Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Have You Experienced the Alaskan Native Culture?

In downtown Juneau, tourists can see a wall sculpture of Chief Kowee, head of the Auk Tlingits tribe. In the 1800s, he guided prospectors Joe Juneau and Rihard Harris to a reservoir of gold along Alaska's southeast Gastineau Channel. Asking only for Hudson Bay blankets and small compensation, Chief Kowee was a great ally to the Europeans and later served in the Alaskan native police force.

Over the coming years, the town of Juneau sprung up and thousands of gold prospectors flooded the Yukon to find their fortune. If you go on an Alaskan vacation and take a White Pass train ride, then you can still see the remnants of historic mines and evidence of optimism and the quest for the American dream.

A good starting point to learn more about Alaska's indigenous people is to visit The Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage Alaska. This world renowned cultural center and museum contains information, educational materials, video presentations, artwork and displays documenting the following Alaskan native peoples: the Athabascan, the Aleut & Alutiiq, the Yup'ik & Cup'ik, the Inupiaq & St. Lawrence Island Yupik, the Eyak, the Tlingit, the Haida and the Tsimshian.

Here you can view beaded artwork from the Athabascan people, learn about the spirituality of the Yup'ik and Cup'ik, who believed in good shamans for healing and bad shamans who placed curses on people, or gaze upon the festive Chilkat & raven's tail robe regalia worn at the Eyak potlach festivals.

Fairbanks Alaska is a good launching place for learning more about the Alaskan native peoples. The annual Native Arts Festival in February brings together artwork, crafts, dance and folklore. In Nome, 54% of the population is comprised of native Eskimos and the main industries are mining and tourism. Y

ou can take a polar bear swim, watch a dog sled race, watch crab fishermen at work, pan for gold or buy native Alaskan art. Barrow boasts the world's largest Inupiat Eskimo settlement, where you'll see how fishing and hunting are still a way of life, but have been combined with modern conveniences, like snowmobiles and tools. The Heritage Center has been called "a must-see for every visitor."

If you visit Barrow in the late winter, then be sure to look for the awe-inspiring Northern Lights! These are just a few of the native villages, of course. If you are taking an Alaskan cruise or planning a bundled trip, then your travel agent should be able to point you in the right direction.

When visiting Alaska, there are many ways to experience the Alaskan native culture. You can embark upon a seven-night, all-inclusive Holland Cruise, which includes native tour guides, narration and presentations about Inuit life, as well as port stops in native villages.

Or you can choose a day trip to a place like the Saxman native village, the Fairbanks Native Arts Festival or stop at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Native artwork makes a great memento of your once-in-a-lifetime experience in America's 49th state.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Traditions and Culture of the Philippines

The culture of the Philippines has been greatly influenced by the migrants that have come to this island nation throughout time. Most of the people that call themselves Filipinos actually descend from Austonesian tribes that most likely migrated from Taiwan to the Philippines thousands of years ago. It is suspected that the first Filipinos were related to the Ami Tribe.

There are at least fifteen ethnic groups that currently call the Philippines home. These groups include: the Tagalogs, the Moro, the Bicolanos, the Igorot, the Mangyan, the Chabacano, the Ivantan, the Visayan, the Ilocanos, the Kapampangans, the Pangasinese, the Lumad, the Ibanag, the Badjao and the Palawan tribes. Each of these tribes has a unique set of traditions, beliefs and languages. However, while languages vary from tribe to tribe the official languages of the Philippines are English and Filipino. These languages are used for trade and business, and tribal languages are used for private communications between tribe members, religious ceremonies and leisure communications.

The culture of the Philippines is made up of several religions. However, the majority of this nation is Roman Catholic. If fact Catholics make up 81 percent of the Filipino population. Other religions practiced in the Philippines include Protestantism, Islam and local tribal religions.

The culture of the Philippines has been influenced by a number of outside cultures. One of the most influential cultures on the Filipinos was the Hispanic culture. Hispanics introduced Roman Catholicism to this country. They also influenced the development of Filipino music, folk art, dance and food. The Chinese also influenced the culture of the Philippines. However, their influence was mostly on Filipino cuisine. Their influence can be seen in the used of noodles in Filipino dishes.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Kenya Coast-Kenya Coast History - Culture - People - Lifestyle - Tribe

The harsher beauty of most of Kenya's interior is tampered by the soothing south-sea-island delights of Kenya's coral coast. The lush, tropical bush of the coast is brilliant with many birds and fragrant and/or colorful blossoms of frangipani and hibiscus. The vivid colors of bougainvillea and stands of graceful palms frame long stretches of white coral sand lapped by the gentle warm water of the Indian Ocean.

