International Women's Day 2017 | China

The theme for International Women's Day 2017 is "Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030" (#BeBoldForChange).
Globalization, digital innovation and climate change, among other factors, continue to change the world in which we work — posing both challenges as well as opportunities in realizing women’s economic potential for a better tomorrow. 

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The Lisu people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group who inhabit mountainous regions of Myanmar, southwest China, Thailand, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

For untold generations, villagers, young and old, living along the torrent Nujiang, or “Nu River” in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, have used makeshift ziplines to crisscross its banks. Today government-built bridges are quickly replacing their traditional form of mode of transportation.

Traditional dancers of Papua New Guinea

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New Guinea is the world's second-largest island, after Greenland. Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern part the island. The other half belongs to Indonesia. PNG is an archipelago of about 600 islands and 7 million inhabitants.

 

PNG has been an independent country since 1975 and is one of the 53 members of the Commonwealth. So the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by a Governor-General.

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2015 XV Pacific Games - Port Moresby PNG

Konedobu is a suburb of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea.

thx SL!

Selling dades on the Friday Market | UAE

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Souk is Arabic for 'marketplace’. Well known for their bustling atmosphere, eccentric variety and for giving an authentic flavour of Arabic culture.

West Norwegian Fjords: Nærøyfjord | Norway

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Situated in south-western Norway, Nærøyfjord is part of the west Norwegian fjord landscape. In 2005, this spectacular fjord was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with Geirangerfjord, located 120 km from one another. 

Carpet weaving in Ghardaia | Algeria

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Ghardaïa is a city located within the Sahara Desert in northern-central Algeria. The city is part of a pentapolis, a hilltop city amongst four others, built almost a thousand years ago in the M’Zab valley.

The valley has conserved practically the same way of life and the same building techniques since the 11th century. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Oran Olympic complex (2014). The complex covers an area of 106 ha and is dedicated to the practice of several sports disciplines including football, athletics, tennis and cycling.

A group of Yao initiates in Malawi

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Malawi is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa with about 15 million inhabitants. The country is bordered by Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Yao are one of the three major ethnic groups in Malawi. The Yao is are primarily subsistence farmers, growing crops in the savannahs surrounding the lake.

 

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A 2014 Christmas stamp and a stamp part of a set of stamps depicting the Big Five of Africa. 

Island of Pines | New Caledonia

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L'Île-des-Pins is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean.

L'Île-des-Pins is made up of the Isle of Pines, the smaller Kôtomo Island, and several islets around these two, as well as the distant island of Walpole, which is located almost 150 km to the east.

The card is picturing a child performing the traditional Wapan dance.

 

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The ‘stamp’ on the right is pre-printed. 

Valley of a Thousand Hills | South Africa

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The breathtaking Valley of a Thousand Hills is located in South Africa's province of KwaZulu-Natal - the Kingdom of the Zulu.

The area is named after the thousands of hills which tumble down to the mighty Umgeni River, which flows from the distant Drakensberg (dragons mountain) Mountains to the Indian Ocean. The valley has been home to the Zulu people for centuries, with many continuing to practice and live their unique traditional lifestyle.

King Mswati III of Swaziland

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The Kingdom of Swaziland is a landlocked country, located between South Africa and Mozambique. Makhosetive was crowned Mswati III - King of Swaziland on 25th April 1986 at the age of 18. He thus became the youngest ruling monarch in the world.

Mswati III of Swaziland was born on the 19th April 1968 as the second of 67 sons of the elderly King Sobhuza II, and the only child of Queen Ntombi Tfwala, one of the kings 70 wives. Mswati III currently has 27 children from his first 13 wives and wives-to-be.

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Butterflies of Swaziland, issue 1992 as part of a set of 12 stamps (definitives).

The tree stamp is part of a set of 13, issued in 2007 (definitives).

Mind the great airmail sticker!

Guatemala, parque nacional Tikal

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In the heart of the jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one of the major sites of Mayan civilization. Located in Northern Guatemala, Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the Maya civilization.

The ‘Dance of the reindeer’ is an ancient Mayan custom, a story about how humans must learn to respect the natural world and when they don’t nature takes revenge. Once upon a time hunters killed every deer they saw in the forest. The other animals were enraged and chased the hunters far away.

Be careful not to take more from the forest than you absolutely need to otherwise bad things will happen.

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(left) Part of a set of four stamps about legends and myths: El Sombrerón: the man in the large hat.

International Women's Day 2014, Masaai women in Tanzania

International Women's Day has been observed since in the early 1900's, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies. Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. 

Women's equality has made positive gains but the world is still unequal. International Women's Day celebrates the social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further action.

 

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Located in the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which surrounds the Ngorongoro crater, one can find one of the most vivid and proud cultures on this planet: the famous Maasai.

Whereas women all over the world are nowadays in a process of empowering themselves, Maasai women are clearly inferior to the man and have little opportunity for advancement without help.

Read more here: maasai-women.org

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(left) 350th death anniversary of Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640)

(right) Diana, Princess of Wales (1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Masai Shuka

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The Shuka is an African piece of clothing. It is the main garment worn by the Masai, initially made out of animal skins but today cotton is the main material. 

