The Cherokees and Native Americans are often viewed as heathens by people in the south along the Bible Belt and the Appalachian Region. However, it is important for individuals to realize that Christianity played a vital role for the Cherokees. The Cherokees in particular were spiritual in their beliefs and they also prayed in their own ways, they accepted the Europeans beliefs because of their openness within several organizations. Overtime several different denominations began to enter into Cherokee lands and slowly began to preach, settle, and eventually convert numerous Cherokees into Christianity.

The Native American culture, having been commonly viewed as heathens by Christians, had their own sets of beliefs prior to the Christianization efforts. Christians did not and some still do not realize that their forms of worship and their beliefs are not that different from Cherokee traditions. The Cherokees believed in a Supreme Being, who was the Creator of all. The term spiritual for the Cherokee culture meant an “active and alive flow of energy that connects us all to the Universal Spirit.” [1] Garrett also describes that to a Cherokee being spiritual is similar to holding on to something that we value, such as a lesson in life that we are taught. That is directly related to the way in which we are brought up as children, and how each family teaches and stresses different moral and traditional values to their offspring. While the term spiritual is interchangeable between a way of life for the Cherokees or a religious belief, the spiritual paths of the Cherokees were not taken away by the Europeans who tried to Christianize them. In fact it seemed that the Cherokees wanted to fit into the European culture and by converting to Christianity they were able to fit in and for them that meant become a more civilized culture as a whole.

Prayer is also another term that people associate with Christianity and modern religions. However, the basis of the term was set years ago by the Native Americans. Prayers for them were often in the form of chants or ceremonies. During a prayer the Cherokees did not ask for anything but guidance, but more commonly prayers were believed to be used to give thanks. “The process of praying for Native Americans is fairly open, but subtle; we use certain hand movements…the same is true [for Native Americans] with pointing the open palm(s) toward the sky in ceremonies, which signifies giving thanks to the Universal Spirit and the Great One.” [2] A prayer may be sent by the offering of tobacco much as the tithes that are paid to a church today.

The Cherokee beliefs were generally polytheistic and the belief in multiple gods existed, but one was held to a higher stature than the others. For instance, they believed that the setting Sun was the holder of evil gods, the reason most of their dwellings had openings that only pointed to the east toward the rising sun. Most believed in some form of afterlife and believed that during the afterlife there would either be punishments or rewards meted out by the Great Spirit. One Cherokee after the conversion to Christianity described his belief prior as: “To reverence the great and Supreme Being, love my friends deeply and to take vengeance on my enemies [and after converting to Christianity] In the Indian devotion there is nothing like pure religion. Tho’ they have faint ideas of Deity, yet they are far from loving him with all the heart.” [3] The Christian Cherokee reported his findings in 1823; nearly 25 years after the missionaries began entering the Cherokee country.  

The process of Christianizing the Cherokees was a long process that took place over the course of several years. Upon initial arrival the problem amongst the missionaries was the language barrier. The Cherokee syllabary was created around 1821. With the use of the syllabary Cherokees could now learn to write their language on paper. In 1824, John Arch a full blooded convert became inspired to translate a section of the Gospel according to St. John into Cherokee. This invention facilitated the transformation of the Cherokees. [4] Then by 1828, Samuel Worcester, the editor for the Cherokee Phoenix[5], translated the Lord’s Prayer.[6]

Missionaries began coming into America as early as 1566 with a Catholic Priest by the name of Father Rogers. Rogers upon contact with the Native Americans was uncertain and was unable to communicate with them. Rogers was not able to provide much teaching to the Cherokees, but he was the first recorded missionary. [7] Rogers was not the only missionary to enter and not be able to communicate with the Native Americans. In 1758, a Presbyterian missionary by the name of John Martin began trying to devise a plan to convert Cherokees into Christianity, and in 1799 Moravians entered the Cherokee land and was taken aback at how they were unable to communicate with them.

In the early 1800’s, missions into the Cherokee lands began to increase. At first the Cherokees was not officially opposed to the preaching of Christianity, but they did not want churches built. Cherokees instead wanted their children to be able to attend a school and learn reading, writing, and arithmetic so that their children would be able to communicate with the increase number of Europeans. The Cherokees wanted their children learn all that they could so that they would not be as illiterate and ignorant as they considered themselves to be. The same concepts exist today with the parents of children wanting their children to go beyond what they have been able to accomplish.

Gideon Blackburn, a Presbyterian who was contacted by John Martin after he had visited the Cherokee country, began asking for a government grant in order to educate the Indians. The process was slow and the two began talking in 1758, but it was 1803 before Blackburn received a grant of two hundred dollars in order for him to create a school. Blackburn received the Cherokees approval and was able to construct and establish his first school, one year after receiving his grant. Two years later, in 1806, Blackburn was able to create his second school by using left over funds from the first, and by the success of his first school.

