Cultures & Education

Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan

2009-11-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

The annual Sapporo Snow Festival is the most famous winter festival in Japan and attracts many people from all over the world. This festival is held in early February and lasts about a week. More than 300 ice
sculptures and snow statues are exhibited in three sites in Sapporo-city, Hokkaido: Odori Park, Satoland, and Susukino areas. At night those ice statues are illuminated, and the views are incredible.

Sapporo-city is he capital of Hokkaido prefecture, and the population is about 1.75 million. It is located in the south of Hokkaido island.

Many travel agencies sells tours to visit the Sapporo Snow Festival, and those tours usually include transportation and accommodations. Joining the tour could be cheaper and easier than planning your own tour. Please check the local travel agencies if you are in Japan.

It is very cold in Sapporo in February, so you need to dress warm when going to see the festival. You should wear thermal underwear and a sweater and then an overcoat like a ski jacket. Also, you should bring a hat or ear-warmer and gloves. The sidewalks are icy, so you need to walk very carefully. When you get very cold, it might be a good idea to stop at a ramen noodle shop. Sapporo is famous for tasty ramen noodles, and there are many ramen noodle shops around the city.

Eid Al Adha (Ibrahim as. sacrifice his son Ismael)

2009-11-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īdu l-’Aḍḥā) "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is a holiday celebrated by Muslims (including the Druze) worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran.Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).

Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Four thousand years ago, the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place. According to Islamic history, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring Hajar (Hajira) and their child Ismael to Arabia from the land of Palestine - Canaan - by God's command, as his childless wife Sarah, well beyond child bearing years, had become jealous that Hagar had bore a Abraham a son.

As Ibrahim made ready to return to the land of Canaan, Hajar asked him, "Who ordered you to leave us here"? When Ibrahim replied: "God", Hajar said, "then God will not forget us; you can go". Although Ibrahim had left a large quantity of food and water with Hajar and Ismael, the supplies quickly ran out and within a few days the two were suffering from hunger and dehydration.

According to the story, a desparate Hajar ran up and down between two hills called Safa and Marwa seven times, trying to find water. Finally she collapsed beside her baby Ismael and prayed to God for deliverance. Ismael struck his foot on the ground, and this caused a spring of water to gush forth from the earth. Other accounts have the angel Jibral (Gabriel) striking the earth and starting a spring to flow. With this secure water supply, they were not only able to provide for their own needs, but were also able to trade water with passing nomads for food and supplies. When the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Canaan to check on his family, he was amazed to see them running a profitable well.

The Prophet Ibrahim was told by God to build a shrine dedicated to him adjacent to Hajar's well (the Zamzam Well). Ibrahim and Ismael constructed a small stone structure–-the Kaaba--which was to be the gathering place for all who wished to strengthen their faith in God. As the years passed, Ismael was blessed with Prophethood and he gave the nomads of the desert his message of surrender to God. After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its reliable water source, the well of Zamzam.

No longer safe in Mecca, the Prophet Muhammad and the year 628 traveled to Medina (lit. the city) with 1400 of his followers. This was the first 'pilgrimage' in Islam, seeking to re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet, as he believed they were originally practiced. Ibrahim.

Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer (ṣalātu l-`Īdi) in a large congregation in an open area or mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called uḍiyyah (Arabic: أضحية‎, also known as "al-qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old.The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days.

Distributing meat among people is considered an essential part of the festival during this period, as well as chanting Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers through out the four days of Eid. (See Takbir in "Traditions and practices" of Eid el-Fitr.) In some countries families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need.

Sesame Street,Educational Children's TV Show From US

2009-11-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

Sesame Street is an American educational children's television series and a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, combining both education and entertainment. Sesame Street is well known for its Muppets characters created by Jim Henson. It premiered on November 10, 1969, and is the longest running children's program on US television.The show is produced in the United States by the non-profit organization Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), founded by Joan Ganz Cooney and Ralph Rogers. The show has been running for 40 years.

Sesame Street was the first children's show that structured each episode and made "small but critical adjustments" to each segment to capture children's attention long enough to teach them something.