It is a dress-like cloth, traditionally worn wrapped around the body, and over each shoulder. It isn’t specially patterned to fit like this, but is simply a very large square cloth. They are almost always red, and usually have a plaid or striped pattern on them. The patterns are blue, black and purple.

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Part of a set of stamps issued 2011 about grasshoppers of Tanzania. According to the text on the stamp this is mole cricket. But it just doesn’t look like it. 

Carribean traditional dress: miss Wob Dwiyet, Dominica

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Dominica is a lush green mountainous island located midway down the chain of Caribbean Islands east and south of Puerto Rico. The national dress of Dominica is the ‘Wob Dwiyet’.  

The dress is believed to have originated from Southern France and that style of dress became popular in the French West Indies towards the end of the 18th century. Today, Dominicans and other Caribbean islands take pride in wearing the dress on special occasions such the independence celebrations.  

The last Friday before Independence is Creole Day and all Dominicans will wear at least some variation of the national dress.

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Both part of a set of 13 permanent stamps depicting species of lizard found in Dominica: the Golden Skink (left) and  Vincent's Least Gecko (right). 

(Thx a million Olga!)

A Zanzibar Door

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The Zanzibar Archipelago is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania. It consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja (known as Zanzibar) and Pemba. The capital of Zanzibar, located on the island of Unguja, is Zanzibar City. It’s historic centre is known as Stone Town, a World Heritage Site.

 

Most of the houses that can be seen today were built in the 19th century when Zanzibar was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean region. Little has changed in the last 200 years.

It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses with brass-studded, carved, wooden doors. There are more than 500 different examples of this handiwork. 

Thx Steve!

Little miss Keti Koti contest, Suriname

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On 1 July 1863, slavery was abolished in the former Dutch colonies of Suriname and the Dutch Antilles. This ended a period of around 200 years of slavery in these colonies. Keti Koti, meaning 'Broken Chains' in Surinam language, is an annual event to celebrate and commemorate this day.

  

The Netherlands was one of the last countries to abolish slavery in 1863. Although the decision was made in 1848, it took many years for the law to be implemented. Furthermore, slaves in Suriname would be fully free only in 1873, since the law stipulated that there was to be a mandatory 10-year transition.

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(left) The Dusky Parrot is a medium sized parrot that can be found in some South American countries.

(right) The Strawberry Poison Frog
                 
       THX Cheryll!

Maasai jumping dance, Tanzania

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The Maasai are semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats which they follow around seasonally in search of new grazing grounds and water sources.

The Maasai are famous for the “jumping dance” which is called adamu. It is performed when a circle is formed by the warriors, and one or two at a time will enter the center to begin jumping while maintaining a narrow posture, never letting their heels touch the ground.

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Zanzibar attractions Series II, Ngalawa sailing off the Jambian coast. The Ngalawa is a traditional, double-outrigger canoe of the Swahili people living in Zanzibar and the Tanzanian coast. 

A Village Meeting of Masai Women, Tanzania

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The Masai community lives in Ngorongoro District in northeast Tanzania. They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats which they follow around seasonally in search of new grazing grounds and water sources. But their livelihood and way of life are under constant threat because the Tanzanian government does not recognize their land-use rights.

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Migrating Gnus. In 2009 Tanzania issued a set of 18 stamps about wild animals of Tanzania.

A Vietnamese traditional market.

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According to the back of the postcard this is a Hà Tây Country market.  Hà Tây is a former province of Vietnam, in the Red River Delta, now part of Hanoi. 

The traditional market is still the major channel of retail In Vietnam, dating back more than a thousand years since the very first urban areas arose and society went into an organized structure under the rule of dynasties. There are approximately 9000 traditional markets nationwide and up to 80% of all retail sales are conducted through these traditional channels.

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(left) This plant, Plumeria obtusa, is commonly known as Frangipani and is grown for its flowers. In Vietnam the Frangipani is also used for its healing qualities: the bark, mashed in alcohol, prevents skin inflammation, it is also used to treat indigestion and high blood pressure.

(right) Ao Daiis Vietnam's traditional dress, which was first designed over hundred years ago. It finally became Vietnam ladies' current formal dress, usually worn in formal events, festivals and is now a popular uniform for girl students.

Tanzania's Masai Traditional Dancing

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The Maasai are semi-nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats which they follow around seasonally in search of new grazing grounds and water sources.

Traditionally the Maasai have always been a proud and independent tribe. They did not cultivate the land and depend on a cash economy as many of those around them did, rather they lived off the blood, milk and meat that their cattle provided them. 

The Maasai warriors perform “the jumping dance” or “adumu” to mark the “Eunoto” (the coming of age ceremony of the Maasai warriors).

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(left) 350th death anniversary of Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640)

(right) Wild Animals of Tanzania (2010 issue): Elephants.

Sumrema Girl from Southern Ethiopia

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Ethiopia is a land locked country located in the Horn of Africa. Its is the second-most populated nation on the African continent, with over 91,000,000 inhabitants. Ethiopia is one of the oldest sites of human existence.

It is estimated that the Omo Valley is home to over 200,000 tribal people. Suri, also known as the Surma people live in the southwestern plains of Ethiopia.

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The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa.

From a set of 23! stamps, all picturing a Golden-backed Woodpecker.