Haka.

Haka. Probably an unknown word for you as it was for me before I heard it during class. The Haka can be a song, a dance or a Maori tribal dance ― an indigenous tribe native from New Zealand. Commonly, people know the Haka as a war cry and a dance from the Maori tribes performed to intimidate and make known his power before the battle, but the Haka has many others features. For example, not only men can do it and may also be expressed as a homecoming dance or even be performed in funerals. More commonly, the Haka is performed by the All Blacks ―New Zealand national rugby union team, which performs to intimidate his opponent during matches.

The Haka consists in a series of body movements including opening the eyes (very largely) and contorts the tongue. Also, moving the feet, arms and other body parts very violently because the thing they want to express here is simply: intimidation. Intimidate the opponent and vindicate the Maori culture. All gestures they make are just to show how warriors they are (and can be). The Haka express war, rivalry and power and it can also been understood as an invocation of Maori mythology.

 How has a provocative connotation towards rival The Haka despite being a sample of New Zealand culture has not been without controversy. The All Blacks have performed since the 1880s in every game they have had official so the history of problems with other computers is not short. Probably the most prominent controversy: during the 2007 Rugby World Cup France national team stood a meter confronting New Zealand's All Blacks while they performed the Haka, and kept looking at them during the rituals (a fact that was later sanctioned by International Rugby Board).

This is definitely a beautiful and provocative form of expression, is a living form to show the culture from the ancestors and convey the spirit and goodwill of these to the next generations. As the Haka has a violent tint, and has had many controversies in the sport. Do you think the Haka breaks the good intentions of sport to transform it from a slightly more aggressive and competitive? (Even more so in the case of Rugby)

Here I leave a video of the traditional Haka during the 2007 Rugby World Cup

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebZVMc0NKZs

Indian Reservations: More problems than solutions.

United States by means of violence has tried to conquer to Native American people,
having as a single objective  of steal their culture and independence. This has only caused problems for these indigenous villages that have had a direct impact in different areas, such as the social, cultural, economic, etc.

Reservations, plan proposed by the U.S.,  are territories that are still under a limited sovereignty of the native tribes of North America, occupy about 4% of the territory and are home to more than 500 tribes. These tribes are subject to many abuses on the part of the state and although These native people are still struggling to validate their rights, but the state doens´t do anything to solve this situation.

A clear example of abuses against the native americans, is the case of Lakota indians, which are formed by 7 tribes and located in the “Pine Ridge” reservation. Despite the fact that these aborigines have signed treaties to protect their territorial rights, the state has ignored these agreements, taking almost completely possession of the native territories, with the purpose of taking adventage of the resources that the indian territories have and another purpose is to expand increasingly.

Pine Ridge Flag. This flag  has a circle of nine tepees that represent the nine districts of the reservation.

On the other hand, the state allowed the natives to open casinos and gambling houses in their territories. This has caused that the indigenous  be influenced by these vicious practices, which go hand in hand with alcohol and drugs. In addition, the initial idea of reservation cultural that United States created, has not worked, Currently reservations is rather theme parks, where the tourist pays for the aboriginal represents their ancestral ways of life.

                                             

It is clear that the problem that affects the native American people is worrying. Currently modernity is in first, second, third, fourth place, putting aside the ancestral cultures of the planet. If idisappeared these cultures, at the same time we would lose our essence.

The big electronic rubbish dump

  Developed countries like the U.S., England, Germany and Japan, throw out annually forty million tons of electronic rubbish and all this ends in huge dumps in Africa mostly. There are millions of TVs, printers, phones and other electronic devices that reach these Third territories, polluting land and water poisoned thousands of children who are exposed to toxic substances such as cadmium, arsenic and mercury.

In many of the markets that are near landfills, sold everything that can be salvaged from inside the apparatus. Many times it is children who roam disarm scavenging and pulling objects are copper, steel and aluminum to earn some money.