The same year that Blackburn established his school, John Gambold a Moravian missionary was also looking into the Christianization of the Cherokees. Gambold came into the Cherokee country in 1804 and began trying to educate and preach to the Natives. Gambold found out that the Cherokees wanted schools and not churches just as Blackburn had discovered and in 1805 established the Spring Place Missionary School. The missionary school began with mostly young children but later branched out to have some adults in attendance as well, hoping to learn English. In 1819 Spring Place had 2 to 14 children in regular attendance and by 1830 they had 32 adults and 31 children. [8]

Cyrus Kingsbury was the next large player in Christianizing the Cherokees. Kingsbury saw the success of Blackburn and Gambold’s missionary schools and decided to create some of his own. In 1816 Kingsbury, created the Chickamauga Missions School on a 25 acre plantation. The Chickamauga school was a small portion of Kingsbury’s plans to aid in the education of the Cherokees. Kingsbury created what became known as the Brainerd Missions. Brainerd held numerous schools of different branches. Taloney was created in 1819; Creek Path in 1820; Hightower, Willstown, and Haweis in 1823; Candy’s Creek in 1824; New Echota in 1827; Amohee in 1831; and finally Redclay and Running Waters were created in 1835. All of the schools worked together but separately to educate Native Americans living in different parts of Cherokee country during the time period.

In addition to the Moravians and Presbyterian, there were also the Baptists and the Methodists that came to the Cherokee country. The Baptist associations came into Cherokee country from Georgia around 1816. The Baptists and Methodists did not set up any schools; however, they did preach and teach to the Cherokees. The Methodists came into the Cherokee country from Tennessee. The Methodists was under the Conference of Tennessee, directed by William M. Mahan. They set up four schools and had all of them established by 1828. The Baptists and the Methodists found the aid of the Cherokee Phoenix to be very helpful because they could distribute scriptures as well as hymns in both English and Cherokee. [9]

The missionary efforts were great by 1829, it is recorded that there were 1,028 Methodist Converts. The Methodists were the most effect in reaching out the Cherokees first. By 1831, it has been recorded that there were 192 communicants, 120 Baptists, and 74 Moravian converts.[10] According to Gulick in 1960, “There are as far as we know 17 churches.” 11 Baptists, 1 Episcopal, 3 Holiness, 2 Methodists, and the Roman Catholic and Mormon services are held in a community building, all of which would not have been made possible had it not been for the early missionaries that began working toward Christianizing the Cherokees in the early 1800s. Four of the 11 churches that Gulick found still offered church services in the native Cherokee Language. [11]

For the most part, Eastern Cherokee churches preach of the sinfulness and evilness of mankind along with the necessity of the belief in Christ so that the Native American can be saved and escape hells fire. With non-Indian church goers there is an intense emotion. The Native Americans, on the other hand, remain impassive and their social behavior does not typically express emotions during church services. However, they are accepting of the emotional responses of the non-Indian church goers and have grown to expect the outburst. The texts are sometimes sung in the Cherokee language, but they are sung to tunes derived from non-Indian backgrounds. [12]

In conclusion, the Cherokees may have been unwilling to accept Christianity and churches at the beginning, but they finally allowed missionaries to begin creating schools in 1799. To the Cherokees the schools were a necessity for their children to be able to live a civilized life amongst the Europeans. It was easier for them to realize the benefits of education than it was for them to see the benefits of Christianity. However, through the blending of Christianity and education the missionaries were able to accomplish both the education of Native Americans and the converting of Cherokees to Christianity. After 1816, missionaries built a network of boarding schools which catered primarily to the highly acculturated Cherokee leadership of the early 19th century. [13]The progress was great, acceptance was wide spread, and children as well as adults began to attend. The converting of Christianity grew and exists today in the Cherokee Nation. Today many people still view the Native Americans as being uncivilized and heathen, but in reality they have been quick to accept Christianity and are no different than the non-Indian American’s.  

Bibliography

Baird, W. David. “Cherokees and MIssionaries, 1789-1839.” The Western Historical Quarterly (Western Historical Quarterly, Utah State University ) 16, no. 2 (1985): 191.

Collins, Linton. “The Activities of the Missionaries Among the Cherokees .” The Georgia Historical Quarterly (Georgia Historical Society ) 6, no. 4 (1922): 285-322.

Corman, Catherine. “Writing Indians: Literacy, Christianity, and Native Community in Early America .” The William and Mary Quarterly (Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture ) 58, no. 3 (2001): 742-745.

Garrett, J.T. and Garret, Michael. Medicine of the Cherokee: The Way of Right Relationship . Santa Fe, New Mexico : Bear and Company Publishing , 1996.

Gulick, John. Cherokees at the Crossroads . Chapel Hill , North Carolina : University of North Carolina , 1960.

Kilpatrick, Alan. “A Note on Cherokee Theological Concepts .” American Indian Quarterly (University of Nebraska Press) 19, no. 3 (1995): 385-405.

Malone, Henry. Chrokees of the Old South . Atlanta , Georgia : The University of Georgia Press, 1956.

McNally, Michael. “The Practice of Native American Christianity .” Church History (Cambridge University Press) 69, no. 4 (2000): 834-859.

Perdue, Theda. “Cherokees and Missionaries, 1789-1839.” American Indian Quarterly (University of Nebraska Press ) 9, no. 2 (1985): 188-191.

[1] Garrett, Medicine of the Cherokee, page 110.

[2] Garrett, Medicine of the Cherokee, Page 116.

[3] Malone, Cherokees of the Old South: A People in Transition, Page 91.

[4] From a Note on Cherokee Theological Concepts, the article points out how without a written language the Europeans had great difficulties in communicating with the Native Americans who spoke mostly in their own language.

[5] The Cherokee Phoenix was originally called the Cherokee Press at New Echota and that led to the Phoenix which became a National Newspaper by 1828.

[6] Malone, Cherokees of the Old South: A people in Transition, page 114.

[7] Extracted from a journal Article, A Note on Cherokee Theological Concepts.

[8] Malone, Cherokees of the Old South: A people in transition, page 95.

[9] Collins, Activities of the Missionaries among the Cherokee, page 18.

[10] Malone, Cherokees of the Old South: A people in transition, Page 117.

[11] Gulick, Cherokees at the Crossroads, page 36.

[12] Gulick, Cherokees at the Crossroads, pages 118-119 goes into great detail describing the non-Indian verses the Indian churches.

[13] Perdue, Cherokees and Missionaries. 

I like diversity and I’ve nothing against interracial relationships, but having read a bit on the topic and having heard of some cases of abduction I wonder if these mixed couples can really work out.

One of my sister’s friend had met an Indian man in Barcelona. They became friends until they married and eventually had a child. Apparently all was fine. She had a good job, but he didn’t. Therefore, she was the breadwinner and he was at home looking after their child and doing the housework. He seemed to be a pleasant man who seemed to love her. On a given day, she arrived home earlier than usual. On her way home she had even bought few things at the deli to make a special diner. When she reached home, she found that none of them were there. At first, she thought that he had perhaps gone out for a stroll with their child. She started to prepare their diner. But at ten o’clock, she started to worry that they hadn’t arrived yet. She called up to all her friends and relatives to find out in case they were with any of them. They haven’t been there. She called up to hospitals and to police stations. No trace of them. Days after of searching, she had found out through the Indian consulate that the man had flown to India with the girl. 

I also had a friend in London who was Spanish and who met a man from West Indies. They married and they had a child. He was a pleasant man and all of us adored him because he was always courteous and friendly. They seemed to have a harmonious relationship, but everything changed until they flew to his homeland. He used to lose his temper with her and the child way too often and she didn’t dare to go out with the child, because children threw stones at them. When we heard her account, we just couldn’t believe that this man had behaved this way once they were there. He had been ever so peaceful and friendly while they had lived in London.

I have read and heard of many other cases. Women or men who had an interracial relationship. They had married and had had children. Apparently, they lived happily until on one day, one of them left taking the child with them. 

I wonder if it is possible to marry someone who belongs to another race, religion or creed. It should be, but taking into account these cases, it seems it cannot. 

It makes me think that we should take few matters in consideration before we attach to someone so different from us.

Culture, traditions, uprising, customs, educational background aren’t minor aspects and they are to be taken in consideration.

In the Western Hemisphere, for instance, women have achieved freedom to act. They don’t have to be submitted to men. They can decide for themselves. Where as, in many countries, women seem not to exist. They are enslaved to ancient customs, which still rule in many countries. Even if a woman who belongs to modern society goes to her husband country is likely to be subjected to these ancient rules that should have perhaps been abolished long ago.

My mum was in the Women’s Land Army in Melbourne Australia. She worked as a herd tester travelling from farm to farm with her equipment on horse and buggy. I still have some of her chemical apparatus today. I don’t know exactly what she did with them. What I do remember is the wonderful stories of the families that she stayed with and helped during war-time in the country. Mum loved the land ‘mother earth’ and all its offerings. She had a great love of people too. Mum had a big heart and was often involved with charity work. Even though she was in the women’s land army she believed there was a better way to find peace. One of the ways I honour her today is by taking her message of peace (become the peace we seek) out into the world via my Mrs Claus work.

Mum got married later in life for a woman of her day – 30 years old! She did a lot of things later in life for a woman of her time including having children very late in life. She had me when she was 40.  Her world was so different than ours today. I remember the excitement in her voice when she told me her brother was one of the first in her neighbourhood to have a car, a Model T Ford. It was a great novelty for all to behold.  Each time he arrived home he used a hammer to knock down the back fence, which backed onto a laneway, so he could drive his car into their backyard. He couldn’t leave it on the road as that was where the horses and carts travelled. He would hammer up the fence again once he drove it in. I was told it was quite an event to witness and often neighbours came out to see her brother arrive home in a blaze of fun and glory!

As a young woman, her great love growing up was singing around the piano she played with the fire blazing and her family and friends around her. Her mum was a piano teacher. This was a time when growing your own vegies, chooks running around and sharing and bartering with the neighbours was common, as food was scarce and rationed. She would darn just about everything including her stockings. They had to last. She didn’t live in a time of plenty like we do today. She valued everything. She never threw anything out and never wasted food. I still to this day feel guilty if I leave something on my plate. I know how lucky we are today. I miss her dearly but am so very grateful that I had her for the time that we had. So there is a little about my mum. So today I honour her and all mothers – alive, deceased and all those throughout history including the great mother earth.

Happy Mothers Day to all mums xx

The author, Bernadette Dimitrov aka Mrs Claus, is an inspirational author, speaker and Happiness Ambassador available for parties, events and workshops all year round.  Visit her homesite at http://www.HoHOhoChristmas.com and visit her new book site http://www.HowCaniBeHappy.co

Values, traditions, pre-determined formulas of years, the sayings of the old, proverbs, golden sayings even the universal truths, today nothing is 100% for sure. The yesterdays theory can be proved false today and today’s experience can be proved wrong tomorrow. The advancement of science and education has changed the structure of the world.

Now people are following new thoughts, imaginations and modern philosophy such as in the Europe and in many developing countries, physical expression is considered more effective than verbal. Especially in the elite class “body language” has acquired the shape of a regular art. Who would bother choosing the adequate and beautiful words from the store of millions of words, is it not better making use of smile, shaking hands or embracing excitedly? Now this way is becoming customary.

The communication professor George Foster of Washington University also determines “body language” the successful method of the present era. She says, “You cannot recollect such effective and beautiful words in few seconds that can give you required results, whereas the hand-shake of few seconds can produce results beyond your expectations. The reason for it is that every person seeks full attention and sincerity from his opponent regardless of his rank and that is certainly expressed from stepping ahead and shaking hands.”

Similarly, one of the public relations experts woman of Britain Salena Arthur who teaches methods of communication and renders services of uplifting the latent capabilities of the business community says “You cannot achieve tenacity in your relations unless your palm does not touches the opponent’s palm completely.”

Petty Wood says that “It takes only 90 seconds for any person setting any concept about you in the first meeting and if these 90 seconds are those in which you are shaking hands excitedly then this act will go into your favor, especially if you are going to deal some business matters, it would be a first ladder of your success.”

Petty Wood also opines that more effective implications can be put by shaking hands zealously or embracing in the similar manner instead of using thousands of words. By the way it is also comparatively easier and less time-consuming way. An identity of a good business man is that he leaves such an effective impression in his first meeting that compels other to meet him again.

Regardless of the result the first 90 seconds of every business meeting are very important and sometimes these 90 seconds makes you millionaire.

When we take support of words in an interview, the listeners examines our whole personality by judging our expressions, ascending and descending of our voice tone, the acts of our hands etc and determines some opinion about ourselves. Sometimes, in these situations we express some such expressions unwillingly that are not in favor of our business relations.

Although body language itself also does not have expertise in expressing pleasant or unpleasant expressions but there is one quality of this language, you have more opportunities of masking your face or changing yourself according to the circumstances. That means if we wish the opponent would not feel about our displeasure of his arrival or speech, we can conceal it by just keeping silent and shaking hands with the same enthusiasm at the time of departure, this will be considered as a wonderful business tactic.

Actually, physical expression is a regular art, about which few people are aware of. On the other hand, if this method would also gain popularity, it would also lose its effectiveness like verbal expression. People who are aware of the art of body language can read the internal matters of the opponent with his little smile. But, even then the experts of body language can deceit the opponent easily.

There is lot of difference is judging by the saying of any person “I am confident” and judging his confidence by his expressions but the fact is that face is more reliable than words provided you have expertise in reading body language, otherwise you may be risking great cheating.

“Body language” is an ancient art, although researches were carried out in the mid of 20th century, when a book “An introduction to acts and actions” of Ray Berdastal introduced in the market. Afterwards many such books started coming at intervals and gaining popularity, especially Nany Armstrong’s book “How can the human expressions be recognized and conveyed to others?” gain unbeatable popularity. The subject of body language was described in detail in this book.

In this book nature and human habits are also described profoundly. For instance how people overweigh others, how some people show sincerity without having in reality, what is the reason of pressing hand without any reason? What does eye hints and several body actions depicts? All such things are described in this book.

As regards to body language a famous writer Foster also detailed the vague body language. He says,

“What I see the biggest flaw in the expression of body language is the vague body language expression. This method often makes you dubious. It can also develop doubts and false assumptions. Personally I am totally against the vague body language. Today when actions are noted more than words such as when you are giving interview for a job, the members of the board keep an eye on your acts rather than your words, therefore in this case what is the need of using vague expression method? What you want to say, express it openly so that no doubts would be created in the mind of the listener.”

The body language experts have also developed many methods for youth to achieve success by means of body language. For e.g. Wood says, “If you go for an interview at some place, the initial 10 seconds when you go walking and sit in front of the board, your confidence should remain intact during all this time. Your steps should be put at the same place where you want to be and then going and sitting on the chair is utmost important.”

The foundation of your bright future is going to be put from this point. Likewise, soft and friendly smile all the time on your face is a guarantee of confidence. Wood says to shake hands enthusiastically at the time of arrival and departure. This is a guarantee of any successful meeting.

Similarly, according to an expert putting hand on the shoulder is considered to be a childish act but it is not necessary. This act is an indication of confidence as well. Such as some people think about a person, who avoids eye-contact while talking perhaps he is doing so because of respect but in my opinion such a person is suspicious. What is the use of extra respect of any person? Yes, if the opponent is an aged person or a woman, then it can be understood. Foster and Wood both are of the same opinion regarding vague or suspicious way of expression.

In their opinion if any person continue adopting vague way of expression, then there is no harm is asking from him (whether politely) “What he wants to say?” Especially if any man or woman adopt this kind of attitude then may be he is doing so unintentionally and if doing so intentionally, there is no harm in asking him strictly, whereas it is a basic right of every woman.

Today “Body Language” is considered an authentic way of expression all over the world. This custom is also making its root rapidly in developing countries as well. Such programs are broadcasting on the electronic media nowadays where hosts make use of hands and face expressions more than words in order to describe their point of view.

Some while ago this method was not prevailing but today it is considered an identity of a successful host. In this way they succeed in displaying themselves more confident and at any place their tongue fluctuated, liberal hand actions are there to support words.

In order to master this art, you can take help from several books and internet. There is no doubt this art is proving very helpful in proving your importance and getting successes. However, “Smile” and “Enthusiasm” are the basic pillars of it. If you get awareness of using it correctly then other comparatively small milestones are achieved automatically.

We recommend to youngsters to start making effort of reading people faces and then examine your estimations from today and also sometimes speak without using words to see if the opponent is getting to the base of your talk or not. Make yourself habitual, a day will come when you will not only become expert in this art but also start climbing the ladder of success.

Because in today’s modern and hasty world, your body language is also being made the gauge of judging your personality due to shortage of time and if your body language is supporting you then the same act would be the first step of your success.

By Muhammad Irfan Zafar

Content Writer

New Zealand Traditional Maori Weddings is really exclusive. It’s what you call it an emotional experience of the South Pacific wedding. The wedding coordinators Darren and Michelle Brown, who are proud of the number of tribal affiliation Rongowhakaata, Ngati Kahungungu, Ngai Tai and Ngapuhi.

Maori traditional weddings guide known their cultural values ​​from a noble race pride as Te Maori. Your marriage is a blessing by a priest (tohunga Maori) and their common ancestry Takitimu canoe, made of New Zealand in 1000-1300 migrated.

The ceremony

Maori Wedding Venues

There are places in which recognized Maori Weddings can take place. These include Mokoia Iceland, Tamaki Village, Pohutu Geyser, Aorangi Peak, four canoes and Fairy Springs.

Tamaki Village

This village is situated on the outskirts of Rotorua, offers couples the perfect setting of peace and tranquility. The environment is green, in a natural forest, with mysterious animals. Thus, the actual ceremony within a forest is performed.

Mokoia Iceland

It is located in the middle of Lake Rotorua. It is here that Hinemoa and Tutanekai planted the seeds of love. During the wedding process, follows the couple’s famousSteps taken by these young lovers.

Pohutu geyser

This famous geyser is nature’s way of a wedding in true geothermal style. Couples are welcomed in geothermal hot springs, geysers and bubbling hot thermal mud pools. The Maori believe that this is a holy place. When the ceremony takes place, the Pohutu Geyser rises to the occasion, what a spectacular display of power by higher gushing water over 25 feet into the air. This is a very memorable place.

Aorangi top

Aorangi Peak, called “cloud of heaven” by the Maori, is on Mount Ngongotaha and has spectacular scenery and views that are breathtaking to the wedding day is imminent. The Maori believe that this is a holy place, having the supernatural forces and is in the presence of their descendants.

Fairy Springs

A sacred spring of Tuhoe with historical and religious significance to the Maori, the lush greenery, the local flora and surrounding streams of living water to make it perfect for weddings. The Maori believe this is the water of life. They believe that when a rainbow appears over the spring, their prayers are answered. They say that the crystal-clear water, renewing itself from the sources of your love as you enter into the covenant of marriage.

Four Canoes

The four canoes are Takitimu, Horoutu, Te Arawa and Mataatua. During the entire trip pairs are run by a school of whales. Takitimu canoe is best for a wedding. You can choose the canoe that suits you best.

Starting the wedding Procedures

Te Karanga (welcome call)

Before entering the Maori siteEchoes of the traditional Maori welcome call will be heard across the courtyard. This invites the bride and groom to the Holy Land.

Te powhiri (Traditional Song and Dance)

After entering the village, a traditional song and dance for the couple of the local tribe is carried out.

Korowai Ceremony (marriage or renewal of vows)

The ceremony will be conducted as a renewal of vows to each other. It is a living and unique romantic gesture that both the husband and wife love and mutual respect for each other is increasingly pursuing. The man then places a Korowai (Cloak of Love) about the woman who, as symbolized his love surround her for the rest of their lives.

Te Manaakitanga (priest’s blessing on the couple)

When the ceremony is over, the priest blesses the couple by the Maori prayer. After the blessing, people to go forward to taonga (gift) to present the couple as a symbol of new beginnings and happiness.

If this is done, followed by the hongi. That includes the couple their noses touching one to another. This seals the Korowai Ceremony activity. The Maori believe that, as the supreme God created man and woman, he breathed life into their nostrils. Just as the husband and wife run this unique Maori custom, they unite together her two breaths of life, such a being. This sensible, intimate gesture symbolizes the mutual love and respect.

Haere Te Atu (Departure)

The bridal party now travels in style, with a traditional Maori farewell song and dance.

Te Hakari (wedding receptions and parties)

Every wedding has a feast and celebrate. The Maori makedo not neglect this important happiness. The preparations are always made to celebrate the couple’s wedding. They have a traditional hangi feast of entertainment at night accompanied. On this particular evening, the Maori tribe always honoring the bride and groom. If the party is over, the couple should go on a honeymoon.

Save your time and energy and find the best Stock Brook Manor Wedding Photographer on our wedding website!

How are you! I’m Zhao Li from year 12. I’m very happy to be able to introduce you all to the Chinese New Year.

The Spring Festival is one of the traditional festivals of China. Every year, it is celebrated from the 23rd day of the 12th month to the 15th of the first month of the lunar year, making it the longest spanning celebration with the most celebratory activities.

The Spring Festival is also called Year. This has to do with legends about Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year has many customs. Before the first day of the first month, people will clean their house, buy special New Year products, worship, hang red lanterns, paste couplets, etc. young children will also buy firecrackers and new clothes. These customs are kept in hopes of having good luck in the Next Year.

New Year’s Eve, the 30th day of the 12th month, is the last day of the lunar year. On New Year’s Eve, people will stay up the whole night. The family will eat a reunion dinner, also called a New Year’s Dinner. Fish and New Year’s cake are foods that must be eaten during the New Year’s Dinner. This is because eating fish represents having a prosperous year and New Year’s cake represents one year being better than the year before. Firecrackers, thought to be able to scare away bad spirits, will also go off, bringing peace to the family in the New Year.

After the first day of the first month, people will pay each other New Year calls. Parents usually give children New Year’s money. Celebratory activities will continue on through to the Lantern Festival, which is the 15th day of the first month. This day marks the true end to the Spring Festival.

Students, don’t you think the Chinese Spring Festival is interesting? This concludes my speech, thank you everyone.

Image via Wikipedia

Happy New Year and a Wonderful Jubilee
Happy New Year is oftentimes the first thing most of us will hear, in our respective language of course, at midnight new years morning. Over the centuries new year has held a great significance of some sort world wide, weather it was based on superstition, or celebration of a great year and the welcoming of a great new one. I want to take a minute to look at one that to many Americans is a very important celebration of freedom and their way of life.

For African Americans, New Year’s Day has a special significance, and is often called Emancipation Day or Jubilee Day. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves from bondage, was read in Boston. Today, many African-American families hold “watch services” on January 1. Traditional foods include black-eyed peas, collard greens, ham hocks, and macaroni and cheese. The uniquely African-American celebration, Kwanzaa, continues over seven days starting December 26, so the New Year’s celebration is often part of Kwanzaa’s way of reconnecting people with their African roots. Kwanzaa began in the United States in the 1960s, and is not celebrated in Africa. This is perhaps one of my favorite facts being that I am American. when I learned about this and how it was part of the Kwanzaa celebration it gave me a whole new respect for Kwanzaa. In a lot of ways Kwanzaa and emancipation day are to the African Americans, just like Hanukkah to the Jewish people. Both holidays are a Celebration of their roots and a time to give thanks for the miracles that had been afforded there forefathers of years gone bye.

Jubilee is a time that we can learn about in the bible. it is a time every 50 years when all property was to be returned and debts forgiven and all slaves and indentured servants were to be freed. there is also parts of the same laws that talk about a year of liberty every 7 years that slaves were to be freed.

Hanukkah is the Jewish celebration of the miracle of the lamp oil that burned for 8 days for the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem circa 163BC. The Maccabees a family of priests defeated the Greek ruler Antiochus IV to take back the holy temple and upon doing so cleaned and rededicated it to God. The Maccabees priests only found 1 jar of oil for the temple lamp that had to burn all the time day and night. One jar of oil is only enough for one day of use in the lamp, but this jar burned for 8 days. This allowed time for the priests to prepare more oil for the temple lamp, and marked the beginning of Hanukkah, to celebrate the miracle that had taken place in that place at that time.

I am glad to have been able to learn about these things and to share them with you all. To all of the African American people, Happy Jubilee Day and Happy new year to all. I pray a blessing of prosperity for mankind in 2012. Here is to a hope for a world with out any sort of slavery or oppression upon any people for any reason.

Shalom

New Year’s eve traditions in many countries revolve around the New Year’s party, counting down to the new year and making new years resolutions. But how much do you know about New Year’s customs and traditions that you may consider a little bit strage? Here is a preview of some of these customs that may be strange but true as practiced in Mexico and Bolivia and has to do with the wearing of colorful underwear.
 
Here is a New Year’s day custom that we can all get our butts in. After all it’s just a matter of sprucing up your undies for the new year. This strange custom is practiced in different forms in Mexico and Bolivia.

In Bolivia it is believed that your luck will change for the better if you change the color of your underwear just before the New Year. Bolivians of all walks of life and ages, purchase yellow underwear before New Year’s eve. One can only imagine how well stocked the lingerie store department has to be to accomodate the high demand for  yellow underwear at new year.

After the yellow panties or briefs are purchased they are tucked away in a safe place until a few minutes before midnight on New Year’s eve. When the bell strikes midnight, Bolivians run to a location where they can change into their yellow underwear. Yellow underwear will bring you not only happiness but money too. For money and happiness in the new year it is surely worth a pair or two of yellow underwear. 

The other New Year’s color underwear custom can be found in Mexico.  Here the underwear is not limited to one color but a variety of colors are embraced. The  kind of luck you want to attract in the new year will determine the color of your underwear for the most part. Down on love in the old year? Why not try  wearing red underwear on New Year’s eve? Pink underwear is also worn in Mexico for true friendship and love.

If it’s just pure luck in any area of your life you crave then like the Bolivians, it is the trusty yellow panties to the rescue. In Mexico, red underwear worn on New Years eve also signifies prosperity and happiness while green underwear is for health and well being.

Wearing colorful underwear on New Year’s eve is a strange New Year’s tradition we can all get behind. Want to change your luck in the new year change the color of your underwear.

Chinese Good Luck Customs

• Colors: Surround yourself with the colors red and gold 
• Foods:Tangerines/oranges, long noodles,leafy greens, lentil soup, pork, and whole fish 
• Decorations: Chinese word for Good Luck is Fu which is often painted on signs and hung upside down at doors and windows
• What to do: Do a project that will be successful but not time consuming that is career related on the first so that you will be successful but not overworked, wear something new (preferably in red on the first) so that you will have luck with getting new objects all year, all that you do on the first will reflect your luck in the upcoming year
• If you are single: if you are a single woman look out your bedroom window on the first when you wake up and if you see a man passing by you will have luck in marriage in the upcoming year

Japanese

• Straw Rope:Hang a straw rope from the front door

MexicanFoods:Eat pan dulce(sweet bread) which is baked with a coin in it, whoever gets this coin will have the greatest luck during the next yearUndergarmets: decide the fate of the wearer-Women should wear red wear if she wants luck in her love life, green for money, for good health she should wear white, in general yellowe underwear represents financial growthDutch 

• Food:Eating donuts on the first
• Visiting others:people visit their loved ones and has to have at least one drink with them, eat something with each of them and to give a ring shaped gift to each of them

Buddhist 

• Candles:Light candles at monastaries or temples out of respect to the supreme power and blessed souls who in turn bless them with good luck

Spanish

• Food:Eat 12 grapes (each representing a month) for good luck at midnight

Swiss

• Tradition:Drops cream on the floor

Italian/Sicilian

• Food:Eat lasagne on New Years day, Bake and eat a cake with a coin baked in it
• Gifts:Carefully choose gifts for their loved ones; those that are lucky are lamps, a honey jar, silver or gold, money,and sweets

Portugal

• Carols:Children go door to door singing carols which brings good luck

WalesTradition:Unlike many other countries who open their doors to let the old year’s fortune out, people in Wales open their front door to let good fortune in and lock their back door to keep bad luck out at midnight

A Common Good Luck Custom

• First Footing:The first foot in the house after midnight should be a tall, dark haired, handsome man and should bring a gift in representation of luck of bread (food), coal(warmth) and salt(money), in some cultures no one can leave before the first footer does

Image by tim geers via Flickr

We all know, or think we know about our traditional Christmas holiday, but for some, celebrations start much earlier, or much later, and are by no means the same as our own. In Spain, the holidays begin on Dec. 8 on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, when an elaborate ritual dance is performed by boys on cathedral steps. Children in Spain receive gifts on Epiphany when the Magi re-enact their journey to Bethlehem. Shoes filled with straw are left on window sills for the horses of the wise men.

In Sweden, the eldest daughter in a family wears an evergreen wreath with candles on her head and serves coffee and buns to her family for breakfast on Dec. 13. This ritual remembers St. Lucia who carried food to the early Christians hiding from persecution in dark underground tunnels. To light the way, she wore a wreath of candles on her head.

In Iraq, families gather around lighted candles as children read the Christmas story. After the reading a bonfire of thorn bushes is lit. If the thorns burn to ashes, good luck will fill the year ahead. When the fire dies each person jumps over the ashes three times and makes a wish. On Christmas day the priest also blesses one person with a touch. They then touch the one sitting next to them and this continues until all present have felt “the touch of peace.”

In Greece, 40 days of fasting precedes a Christmas feast, which always features “christopsomo” or Christ Bread. These large, sweet loaves are shaped and engraved with images that reflect the family’s profession.

To remember the star of Bethlehem, in Poland, the Christmas meal does not begin until the first star appears in the sky. The feast is made up of 12 courses, one for each apostle and an extra chair is set at the table for a stranger, or the Holy Spirit to share the meal.  Paper lanterns decorate the “Tree of Light” that is central to celebrations of Christmas in China, where children await visits from Dun Che Lao Ren, which means Christmas Old Man.

Mango and banana trees are decorated in India and small oil-burning lamps light the edges of rooftops as special decorations.  The first Christmas in Australia was celebrated in 1788 with a worship service and a toast to the King. That day’s goodwill to the convicts, who made up a large part of the country’s population took the form of leniency. Michael Dennison, who stole a pound of flour was granted only 150 lashes, instead of the 200 to which he was sentenced.

For many, the 17th Dcember is special, because The Lord of Misrule arrives. This is the first day of the Roman festival Saturnalia. It was a period of great feasting and festivity, with a lot of drinking and eating not unlike a modern Christmas party. Slaves would become masters for the festival, everything was turned upside down. This part of the Roman festival survived into the 17th Century in the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. A servant was made the Lord and organized the chaotic celebrations.

“La Posadas,” the remarkable build-up to Christmas Eve, is perhaps the most delightful and unique Mexican tradition. Beginning December 16th, it commemorates the events in the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and  this nine day festival is gaining in popularity.

Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are used as Christmas decorations , but they predate Christian celebrations. Holly and ivy were used by the Romans,  during Saturnalia. Although many people still demand a celebratory kiss under the mistletoe, you are meant to pick one berry for each kiss. The ancient druids regarded mistletoe as a magical plant and are said to have harvested it with a golden sickle.

In Italy they have no Christmas trees, instead they decorate small wooden pyramids with fruit. The Christmas tree is an evergreen plant that symbolises life. It was sacred to the Druids who tied golden apples to its limbs, so decorating trees is an age-old custom. Egyptians brought green date palms indoors to symbolise life over death during the winter months.

16th century Germany popularized the idea of a decorated Christmas tree. Folklore tells us that Martin Luther was so amazed by the twilight stars that he brought a tree into his house and decorated it with candles to capture the moment. The first Christmas trees were decorated with candles, fruits, sweetmeats, gilded nuts, ribbons and small trinkets. During the Victorian Era glass blown ornaments became popular.

Lights illuminated many pagan winter festivals The Romans bound candles to trees during the festival of Saturnalia. During the Celtic ‘Imboli’ candles were placed in every window, and bonfires lit. During medieval times a giant candle was lit and was kept glowing until Twelfth night. Many people still leave a candle burning in the window to “light the way for Joseph”.

The Welsh, in ancient times, also decorated a Holly Tree in some areas, and practised the customs of throwing out Beans to release the demons, a similar tradition to the European custom of taking down all the Christmas decorations by Twelfth night or bad luck will befall. Originally, the date for taking down evergreens was 2nd February, thereby releasing the wood spirits, which had sheltered in the house during the winter.

A quaint legend surrounds decorating trees with tinsel. A mother decorated a tree for her many children. Late at night spiders spun webs to cover the tree. The Christ-child turned the webs into silver stands as a blessing. An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

In Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, it is customary for the streets to be blocked off on Christmas eve so that the people can roller-skate to church. Father Christmas is called Papai Noel in Brazil. Many Christmas customs are similar to USA or UK. For those who have enough money, a special Christmas meal will be chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, fresh and dried fruits, often with beer. Poorer people will just have chicken and rice.

Sending red Christmas cards to anyone in Japan constitutes bad etiquette, since funeral notices there are customarily printed in red. In Norway on Christmas Eve, all the brooms in the house are hidden because long ago it was believed that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve and would steal their brooms for riding.

Finally, you need to know that the Egyptians don’t even begin their celebrations until January 6th, officially, so you can appreciate just how long the Christmas celebrations last, if you hop around the world.  So think again about your own perceptions, where Xmas is concerned. There is much more to it than you might ever have believed.