Language, Dance and Music of the Garifuna

A population of mixed origin incorporating cultural elements of indigenous Caribbean and African groups, the Garifuna settled along the Atlantic coast of Central America after being forced to flee from the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent in the eighteenth century. Today, Garifuna communities mainly live in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Belize.

The Garifuna language belongs to the Arawakan group of languages and has survived centuries of discrimination and linguistic domination. It is rich in tales (úraga) originally recited during wakes or large gatherings.The melodies bring together African and Amerindian elements, and the texts are a veritable repository of the history and traditional knowledge of the Garifuna, such as cassava-growing, fishing, canoe-building and the construction of baked mud houses. There is also a considerable amount of satire in these songs, which are accompanied by various drums and dances, which the spectators may join in.

These traditions are still very important to the life and survival of the Garifuna people. The elders are the ones who maintain many of the ceremonies, festivals and oral traditions. However, economic migration, discrimination and the complete absence of the Garifuna language from the school system are endangering its survival. Although the language is still widely spoken, it is now taught in only one village.

Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2001)

© Text and images: UNESCO

A Song for the Horse Nation

Exhibition: A Song for the Horse Nation
Dates: 14th November 2009 - 7th July 2011, 10 AM - 5 PM daily

Place: National Museum of the American Indian NY, The George Gustav Heye Center, One Bowling Green, New York (US)

Admission:  Free

Webpage: www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/horsenation/

About the exhibition:

A Song for the Horse Nation presents the epic story of the horse's influence on American Indian tribes from the 1600s to the present. Drawing upon a treasure-trove of stunning historical objects—including ledger drawings, hoof ornaments, beaded bags, hide robes, paintings, and other objects—and new pieces by contemporary Native artists, the exhibition reveals how horses shaped the social, economic, cultural, and spiritual foundations of American Indian life, particularly on the Great Plains.

The story of American Indians and horses is one of the great sagas of human contact with the animal kingdom. The foundation of this extraordinary relationship was laid in 1493, when Christopher Columbus brought the first horses to the Western Hemisphere. As Spaniards surged westward from the Caribbean and northwards from Mexico, American Indians caught their first glimpse of the horse, and soon adopted it into their world. Horses revolutionized Native life and became an integral part of tribal cultures, honored in objects, stories, songs, and ceremonies. By the 1800s, Native American horsemanship was legendary in American culture at large, celebrated in paintings, photographs, Wild West shows, and later in movies and television programs. Today, the image of the mounted Native warrior remains fixed in the American imagination. With traditional and contemporary stories, songs, and poetry and using archival photographs, lithographs, maps, books, magazines, and audio-visual presentations, the exhibition brings the story up to the present, demonstrating that the horse, though no longer ubiquitous, is still venerated in Indian Country today.

This exhibition is an outgrowth of the NMAI publication A Song for the Horse Nation: Horses in Native American Cultures, edited by George P. Horse Capture and Emil Her Many Horses (2006).

© Text and image: National Museum of the American Indian

Caribou goggles

Name: Snow goggles of caribou antler

Origin: Igloolik, northern Canada

Date: before 1822

Museum: British Museum

Dimensions: 12 cm length

Comments:

'Snow blindness has always been around; from the time of my childhood I always experienced snow blindness once in a while. In those days they used to make snow goggles from wood. My father used to have wooden snow goggles, with slits for opening ... They are very effective as it cuts the light. The openings which are slits are the only light, they really do cut the light from the snow. Inside, the hollow would be darkened with soot'. George Agiaq Kappianaq, 2000

Snow goggles were used by peoples across the North American Arctic from Alaska to Greenland, probably up to two thousand years ago. Snow goggles not only protected the wearer from snow blindness, but due to their optic qualities, some also improved the sight of the wearer.

These goggles are carved from the hard rind of caribou antler. The pair above was collected among the Copper Inuit, the lower pair by William E. Parry on his second voyage in search for the Northwest Passage, probably near Igloolik in 1822. Parry employed Inuit to make snow goggles for his crew '... as the time was fast approaching when some such precaution would become necessary to guard the eyes from the excessive glare of reflected light.'

© Photos and text: British Museum

Armenian Harissa

Harissa (Armenian: Հարիսա) is an iconic Armenian dish similar to kashkeg, a kind of homogeneous porridge made of previously stewed and boned chicken and coarsely ground soaked wheat.

The dish has been passed on since ancient times. Harissa is traditionally served on Easter day. It is still prepared by many Armenians around the world and is also considered the national dish of Armenia.

Armenian Harissa

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups whole wheat kernels, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp. salt, or to taste
• cumin
• paprika
• butter

How to cook it

Rinse chicken and place in large pot with 8 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, with the pot partially covered until chicken is cooked.

Remove chicken from liquid; place on platter and allow to cool enough to handle. Discard skin, bones and fat. Shred chicken; cut into smaller pieces, if necessary.

Strain broth. Measure broth, and add enough water to make a total of 8 cups

Place broth in large pot. Add wheat, shredded chicken, and salt if necessary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Remove any foam which rises to the surface.

Simmer on a very low heat, without stirring, covered, for about 4 hours

Beat vigorously with a sturdy, long-handled, wooden spoon, mashing the wheat and chicken until they resemble thick oatmeal. Adjust salt, if needed.

To serve: place in bowls. Add a pat of butter, if desired. Sprinkle with a dash of cumin or paprika to taste.

© Text and image: Wikipedia / Recipe: www.world-recipes.info  

Apocalypto

Title: Apocalypto

Director: Mel Gibson

Writer: Mel Gibson and Farhad Safinia

Year: 2006

Running time:  140 minutes

Country: United States

Plot summary:

Apocalypto is a 2006 American film directed by Mel Gibson. Set in Yucatan, Mexico, during the declining period of the Mayan civilization, Apocalypto depicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village.

The film, similar to Cornel Wilde's 1966 The Naked Prey features a cast of Mexicans and some Native Americans, and its Yucatec Maya dialogue is accompanied by subtitles.

© Text and photo: Wikipedia

The Bontoc of Philippines

Name: Bontoc

Living Area: Central Mountain province, Philippines

Population: 40.000

Language: Bontoc

Comments:   

The Bontocs live on the banks of the Chico River. They are one of the six ethno-linguistic groups of the Igorots, the hill tribes in Luzon.

In the past, the Bontoc engaged in none of the usual pastimes or games of chance practiced in other areas of the country, but did perform a circular rhythmic dance acting out certain aspects of the hunt, always accompanied by the gang′-sa or bronze gong. There was no singing or talking during the dance drama, but the women took part, usually outside the circumference. It was a serious but pleasurable event for all concerned, including the children. Present-day Bontocs are a peaceful agricultural people who have, by choice, retained most of their traditional culture despite frequent contacts with other groups.

The pre-Christian Bontoc belief system centres on a hierarchy of spirits, the highest being a supreme deity called Lumawig. Lumawig personifies the forces of nature and is the legendary creator, friend, and teacher of the Bontoc. A hereditary class of priests hold various monthly ceremonies for this deity for their crops, the weather, and for healing. The Bontoc also believe in the anito —spirits of the dead who must be consulted before anything important is done. Ancestral anitos are invited to family feasts when a death occurs to ensure the well-being of the deceased's soul. This is by offering some small amount of food to show that they are invited and not forgotten.

The Bontoc social structure used to be centred around village wards (ato) containing about 14 to 50 homes. Traditionally, young men and women lived in dormitories and ate meals with their families. This gradually changed with the advent of Christianity. In general, however, it can be said that all Bontocs are very aware of their own way of life and are not overly eager to change.

Well-known by: their tattoos and headhunting

They were once well-known because of their headhunting practices in the olden days but not today. In the previous time, the most distinctive body decoration of the Igorot was the tattoo. The Bontoc describe three types of tattoos: The chak-lag′, the tattooed chest of the head taker; pong′-o, the tattooed arms of men and women; and fa′-tĕk, for all other tattoos of both sexes. Women were tattooed on the arms only.

© Text and images: Wikipedia