Sesame Street uses a combination of animation, puppets, and live actors to stimulate young children's minds, improve their letter and word recognition, basic arithmetic, geometric forms, classification, simple problem solving, and socialization by showing children or people in their everyday lives. Since the show's inception, other instructional goals have been basic life skills, such as how to cross the street safely, proper hygiene, healthy eating habits, and social skills; in addition, real-world situations are taught, such as death, divorce, pregnancy and birth, adoption, and even all of the human emotions such as happiness, love, anger, and hatred. Also, recently, the Sesame Street Muppets discussed the late-2000s recession with their most recent prime-time special Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times.

Coordinating "the clever use of Muppets and animation" with educational curriculum required what the CTW researchers called "careful thought" and influenced the show's structure. For example, they had to decide how to distribute the letters of the alphabet throughout each 130-episode season.

^{Very popular show until Google also Celebrating The 40th Anniversary with Logos of Sesame streets.Check out in this site if you missed that logos.}

University Of Indonesia The Oldest University In Indonesia

2009-11-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

The Oldest University in Indonesia.
The University of Indonesia (in Indonesian: Universitas Indonesia), abbreviated as UI, is the oldest tertiary-level educational institution in Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies). Its main campus is located in the northern part of Depok, West Java, and the other main campus site is in the Salemba area of Central Jakarta.
It is regarded as one of Indonesia's premier universities, scoring higher than any other Indonesian university in the Times Higher Education Supplement World University Rankings of 2006 [250]. It ranked number 395 in THES World University Rankings of 2007 to 287th in 2008.
Now, the University of Indonesia is in place 201 on the 2009 World University Rankings.
~~THE HISTORY~~
The roots of the University of Indonesia (UI) date back to 1851. At that time, the colonial government of the Dutch East Indies decided to establish a school to train medical assistants. Such training lasted for two years, and the graduates were certified to provide simple and basic medical treatments. The degree conferred was Javanese Doctor, as the graduates were certified only to open their practice in the Dutch East Indies, especially Java. The program became more comprehensive, and by 1864 it was expanded to three years. By 1875, the program of study had reached 7 years in length and the graduates were entitled to the degree of Medical Doctor. The next step came in 1898, when the Dutch East Indies government established a completely new school to train medical doctors, named STOVIA (School tot Opleiding van Inlandsche Artsen). The prerequisite to enter STOVIA was roughly the equivalent of a junior high school diploma, but the school's education took 9 years, so it was a mix between high school and university education. Many STOVIA graduates later played important roles in Indonesia's national movement toward independence, as well in developing medical education in Indonesia.
In 1924, the colonial government again decided to open a new tertiary-level educational facility, the RHS (Rechts Hogeschool), to train civilian officers and servants. The RHS would later evolve into the Faculty of Law. In 1927, STOVIA's status was changed to that of a full tertiary-level institution and its name was changed to GHS (Geneeskundige Hogeschool). The GHS occupied the same main building and use the same teaching hospital as the current Faculty of Medicine. Many GHS alumni would later play roles in establishing the University of Indonesia.
After Indonesia gained independence, the Indonesian Institute for Higher Education (BPTRI) was established in Jakarta consisting of three faculties, namely Medicine and Pharmacy, Letters and Law. The institute produced its first 90 graduate students as medical doctors in the same year. When the Dutch colonial army occupied Jakarta in late 1945, the BPTRI moved to Klaten, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Malang. In 1946, the Dutch colonial government established the Nood Universiteit or Emergency University at Jakarta. In 1947, the name was changed to Universiteit van Indonesie (UVI) or the University of Indonesia. Following the Indonesian National Revolution, the government established a state university in Jakarta in February 1950. The name was Universiteit Indonesia, comprising the BPTRI units and the former UVI, which was later changed into the University of Indonesia (UI).
By 1950, UI was a multi-campus university, with faculties in Jakarta (Medicine, Law, and Letters), Bogor (Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine), Bandung (Engineering, Mathematics and Natural Sciences), Surabaya (Medicine and Dentistry), and Makassar (Economics). The Surabaya campus became the University of Airlangga in 1954, and in the following year, the Makassar campus became the University of Hasanuddin. In 1959, the Bandung campus became the Bandung Institute of Technology. The School for Physical Education, which was also located in Bandung, became part of Padjadjaran University in 1960. In 1964, the Bogor campus became the Bogor Agricultural Institute and the Faculty of Education in Jakarta became the State University of Jakarta.
By 1965, UI consisted of three campuses, all in Jakarta, namely the Salemba campus (Medicine, Dentistry, Economics, Engineering, Science and the Graduate School), the Rawamangun campus (Letters, Law, Social Science and Psychology) and the Pegangsaan campus (Public Health and parts of Medicine)
In 1987, several faculties from Salemba campus and Rawamangun campus moved to a newly built campus in the outskirts of Jakarta. The campus in southern Jakarta is known as the Depok campus, since it is situated in the city of Depok.

