Conversation Piece, April 16, 2017
Enjoy our Sunday series, Conversation Piece, a NUVO–curated digest of things on the Internet we think you’ll want to talk about.
The man vs. the moon. Quick question: Why does the patriarchy hate the moon? Seriously, from declaring it the seat of madness and witchcraft to theorizing that it’s in fact an intergalactic weapon, to actually plotting to nuke it, patriarchal society seems to have one heck of a bee in its bonnet about our closest galactic neighbour. The Atlantic’s Sam Kriss investigates why some folks just can’t take the absurd ball of rock for face value. Read more, here.
Breaking old ground. A 14,000-year-old village believed to be one of the oldest human settlements ever found in North America (and older, in fact, than even the Egyptian pyramids) has been discovered during an excavation on Triquet Island in British Columbia, about 500 kilometres northwest of Victoria. This archeological evidence supports oral founding stories of the local Heiltsuk Nation. Learn more, here.
Everything in retrospect. Durga Chew-Bose, Canadian author of new essay collection Too Much and Not in the Mood (and named one of Brooklyn magazine’s “30 Under 30” in 2015) answers a thoughtful Hazlitt Q&A touching on everything from the restlessness associated with growing up second generation in Canada to the seemingly paradoxical closeness of friends who don’t see each other at every chance. Read her thoughts, here.
Mothers of their people. Lithub casts an eye back at portrayals of women in Celtic legend as courageous and intelligent leaders and social justice warriors of their time. Take Queen Medb of Connacht, who ruled her people and was into sexual emancipation, or the Galatian leader Onomaris, who stepped up and led her community to peace and safety while the menfolk just stood around shrugging. Brave, wise, and capable, these legends are a great reminder that patriarchal structures have not always been the status quo. Read more, here.
Pink and blue. This week, auctioneer Sotheby’s unveiled what is thought to be the most expensive pair of earrings in the world, valued at approximately $91 million Canadian. The mismatched pair is made up of two odd-coloured pear-shaped diamonds; one blue, named Apollo, and one pink, named Artemis (after the brother and sister Ancient Greek gods of power and beauty). Both are spectacular, but the star of the show is truly the Apollo, a 14.54-carat Fancy Vivid blue diamond. They will go on the block separately in Geneva May 16, and the seller remains anonymous. Learn more, here.
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