Not Trivial

We’ve all heard of Santa Claus. And some of us have heard of Rudolph, the Grinch, even Sinterklaas and St Nick. But have you heard of the darker, more gritty Christmas figures from around the world? Do you know who knows if you’ve been bad or good?

We’ve all heard of national holidays, perhaps even independence day celebrations, depending on the country. Some of us know the dates on the calendar; July 4th in the USA, May 17th in Norway, February 11th in Iran. And even lesser known important dates for countries, like Ohi Day on October 28th in Greece. Of course, there are also days of remembrance, such as November 11th in the US, France, and...

We’ve all heard of the long-reigning cultures of the Chinese, the Mayan, or the Vikings. And some of us have heard of the Abyssinians in east Africa, or the Pandyan of the ancient state of Tamil in South India. But did you know there’s another culture, still in existence, that outlasts all these cultures combined?

We’ve all heard of languages like Latin or Greek, that provide the basis for well-known language families. And some of us have heard that languages like Icelandic and Tamil have been in use for centuries with little alteration. But do you know about a language that uses its own alphabet that is different from any other in the world, and is just as old as Celtic?

We’ve all heard of the wonders of the ancient world; the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Library of Alexandria, or the Great Pyramids of Egypt. At least that one’s still with us. And some of us have heard of historic African rulers like King Tut or Pharaoh Ramses the Great. But do you know who was actually the most prolific builder in ancient Africa?

We’ve all heard of treaties between countries; to end wars, agree to trade, or build alliances. And some of us have heard of specific treaties, like the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War One, or the Geneva Conventions that established a standard for humanitarian conduct during war. But how many of us have heard of a treaty of governance that multiple countries signed? The countries bein...

We’ve all heard of Jerusalem and the centuries-long history of its religious importance. Some of us have heard of other holy cities of the world, like Mecca, Varanasi, and Rome. Even some more ancient ones like Bethlehem, Corinth, and Fes. And yet, there is another religious center, of Christianity in particular, that is just as old and still relevant today.

We’ve all heard of the Roman Empire - apparently, men think about it more often than we thought. And some of us have heard of other empires like the Spanish, French, British, and Russian. Even some less obvious ones like the Mayan, Persian, and Incan. But there’s one empire that was once the largest contiguous empire in history, putting all others to shame.

We’ve all heard of the pervasive influence of American culture, from Hollywood to big clothing brands. And some of us have heard that some American holiday traditions have crossed over into other cultures of the world, like Halloween candy and love notes on Valentine’s Day. But did you know that there is one American holiday that is celebrated in an official manner by three other countries?

We've all heard of the Vietnam War. And some of us have heard that the French and British were in Southeast Asia as colonizers before the war. But there's a long history of colonization even before that! Do you know when and why Europeans got interested in Southeast Asia in the first place?

Welcome Back to Season Two! First up... some Halloween trivia fun! We’ve all heard of vampire legends like Dracula, Nosferatu, or Lilith. And some of us have heard that these legends were based on real people from regions like Transylvania. But can you name two of the real European nobles that vampire stories are possibly drawn from?

In the United States, we’ve all heard of the commonly talked-about Native American tribes; the Iroquois, the Navajo, the Lakota, the Cherokee. And some of us know the local tribe whose land we live on; the Chinook, the Seminole, the Ojibwe, and so on. But did you know that a majority of Native languages spoken by indigenous people are not related to each other whatsoever?

We’ve all heard of Hawai’i being the USA’s 50th state. And some of us know that Hawai’i became a state in 1959. But did you know that Hawai’i was annexed by the United States over 60 years prior to it becoming a state - and that it was not a peaceful transition, in fact it was a coup d’etat?

We’ve all heard of the Iron Age. And some of us know that this age is characterized by the production of weaponry through ironworking, aka metallurgy. At least in Europe and the Ancient Near East. But did you know that ironworking was developed in West Africa as many as 800 years before it came to Ancient Greece?

We’ve all heard of the Brothers Grimm and their fairy tales. And some of us know that they published these tales after roaming the countryside collecting folklore. But did you know that Jacob Grimm also published many other books, specifically about German grammar, and has his own law of linguistics, called Grimm’s Law? 

We’ve all heard of the Silk Road, and how the East was connected to the West through trade routes. And some of you know of Marco Polo, who was one of the first Europeans to travel to China. But do you know that the first European arrival in Japan was accidental, and heavily influenced Japan’s history as a nation?

We’ve all heard of Germany’s militaristic past. And some of us know a lot about either Kaiser Wilhelm or Adolf Hitler, the two men at Germany’s helm at the start of both 20th century World Wars. But did you know that between the two World Wars, Germany was actually a hotbed for absurdist and avant-garde art, organic farming and nudism, as well as expressionist film and literature?

We’ve all heard of how there’s lots of English words that come from other languages, like Spanish or French. And some of us can list them: mosquito, royal, mansion, tornado. But did you know that there are around 900+ words we use in English that stem from Arabic? Some of them are extremely common! And they don’t all start with “al”!

We’ve all heard of the electoral college. And some of us understand the inner workings of how the American government utilizes the electoral college. But did you know the idea of an American electoral college comes from the Holy Roman Empire, and that Emperors were elected?

We’ve all heard of Bloody Mary, the Tudor Queen of England, who persecuted Protestants relentlessly during her short reign. And some of us have heard of King Leopold II of Belgium, who forced millions of Congolese people into slavery. But have you heard of Queen Ranavalona I, AKA the “Mad Monarch of Madagascar”?

We’ve all heard of World War One. And some of us have heard that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo was what sparked the war. But have you heard of the 1889 murder-suicide in Mayerling, that led to Franz Ferdinand becoming the heir to the Austrian Empire?

Here's what to expect when you listen to Not Trivial! The introduction of Season One, Episode One!