Civilizaţii & Tradiţii

Ceremonia ceaiului la japonezi

 

Festivalul Masskara (Filipine) – Tribut adus fericirii

 

Sing-Sing Festival – Papua Noua Guinee

There is an amazing traditions, colors, power, beliefs! Many thanks to Robert Weeks and other photographers. Through their work & eyes reveal us a new incredible world. People from Papua are wonderful indeed.Ty, dear photographers.

Civilizatia Maurilor

Dutch navigator Abel Tasman was the first European to encounter the Maori. Four members of his crew were killed in a bloody encounter in 1642. In 1769 British explorer James Cook established friendly relations with some Maori. By 1800, visits by European ships were relatively frequent.

At this time, war and disease took their toll on the Maori till eventually their population dropped to about 100,000.

In 1840 representatives of Britain and Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty established British rule, granted the Maori British citizenship, and recognized Maori land rights.

Today many of the treaty’s provisions are disputed and there ahs been and is an effort from the New Zealand Government to recompense Maori for some land that was illegally confiscated.

Maori legend says that the Maori came from “Hawaiki”, the legendary homeland about 1000 years ago. When the Maori arrived in Aotearoa (New Zealand) they found a land quite different to tropical Polynesia. New Zealand was not only colder, but it possessed many volcanoes and huge snow capped mountains. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand and means Land of the long white cloud.

There are many theories about the origins of the Maori. some speculate that the island of Hawaiki could have been near Hawaii. The commonly accepted theory today, says that the Maori originated in China, and travelled via Taiwan, the Philippines to Indonesia, onto Melanesia and reached Fiji. From there to Samoa and on to the Marquesas and turned South West to Tahiti, thence to the Cook Islands and to Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Some believe that the Maori found Aotearoa probably by chance or mistake as they could have been blown off course in one of their navigations. But there is also evidence that the Maori had sophisticated ancient knowledge of the stars and ocean currents and this knowledge is carved in their “whare” (houses).

The term “Whakapapa” is used to describe Maori genealogy. The word “Papa” doesn’t mean father but rather anything broad, flat, and hard such as a flat rock. Whakapapa means to place in layers and this is the way that different orders of genealogies are looked at. One generation upon another. The Maori term for descendant is uri, its precise meaning is offspring or issue.

Before the coming of the Pakeha (White Man) to New Zealand, all literature in Maori was orally passed onto succeeding generations. This included many legends and waiata (song). The most recognised tradition today is the “Haka” which is a war dance. The Haka was performed before the onset of war by the Maori last century, but has been immortalized by New Zealand’s Rugby Team the All Blacks, who perform this dance before every game.

The traditional Maori welcome is called a powhiri, this involves a hongi which is a greeting that involves pressing noses as opposed to a kiss.

Another prominent feature of Maori culture are the striking tattoos that were worn. Full faced tattoos or “moko”, amongst the Maori tribes was predominantly a male activity. Female forms of moko were restricted to the chin area, the upper lip, and the nostrils. Today the Moko still lives on as an increasing number of Maori who are opting to receive their Moko, in an effort to preserve their culture and identity.

A traditional form of cooking called a Hangi is a feast cooked in the earth. Stones are heated in a fire in a dug out pit and covered in cabbage leaves or watercress to stop the food from burning. Mutton, pork, chicken, potatoes and Kumera (a sweet potato) are then unusually lowered into the pit in a basket. The food is covered with Mutton cloth or similar and traditionally with flax. Finally earth is placed on top to keep in the steam. The food takes about 3 hours to cook. The Hangi is still popular and is a viable alternative to a weekend barbecue. The unique taste of food cooked in a Hangi can best be described as steamed food with an earthen flavour.

Source: http://www.virtualoceania.net/newzeal…

Diwali – Festivalul luminilor si Anul Nou la Indieni

Holi Festival – India (Festivalul Primaverii, Culorilor si Iubirii)

One of the major festivals of India, Holi is celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun which is the month of March as per the Gregorian calendar.

Holi is also called the Spring Festival – as it marks the arrival of spring the season of hope and joy. The gloom of the winter goes as Holi promises of bright summer days. Nature too, it seems rejoices at the arrival of Holi and wears its best clothes. Fields get filled with crops promising a good harvest to the farmers and flowers bloom colouring the surroundings and filling fragrance in the air.

Legends
A Hindu festival, Holi has various legends associated with it. The foremost is the legend of demon King Hiranyakashyap who demanded everybody in his kingdom to worship him but his pious son, Prahlad became a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap wanted his son to be killed. He asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap as Holika had a boon which made he immune to fire. Story goes that Prahlad was saved by lord himself for his extreme devotion and evil minded Holika was burnt to ashes, for her boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.