It is hot and humid, but the pace is languid. A Swahili proverb widely used in the coast says it all: "Haraka Haraka Haina Baraka" or literally, "not in a hurry hurry blessing."

480kilometeres stretching from Somalia to the north of Tanzania to the south coast of Kenya has the world's known since AD 110when an attack on the port of Mombasa was named by an explorer greek Diogenes, Ptolemy, one saw another greek, including information on costs in the Kenya AD 150 his "World Maps".

Since then, the Arabs who had come to steady tradeintermarried, and mingled coastal tribal and Arab ways. They created anew Swahili language and culture which is still very much alive today in Old town Mombasa and on Lamu and Wasini Islands. They built beautiful cities embellished with carvings and monuments, and they valued fine arts and crafts.

Portuguese explorers and traders brought a garrison to Mombasa at the end of the 16th century and built the formidable Fort Jesus, which still stands. In the 19th century, British interest in exploration and in abolishing slave trade led to Kenya coming under British influence. There are still British colonial monuments and ruins along the coast.

Now the Kenyan coast is known for its fine beaches and resorts and generally even-tempered weather. The hot and humid weather is pleasantly cooled by the monsoon trade winds blowing off the Indian Ocean. Despite the winds, the beaches are protected with approximately 240 kilometers of coral reef. Although you can often see white breakers beyond the reef, the water on the shore side is usually quite calm-better for windsurfing than for surfing. Swimming between the reef and shore is also generally safe from strong currents and protected from nasties such as the shark. The water ranges from 27-35 degrees centigrade.

The beauty of the coral and the amazing colors and shapes of these tropical fish invite goggling or scuba diving. The national marine parks and reserves off Shimoni, Mombasa, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu protect these marine treasures. Kenyan reefs have been favorably compared with those of Australia and the Red sea.

There are many ways to explore the Kenyan reef. On certain beaches you can swim and even walk out to the reef through tidal pools. Some hotels maintain glass-bottomed boats. You can snorkel from these or from other smaller boats. Private boatmen are eager to take you to the reef and sometimes even to rent equipment. Prices are negotiable. Snorkeling is fun and easy, even for novices-a beautiful and memorable experience. Try it.

There is a big tidal variation along this coast. On some beaches high tide leaves only a narrow strip of sand and in places the water sometimes recedes back beyond the reef, leaving would be swimmers high and dry. However, almost all hotels have their own swimming pools, and it seems that the majority of guests are just happy to nab a beach lounger by the pool or in the shade of a palm tree to work on their tans and relaxation.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Coast Kenya Kenya Coast History - Culture - People - Lifestyle - Tribe

The inner beauty lasts longer travel in Kenya is manipulated by the soothing pleasures of the South-Sea Coral Coast of Kenya. The lush tropical bush of the coast is brilliant with lots of birds and fragrant flowers and colored frangipani and hibiscus. The bright colors of bougainvillea and palm trees is the long, lean, white coral sand from sweet warm Indian Ocean waters.

And 'hot and humid, but the pace is slow. A Swahili proverbwidely used in the coast says it all: "Haraka Haraka Haina Baraka" or literally, "not in a hurry hurry blessing."

480kilometeres stretching from Somalia to the north of Tanzania to the south coast of Kenya has the world's known since AD 110when an attack on the port of Mombasa was named by an explorer greek Diogenes, Ptolemy, one saw another greek, including information on costs in the Kenya AD 150 his "World Maps".

Since then, the Arabs who had come to steady tradeMixed marriages, and blended the coast tribes and Arab ways. They have created a new language and Swahili culture which is still very much alive in the Old Town and Mombasa and Lamu Islands Wasini. They built beautiful city decorated with sculptures and monuments, and assessments, the fine arts and crafts.

Portuguese explorers and traders led a rally in Mombasa at the end of the 16th century and the massive Fort Jesus, which still stands today. In the 19th century, British interests inExploration and the abolition of slavery led to Kenya, which under British influence. There are still the British colonial monuments and ruins along the coast.

Now the Kenyan coast is known for its beautiful beaches and resorts, and is usually compensated once known. The hot and humid climate is pleasantly surprised by the monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean cooled. Despite the winds, the beaches are protected by some 240 km of coral reefs. Although you can often doBreakers on the reef, the water on the ground usually pretty quiet, good for surfing surf. Swimming with the bluff and the beach is also against the strong currents and be protected from "bad" as the shark. The water ranges from 27 to 35 degrees Celsius.