Pencak Silat,Martial Art From Indonesia

2009-11-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

Pencak silat is an umbrella term for the martial arts of Indonesia.
Pencak silat was chosen in 1948 as a unifying term for the Indonesian fighting styles. It was a compound of the two most commonly used words for martial arts in Indonesia. Pencak was the term used in central and east Java, while silat was used in Sumatra. In modern usage, pencak and silat are seen as being two aspects of the same practice. Pencak is the performance aspects of the martial art, while silat is the essence of the fighting and self-defense.
The origin of the words pencak and silat have not been proven. Some believe that pencak comes from the Sanskrit word pancha meaning five, or from the Chinese pencha meaning avert or deflect. Silat might derive from the Minangkabau word silek.
The pencak silat tradition is mostly oral, having been passed down almost entirely by word of mouth. In the absence of written records, much of its history is known only through myth and archaeological evidence. The primary weapons of Indonesia's tribal peoples were the single-edge sword, shield and javelin. The inhabitants of Nias Island had until the 20th century remained largely untouched by the outside world. However, they are culturally similar to the Himalayan Naga tribe. Neighbouring Sumatrans are said to have left the Nias people alone because they were fearless warriors.
India and China were the first civilisations from outside Southeast Asia with whom Indonesia made contact. Both countries influenced the local culture, religion and martial arts. Bas-reliefs in Srivijaya depict warriors wielding such weapons as the jian or Chinese straight sword, which is still used in some styles today.Additionally, Javanese blades are of Indian derivation. It was during this period that pencak silat was first formulised. The earliest evidence of pencak silat being taught in a structured manner comes from the Sumatra-based empire of Srivijaya where folklore tells that pencak silat was created by a woman who witnessed a fight between a tiger and a large bird. There are several variations of this story depending on the region where it is told. On the island of Bawean, the woman is believed to have watched monkeys fighting each other while the Sundanese of West Java believe that she created cimande after seeing a monkey battle a tiger. The accuracy of this legend cannot be substantiated but the fact that pencak silat is attributed to a woman is thought to indicate their prominence in ancient Southeast Asian society.
Srivijaya had control of the Melaka Straits, making it one of the most powerful kingdoms in the history of Southeast Asia. Its reign encompassed what are now Sumatra, Singapore, western Borneo, peninsular Malaysia and Thailand. Sriwijaya was also a centre of learning and religion, attracting scholars and holymen from around the Southeast Asian region. More than a thousand Buddhist monks were living and studying Srivijaya-ruled Sumatra alone. Among them were Javanese, Siamese, Malays, Chams and Khmers. This not only allowed pencak silat to spread throughout the archipelago but also brought the art into contact with what would become sibling fighting systems.
While Srivijaya dominated the coastal areas, the Sanjaya (or Mataram) and Sailendra kingdoms ruled central Java. Pencak silat especially flourished in Java which is now home to more different styles than any other Indonesian islands. In the 12th century, Srivijaya was defeated by the Cholas of south India. This was followed by the decline of the Saliendra and Sanjaya kingdoms but it also gave rise to the Majapahit empire. This was the first empire to unite all of Indonesia's major islands. From its base in eastern Java, Indonesian culture flowered and pencak silat became highly refined. Weapons made by Majapahit smiths were greatly prized in the peninsula such as Hang Tuah's famed kris, the Taming Sari.
Pencak silat was later used by freedom-fighters against Dutch colonists. During this time the Bugis and Makasar people from south Sulawesi were very well-known for their sailing and fighting skill. After achieving independence, pencak silat was brought to Europe by Indonesians of half-Dutch ancestry. The art is now popular in the Netherlands, Spain and France. Today pencak silat is a staple of Indonesian movies and TV series, particularly period-dramas.

