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Cultural Connections

Cultural Connections – July 2016

Paul Revere is famous for his midnight ride through Boston and its surrounding communities in April of 1775. He warned the colonists that the British were coming to arrest activists Samuel Adams and John Hancock. He rode to Lexington, Massachusetts, and warned many people along this route. Revere was also a part of the Boston Tea Party. That’s when colonials dressed as Native Americans and destroyed an entire shipment of tea to protest taxes levied on them by England. That is not all that he did, though. While Revere was a true patriot, he was also a silversmith, a soldier, a politician and more. Paul was born in Boston in 1734. His dad was a silversmith. This is where he learned the craft. Paul trained under his father and eventually took over the business. Life in colonial times was filled with many challenges and for most working people there was not a lot of spare time to spend pursuing the arts. But that didn’t keep them from using their creativity to bring beauty to their world. And that is just what Paul did. As a silversmith, Paul worked on both gold and silver items. He created useful things like knives, spoons, forks, tea sets and bowls. His creations were beautifully decorated and skillfully made. During his lifetime he was considered a master of his craft, and to this day, his work is still considered remarkable in the world of decorative arts. Examples of his work are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Revere did a lot of other creative work, too. He was also a copper plate engraver. He would use chisels and other tools to make dents and patterns in copper, creating beautiful scenes and designs. He made illustrations for books and magazines, business cards, political cartoons, bookplates, a song book and bills of fare for taverns. Revere’s accomplishments are definitely impressive, but it was not unusual for colonists to have several business ventures going at the same time. They wove whatever skills and resources they had together to make a living for their families. In addition to Revere’s creative businesses he also worked as a dentist. Just like people living in the 1700s, we can use our many skills and talents to be successful at several things at the same time.

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Cultural Connections

Cultural Connections – June 2016

There are many wonderful things about stories. They are creative and often clever. They are entertaining. We can learn from them. Sometimes they make us laugh. Other times they might make us think or even cry. That’s why we like them so much — stories are a way for us to transfer ideas and feelings to each other, and usually in a fun way. For centuries, people all over the world have loved to tell or listen to stories, too. One story that comes from Russia is called The Giant Turnip. It was written by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy and was published by Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev. Tolstoy was a Russian poet, novelist and playwright who lived from 1817-1875. Afanasyev lived from 1826-1871 and published almost 600 Russian folktales and fairytales. The story of the giant turnip is about a farmer who plants a turnip. It turns out to be a very big turnip! When it is time to harvest the turnip, it is so big that he cannot get it out of the ground! So he asks his wife for help. Together the two pull as hard as they can, but the turnip still won’t budge. They enlist the help of a young boy, then a young girl, then a dog, then a cat and eventually even a mouse. It takes all seven of them pulling together to get the turnip out of the ground! But once it is out, they all enjoy eating the turnip together. The moral of the story is that even the smallest and least among us have value and are useful. Here is a link to a YouTube video of the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysPxSHHE8Lg

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Cultural Connections

Cultural Connections – May 2016

While music is an important part of Native American culture, there are many other art forms that are also significant, like weaving. Because tribes were mobile, often their art was not only beautiful, but also useful. For example, baskets and blankets were necessary items, but the different tribes wove patterns and symbols in to these items, making them works of art. Baskets were a big part of tribal life and making them was considered an important task. Basket weaving is still common today with many weavers following the age-old practices of the Native American tribes. While some tribes used bear grass to weave baskets, the Shoshone used willow because it was so plentiful where they lived. Even though it was plentiful, willow could only be harvested in autumn and winter after the leaves fell. And even though there were (and still are) many kinds of willow, there were only three or four types that were suitable for weaving. Once the willow was harvested, cleaned and prepared, the weaving could begin. A basket’s shape and size determined how the owner would use it. Cradle baskets were made for carrying babies under a year old. Some baskets, like storage baskets, had lids while others looked like bowls. Like many other artists, basket weavers often have their own sense of style, or voice, that shines through in their work. Maybe it is the way a basket sits or how tightly the artist weaves, but each maker leaves their mark on their baskets. In many tribes, basket making was competitive. Moms would share their best basket making tips with their daughters, and every step of the process from cleaning to soaking and cutting the willow had to be done in a certain way to ensure the baskets would come out right. The women would often try to outdo each other with beautiful patterns that they wove into the baskets.

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Cultural Connections

Cultural Connections – March 2016

While the history of man-made glass can be traced back to 3500 B.C., it wasn’t until about 1000 A.D. that the glass-making industry really started to take off. Today, the Czech Republic is well-known for its high-quality glass, but the history of glass making in this country goes back a long way. While there is evidence that the Celts that inhabited the area were making glass 2,000 years ago, it was during the 1200s that Czech glass became a leader in the industry. The natural resources in Ore, Jizera, the Lusatian Mountains, the Giant Mountains, the Forest Maintains and Moravia in the northern part of the country provided everything glass makers needed to thrive. There were plenty of trees to use as fuel for the furnaces. The ashes from the furnaces were mixed with chalk (limestone) and silica (sand and quartz) and melted to make glass. The Bohemians weren’t the only people making glass in Europe at this time, though. In Italy and Germany the glass-making industry was prospering, too. What made Czech glass special was the potash (ashes from the furnace) that they used. The Czechs discovered that by adding the ashes to the glass making process the glass was clearer than the glass made in other countries. This also made the glass more stable. That meant is was more durable so things like windows and goblets and vases would not break as easily as those made without potash. This made it more desirable. It was also used to make jewelry, ornaments and chandeliers. Today, the Czech Republic is still an industry leader when it comes to glass. It is common to see brightly colored glass and intricately carved items as well as hand painted glass and sculptural items from the Czech Republic.

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Kids

Pasillo

There are several countries in South America that listen to and dance to pasillo music. The people of Panama, Venezuela and Colombia do, but it is Ecuador that is considered the home of pasillo. In fact, it is considered the national genre of music there. It is usually played with a guitar and a rondin, which is a lot like a pan flute. Other stringed instruments, including mandolins, are often a part of this kind of music. The words in pasillo songs are usually poetic and involve emotional topics. Like many art forms, pasillo started out as one thing and changed over time. This music was brought to South America from Europe in the 1800s. Most historians believe that this kind of music was inspired by the Viennese waltz, which originated in Europe – specifically, Vienna, Austria. The Spanish paso doble also influenced pasillo. As the music was shared, it traveled from village to village and region to region with each place putting its own special spin on it. While it is easy to recognize pasillo’s distinctive sound, it is still very individualized in each town and region. October 1 is National Pasillo Day in Ecuador. It is in honor of Julio Jaramillo Laurido’s birthday. Laurido was recognized around the world for his pasillo performances. In December, in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, there is a Festival Nacional del Pasillo.

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Cultural Connections

Charles Darwin

A five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle changed Charles Darwin’s life. His findings on that expedition helped shape scientific theory that is still relevant today. Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, on Feb. 12, 1809, to a wealthy family. He was the fifth of six children. As a youngster, he loved exploring nature. His dad was a medical doctor and his grandfather was a famous botanist. Darwin’s mom died when he was 8. Darwin’s father wanted him to become a medical doctor, but he couldn’t stand the sight of blood. His father suggested he become a parson and work in the church. Darwin agreed, thinking that this would give him more time to study nature. When he finished school in 1831, instead of going to work for the church, he was hired as a naturalist and went to work aboard the HMS Beagle. It was a dream come true for him. The ship traveled the world and Darwin collected samples and specimens of things like plants, birds and fossils. He took notes, made drawings and studied everything he could find about the places he visited. Darwin was especially intrigued by South America and the Galapagos Islands. During his travels, Darwin noticed that there were many species across the world that were similar but had significant variations that were unique to their location. For example, he found finches in many places, but the ones that ate bugs had beaks that were shaped one way and the finches that ate mostly seeds had beaks that were shaped another way. Darwin studied his findings and did his best to come up with a reason for what he found. When he returned to England in 1836, Darwin chronicled his findings in a piece called “Journal of Researches.” It was published as part of Captain FitzRoy’s larger narrative about the trip. Later, it was edited into the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle. Darwin continued to study natural science and in 1859 he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. It is his best known work. It introduced the theory of evolution to the world.

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Cultural Connections

Mandalas

Mandalas, those beautiful intricate patterned circles that are so fun to color: they are an ancient art. Centuries old. The word mandala is actually a Sanskrit word that means “circle,” but it has significant spiritual meaning. For many, it represents more than a cool shape with a beautiful design in it. It represents life, and structure and the cosmos. Mandala’s are a part of the Buddhist belief structure. Siddhartha Gautama, the man who eventually became known as Buddha was born in Nepal around 624 B.C. He was a royal prince and is known as The Enlightened One. That is what Buddha means — enlightened. Eventually, Buddhism spread and now it is practiced all over the world. It is especially popular in Tibet, the country to the north of Nepal, where many Buddhist monks live. And those colorful mandalas are a part of their religious practice. They are important because mandalas represent our relationship with the universe. In fact, they are so significant that Buddhist monks go through rigorous training to make mandalas. Once they finish the training, they use colored sand to make large table-sized mandalas. The monks use a funnel and a metal rod called a chak-pur to place the grains of sand on a table. While there are many designs to choose from, they all have similar shapes and symbols in them. Before a grain of sand touches the table, the monks bless the site of the mandala and then draw an outline of the design they are going to make. Then they lay the sand. It is not unusual for the monks to spend up to six days making a mandala. Once it is finished, they pray for peace and harmony in the world. Then they sweep up the sand and collect it to throw into the water. For them, it is the process of making the mandala that is valuable — not the finished piece. Check out these youtube videos (below) of Tibetan monks making mandalas. For more information please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10084L3Pqsc,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uazRvR9p0w, https:/, www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QItAyepAnI, http://www.mandalaproject.org/, http://www.biography.com/people/buddha-9230587, http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/, http://artmuseum.msu.edu/exhibitions/current/tibet/, http://obviousmag.org/en/archives/2008/10/the_creation_and_destruction_of_a_mandala.html

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Cultural Connections

Scrimshaw

Sometimes fishing expeditions can get a little boring – especially if the trip lasts more than a year (sometimes up to five years). At least that was the case for whale fishermen in the 1700’s and 1800’s. So to pass the time, the sailors used what they had to entertain themselves. One way they did this was to carve beautiful designs and scenes into whale’s teeth or bones or even walrus tusks. The sailors would use a pocketknife or sometimes a sail needle (a thick sturdy needle used to repair sails) to carve pictures into the teeth, bone or tusks. Once the carving was complete, they would rub soot from fat or oil burning lamps (this soot was called lamp black) over the carving so the picture would stand out. Many of the carvings were detailed and quite intricate. They included fishing scenes, landscapes, flowers, musical instruments and more. A person who makes scrimshaw art is called a scrimshander. No one knows for sure where the word scrimshaw comes from but many believe that it comes from a nautical term that Dutch and English sailors used that means “to waste time.” While scrimshaw art is pictures carved into teeth and bones, sometimes sailors would carve the bones into useful things like hinges, pie crimpers, handles for canes and umbrellas and other useful items. This is also scrimshaw art. While this art form peaked in the mid 1800s there are still scrimshanders that make beautiful pieces of art today.

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Cultural Connections

Flamenco

Many people consider flamenco dancing a Spanish tradition – and it is popular in Spain – but it is a dance with a fluid and complex history. Flamenco is a dance that has changed over time. It has elements of dances from India, which historians say came to Spain between 500 and 250 B.C., when dancers from India were brought to Spain to dance for the royal court. Later, as people came to Spain from Africa, Pakistan and Persia, they brought their music and dance traditions with them. These were absorbed into the culture and became part of the dances, too. Today, flamenco dance includes hand clapping, rhythmic foot stomping and beautifully complex hand, arm and body movements. Often, the dancer remains still and expressionless as the music begins to play. As the dancer feels the music they start clapping or stomping their feet before they start moving to the music. Flamenco dancers often hold castanets in their hands and use them to make clapping sounds. Intricate folding fans are also used in flamenco dances.

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Kids

The Fan Dance

The Fan Dance, like the name suggests, uses beautiful fans to tell a story. The fans usually represent things like a blossoming flower, rippling water, birds or butterflies. The fans are usually quite large and are decorated with bright colors and patterns. Like most cultures, Korea has many kinds of traditional dances — and they all have different meanings. For most of these dances, the performers wear bulky dresses with full sleeves. This helps them to portray things like flowers and birds that are often part of the dance. Korean Folk Dances portray everyday life. These dances are very expressive and show a lot of emotion. They are very free flowing. One popular folk dance is the Farmer’s Dance. It was originally used to entertain farmers and other working-class people. The music has some complicated rhythms to it, making it a quick paced and high-spirited dance. The Kanggang-Suwollae is a beautiful dance celebrating the role of women when they helped protect the country from invasion. In this dance, young women in the village gather in open fields where they sing and dance under the light of the full moon. Changgochum, also called the Hour-Glass Drum Dance, is usually a solo performance. The dancer includes skips, jumps, quick turns and fast steps in the routine — all while playing the drum. A similar drum dance called the Five Drum Dance, has drummers beating different but complementary beats. The dance usually has five drummers, but there can be as few as three and as many as nine drums in this dance.

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