Since that time, people light a bonfire, called Holika on the eve of Holi festival and celebrate the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion to god. Children take special delight in the tradition and this has another legend attached to it. It says that there was once an ogress Dhundhi who used to trouble children in the kingdom of Prithu. She was chased away by children on the day of Holi. Therefore, children are allowed to play pranks at the time of ‘Holika Dahan’.

Some also celebrate the death of evil minded Pootana. The ogress tried to Lord Krishna as an infant by feeding it poisonous milk while executing the plan of Kansa, Krishna’s devil uncle. However, Krishna sucked her blood and brought her end. Some who view the origin of festivals from seasonal cycles believe that Pootana represents winter and her death the cessation and end of winter.

In South India, people worship Kaamadeva- the god of love and passion for his extreme sacrifice. According to a legend, Kaamadeva shot his powerful love arrow on Lord Shiva to revoke his interest in the worldly affairs in the interest of the earth. However, Lord Shiva was enraged as he was in deep mediation and opened his third eye which reduced Kaamadeva to ashes. Though, later on the request of Rati, Kaamadeva’s wife, Shiva was pleased to restore him back.

Play of Colors
Holi FestivalGreat excitement can be seen in people on the next day when it is actually the time for the play of colours. Shops and offices remain closed for the day and people get all the time to get crazy and whacky. Bright colours of gulal and abeer fill the air and people take turns in pouring colour water over each other. Children take special delight in spraying colours on one another with their pichkaris and throwing water balloons and passers by. Women and senior citizen form groups called tolis and move in colonies – applying colours and exchanging greetings. Songs, dance on the rhythm of dholak and mouthwatering Holi delicacies are the other highlights of the day.

Expression of Love
Lovers too long to apply colours on their beloved. This has a popular legend behind it. It is said that the naughty and mischievous Lord Krishna started the trend of playing colours. He applied colour on her beloved Radha to make her one like him. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the masses. No wonder, there is no match to the Holi of Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana – the places associated with the birth and childhood of Radha and Krishna.

Ecstasy of Bhang
There is also a tradition of consuming the very intoxicating bhang on this day to further enhance the spirit of Holi. It is so much fun to watch the otherwise sober people making a clown of themselves in full public display. Some, however, take bhang in excess and spoil the spirit. Caution should therefore be taken while consuming bhang delicacies.

Sober Evening
After a funfilled and exciting day, the evenings the spent in sobriety when people meet friends and relatives and exchange sweets and festive greetings.

It is said the spirit of Holi encourages the feeling of brotherhood in society and even the enemies turn friend on this day. People of all communities and even religions participate in this joyous and colorful festival and strengthen the secular fabric of the nation.
(Source: www.holifestival.org)

The Samurai

The most common forms of bushido martial arts, still practiced in Japan today, are:

* judo * karate * jujutsu * aikido * kendo

There are seven virtues associated with the samurai bushido code:

* Gi – Rectitude

* Yu – Courage

* Jin – Benevolence

* Rei – Respect

* Makoto – Honesty

* Meiyo – Honor

* Chugi – Loyalty

The Great Wall Of China (Marele Zid Chinezesc)

Today, people from all over the world visit to walk on the Great Wall of China, to stand on a watchtower and view the wall snaking into the distance. This treasure is now protected so that future generations can see the Great Wall with the same wonder and amazement as we do now.

Tutankhamun

His original name, Tutankhaten, means “Living Image of Aten”, while Tutankhamun means “Living Image of Amun”. Often the name Tutankhamun was written Amen-tut-ankh, meaning “living image of Amun”, due to scribal custom which most often placed the divine name at the beginning of the phrase in order to honor the divine being. [2] He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters. He was likely the eighteenth dynasty king ‘Rathotis’, who according to Manetho, an ancient historian, had reigned for nine years – a figure which conforms with Flavius Josephus’ version of Manetho’s Epitome.[3]

The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun’s intact tomb received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun’s burial mask remains the popular face.
Surse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun

Egyptian Papyrus

Here you will see some fabulous papyrus paintings that represent ancient Egyptian civilization in which papyrus played an important role being the media on which religious teachings and historical event were recorded. Papyrus was like paper today. Papyrus making was kept a guarded secret for thousands of years by Ancient Egyptians until this secret was revealed recently. Egyptian papyrus paintings on papyrus beautiful hand painted pieces of art produced by the Egyptian artist who inherited this art from his ancestors.

Egypt – The Greatest Open Air Museum

Suflet de ţigan

When do we have a day of fast? When there is no bread and ham in the larder.

Where rich people can make honest money, poor people have to steal.

You don’t kill a gypsy by cutting him in ten pieces — you only make ten more gypsies. (Gypsy proverbs)