Kuda Lumping,Trance Dance from Java,Indonesia

2009-10-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

Among the traditional dances of Java (indonesia)there are a number of trance dances. Kuda Lumping is one of these trance dances, in which masks for spirit character and flat woven bamboo horses are the main props. The dance is about the battle of good and evil, with the horse riding characters into a trance where they behave like horses.

When the dancer has going into a trance, then they can eat a lamp without feeling hurt.

Kuda Lumping is a very popular West Javanese (Indonesia) dance. It is dances by four or eight pairs of men who pretend to ride on imitation horses made of woven bamboo. It is a remant of old dances that we ecstatic and warlike in nature. In Cirebon the dance called kuda lumping and the music accompanying it is the gamelan. In Bandung it is called kuda kepang and is accompanied by bamboo angklung instruments. There is also kuda lumping in Bandung accompanied by the terbang (tambourine), kendang (drum) and Sundanese trumpet.In central Java also known as "ebeg" or some of them also call it same Kuda Lumping.

All About Batik

2009-10-28T19:29:00.000-07:00

Batik is generally thought of as the most quintessentially Indonesian textile. Motifs of flowers, twinning plants, leaves buds, flowers, birds, butterflies, fish, insects and geometric forms are rich in symbolic association and variety; there are about three thousand recorded batik patterns.
The patterns to be dyed into the the clothe are drawn with a canting, a wooden 'pen' fitted with a reservoir for hot, liquid wax. In batik workshops, circles of women sit working at clothes draped over frames, and periodically replenish their supply of wax by dipping their canting into a central vat. Some draw directly on the the cloth from memory; others wax over faint charcoal lines.
This method of drawing patterns in wax on fine machine-woven cotton was practiced as a form of meditation by the female courtiers of Central Java; traditionally, batik tulis (tulis means 'write' in Indonesian) is produced by women.
In the 19th century, the application of waxed patterns with a large copper stamp orcap saved the batik industry from competition with cheap printed European cloth. The semi-industrial nature of cap work allows it to be performed by men. Batik motifs recall characters from the Hindu epics, plants, animals, sea creatures and gamalan melodies.
In Surakarta rich creams and browns are juxtaposed with tinges of yellowish gold.White, undyed cloth is left to contrast with the sombre opulence of brown and blue dyes in Yogjakarta. The palette of the north coast were influenced by lively maritime trade and the textile traditions of the Chinese and Arab mercantile communities living in port and coastal towns.
The Symbolic Meaning of Batik's Motifs
The motifs of Batik, especially with old pattern, as in other field of Javanese tradition are symbolizing something. Might be, this is one of the reasons, why people still adore batik up to present date. Some of the motifs are :

Sido Mulyo :
Sido (you should be ), mulyo (happy). Symbolizing 'you should be happy and rich man'.
Sido Dadi :
Symbolizing 'you should be a man/woman as you wish (prosperous, high ranking position, wealthy, etc)'.
Satrio Wibowo :
Symbolizing 'Man with dignity'.
Tikel Asmorodono :
Tikel (more), Asmoro (love), Dono (gift).
It is meant the one who wears this batik, should be loved more and more by others.

The Process of Batik Making Batik, in Javanese means 'To Dot'. Basically there are two kinds of batik; Batik Tulis (hand drawn) and Batik Cap (stamped). The price of batik tulis is much more expensive than batik cap.

