On extinct giraffes & more

The Kachnaar Blossom // Ok how am I just finding out how pretty the Kachnaar blossom is? I’ve never really noticed them before, but they’re suddenly everywhere in Islamabad! The colors of the flowers vary from pastel pink to very bright pink and I’m loving itt. I’ve never actually noticed so many flowers in general in autumn ever. Could be that we’re conditioned to associate them with spring so our brain never really acknowledges the bloom despite being all around this time of the year.

Perfect Victims by Mohammed El-Kurd // Mohammed is one of the first Palestinian voices I was completely in awe of and fell in love with because of his very visible activism during the Save Sheikh Jarrah movement and then the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2021. He's repeatedly talked about how Palestinians are expected to be the perfect victims, and has now expanded on that in this defiant elegy of a book. It releases next year and is open for pre-order.

Paper, Paper, Paper by itemzero // I'm a simple man. I see handmade stationery I say yes get me this. I know nothing about this book except that it's about the art of papermaking and just wann it.

E. Coli in bone tissue in Gaza // Medical teams in Gaza are fighting a fierce battle against bacteria that won’t respond to available antibiotics. They’re witnessing phenomena previously unheard of in medical literature - including finding E. Coli bacteria in bone tissue.

Oldest known alphabet unearthed in Syria // Researchers have found what may be the oldest known alphabetic writing, dating back to around 2400 BCE, from a tomb in Syria. This discovery predates previously known alphabets by approximately 500 years, challenging existing theories about the origins of alphabetic scripts and their spread across societies.

Giraffes going extinct // Well, not exactly. But their populations have significantly declined and the US is set to put them on the Endangered Species list. Giraffes! These friends we saw at the zoo all the time growing up! This is the first species I recall that has gone from not-endangered to endangered in our lifetime. And that’s just all kinds of terrible.

Pakistan’s first-ever Transgender Education Policy // Sindh has approved the draft of country’s first education policy focusing on transgenders. It introduces a separate category for trans children on school admission forms, includes job quotas for trans teachers, advocates for empathic teacher training and creating a supportive classroom environment.

Filmabad @ Ladida Studio // Movie night featuring short films and documentaries is happening on 1st December in Pindi for a fundraiser for TCF. Each ticket will help support a child’s education. They’ve also put out a call to submit your films for screening at the event here.

Call for submissions for Astana // This magazine for critical design has put a call for submissions on reimagining our built environment. Ngl the description on the post is making it very confusing and kinda trying too hard. Had to read it a few times to understand but could be cool.

Like what you’ve read so far? Please support Jungle Mein Mangal by ordering postcards from my brand, Pastel Everything. The latest set can be found in the Sellout section of a past issue, here. You can reply to this email or DM on any of my socials to order. Also, let your friends know about this newsletter by sharing this on your socials. Thankss 🖤

This week’s section by Khizra Munir.

Opal // I have ADHD and my single biggest vice is procrastination at the hands of my phone. I have zero control. But what happens when I can't access my favorite Instagram account? I get work done! Highly recommend this screen-time 'policing' app!

Jam Musings // Sometimes we need certain prayers contextualized into applicable situations for them to resonate even harder. Reading Sara Jamil do this using her life as a muse is food for the soul.

Reload Granola Bars // I'm obsessed and you will be too! These Ah-mazing granola bars are local and so good you'll have to set some boundaries. The dark chocolate one is a favorite!

Zero Makeup Sun100 // I've slowly transitioned to local skincare and I've just discovered this gel-based sunscreen that is a game changer for anyone who hates a white cast.

Udaan Anganwadi // This is a pilot classroom designed by Social Design Collaborative to provide much needed daycare spaces for marginalised communities. Developed after months of design discussions with the teachers, students & the government officials, the classroom can be easily built across government schools as per India’s National Education Policy. This is exactly the kind of work the placemaker in me is itching to be a part of.

Man on a bicycle // This is such a simple but such an interesting visualization comparing energy efficiency of a man on bicycle with… bees and hummingbirds and rabbits and more.

The Arc // This paper published 20 years ago talks about The Arc - an economic and infrastructural corridor between Gaza and the West Bank that would support high-speed interurban rail, a toll road, an aqueduct, an energy network, and telecommunications lines linking Palestine's major cities and towns. The concept provides for sustainable development and preserves open land for agriculture, parks, and nature reserves.

A couple of you have been sending me some pretty cool stuff to feature in the newsletter, and also stuff you really liked from the past issues. Which is why I’ve been playing with introducing different sections and switching things around.

I want to make a Fanmail section going forward where I can feature interesting things the readers send me. So if you see something you think would be great for the newsletter, reply to this email with it or reach out on my socials. If I get a good response on this in the next few days, I’ll add that section as soon as next week. Also, continue letting me know what stuff you love in each issue so I can feature more of it!

Until the next one, shaam bakhair 🌅🤍

If you want to talk about my work, bounce some ideas, or just have a casual chat fangirling over a film, feel free to schedule a jam session with me here.