Those guilty of all waste arriving to Africa are the manufacturers of these items should have a recycling plan for all this garbage is reused and not continue polluting countries trying to emerge. But a recycling plan is much more expensive to dispose of electronics in landfills throwing huge and hurting millions.

                           To finish here is a video about electronic rubbish in Africa.

The first lady of the civil rights movement

Rosa Louise McCailey

Rosa Parks  (february the 4th 1913. - Oktober the 24th 2005) was an American woman who worked as a dressmaker in the United States. She was very important figure in the civil rights movements in the United States of America, which was a movement that started the year 1955 to 1968 where the Afro-American wanted to end with the racial segregation and discrimination.

Rosa Parks became an icon. She was the sparkle of the movement due to all the things that she made and specially for not giving the sit of a bus to a white American ignstead of going to the back of the bus.She went to prison but this action that Rosa Sparks did, gave Afro-American hope and strength to fight for their civil rights. 

Many people said that this action was never maid and that she didn´t gave the sit of the bus to the white man because she was a phisically tired woman only. People also said that it was a mith, nevertheless, in the book  she wrote:" My life", she mentions that she didn't gave the sit of the bus to a man not because she was phisically tired, but tired of giving in. 

           

"Ghana: The largest dump in the World"

Currently the situation in Africa is devastating. Apart from having a high rate of deadly diseases, as well as, precarious living conditions, they must live together with what is essentially the largest dump of the world, located specifically in Ghana.

This has happened due to the fact that countries such as Germany, USA, England, among others, discarded trash that as destination has Africa. It has been demonstrated that to trow away trash instead of recycling or delete it in a way that does not affect the environment, is much more appropriate for these countries. Due to the fact that getting rid of this garbage would have a cost less than half that if this trash were recicled. Perhaps some of you will think that how it can happen this, if there are agencies responsible for regulating this topic.

According to what United Nations (UN) says, as well as was stipulated in the Basel Convention of 1989, was banned the exportation of toxic waste and dangerous items, including electronic, to less-developing countries. But what is most surprising is how these industrial powers evade this agreement.

According to these countries, all exports of electronic objects have as objective donate technology and bridging the digital divide between both regions of the world.

But what they apparently do not take into account is that only one quarter of the waste is reusable and the rest only will continue to occupy a place in the dump.

But what most unworthy are the side effects that these residues have in children, in addition to being very harmful to your health, due to the toxic emissions and hazardous components that have these devices, the percentage of child labor continues to grow increasingly.

If the authorities responsible for this issue, do not take serious and concrete measures,  we do not know what may happen in Africa, perhaps we will end up contributing to the extinction of that part of the world.

.

Decolonising my, your, his, her, our mind

Africa: The big Scramble shared by many countries. 

Africa was a meeting point for most of the colonizers; British, Portuguese, French and German men were spreading their legacy, banishing the native’s one. That is why, nowadays, the African traditions and stories (riddles, proverbs, sayings) are still alive because of the orality.

Ngugi Wa Thiango is a Kenyan writer and the author of the book “Decolonising the Mind”. Ngugi’s first stories were written in English, a fact that made him realize how Colonization had manipulated and changed people, HIS people. Why was he writing in English when his native language is the Gikuyu? He was making a successful career by leaving behind his roots. 

Africans being punished.

During colonization, missionaries and colonial administrators controlled the literature. They forced children to speak European languages, they told them their Mother tongue was bad and therefore English was better. If they didn’t do this they were punished. This blindness to the indigenous voice of Africans is a direct result, of colonization, according to Ngugi.   

"English in Africa is a "cultural bomb"..."

Due to this Ngugi began to write in Gikuyu. A brave decision, I mean, considering how powerful Globalization had become. “English in Africa is a “cultural bomb” that continues a process of erasing memories of pre-colonial” he said.

Writing in his native language, then, is his way of communicating with African people, returning them to their past life, their real life and remembering himself where he comes from.  It must be very disappointing to realize that you have been alienated; you have forgotten your roots and contributed to post-colonization effects. But, at the end of the day we all do the same thing, especially us, Chileans. Do you know how to speak Mapudungun? Do we know where we come from? Do we respect more native people than foreign ones? Do we? 

                                           Ngugi talking about cultures and languages.

Typical Indian Festival

Diwali, did you know  something about this festival?

 Diwali is an Indian religious holiday known as “Lights Festival”, this holiday means the beginning of new Hindu year and is celebrated for different religions as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

This holiday lasts for around 4 o 5 days; each day is called according to the Hindu calendar and it´s celebrated on the 15^th day of dark fortnight of the month of kārttika (from  October 21^st until  November 18th). During this holiday people clean, adorn and decorated their houses on an especial way. 

It commemorates the death of the demon Narakasura at the hands of Krishna and the release of the sixteen thousand maidens who had prisoners. Also people celebrated the return to the Ayodhyā city of Prince Rama after his victory over Ravana, the demon king.

Legend

According to legend, the inhabitants of the city filled the walls and roofs with lamps which Rāma could easily find your way. Thus began the tradition of lighting a multitude of lights at night.

Gods

In this especial festival there are some Gods who are revered as Lakshmí (Goddess who symbolizes good luck, beauty and who gives prosperity and wealth). Also the popular God   Ganesha is revered during this festival.                                                                                         

Typical things about Diwali

People buy new clothes to wear during this festival; people make sweet and very delicious food to share with family and friends. And when the night comes people shoot fireworks and share presents.

Some traditions are to build an altar where there´s an image of Goddess Lakshmí, to what will be offered flowers, incense and coins. Other one is at dusk they open all the windows and doors of houses and in each of them is made an offering of light with an oil lamp or candle, this will be for Lakshmí enter the rest of the year.

This year the festival will start on November 3^rd, in the 2014 will be on October 23^rd and in the 2015 will be on November 11^th.

If you go to India during this holiday is not unusual that people knock at your door, but don´t be afraid is just because they want to give you food and the only thing that you must do is accept this. This holiday keeps all customs and traditions about Indian culture.

...If you want to know more about this special Indian Holiday you can watch the video...

Australia as a jail

Have you ever know that Australia was used as a jail?


Between the XVIII and XIX century, Australia was used as a jail fot British convicts. More than 165000 convicts were sent to Australia.

Why they used this country as a jail?
The population of England increased a lot. So obviously; the violence, the murders and the alcoholism increased too. They need a place to have their convicts, so they decided to send them to Australia.

What happened after they served their sentence?
Mostly, they stayed in the country working, they could forget their past and start over again as settlers.
What about the buildings?
Now, are there as World Heritages. Are only 11 prisons as museums.

Some people can say that this help to colonized Australia, but it was just to have another jail, a big one.
I don't know if this is true but my brother told me when I was a little girl that they used it as a jail because it was a big island so they couldn't scape and also because in the ocean were sharks.
Also, the 20% of the first tripulation to travel to Australia were women. Some of them were workers and convicts.
The people who went there to have a job, worked in factorys.
Besides, the convicts worked too. As farmers, carpenters, nurses and staff.  The convicts with education worked in the administration of the jails. This was really helpful to the British colony to colonized the island fastly. 
This ended when the convict's population was of 1 million of people. The colony could be maintened and continue to grow. 

Big "C" culture

                                                                                     BIG "C" CULTURE



                                                 The Beatles

It was  an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. They became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed act in the rock music era. The group's best-known lineup consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s  rock and roll, the Beatles later utilized several genres, ranging from popballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. In the early 1960s, their enormous popularity first emerged as "Beatlemania", but as their songwriting grew in sophistication, they came to be perceived by many fans and cultural observers as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the  era's sociocuktural revolutions.

       

Cultural diversity an advantage in the world

Cultural diversity reflects the multiplicity and interaction of cultures in the world and are part of the common heritage of mankind.

Cultural diversity is manifested by the diversity of language, religious beliefs, practices of land management, in art, in music, in the social structure, in the selection of crops, in diet and in all conceivable number of other attributes of human society

                                                                                                     

This picture shows that cultural diversity is well accepted in the world are increasingly different cultures crossing borders.

Migration product in united states coexist many ethnicities and nationalities live here in the same nation Jewish, Asian, Muslim, Hindu, white people and a many others ethnicities

With this picture love we can show that if we teach children not to judge others because they are different they will accept best way to cultural diversity. This is very important today because every day different cultures are integrated to many countries and are mixed with each other.



Finally I leave this video with some phrases that are related to cultural diversity and its importance in the world.

The troubles

As we could saw in the presentations, some groups talked about the UK, but they not included Ireland as the Republic, they just included the Northern Ireland. I want to exposed why there's a problem between the Republic of Ireland and the Northern Ireland.
To add, I want that you listen to a song about this "war" between this two parts of that "country".

This kind of war started on the '60. And the central problem was the political status of Ireland and also, because the religion.
The Northern Ireland is protestant and the Republic of Ireland is Roman Catholic. The first part of the country mentioned wanted to keep the links with the UK, in other way, the Republic of Ireland wanted to be independent from the UK. This conflict made that people started to use guns and violence between them. This happened since 1960 until 1998 when the two parts signed an agreement called GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT which consists in a peaceful end of the civil war. But, sadly this doesn't end,f there's still some people who are not agree with this.
-THE VIOLENCE

In the final image we can see a mural of The IRA is the Irish Republican Army and was a radical group of volunteers that wanted the independence of the UK. This Army used the violence to keep their interests.
Even still this civil war exits, the people learnd how to live in peace with the Northern Ireland even when they don't want the same things.
Enjoy the song and the topic :) 

Racism and stereotypes in advertising

In the past, advertising was extremely racist and was almost accepted in morality. Fortunately in modern times, attitudes have come a long way to counteract this phenomenon in advertising. Nevertheless, there are still traces of this outdated mindset that focuses on cliches and stereotypes. Because racism takes many forms, it can be viewed in several recent ads.

If you think the era of political correctness has taught advertisers to create campaigns that are more sensitive and intelligent, think again. They are still quite happy to play into fears and stereotypes associated with race. While political ads are notoriously racist and while some ads are sneakily suggestive, others are almost unbelievably shameless. 

Although some people claim that racism no longer exists, its presences can still be traced in modern society. This video displays racist advertising images that continue to dehumanize African Americans and other minorities. 

For example, images portraying African Americans as savage-like angry athletes that perpetuate pre-established stereotypes of them in American history currently circulate the media. This situation is troubling and distressing because society has unconsciously learned to normalize racist images such as these. It comes to show that it’s not that racism does not exist, simply, society has learned to turn a blind eye to the social injustices affecting minority groups.Keep in mind that these are just a small selection of the many racist ads that have shamefully been allowed to air. 



In 2007, Intel initiated a scandal with the poster below, This poster refers to slaves around a white master.

Unfortunately racism is a very complicated issue, noticeable, is something you see every day, everywhere and although every day we work to eradicate it completely, through advertising campaigns against racism, seeking to raise awareness, not something you can remove from one day to another. Only if we work together we can reduce somewhat this topic

Language Loss

Many years ago the different Empires’ consolidation took place; among these there were two big Empires that spread their legacy around the world. The Spanish Empire took over territories and populations which inhabited the subcontinent known as South America, whereas the British Empire (European continent) strategically conquered many places in Africa, Asia and even North America, today known as the United States.

                                    

Clearly the winners by making these emancipatory trips were the Empires previously mentioned, and if so, how is that in some places people barely resisted their arrival? Well, they have been projecting an imaginary reality to aborigines, stating that this colonization was and is necessary for them, and assuring them that they will join the peaceful world we live in and will be fairly treated. Anyway I don’t think they believe in those words anymore.

Despite I already knew a little of these events I had never wonder about the situation they face nowadays.

There is a theory that remains the existence of six thousand spoken languages but half of the world's known languages are expected to die within this century mainly because some of these languages have just a single living speaker or they are spoken only by elders and not learned by children. As an example we can consider the case of Rapa Nui language, they were not used to teach their children the native language at school but this has been changing through the years. American and African countries went through this situation but they realized how important it was to keep their roots alive.

Talking about Chile, only four out of the eight natives languages ​​are spoken by less than one third of the adult population. On twenty-ninth February we celebrate the international day of the mother tongue. But most of us do not know about it. The government has implemented certain recovery and integration programs but is this enough? Do they really want to comply with what native people are asking, which are more opportunities and above all never forget where we come from?

      

                           “Globalization: another factor that contributes to cultural diversity loss”

Here I post a video where a specialist mentions a really important possibly consequence: the loss of diversity, and some quotes that in my opinion express deep reflections, certainly worth it to hear and read.

“Language loss has a profound impact on indigenous and minority communities and revitalization and maintenance efforts by concerned people can make a big difference in the way the community values not only its language but, even more, its entire culture.

Preservation [...] is what we do to berries in jam jars and salmon in cans. [...] Books and recordings can preserve languages, but only people and communities can keep them alive.” -- Nora Marks Dauenhauer and Richard Dauenhauer, Tlingit [Alaska] oral historians. (In Lord 1996: 68).

Wade Davis: Loss of language and cultural diversity [HD] - ABC Radio National Breakfast - YouTube

A King and his six´s Wives

                                                                Henry VIII and his 6 Wives

Henry was born in London on June 28, 1491, and after the death of his father in 1509, acceded to the throne. He married his brother's widow, Catherine of Aragon, who got engaged through a papal dispensation obtained in 1503. It was the first of Henry's six marriages, which were affected by the political and religious conditions of the time and the increasingly despotic behavior of the monarch. At the beginning of his reign, the attractiveness and friendliness of Enrique, his love of sports and hunting, and military value endear him to his subjects. In his role as monarch Renaissance, received at his court many scholars and artists such as the German painter Hans Holbein the Younger, who painted several portraits of him and members of his court.



In 1527 Henry announced his desire to divorce his wife, claiming the papal dispensation that made possible his marriage was null. The main reason for the divorce was that Catherine had not given him a male heir. Her only surviving child was Mary, later Mary I of England. In addition, Henry was in love with Anne Boleyn, a maid of honor of the queen.
In 1536, after Anne Boleyn accused of incest and adultery, Henry ordered his execution. A few days after Anna's death he married Jane Seymour, who died in 1537 while giving birth to Henry's only legitimate son, Edward, later Edward VI. In 1540 he arranged his marriage to Anne of Cleves in order to establish a link between England and the Protestant princes of Germany. A few months later, due to unattractive since Ana and political alliance with Germany was no longer favored, Henry divorced her, and that same year he married Catherine Howard. The following year Henry married his sixth (and last) wife, Catherine Parr, who was the only one that survived.


He died on January 28, 1547 in London.

Apartheid.

Have you ever heard of the "Apartheid"? Apartheid was a policy of racial segregation practiced in the Republic of South Africa which was imposed by the British and Dutch settlers. It was named that way because in Afrikaans (a Germanic language derived from Dutch) means "separation”.  It consisted of a series of measures to be divided into groups based on their race to the South African people in order to achieve a path to "development".

Throughout the history of South Africa, this nation suffered by racial segregation and domination of the white race. But it was in 1950 when the apartheid system was adopted as an official policy that classified people into four groups: whites, blacks, Indians and mulattos. One of the first laws banned marriage between whites and other races. Then came many more laws that ruled that blacks could not vote or hold public office much less, and others that even certain areas of residence were determined to avoid racial mixing.

The rights of blacks and people of other races were almost entirely suppressed: there were several entrances to public buildings (one for white people and one for black), there passes that blacks could entering areas or areas of white and vice versa, and education course was not equal for everyone (It was banned for black people).

There was reluctance on the part of black people but also white minority. One of the main groups that opposed Apartheid was led by Nelson Mandela: the African National Congress. Unfortunately, the resistance suffered several hard blows when the March 21, 1960 the police opened fire killing 69 protesters.

South Africa had to wait February 1990, when Frederik De Klerk became president and announced that it would begin a process of elimination of discriminatory laws and lift the ban against banned political parties including the main and most significant black opposition party), which had been declared illegal 30 years before, ending apartheid.

Do you think that discrimination suffered by South Africa is the same or less severe than happens in Chile with gays or foreigners?

Michael Bublé - "Home"

This is one of my favorite songs.

"Home" by Michael Buble.

Michael Bublé  is a Canadian vocalist, song writer and actor. He was born in September 9, 1975. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards. “Home” is from albulm “It’s Time,was released 15 February 2005. The album reached No. 1 in Canada, Italy, Japan, and on the Billboard Top Jazz chart.

Bublé has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.

“I’ll be home tonight, I’m coming back home”

I hope You like it.

"Every day is a new one, let’s live it right."

The nowadays society is forgetting how muchimportant life is; you only live once, and that’s what Jason Mraz wants to let us know. Why caring of little problems when there’s someone out there dying by famine? C’mon, let’s go outside, make a change and don’t even matter on being sad or upset at something.

This singer is known as a peacemaker and for his priceless song’s lyrics. This one in particular makes you reflex of the wonderful life it is in front of you and he wrote it because of that; he wanted- and he still does it- to open our eyes and make us stop with the selfish lifestyle, with the pity and sorrow feelings and of course with our open mind to suicides (he believes in God so he thinks there’s always a way of solution the troubles, anyway except suiciding, and actually that’s the first solution to most of teenagers). Hear it in every moment you don’t know where you are going or why you are here and its catchy chorus and its powerful meaning will bring you up. Sing it out loud like so many people do it and feel what they feel: their beliefs reborn.

The video it’s a live performance and as usual it has nothing in common with the others. This man follows to the letter his own motto and makes every performance special because he never performs the same way a song.

Everything have its purpose it is sometimes difficult to find it, but it is there.

the fighter

                                                                   " THE FIGHTER  "

This is my favourite song, by Gym class heroes & Ryan Tedder (singer of the group One republic)

This video shows the value of being persistent in life.

Gym Class Heroes is a Hip Hop band from Geneva, New York and Ryan Tedder is the singer of the band One Republic from Colorado

The sportman who shows on the video is John Orozco, he´s an American Gymnast who born on The bronx, New York

En el video se muestra todo lo que tuvo que soportar el gimnasta norteamericano John Orozco. Todo el dolor, todas las lesiones y las heridas que tuvo que aguantar para volver a ser el deportista que era. Todo lo que te tiene que importar es tu objetivo, nada más.

People want to see you fall, but all you have to do is get up and fight, because when you walk down the street the same people who want you to fall, say there goes a fighter

I REALLY LIKE THIS SONG AND I HOPE YOU LIKE IT TOO GUYS!

Fernando Troncoso Orellana

LITTLE TALKS!

This is my favourite song, it's from Of monsters and men.
It's about a friendship or a relationship which ends and now they are missing each other.

I don't know why the video is like it is. But is an awesome video because is like magic.
"Of monsters and men" es un grupo del género Indie Folk de Islandia que nació el año 2010.
I love this song since I don't know 1 month I guess.
And that's it :) This is my favourite song, ENJOY IT!

Valentina Villegas Westwood