Doting
A canting (a pen like instrument with a small reservoir of liquid wax) is applied to the cloth of batik tulis making. The tracing of the desired design on to the prepared cloth is the first stage of making followed by the technique of applying wax and dye substances. At the final stage of the process, all the wax scraped off and the cloth boiled to remove all traces of the wax. This process of repeatedly waxing and dyeing is the batik process, used until nowadays in Java and other parts of Indonesia.
So, this kind art of batik is an indigenous to the country. The wax used in batik process is a combined product of paraffin, bees-wax, plant resins called gondorukem and mata kucing.
Batik cap, which is also using the waxing process, its process of course faster and easier. But people appreciation of batik tulis is higher, it is really a work of an artist not only a craftsman. It combines the expertise, patience, deep feeling to produce the finest product, and it may take days, weeks and even months to make only a batik tulis
The Cities of Batik
Yogyakarta and Solo are the centers of traditional of batiks, as the north coastal town of Pekalongan is the center of more modern batiks, using more floral and birds motifs. There are some well-known artists of batik design in Yogya and Solo, as well as some big batik manufacturers with famous trademarks.
The growing production of batik makes way to the establishment of mori (woven cotton fabrics) factories in Yogya and Central Java. The Batik research Institute was founded in Yogya.
When Batik is Worn
Batik dresses are worn for several purposes, such as ;

Informal Dresses
It is a free choice, usually for daily casual wear.
Formal Occasions
In some parties, as a state banquets, receptions, etc, the invitees are requested to wear batik. Long sleeves shirts for the men and 'kain batik' (long batik to cover the lower body) for the women.
Traditional Occasions
It is worn to present the traditional wedding ceremonies, special ceremonies for the Royal families, etc.

In a wedding ceremony the bride and the bridegroom wear the same motif of batik Sidomukti, symbolizing a happiness and prosperous life. Using the same motif symbolizing the togetherness. The parents of the bride and the bridegroom wear batik with motif of Truntum, symbolizing the advice of the parents to the newly weds to enter the new life with full of love and confidence. Traditional Dress
Women's traditional dress, especially in Yogya and Solo court families, consisting of :

Jarit or Tapih or Sinjang
A 'kain panjang' (long cloth of batik) measuring around 2 m x 1 m to cover the lower body, tightened with stagen (large waist band)
Kebaya
It is a traditional long sleeved shirt (the material used is not from batik, usually from silk and other fine materials).
Selendang
It is used as attractive piece of clothing to compliment the traditional dress. The 2 m x 0,5 m selendang cloth hung over one shoulder.
Kemben or Semekan
It is special for ceremonies in Karaton (palace) or Royal family ceremonies. Instead of wearing Kebaya, to cover the upper body, a kemben is worn.

Men's Traditional Dresses

Jarit or Bebed
Men kain panjang, tightened with stagen.
Surjan
Men traditional long sleeved shirt (only for Yogya style) and the material is not batik.
Beskap
Instead of wearing surjan, the men wear a coat (beskap of Solo style or Atila of Yogya style), the materials is not batik.
Blangkon
It is a headgear made from batik.
Keris
The dagger is worn at backside of the waist, as a compliment to the dress.

Dodot Is a very long jarit to cover the lower body. It is worn only on a very special occasion such as the king coronation by the king himself. The wearing of dodot or kampuhan is very complicated. It may take two hours to wear a dodot with the help of specialist-dressers!

Gamelan,Music Instrument From Java Indonesia

2009-10-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Javanese gamelan is a set of instrument used for expressing the musical expression usually referred to as karawitan. The word karawitan is derived from the Javanese word rawit, meaning intricate, complicated. But rawit can also mean delicate, graceful and pleasant. The Javanese word karawitan is specifically used to refer to gamelan music, Indonesian non-diatonically scaled music, using the slendro and pelog scales in their compositions.

For the Indonesian people the art of gamelan contains historical and philosophical values. The gamelan has been handed down from the ancestors of the Javanese and still studied and enjoyed up to this day. The Javanese people have allegedly known gamelan and wayang even before the arrival of Hindu influences.

In the past only past, only the nobility were able to own complete sets of gamelan, but now everyone can own a gamelan, except for those sets that are considered as sacred heirlooms. Philosophically, the Javanese gamelan cannot be separated from the lives of the Javanese people. The lives of the Javanese are closely related with their art and culture as well as their religious believes.

The term gamelan has long been known, and was already mentioned in Old Javanese kakawins. What the word gamelan means is still a guess. It is perhaps a deviation of or derived from the word gembel. Gembel is and instrument used to strike or hit, and since the instrument is played by striking or hitting, it was called gembelan. Later, gembelan changed into gamelan. Another view is since the instruments are manufactured from forged bronze it was then called gembelan. Thus, gamelan is a musical instrument made by hammering and played by striking .

