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In the unassuming town of Papatowai, New Zealand, Blair Somerville has amassed one of the world’s most idiosyncratic collections and, with it, a life that’s entirely his own. A prolific tinkerer, Somerville has transformed a modest property into The Lost Gypsy Gallery, a panoply of objects, once junk, metamorphosed into whimsical, mechanically operated exhibitions. Like Somerville’s own bare-bones, solar-powered lifestyle, the collection is endearingly unusual, constructed from simple parts and built entirely from the ground up.
Director: Joey Bania
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Anthropology
Why are witchcraft accusations so common across human societies?
4 minutes
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Subcultures
Drop into London’s eclectic skate scene, where newbies and old-timers find community
5 minutes
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Wellbeing
Born in China, Zee seeks a gender-affirming life in the American Midwest
11 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
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Music
The peculiar beauty of a song caught between composition and improvisation
3 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes