Greek Mythology

Greek myths simmer with spicy, titillating scandal because they explain the origins of natural phenomena and also the ways of the world. The adventures from the gods and their mortal counterparts have inspired artists, writers, musicians, and psychoanalysts for hundreds of years. Moreover, Greek mythology is inextricably intertwined using the nation’s religion, history, and literature.
Worship dedicated to prayer and offerings towards the gods. Temples and rites were one's heart of religious practice, and pilgrimages often were come to consult oracles in order to appease angered gods. Foreign deities were welcomed in to the Greek pantheon, canon's of gods, to ensure no god was ignored or offended. There is even an altar towards the unknown god, to help keep the bases covered.
The Greek gods behaved like soap-opera characters who can’t be wiped off the show-the immortal all-stars lacked morals and were slaves to lust, greed, and jealousy. The Greeks knew these divine passions weren't to be trifled with: mythology is filled with ugly types of what happens to mortals who challenge or disrespect gods. The weaver Arachne was converted into a spider because she dared to declare herself more skilled than Athena. Tantalus, after serving the gods human flesh in a feast, was condemned to face in a pool in Hades, forever suffering from hunger and thirst with “tantalizing” water and food just beyond his grasp. When King Minos didn’t make an expected sacrifice to Poseidon, the ocean god struck Minos’s wife, Pasiphaë, by having an insatiable lust for any bull. Pasiphaë then conceived and bore the Minotaur, a cannibal bull-boy. Although the worship of Greek gods faded using the advent of Christianity, the pantheon’s legacy continues to be visible in Greece plentiful ancient ruins, as well as the myths that survive today.

Native American Culture, Traditions and Heritage

Native American groups have inhabited the territory of New Mexico for thousands of years, many centuries before Europeans reached the Americas. Reminders of their ancient presence are throughout our state: cliff dwellings and pit houses, kivas (underground ceremonial chambers), abandoned cities along ancient trade routes, and symbols etched in rock. Today, New Mexico is home to 22 Indian tribes, including 19 Indian pueblos and three reservations. The centrally located Albuquerque area is the perfect starting point from which to explore our Native American heritage
Witness first-hand the living traditions and culture of New Mexico's Native American communities.
Most pueblos still celebrate and honor their Native American traditions with feast day celebrations, which often include dances in brilliant attire and sacred rituals. Attending one of these events is an excellent way to experience pueblo culture; the corn, deer and buffalo dances are commonly open to the public. Each dance tells a different story and serves a different purpose. The ceremonial dress worn by the dancers are more than just decorative; the feathers, jewelry and beads all communicate part of the story. Every dance is considered a prayer, not a performance, and as such, outsiders are privileged to observe them. Drums beat with an insistent cadence and the air is filled with the fragrance of piñon smoke. Red chile ristras (strings) decorate many homes, with the chiles destined to add their distinct flavor to stews and sauces throughout the winter. The sights, sounds and smells of the pueblo celebrations are a feast for the senses.
Another way to learn about our Native American communities is to explore their many arts and crafts including silver and turquoise jewelry, pottery, drums, carvings, clothing and weavings. Or try traditional Indian food such as bread baked in an horno (outdoor oven) or fry bread, best consumed on the spot, hot and honey-drizzled straight from the pan. Visitors are fascinated to see that pueblo life is a window to another world and time. Not relegated to history books or museums, this is a living culture that carries on the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors.
Visitors are welcome at some of the reservations for dances and other special events related to Native American culture and traditions. Several hold regular tours and have excellent visitor centers with information about Native American culture and beliefs. Bear in mind that visitors are not allowed on certain days, when special observances are held in private. Call the pueblo or tribal office in advance of arrival to be sure that visitors are welcome on that day.
Always remember that when you visit a pueblo, you are visiting someone’s home. Please observe all posted requests and regulations. When you are on Indian land, you are subject to Indian laws. Here are some Native American culture facts and key tips to remember regarding Native American culture and beliefs when visiting tribal land. It is important to understand that visitors must abide by the laws and rules of the pueblo, and respect its customs and traditions. For example, some pueblos have strict rules governing photography, sketching and tape recording. Those who take the time to visit a pueblo will leave with a precious memory to add to their New Mexico experience.
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque is a valuable resource for visitors interested in learning more about Native American traditions in New Mexico. The Cultural Center offers information about visiting the pueblos and a calendar of feast days and other events. It also features exhibits of weaving, pottery, jewelry, clothing and photography from each of the 19 area pueblos.
To experience Native American culture also see Things To Do: Day Trips: Native American vacation and Travel or visit Petroglyph National Monument, Coronado State Monument, Chaco Canyon, Bandelier or the Mission Ruins.

Festival celebrates food, music and culture of Greece

Everyone is Greek in the Ocean City convention center a few days ago, where thousands will celebrate the Greek music culture, including its music, dancing, food and, obviously, its decadent pastries, throughout the 22nd annual Greek Festival.
Not everybody can go to Greece for vacation, so St. George Greek Orthodox Church tries to bring just a little piece of the nation to the 40th Street venue.
Alexandra Hall, promotions chairperson for that festival, said thousands of guests attend the annual three-day event, the church’s largest annual fundraiser. Some visitors even plan their holidays around it.
Parishioners from the 88th Street church have decorated the convention center with lots of of the country’s flags, posters, blue and white tablecloths and Greek decor.
A number of pre-packaged pastries is available at St. George Greek Orthodox Church’s annual Greek Festival in the Ocean City convention center.
Live music and dancing will start at 5 p.m. each evening.
“It’s rock 'n roll Greek style during the night. It’s when things really get rolling,” Hall said. “It’s for the entire family. Come grab help and just have some fun. Babies to little old ladies take presctiption the party area. Everyone is thanks for visiting take part in the festivities and become Greek for that weekend.”
The Zephyros band will give you classic Greek music nightly, while Evangelakia will demonstrate traditional Greek folk dancing.
Regardless of the musical entertainment lineup, Hall said the largest attraction for visitors may be the authentic Greek cuisine.
“We do as numerous of the authentic Greek dishes once we can. We're really blessed to possess wonderful bakers and cooks as people in the church,” she said.
The men of St. George Church prepare the foodstuff, while the women focus on the pastries. All of the food is homemade in the church by volunteers.
“People come for that food and they stay for that fun, this guitar rock band, the dancing and also the vendors,” Hall said. “They come for supper, then they’ll visit the beach or even the Boardwalk, and come back for lunch.”
Menu items include keftedes (traditional Greek meatballs), dolmathes (grape leaves rolled around spicy ground beef with rice and topped with avgolemono, an egg-lemon sauce), pastitso, (Greek lasagna) and moussaka, a baked dish with eggplant, ground beef, onions, tomatoes and cheese.
Other popular items include spinach pie (spanakopita), tiropita, manestra, ratatouille (fresh seasoned vegetables) along with a half-chicken kotopoulo (marinated with oregano, lemon and seasoning). Salads, gyros, lamb shanks, shish kabobs, Greek sausage and all-beef hotdogs are also available.
To fulfill that sweet tooth, you will see diples (pastry dough fried and drizzled with honey and topped with nuts and cinnamon), walnut cake (karithopita), paximadia (almond biscotti-like cookies) and tsoureki (sweet egg bread), amongst others. And, the festival wouldn't be complete without baklava.
A number of prepackaged pastries may also be available for people who can’t decide on one.
Vendors may also be selling crafts and arts, Greek religious icons and artifacts, jewelry, clothing, music and children’s items.
People to the festival may have the chance to win $5,000. Only 100 raffle tickets is going to be sold at $100 each. Guests can also get the opportunity to collect a $1,000 cash prize or perhaps a Roketa motor scooter.
Greek Festival hours are Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. Admission is free of charge each day until 4 p.m. and $3 after. Children 14 and younger are admitted free when combined with an adult.

Christian Summer Camp Jobs USA

Do you want to be considered a Christian camp leader and work on a religious camp in the united states? There are many camps in the usa who are Christian and who're looking especially for Christians to operate at their camps. Nearly all these would describe themselves as protestant evangelical. If you're a Christian and wish to work in a Christian envirionment make sure you may well ask to be included in this program or apply because there are several open positions.
The camps within the southern states run at the start of the Summer (Mid-May onwards) therefore the earlier you're available the greater your chances of being placed. This means that you've got a better chance to travel after camp through the USA while you finish earlier too!
As well as the standard Camp Leaders application, Camp Leaders will need Christian campLeaders applicants to:
* Answer a number of questions made to give us a look into the depth of the faith in Christ.
* Provide your written personal testimony (for those who have one).
* Take part in a short telephone interview made to help us obtain a better knowledge of your faith.
* Give a letter of reference out of your Pastor/ Church Leader.
Working in a Christian camp allows you the opportunity to experience a united states summer camp with all of its camaraderie and fun, whilst having the ability to grow and share your trust with others.
Christian Camp Leaders is really a member of the Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA) and also the American Camp Association (ACA). Camps will fit in with these along with other camp associations that accredit and support them.

Wine Culture in China Today

Ordinary Chinese consumers have always used just alcohol to assist them to celebrate the happiness within their lives. In China, a banquet referred to as "Jiu Xi" means an alcohol banquet and also the life of every person, from birth to death, must have pauses for drinking banquets starting per month or 100 days following a baby's birth once the parents invite people set for a drink. When someone builds a brand new house, marries, starts a company, makes a fortune or lives an extended life, he should invite people set for a drinking session. Today it is a pity the games which go with drinking aren't the elegant ones of history that involved poetry or music. Today, drinkers just play simple finger-guessing games plus a lot of heavy drinking. Additionally, it seems today that friendship depends only around the volume of drink being consumed. "If we're good friends, then bottoms up; otherwise, then simply take a sip" is a very common phrased exchanged during gatherings.
Opening wine and dividend wine
When someone builds a fresh house, starts a business; he should invite people looking for a drinking session. He could call his friends together, after which it his clients are going to be good later.
Not only starting a business needs wine, following the year, when the boss has the capacity to give the workers dividend by means of thanking them for spending a lot time or encourage them, a wine acts, too.
In ancient China, within a feast, playing finger-guessing games with excited shouts-much like battle cries-was referred to as a wine battle. The opposing guests, competing like two armies facing each other on the battlefield, played finger-guessing as well as other drinking games, for instance thinking up new songs while dining, composing impromptu poems, singing together, dancing, and so on. All of these became amusements that added excitement to banquets.
Today it's a pity the games which are with drinking aren't the elegant ones of those of past involved poetry or music. Today, drinkers just play simple finger-guessing games along with a lot of heavy drinking. Additionally, it appears today that friendship depends only round the volume of drink being consumed. "If we're friends, then bottoms up; otherwise, then you need to a sip" is a type of phrased exchanged during gatherings.

Lord Shani Dev

Lord Shani Dev is worshipped in most Shani Dev Temples of India & all around the world exclusively on every Saturday. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh & Christians reaching here to provide their worship to Lord Shani Dev through Guru Rajneesh Rishi think that if anyone has Shani Shani Sade Sati, Shani Dhaiyya or Shani Dhaiya, Shani Dosha, Shani Mahadasha, Shani Antardasha or Shani Panauti Must Donate for Lord Shani Dev Temple and really should offer his Shani Puja on Saturday in a Live Shani Temple. Saturday may be the day of Donation to Lord Shani Dev. Wearing of Mantra Healed Precious or Semi Precious Shani Gem Ring is another Very effective method to Please Lord Shani Dev and also to save himself all Troubles and Misshapennings.

African Traditions Culture

African Tradition is expressed through a variety of art forms, for example music, dance, art, sculpture and beadwork.
These traditions are deeply ingrained in to the whole African culture.
Many African languages are “tone languages,” and therefore pitch level determines meaning.
Naturally, singing is essential to the African society since the melody and rhythm stick to the intonation from the song text. The songs in many cases are sung in call-and-response form.
In West Africa, a griot is really a praise singer or poet who possesses a repository of oral tradition passed on from one generation to another. They must be aware of traditional songs and should also be able to improvise songs about current events and chance incidents.
Oral tradition is essential in African culture, because it insures the passage of cultural practices in one generation to a different.
Listening is definitely an equally important skill, that has been perfected through the traditional oral practices. Numerous songs and dances happen to be transmitted by person to person.
Music is really a form of communication also it plays a practical role in African society. Songs accompany marriage, birth, rites of passage, hunting as well as political activities. Music is usually used in different African cultures to defend against evil spirits and also to pay respects to get affordable spirits, the dead and ancestors.
Even though musical styles and instruments change from region to region, there are several common types of musical expression. The most important instrument in African music may be the African drum. It expresses the atmosphere of the people and evokes emotion. The beat from the African drum may be the “heartbeat of the community” and it is rhythm is exactly what holds the dancers together.
Dance is a valuable part of the African culture. also it utilizes symbolic gestures, masks, costumes, body painting and props to speak. The dance movements could be simple or complex with intricate actions including fast rotation, ripples from the body and contraction and release. Dance can be used to express emotion, whether joyful or sorrowful which is not restricted to just the dancers. Often spectators is going to be encouraged to participate in.

The African masks which are used in dances have religious, ceremonial and functional origins. The artist who carves the mask will ceremonially purify himself and provide prayers to his ancestors for guidance before he begins the particular carving from the mask.
The African mask represents a spirit which is believed that the spirit possesses the dancer because they wear the mask. The chosen dancer adopts a trance-like state to be able to receive guidance and wisdom in the ancestors. The dancer will utter and moan the messages received along with a wise man, who accompanies the dancer will translate the content.
Although music and dance are incredibly important African traditions and therefore are very common types of communication, many African people go to town in other artistic representations as well.
The Zulu individuals are well known for his or her intricate beadwork. The color of each bead has a specific meaning. The beads happen to be used to carry messages referred to as “ucu,” a Zulu term loosely translated as “love letters”.
It's an African tradition for girls to send a boy a beaded bracelet of various colours. The boy will court her for some time and at the right time, he'll ask her this is of the beads.
Art and sculpture are prevalent in African culture., and also the most common themes depict a few, a woman and child, a male having a weapon or animal, or perhaps a “stranger.”
Couples are often freestanding figures of the identical size, representing the significance of “two as one.” A men and women couple in African art usually depicts strength and honour instead of love and intimacy, because it is uncommon for African women and men to publicly display their affection.
A parent and child couple can represent “mother earth” and her people or even the strong bond between mother and child.
A mans figure having a weapon or animal, represent honour to departed ancestors. African males are often honoured in warfare and there's a great focus on weaponry in African art, because it depicts survival and power.
Once the stranger is represented in African art, it always depicts someone from the foreign country or tribe that isn't welcomed.