6 Magic of a Forest Maze by Egbert Leigh, Jr.
As Panama celebrates a century of nationhood, we zoom in on the intricate web of life that animates Barro Colorado, one of the country's natural treasures.    

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14 Gilberto Gil: Setting the Stage for the State by Márcia Cunha and Mark Holston
Brazil's new minister of culture reveals that politics is another art form.    

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20 Pride in the Warp and Weft by Caleb Bach 
The ancient art of weaving remains central to daily life in the Bolivian highlands, where remarkable textiles reflect the identities of distinct communities.   

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28 Serving the Spirits and Saints by Jane Regan
Recently declared an official religion, Vodou embodies Haiti's unique cultural and political milieu, while borrowing substantially from Catholicism.    

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38 Connecting Corridors from Y2Y by Alex Gillis
Inspired hikers are promoting the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative, a proposed buffer zone that would permit the movement of wildlife while coexisting with man.  

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46 Lessons of Streets and Screens by Douglas Rogers 
In the wake of the hit film City of God, its young "stars" are pursuing movie careers as an alternative to the violence and dead end of Rio's favelas.