In an effort to recognize our writers and translators and be more transparent about our readership each month, we are continuing our Stats4Community series, where we share monthly updates about our most popular stories. We will also be highlighting the top Lingua posts for different languages to showcase the linguistic diversity across the GV community. This month's stories are from our Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese Lingua sites.
Our English site saw over 281,500 viewers in December. All statistics here are drawn from Google Analytics and do not necessarily represent the total number of views due to adblockers and other privacy settings.
GV English top stories December 2023
Bethlehem church creates rubble nativity scene this Christmas
Ahead of Christmas 2023, a church in Bethlehem, a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, created a nativity scene to reflect the situation in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing war on the enclave. The scene showed a toy baby doll wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh settled amid debris and rubble. The image went viral online as users juxtaposed the holy imagery amid the destruction in Bethlehem — the birthplace of Jesus. (5,588+ views)
As Nepali villages modernize, mokha art is on the verge of disappearing
This piece discusses the Nepali practice of mokha art — a painstaking artistic medium where traditional frescos are applied to walls and painted over with bright colors and imagery. As many young people move away from rural villages toward urban centers and abroad, this traditional practice is disappearing. (3,748+ views)
North Macedonia was rocked last month after a 14-year-old girl was abducted and killed. As the search for the girl unfolded, some right-wing groups turned the case into a political tool, attempting to use it to stoke inter-ethnic and religious hate by speculating on who committed the crime and spreading misinformation. Eventually, three men were arrested in connection to the abduction and murder. The case is still ongoing. (1,900+ views)
This piece discusses the growing movement in Africa and beyond, calling on former colonial powers to give reparations to African nations that have suffered under colonial rule and the slave trade. The organizations and societies calling for these reparations are suggesting they come in the form of direct or indirect aid, grants, and subsidies. They are also demanding Western nations return the art and artifacts that were stolen from the African continent, which currently reside in Western museums and auction houses. (1,161+ views)
Portuguese
Um ritual de proteção para “fechar o corpo” liga tradições religiosas diferentes no Brasil (A Protection Ritual to ‘Close the Body’ Links Different Religious Traditions in Brazil)
In this piece from 2016, Adam Lee discusses how an Afro-Caribbean ritual connects people across religions and backgrounds in Brazil. The “closing of the body” ritual is supposed to ward off evil and is practised among Afro-Brazilian religions of Candomblé and Umbanda, as well as some Catholic denominations. (1,329+ views)
Japanese
ウクライナ戦争で言葉を見失いかける話 (How the war in Ukraine twisted my tongue)
In this Bridge piece, Global Voices’ Managing Editor Filip Noubel discusses his Ukrainian heritage and his struggle to grapple with Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. Filip, like many Russian-language speakers, has struggled to navigate his complicated feelings about Russia’s war, its colonial history, and the backlash against the Russian language and Russian language speakers that has emerged since Putin invaded Ukraine. (880+ views)
Spanish
Ecuador Fiestas de Quito: tradición y desencuentros (Ecuador’s “Quito Celebration: Tradition and Resistance)
This 2010 post explains the importance of the Fiestas de Quito, a week-long celebration of the founding of Quito, Ecuador’s capital city. During this festival, bullfights, opera performances, dances, and plays are all presented, along with music events, parades, and school performances from children. (450+ views)
Bengali
নেলসন ম্যান্ডেলার ১৭টি জ্ঞানগর্ভ উক্তি যা সকলের পাঠ করা উচিৎ (17 Pieces of Wisdom from Nelson Mandela that Everyone Needs to Read)
In this wholesome piece from 2013, the author showcases 17 quotes from the great Nelson Mandela, offering advice on how to reach and maintain peace, live responsibly, show compassion. His wisdom touches on topics such as conflict, imprisonment, hate, leadership, and more. (378+ views)
