Anthropology

The terminology, economic roles, spiritual roles, sexuality, and modern roles of berdaches in Native America cultures. Includes photos and videos of historical and modern berdaches.

One day after my wife and I purchased a new SUV in Thailand, we decided to get it blessed by a Buddhist monk. In this article, I explain why the vehicle was blessed and then describe the interesting ritual involved.

This interview was done in 2015, when I visited Felix Padel, famous anthropologist and the great-great grandson of Charles Darwin, in Odisha

The lore of mead, honey, and bees in the ancient insular Celtic lands.

Death can be a celebration of life, or a means to help the soul pass. Everyone has their own way to deal with grief. This article explores how cultures around the world handle death.

So much faith and perfection is put into these ceremonies that even one slip of the tongue in a recitation, one omission of a word, one stumble in a dance, can discredit the performer and bring misfortune for the entire village and a failed crop for the year.

Who were the Neanderthals? Were they related to us? How were they different from us?

Ghana has myths ingrained in its society and directs the way of life and behavior of its people. Some of these myths have evidence to back them up and serve as sacred and tourist attraction sites.

Handfasting is common practice in Neopagan circles. Many believe this practice dates back to the pagan Celts, but does it really?

The archetypal Trickster God shows up around the world in most mythologies bringing with them a strange ability to switch sexes whenever their mood suits them. What can this teach us about the now?

Japan's association with the land and its peasant classes has been an element which has defined Japanese identity, but was constructed rather than organic to Japan.

The art of traditional tattooing nearly died out among the Hawaiians. But it has been reborn. Join me on a journey through the history of tattooing and my quest to receive a tattoo from Keli'i Makua.

The pine is a genus of tree which has meanings and symbolism all around the world. Cultural and religious meanings of the pine tree and various facts about the great pine.

The curious cultural differences between the English and the Dutch . Bizarre, strange,puzzling and just plain odd goings on in two very civilised countries.

Cave paintings of Lascaux are some of the earliest visual demonstrations of art created by people living in the Paleolithic era.

In August 2014, our home in Thailand was blessed by nine Buddhist monks. After examining why homes are blessed, this article describes the ceremony conducted in the presence of family and friends.