Tag Archives: europe

in english

Precolumbian art exhibitions in Europe

I’m very glad to see that there is a number of Mesoamerican precolumbian art exhibitions doing the rounds in Europe during the past years. At least there are initiatives to educate them about the existence of ancient civilisations such as the Aztecs or the Mayas.

Masters of Precolumbian Art
In Brussels

Maya Exhibition in Helsinki
In Helsinki

The most amazing exhibition I saw outside of the Americas on this subject was the Aztecs exhibition in Berlin (which was also in London and Tokyo). However, if you are really interested in these two civilizations, there is no better option than going to the National Anthropology Musem in Mexico City for a concise view. You can also visit the different ruins in the country if you want to have a better idea of how did they live, like Chichén Itzá or Teotihuacán.

Pyramid at Chichén Itzá

in english

The Islamic influence in Europe

Ramadan is widely celebrated near my school. Walking down the streets you find a lot of women with headscarves and other protective clothing. There is talk about agreeing on some sort of European Islam, but the Muslim world itself is torn between tradition and modernity, religiousness and secularism, and the Muslims here have to deal with an unfamiliar (and I guess sometimes threatening) environment. I can only start guessing what goes through their heads when their bazaar is next to the red light district of Brussels, for example. I hope that there is some sense in all parties involved in these discussions, as these are trying times for us all.