Air Castles Air Castles

Unofficial Vexillology expert Robert joins Olivia and Johanna to dive deep into the world of flags (with about 1,000 other tangents along the way). Learn about blood-covered dukes, marketing on the open seas, controversies with the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and much MUCH more on this very special episode of Air Castles!

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Ologies with Alie Ward Episode 103: Vexillology https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ologies-with-alie-ward/id1278815517?i=1000448420262

Robert's Sources:

Vexillological Society: http://fiav.org/

"Why city flags may be the worst-designed thing you've never noticed - Roman Mars": https://youtu.be/pnv5iKB2hl4

"Flags of the U.S. states and territories": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_the_U.S._states_and_territories

Vexillology Subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/

"How I asked EVERY country's embassy for flags [part 1]": https://youtu.be/Jbix9y8iV38

Flag (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag

Johanna's Sources:

“Tokyo 2020: Why some people want the rising sun flag banned”: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50285383

Olivia’s Sources:

"Why did Pirates Fly the Jolly Roger?”: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/why-did-pirates-fly-the-jolly-roger/

“The Jolly Roger and its Not-so-Merry Origins”: https://hudsonvalley.org/article/the-jolly-roger-and-its-not-so-merry-origins/

“Famous Pirate Flags: Beyond the Skull and Crossbones”: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Famous-Pirate-Flags

“The Golden Age of Piracy”: https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/golden-age-piracy

8 is great on Air Castles episode 27! Our mate Johanna updates us on the traits of the eighth largest nation state in the world (spoilers: it's not Kuwait) before Olivia relates to us the fate of the sea god from the outdated Hawaiian Kapu system.

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Johanna's Sources:

“15 Things You Didn't Know About Bangladesh”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvQmFpwQILE

“Ganges Delta”: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/10/Ganges_Delta

“10 Surprising Facts About Dhaka, Bangladesh”: ww.youtube.com/watch?v=ICqyetqYrgI

Olivia's Sources:

"Loaloa Heiau": https://www.nps.gov/places/loaloa-heiau.htm

"Traditional Hawaiian Religion": https://vagobond.com/traditional-hawaiian-religion/

"The four major Hawaiian gods": https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-four-major-hawaiian-gods

Advanced technology: friend or foe? Johanna and Olivia explore both sides of the computer chip in episode 26, from bright Togolese inventors solving the world's problems one 3D printer at a time to Chinese censorship being taken to its most successful extremes.

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Johanna's Sources: 

“How China Controls the Internet”: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gxFhmsHNMc&t=205s

Olivia's Sources:

“This African Inventor Created A $100 3-D Printer From E-Waste”: https://www.fastcompany.com/3019880/this-african-inventor-created-a-100-3-d-printer-from-e-waste

About the International Space Apps Challenge: http://2013.spaceappschallenge.org/about

“Meet Kodjo Afate Gnikou who built a 3D printer from electronic waste”: https://face2faceafrica.com/article/meet-kodjo-afate-gnikou-who-built-a-3d-printer-from-electronic-waste

“Togo: Location, History, Population, and Facts”: https://www.britannica.com/place/Togo

Happy New Year! In celebration of 2020 finally being over, Olivia and Johanna talk about cool New Year's traditions in Ecuador as well as the origin of fireworks in the 25th episode of Air Castles.

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Sources:

Johanna:

“Spongebob in Flames: The New Year’s Eve Effigy Burning in Ecuador”: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-years-effigies-ecuador

“New Years in Ecuador - How to celebrate with the locals!”: https://happygringo.com/blog/new-years-ecuador/

“New Years in Ecuador: Ecuadorian traditions to welcome the new year!”: https://www.thisisecuador.com/blog/new-years-ecuador-festivities/

Olivia:

“History of Fireworks”: https://www.americanpyro.com/history-of-fireworks

“FIreworks’ Vibrant History”: https://www.history.com/news/fireworks-vibrant-history

“14 Fun Facts About Fireworks”: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/14-fun-facts-about-fireworks-180951957/

Ginormous Christmas Nerds (TM) Olivia and Johanna are ready to get you into the holiday spirit with this holly jolly 24th episode. Hansel and Gretel, grape eating, and even more fun facts about the flying, gift-bearing Christ Child are just some of the factual presents that await you under that play button.

We hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and uniquely celebrated holiday week/month/season!

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Sources:

Johanna:

“Christmas in Spain”: https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/spain.shtml

“Everything You Need to Know About Christmas in Spain”: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-christmas-in-spain/

“What is a Roscón de Reyes in Spain?”: https://www.sincerelyspain.com/blog/2019/1/4/what-is-a-roscon-de-reyes-in-spain

“Behind the Bite: Roscón de Reyes”: https://madridfoodtour.com/roscon-de-reyes/

Olivia:

“The History of Gingerbread”: https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-gingerbread/

“The Un-Christmassy Origin of Gingerbread Houses”: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/un-christmassy-origin-gingerbread-houses-180967461/

“With nearly a ton of butter, Texas gingerbread house sets record”: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-christmas-gingerbread/with-nearly-a-ton-of-butter-texas-gingerbread-house-sets-record-idUSBRE9B50YQ20131206

“See the Winners of the Largest Gingerbread House Competition in America”: https://www.rd.com/list/gingerbread-house-competition-winners/

“Gingerbread Houses at Grove Park Inn”: https://www.romanticasheville.com/gingerbread.htm

Sometimes it felt like 2020 would never be over, but here we are in the 12th month of the year! Johanna and Olivia are celebrating by looking at how Austrians and Iranians make the most out of the coming of winter.

Air Castles is a cultural anthropology podcast where Semi-Qualified Hosts/World Travelers/Best Friends Olivia Schmitz and Johanna Schöllauf try to understand different cultures one topic at a time.

Questions/Comments/Compliments/Corrections? Email us at aircastlespodcast@gmail.com or reach out to us on Twitter @AirCastlesPod.

Sources:

Earth, Wind & Fire - December (Official Video): https://youtu.be/CjCWhwdnCd0

Johanna:

“Christoph Waltz Explains Krampus to Jimmy Fallon”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbkGuCozc9M

Olivia:

“Shab-e Yalda, the celebration of the longest night of the year”: https://www.eavartravel.com/en/blog/2019/12/10/130522/yalda-nights/

“Shabe Yalda – A Persian Celebration”: https://persianmama.com/shabe-yalda-a-persian-celebration/

“Hafez”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/hafez