The beauty of the corals and the amazing colors and shapes to be invited this tropical fish or dive. National Parks and Marine Reserves of Shimoni, Mombasa, Watamu, Malindi and LamuProtection of these marine treasures. Kenyan reefs have been positive with those of Australia and the Red Sea in comparison.

There are many ways to explore the coral reefs of Kenya. On some beaches you can swim and also the cliff walk from tide pools. Some hotels have glass bottom boats. You can snorkel from the boat these or other children. private boat people are ready to take you to the reef and sometimes rent. Prices are negotiable. Snorkeling is fun and easy, even forNovice quite an experience, unforgettable. Try it.

There is a large tide along this coast. remains at high tide some beaches only a thin strip of sand and in places the water is released back to times beyond the cliffs, so that swimmers would be high and dry. However, almost all hotels have their own pools, and it seems that the majority of guests are just happy to be a sunbed by the pool or beach under a palm tree and work on their tan nab relax.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Kikuyu Traditional Culture

The Kikuyu are the largest community in Kenya. They are Bantu-speaking, and especially in the central part of the country. The founder of the tribe, the tradition was a man named Gikuyu. God, who was known as Ngai took him to the top of Mount Kenya Kirinyaga time and invited him to begin the trunk. Ngai's a woman who gave her the father of nine daughters of Mumbi. For these girls, there were several clans. These clans are Acher,Agachiku, Airimu, Ambu, Angar, Anjiru, Angu, and Aithaga Aitherandu.

A family unit was called Nyumba. Several families would be in the form that the farm was named mucii. A mucii was part of a subgroup MBARI, up from nine clans. In traditional Kikuyu culture, people, animals and children were not counted in total as it was the lack thou8ght evil. The clan were probably ten, but counted only nine .

The traditional Kikuyu culture, could marrywith the original inhabitants of central province. They were farmers and the area was conducive to this activity. They grow bananas growing, sugar cane, Arum Lily, sweet potatoes, beans, millet, corn, beans, blacks and a variety of vegetables. They also raised cattle for milk and hides. The skins were used to make costume, sandals, towels and raised. They have learned to face and exchanged their agricultural products to the tips of arrows, spears and swords. The women were thethose of trade. They would also make a pots that were used in barter.

Friday, August 27, 2010

The Mayan culture

With the chaos created by the fact that the Mayan calendar ends in 2012, there is much interest in the Mayan culture, religion and symbols Maya Maya.
The 2012 Mayan Calendar is not the end of the world, it means just the beginning of a new era or age, a new level of consciousness.

The Maya believe that the cycles are about 5000 years in time and in 2012 only mean the end of a certain age, as was done, a new cycleTo initiate a change even notice most people.

According to Mayan beliefs the Cosmos was made up of nine underworld, this belief was very strong in their pyramids, which were all expressed in nine different stories.

The traditional Mayan believe the existence, within each of the two core sub-groups, usually in terms of quasi-material (eg, "described the shadow," "breath", "blood" and "bone"). The loss of one or more sub souls results in some diseases(Such as heart disease, cancer, etc.) were very skilled in natural medicine, herbs, trees and surrounding jungle to treat and nourish their art bodies.This is still evident today, although it will die as the old man forward medicine.

The Maya reached a lot of "firsts" during this period. Not only have they built a lot of pyramids and temples, knew they were experts on the construction of roads and also how to make rubber. So they built the most modern facility of its streetsTime.

They had the first progressive system of writing in the Western Hemisphere and had two calendars, one used by 365 days.They their system of writing (hieroglyphics), record information in books made from the bark of fig trees.

They developed a mathematical system based on the number 20 and were the first to use the number 0.

There was life all work and no play. They had a form of modern basketball game, where a pumpkin or other round object has been developedsearch through a tire over the wall. They took the game very seriously, as the losers were often sacrificed to the gods. In some cases, the winning tribe sacrificed as a way to appease the gods for some misfortune happen that was inappropriate. In these circumstances, it was an honor to be selected as victims, and most athletes volunteers.

Astronomy was a part of his life much like the calendar and mathematics .. Social class wasdetermined by economics, religion and politics. As demonstrated today in beautiful works of art displayed throughout Central America and Mexico, there were many talented potters, sculptors and artists with expertise in carving jade and other semiprecious stones. The Maya were farmers and intelligent architects.

The first evidence of Mayan life was soon 250.Geographers AD found that in 900 AD, the Maya had their cities, and so left theirCivilization slowly disappeared.