Dede Sophie

Two Papua New Guinean’s starring in a short narrative film will be in Hollywood for the premier of the movie titled Bataplai/Butterfly on May 5th, 2023. The siblings – 29-year old Regina Pande and her 27-year old brother Graham from Western Highlands Province, will feature in the movie about a mixed raced Papua New Guinean-American woman who challenges her family’s strict rules to find her voice as a make-up artist.  They said they’re happy to be part of this project that broadens the view of what a Pacific Islander looks like and the experience of a Papua New Guinean American.  The siblings reside in Silicon Valley and are travelling to Los Angeles today to attend the premiere in Hollywood. Graham is studying Psychology at San Jose State University in California, while his sister is studying Film and Media at the Ohlone Community College in Fremont, California.  The film is directed by PNG-New Zealander woman Veialu Alia Unsworth. NBC News  / PNG Today Next :  P...

UNESCO calls it ‘A remarkable example of viability and transmission of human being’s collective thoughts from different generations to the present one’. I am talking about the historical desert city of Maybod in the Yazd province of Iran. This ancient city that goes back to the pre-Islamic era is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site tentative list. It is known for its traditional architecture that can be seen through its ancient roads, old castles and other remnants of the historical city. Maybod was once the capital of Iran during the Mozaffarid period and is home to Narin castle, one of the oldest castles in Iran dating back to the Sassanid era. This mud-brick fort castle standing 130 feet high from its base incorporates mud bricks of the Medes, Archaemenid and Sassanid periods. Although built some 6000 years ago, it seems to have some kind of a plumbing system built into its massive walls. One can see more examples of such water works through other buildings housing underground wa...