For the Javanese the gamelan has aesthetical, social, moral and spiritual significances. Therefore, the Javanese should be proud that they have the gamelan. Even the world acknowledges the gamelan as an eastern musical tradition which is the equal of the great western musical traditions. The gamelan can also be used as a means to cultivate one’s sense of beauty. People who are involved in the world of the gamelan should be able to develop their senses of comradeship, courteousness and politeness.

Debus,Martial Art From Banten West Java of Indonesia

2009-10-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

DEBUS is a traditional martial art performance that relates with body invulnerability as means of self defense for Banten people. It is a combination of dance art, vocal and spiritual arts with a magic ambience. Debus is an art performance showing body invulnerability through strokes, stabs, and cuts by sharp objects. In its performance, Debus shows a lot of body invulnerability acts by its performer. On the times of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa reign, around 17th century (1651 - 1652), debus was focused as means to build patriotism in fightiDebus has been one of the several cultural arts from Banten making it one of the favorite, rare and unique entertainment for Banten people. In Banten, Debus develop in Lebak Regency, Pandeglang, Cilegon City and several District in Serang Regency such as: Walantaka, Kragilan, Curug, etc.

Here as we saw, A child that his neck was slice off with a dagger.But his not wounded and no blood no pain.This is why Debus was so popular among people and also as a tourist attraction.

Of all the cultural traditions of Banten, the one that outsiders find most fascinating and frightening is the Debus performance, in which the practitioners engage in such gruesome feats of self-immolation as skewering themselves with metal spikes, walking on coals, and allowing themselves to be beaten with a sledge hammer while lying on a bed of nails, all without appearing to suffer bodily damage. “Originally, Debus was used to attract new followers to Islam. It struck fear in the hearts of our foes and inspired respect for the power of the new religion. All members of the audience were required to be Muslims.

So,if you want to see this performance,come to Banten,West Java,and of course my Lovely Indonesia.

La Tomatina Valencia "Tomato Festival" in Spain

2009-10-05T21:17:00.001-07:00

Although the Tomato Festival in Bunol, Valencia has no religious connections and was only started in 1945 this festival along with the Pamplona Bull Run is one of Spain's most famous and well known festival.
The Festival La Tomatina is one huge tomato fight and each year around 30,000 people turn up to take part.
The festival starts early in the morning when everyone turns up and dines on a breakfast of Chorizo and Rose wine.
By 11am in the morning everyone's inhibitions are loosened and five huge tomato filled rockets are sent into the skies above the town.
From this point it is every man, woman and child for themselves as the event turns into a tomato slinging war. Everyone is supposed to adhere to a small number of rules: You must squash the tomato before throwing it and you are not allowed to throw anything other than tomatoes.
Each year the Tomatoes throwing Festival last fro around two hours and in total some 125,000 kilos of tomatoes are squashed and thrown.
The festival also brings out a good community spirit where everyone involves helps out with the cleaning up and hosing down.
You can easily get to Bunol by flying into Valencia Airport. If you are flying to Valencia from the UK then you can find well priced flights and deals through Easyjet.
La Tomatina Festival, The Tomato throwing Festival, is held on the last Saturday of August every year and has been a regular event since 1945.

Angklung, Tradional Music Instrument From West Java ,Indonesia

2009-10-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Angklung is a musical instrument made out of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved so that they have a resonant pitch when struck. The two tubes are tuned to octaves. The base of the frame is held with one hand while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This causes a rapidly repeating note to sound. Thus each of three or more angklung performers in an ensemble will play just one note and together complete melodies are produced. Angklung is popular throughout Southeast Asia, but originated from Indonesia (used and played by the Sundanese since the ancient times).

In the early 20th century, the angklung was adopted in Thailand, where it is called angkalung (อังกะลุง). The Thai angklung are typically tuned in the Thai tuning system of seven equidistant steps per octave, and each angklung has three bamboo tubes tuned in three separate octaves rather than two, as is typical in Indonesia.
Angklung had also been adopted by its Austronesian neighbours, in particular by Malaysia and the Philippines, where they are rather played as part of bamboo xylophone orchestras. Formally introduced into Malaysia sometime after the end of confrontation, it found immediate popularity.They are generally played using a pentatonic scale similar to the Indonesian slendro, although in the Philippines, sets also come in the diatric and minor scales used to perform various Spanish-influenced folk music.
At least one Sundanese angklung buncis ensemble exists in the United States. Angklung Buncis Sukahejo is an ensemble at The Evergreen State College, and includes eighteen double rattles (nine tuned pairs) and four dog-dog drums.

