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Little Lorelai

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Little Lorelai was bored to tears. Mummy and daddy were out and she was left alone with Aunt Isla, whom she detested with all her might. Aunt Isla was unbearable. She never let Lorelai go outside on her own. And she never let her watch the T.V. even after all the chores were done. “Children should not watch T.V. or it’ll melt their brains,” she would screech with her squeaky voice that resembled a rat caught in a trap. Lorelai hated being alone with Aunt Isla. She hated mummy and daddy for leaving her all alone with the miserable woman. She also hated that they were bringing home her new brother. She did not want a brother…nor did she want a sister. She wanted to be the only child in the family. Now with a new baby in the house, mummy and daddy and all her aunts and uncles will no longer pay any attention to her. And all this thought of losing her parents’ attention made her head hurt and her lips curled into a frown. A few hours had passed since mummy and daddy le...
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Musings on Mediocrity and Childhood Pride

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You grew up thinking you were special. It’s not such a surprise since so many people treated you like you had it in you to make it big…to make something of yourself. Teachers favoured you, giving you the usual words of encouragement when you ended up not making it to first position during a certain term examination. They would single you out for school events to do this and to do that. Others weren’t as admirative as the teachers. Some would look at you with envy…their spiteful, venomous eyes shooting out laser beams of hatred; the sight of their bitter, scouring lips making you shudder and shut yourself deep inside your own soul. Fifteen years later, and the image still vividly plays in your memory when you close your eyes. That girl with the round face and tightly-pulled-back hair...whispering into the ears of all the girls in your class...turning friends into foes and best friends into strangers. You have forgiven her over the years but her voice and her scour still ...
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10 Fascinating Tribes with a Headhunting History

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Headhunting is a savage (and thankfully historic) custom that was once carried out in many parts of the world for a wide variety of reasons. Some tribes even continued with the practice until the mid-20 th century [ Source ]. For those who practiced it, chopping off a person’s head wasn’t just about violence or revenge. Headhunting played a significant role in their social and religious lives; the severed heads often gracing auspicious ceremonies and rituals. You’ve probably heard of the famous shrunken heads made by Amazonian headhunting tribes or of the Maori tribe’s tattooed heads. In addition to these more-well-known communities, there are plenty of tribes for whom headhunting is a meaningful and iconic part of their cultural history. Here are some fascinating communities from around the world who share a common past of headhunting: 10. The Marind-anim   [Image: Men of the Marind tribe] The Papua province of Indonesia is inhabited by a once formidable tribe k...
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Mythical Creatures from Mizo Legends

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What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when people say “North-East India”? Is it the food? Is it the picturesque landscape and mountains? Or is it the culture? Whatever it is that you associate with this region, let me introduce you to a side that you might have never heard about – the mythical creatures from our folklore. Since I wasn’t able to get much contribution from friends in the other parts of this region, I’m going to focus on folklore from Mizoram. I have to admit, there aren’t many written documentations for these stories. Most of them have been passed along for generations through word-of-mouth, so you might find some inaccuracies in the details. Regardless of that, these creatures have fascinated me since childhood and I hope you love reading about them too. Here goes: Pheichham – Pheichham is the name given to a creature that is most likely a djinn or a type of goblin. The exact definition isn't clear since there aren't many written...
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