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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures

@nowaykgn.bsky.social

11K followers 7.8K following 2.8K posts

With each indigenous group that becomes assimilated, another unique culture vanishes. It is easy to dismiss what we do not understand. We are all different; we are all the same. www.vanishingculturesphotography.com

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · Jan 1

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to repost my images, I appreciate it🙏🙏🙏

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 7h

It really highlights how foolish it is when people who have access to education treat it with apathy. Education isn’t just a privilege; it’s a key to freedom, opportunity, and dignity. Seeing those who must struggle for it reminds us how much we should value and protect it.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 7h

It’s inspiring to see the determination of young girls in remote or impoverished areas who fight for every bit of education they can get. Their eyes light up with the simple joy of learning — something many in more privileged places take for granted.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 8h

Yet, many take this privilege for granted, not realizing how rare and precious it is in much of the world. The struggles of girls in poorer regions serve as a powerful reminder that education is not to be overlooked — it is a gift that should be embraced with gratitude and determination.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 8h

For these girls, education is not simply a right — it is a dream, a doorway to freedom and a better future. In contrast, girls in Western countries are surrounded by educational opportunities. Schools are accessible, teachers are available, and resources are abundant.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 8h

In many developing countries, young girls possess an extraordinary thirst for knowledge. They walk long distances to reach schools, study by candlelight, and face cultural or economic barriers that often stand between them and the classroom.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 8h

Thank you, Maria, very kind of you🙏

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 9h

Thank you, Shantha. 🙏 Despite social and economic barriers, young Hmong girls in northern Vietnam are eager to learn, driven by a powerful thirst for education and opportunity.

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

Thank you, I appreciate it🙏

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

Early marriage is a deeply rooted issue among Hmong girls in Vietnam, driven by a complex mix of cultural practices, social norms, poverty, and limited educational opportunities.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

Because a daughter will eventually leave her family to join her husband's, some Hmong parents traditionally refer to their daughters as "guest daughters" or ntxhais qhua. This term is a stark reflection of the cultural mindset that views daughters as temporary family members.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

"Nine moons can't compare to one sun; nine daughters can't compare to one son."

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

The first two photos are of Hmong girls. Hmong proverbs traditionally emphasize the importance of sons over daughters, reflecting the patrilineal nature of Hmong society. One of the most well-known proverbs about sons and daughters highlights this traditional view.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

These are wonderful. Real treasures❤️

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 13h

In the remote, mountainous regions of northern Vietnam, girls from ethnic minority groups struggle to access education. In Pakistan, young Kalash girls face similar challenges, where a lack of female teachers, scarce schools, and early marriage hinder their growth and learning.

The mountainous terrain of northern Vietnam makes access to schools difficult. Many villages are located far from the nearest primary or secondary school, often requiring children to walk several kilometers each way—sometimes over steep, muddy, or dangerous paths. During the rainy season, travel can become impossible. Because families worry about their daughters’ safety on these journeys, girls are often kept at home.

Girls are often expected to marry early (sometimes in their mid-teens) and focus on domestic responsibilities rather than schooling. In some communities, education for girls is still seen as unnecessary or even inappropriate, reinforcing a cycle where women remain dependent and underrepresented in decision-making.

The Kalash valleys are extremely remote, accessible only by winding, sometimes dangerous mountain roads that are often blocked during winter or after landslides. Many villages are hours away from the nearest school. Even where schools exist, they are few, small, and often under-resourced, lacking classrooms, sanitation, and proper teaching materials. For girls, long travel distances raise safety concerns, which discourages parents from sending them to school.

Most schools in the region teach in Urdu or English, while the Kalash speak their own language (Kalasha-mun), which has traditionally been unwritten. This language gap makes it hard for young Kalash children to understand lessons, leading to poor performance and high dropout rates. Additionally, the national curriculum doesn’t reflect Kalash culture or traditions, which can make schooling feel alien and irrelevant to both students and parents.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 1d

🙂

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 1d

Very kind of you, Joe, thank you🙏

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you, Shantha. Always appreciated🙏

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you, Linda, for your kind comments. I appreciate them🙏

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you🙏In many Indigenous belief systems, illness is understood as an imbalance in the mind, body, emotions, and spirit. The painful process of skin scraping, combined with the medicinal properties of plants, serves as a purification ritual to expel negative energies and restore balance.

Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

Very kind of you, Dominique, I appreciate it🙏

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

For research to proceed, Indigenous peoples have the right to receive fair and equitable benefits from the use of their knowledge and genetic resources. Failure to respect this principle of free, prior, and informed consent is a major ethical barrier for Western researchers.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

This is a response to a history of theft in which Indigenous knowledge was used to develop profitable drugs without any benefit sharing or recognition for the source communities. For example, colonial scientists took the bark of the Cinchona tree (used to produce quinine) and profited from it.

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

It is difficult for Western medicine to research some of the medicinal plants used by Indigenous peoples in the Xingu region, in part because communities are protective of their traditional knowledge. This privacy is driven by a history of unethical exploitation, often called "biopiracy".

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you, Dwight, I appreciate your comments🙏

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Vanishing and Endangered Cultures @nowaykgn.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you, Manuela🙏