Wangari Maathai, "Hummingbird" for Environmental Justice

"Kuishi kwingi ni kuona mengi.""To live long is to experience much." Wangari Maathai exemplified a kind of experience and life-long commitment to social and environmental justice that was tremendously inspiring to activists the world over. She passed away this week at the age of 71. In honor of her visionary work, which won her the Nobel Peace Prize, watch this PBS documentary on her life and work. Her vision and commitment have inspired a whole generation of activists in Kenya, Africa and around the globe.

Watch the full episode. See more Independent Lens.

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Muthoni the Drummer Queen -Mikono Kwenye Hewa

This chune got kinda of a garage feel to it. I like.

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Khadja Nin -- Sambolera Mayi Son

Arise Magazine put me on to this beautiful song from Burundi's Khadja Nin. Enjoy!

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Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Zayed Mosque

post fajr prayer photos.

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Capital Talk: Interview w/ K'naan on His Trip to Somalia

Great interview with K'naan talking about the future of Somalia.

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Salalah-Maqam of Nabi Imran

Depending on who you ask, Imran is either 1) the father of Moses or 2) the father of Mary. Either way, his maqam is in the heart of the town of Salalah and so it was relatively easy to find. My friend dropped me off in front, and I went into the mosque, prayed Asr, listened to the post-Asr lecture, and then went and read some Quran at Imran's grave. Waves of Pakistani, Indian, and Bengali families kept pouring in to circnambulate the grave, kissing the flowers piled on either end and at intervals along the grave, which stretched the length of a narrow room.

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Salalah-Maqam of Nabi Ayub (Job)

Up in the mountains around Salalah is a mosque compound containing the grave (supposedly) of Nabi Ayub. Christians will recognize him as Job, the Biblical prophet who endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of Satan and still refused to curse or deny God. In the Bible, Job is an existential book that ultimately affirms faith in an ultimate Creator. The Quran mentions his name on numerous occasions, including this ayat:

(21:83)"And (remember) Ayub, when he cried to his Lord, "Truly distress has seized me, But Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are Merciful."

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Salalah--Monsoon

Took a two day trip by bus to Salalah at the end of Ramadan. From June to September everything in Salalah is intensely green, and the weather resembles Seattle Washington, Cape Town, South Africa in winter, or Arusha, Tanzania. Misty cool wet weather with DENSE fog cupping the mountains around the town. The Omanis love it; they come here in droves every khareef season to soak in this uncommon (for Oman) weather. You'll find them camped on the side of the road or rowing boats in the wadis. But since it was Ramadan, there were far fewer tourists of any kind, and so I mostly had the wadis to myself.

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India and South Sudan: Potential Areas of Cooperation | Gateway House

India and South Sudan: Potential Areas of Cooperation | Gateway House

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