Wiser World

A brief historical and cultural recap of Hawaii, for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this incredible place. For additional resources, head to our Patreon.

*Corrections: Despite best efforts, I mispronounced some words in this episode and want to correct them here—most I did not pronounce the glottal stop that comes with the apostrophe: Kaho’olawe = Kah-ho-oh-la-vay; Moloka’i = Mo-lo-ka-ee; Lana’i = La-na-ee; ukulele = oo-koo-lay-lay; song=Mele; chant=oli pronounced oh-lee; Kalākaua = ka-lā-cow-ah (emphasis on lā); Liliʻuokalani=Lee-Lee-ooh-oh-ka-la-nee. My apologies. 

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Sources used in making this episode. Special thanks for Rachel Cox for her assistance in research for this episode, the McQuiveys for insights, and Kailea for help with pronunciation. 

Transcript for this episode.

For more information on Wiser World: 

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Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

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Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

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A brief history and cultural recap of Spain, for travelers and non-travelers who want to learn more about this incredible country.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

Sources for this episode. Special thanks for Rachel Cox for her assistance in research for this episode. 

Transcript for this episode.

For more information on Wiser World: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a basic foundational view of the government systems, designed for non-experts who need a refresh.  *Correction: The United States is more correctly defined as a Constitutional Republic, as the Constitution does serve as the supreme law of the land. While it does have democratic processes, the Constitution plays a more powerful role in the United States than I explained in this episode.

Vocab words explained in this episode: 

- Anarchy

- Democracy: Direct Democracy, Republic, Constitutional Monarchy 

- Autocracy: Absolute Monarchy, Dictatorship, Totalitarian Dictatorship 

- Oligarchy 

- Theocracy 

Transcript for this episode.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

For more information on Wiser World: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a basic foundational view of the economic ideologies designed for non-experts who need a refresh. When a person calls themselves a communist, or a socialist, or a capitalist, what does that even mean? What are the basic foundational principles behind each economic ideology? Why does understanding these systems at even just a basic level matter so much? I take these complex economic systems and make them approachable in this episode on Communism, Socialism, and Capitalism. 

Transcript for this episode.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

For more information on Wiser World: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode covers a few unique religious and nonreligious Easter traditions throughout Europe. Grateful to my friend, Michal Novovesky, for sharing a tradition from his home country of Slovakia. If you learn something from this episode, please consider sharing it, and reviewing the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Transcript for this episode.

Links for Visuals: 

Slovakian Tradition of Water and Whips (Video)

Pysanky - Ukrainian Painted Eggs (Article) 

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Seville, Spain (Video) 

Easter Egg Traditions in Europe (Video)

Holy Fire - (Live Video) 

Special thanks to friends Dallin and Whitlie for help with pronunciation and extra tips on Ukrainian Easter, and Emily for help with German pronunciation.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

For more information on Wiser World: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, my guest, Shahnila Ahmad (from @bravemuslimparents on Instagram) does a wonderful job of explaining the basics of the holy month of Ramadan. This episode is specifically designed for those who know relatively little about this special month for Muslims around the world. 

My guest, Shahnila Ahmad, is a Muslim American who grew up in Michigan and moved to California where she has lived for the last 20 years. She has an MBA in Healthcare management as was a Sr. Consultant for the largest HMO in the country. She quit corporate America to focus on family and kids. She is now a homeschool mom of four children, and a Parent Mentor. She has over 15 years of experience with youth. Shahnila is the founder of Brave Muslim Parents where she equips and empowers today’s Muslim parents to raise resilient kids. On her IG page (@bravemuslimparents) she talks about everyday parenting challenges to taboo topics and how to tackle that with a faith mindset. She is a devout American Muslim. Feel free to connect with her on IG @bravemuslimparents. 

Vocabulary to know: 

Qur'an: word of God (Allah) & a miracle 

Iftar: breaking fast meal at sunset

Sahoor: Recommended pre-dawn meal 

Mosque: holy place of worship 

Shahnila's resources for info on Islam: 

Visit your local mosque 

Www.whyislam.org

Www.islamicity.org

Youtube channel: TheDeenShowTV

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Transcript for this episode.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

Wiser World: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a brief summary of the Indian holiday of Holi. I share about the origins of the holiday, the traditions and celebrations, and the foods that are often made.

*CORRECTION: In this episode I talk about how Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, when in reality the gods and goddesses of Hinduism are actually embodiments of one main god. Thus is appears polytheistic, but the system of Hinduism is monotheistic. 

Special thanks to Aarti and Aditya for their help in answering some questions for this episode!

Here is a short video on the story of Holika.

All other resources used in making this episode can be found here. 

Transcript for this episode.

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This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a brief history of Carnival—noting in particular the history of Carnival, and some fun details about Carnival in Brazil, Italy, and in New Orleans (where it's called Mardi Gras).

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

All other resources used in making this episode can be found here. 

Transcript for this episode.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a brief history of the diamond industry—noting in particular the history of diamonds, what a blood/conflict diamond is, and diamond labor. This industry is very complex and I barely scratch the surface, but here is a starting point for you.

Here is the TIME article on blood diamonds: https://time.com/blood-diamonds/.

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

All other resources used in making this episode can be found here. 

Transcript for this episode.

--

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered about Lunar New Year? Roughly 1.5 billion people celebrate it annually! This episode covers the very basics of the holiday to give us a little more understanding and clarity on this important holiday. 

This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on our podcast. You can also support the podcast through Patreon.

Resources used in making this episode can be found here. 

Transcript for this episode.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiserworldpodcast/

Website (sign up for email newsletter): https://wiserworldpodcast.com/

To join the email list, click on the website link, and it will take you there.

Song credit: "Heart of Indonesia" by mjmusics 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices