years later than it should have, but I’m excited to see what happens next.
In enraging news, the Australian government voted against flying the Aboriginal flag in parliament during NAIDOC week in another show of their colonial simping (sorry to use a colloquial term but I think it fits).
Meanwhile, in Canada, First Nations people have had a victory this week in securing the largest holdings in shellfish licences and quotas in Canadian fisheries. "This is a transformational opportunity for the Mi'kmaq to become significant participants in the commercial fishery through the investment in existing infrastructure, management expertise, and a global market presence." said Chief Terry Paul, Membertou First Nation.
In Japan, the deer that roam the streets of Nara have changed their habits due to the decrease in tourists during the pandemic — some leaving city life behind and relocating to the forests.
Also in Japan (and Taiwan) there is growing popularity around Halloween, but instead of spooky costumes, they celebrate mundanity. See a full list of costumes here.
The YouTube channel that finally caught my attention this week is TwoSetViolin. Two professional Australian violinists, Brett and Eddy, have thrown their energy into making classical music approachable and fun. They’ve had the channel for years and have interviewed and featured some of the most accomplished new talent in the world. The video that got me hooked was the one where they listen and react to 'controversial' 2020 pop song WAP by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. The song is renowned for its hyper-sexual lyrics told from a very female perspective, so the comedy here is the two music nerds keeping a straight face and speaking about the music professionally throughout.
And that’s me done for this week.
Back to the regularly scheduled program next time.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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