Sixteen years ago, a group called Tinariwen (the word for “deserts” in the Tamashek language) burst onto the world music scene with a performance at Mali’s Festival au Désert and subsequent performances in Europe. Since that time, the group has served as the unofficial musical ambassadors of the nomadic Touareg people and the “desert blues”, or assouf, music of the…
Editor’s Note: Earlier this month, the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Calgary Chapter hosted a visit from Samuel Wachieni, a Kenyan social entrepreneur. Samuel’s visit was part of EWB’s Kumvana Program – an annual exchange in which top entrepreneurs and leaders from sub-Saharan Africa visit Canada to learn from and share their own experiences with Canadian…
It’s hard to believe we’re already past the halfway point of 2016. As usual, this year has already brought a bounty of must-hear music from all corners of the world. New albums have trickled in from established artists on the world music circuit (such as Fanfare Cicorlia), while new artists are being discovered from countries…
In the West Africa of the 13th and 14th centuries, the reigning Malinke Empire gave rise to a unique societal group called griots. Originating from a handful of families, griots served as storytellers, musicians, and poets to the courts. Essentially, griots acted as troubadours for their societies, passing down collective history, memory, and values to their societies long before the…
2015 has been a great year for world music so far. African bands in particular have had a banner year, with groups from Mali, Niger, and the Congo issuing original music that transcends boundaries. In other parts of the world, collaboration between different traditions has also led to exciting musical discoveries. If you’re looking to…
As we turn the page on the first half of 2015 and the first four months of PineTreeRepublic, we take a look at some of the top news articles of 2015 so far. Each of the journalists in these articles provided an important perspective on some of the year’s most significant developments, and helped further our understanding on the…
The Story Street protests in the central African country of Burundi have grown this past week in response to President Pierre Nkurunziza’s intentions to seek a third presidential term in June, contrary to the country’s constitution. As Geoffrey York reports, at least 17 people have been killed and over 200 people injured in clashes with…
Good morning, PineTreeRepublic citizens! This week’s Front Page News includes the following stories: A set of migrants’ perspectives on the current crisis in the Mediterranean Strikes in Russian factory towns as the country’s economic condition deteriorates To share your thoughts, make sure to check out our Questions to Follow and Pine Poll of the Week! 1. “The…
Good morning Pine Tree Republic citizens! In our Front Page News features, I share 3-5 of the top news stories from the past week and discuss the broader global context in which they occurred. Each post concludes with questions to follow in the coming days and weeks to better understand how today’s news shapes tomorrow’s world. As always,…
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