Juilliard Music School in New York,USA

2009-10-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

The school was founded in 1905 as the Institute of Musical Art. It was formed on the premise that the United States did not have a premier music school and too many students were going to Europe to study music. At its formation, the Institute was located at Fifth Avenue and 12th Street. In its first year, the institute enrolled 500 students. It moved in 1910 to Claremont Avenue in Morningside Heights, to a new Neoclassical building now occupied by the Manhattan School of Music.
In 1920, the Juilliard Foundation was created, named after textile merchant Augustus D. Juilliard , who bequeathed a substantial amount for the advancement of music in the United States. In 1924 the foundation purchased the Vanderbilt family guesthouse at 49 East 52nd to start the Juilliard Graduate School.In 1926 it merged with the Institute of Musical Art under a common president the Columbia University professor John Erskine. The schools had separate deans and identities. The conductor and music-educator Frank Damrosch continued as the Institute's dean, and the Australian pianist and composer Ernest Hutcheson was appointed dean of the Graduate School. In 1937, Hutcheson succeeded Erskine as president of the combined institutions, a position he held until 1945. As of 1946, the combined schools were named The Juilliard School of Music. The president of the school at that time was William Schuman , the first winner of the Pulitzer Prize for music. In 1951, the school added a dance division.
William Schuman graduated from Columbia's Teachers College (BS-1935, MA-1937) and attended the Juilliard Summer School in 1932, 1933 and 1936. While attending Juilliard Summer School, he developed a personal distaste for traditional music theory and ear training curricula, finding little value in counterpoint and dictation. Shortly after being selected as President of The Juilliard School in 1945, William Schuman created a new curriculum called "The Literature and Materials of Music" (L&M) designed to be taught by composers. L&M was Schuman's reaction against more formal theory and ear training, and as a result did not contain a formal structure. The broad mandate was "to give the student an awareness of the dynamic nature of the materials of music." The quality and depth of each student's education in harmony, music history or ear training was dependent on how each composer-teacher decided to interpret this mandate. Many questioned the quality of L&M as an approach to teach the fundamentals of music theory, ear training and history.

William Schuman resigned his position as President of The Juilliard School after being elected President of Lincoln Center in 1962. Peter Mennin, another composer with directorial experience at the Peabody Conservatory, was elected as his successor. Mennin made significant changes to the L&M program--pulling out ear training and music history and hiring the well known pedagogue Renée Longy to teach Solfege . Mennin hired John Houseman to lead a new Drama Division and oversaw Juilliard move from Claremont Avenue to Lincoln Center, effectively dealing with financial setbacks and delays.

Dr. Joseph Polisi became President of Juilliard in 1984 after Peter Mennin died. Polisi's many accomplishments include philanthropic successes, broadening of the curriculum and establishment of dormitories for Juilliard's students. In 2001, the school established a jazz performance training program. In September 2005, Colin Davis conducted an orchestra which combined students from the Juilliard and London's Royal Academy of Music at the BBC Proms, and in 2008 the Juilliard Orchestra embarked on a highly successful tour of China, performing concerts as part of the Cultural Olympiad in Beijing, Suzhou, and Shanghai under the expert leadership of Maestro Xian Zhang.

I post an article about this school because this school was shown in my favorite movie AUGUST RUSH.

Ludlow Food Festival in Ludlow,England

2009-10-03T02:07:00.000-07:00

Ludlow Food Festival
Held every year in Ludlow, Shropshire, England, the small town with the large reputation for good food and drink - this year's Festival featured more than 130 top quality small independent food and drink producers from the Marches, the England-Wales border country.
There were some new features, such as the Graeme Kidd Pavilion, the launch of the Graeme Kidd Bursary, and the launch of the new, exciting Taste Real Food UK - a membership organization for food and drink lovers throughout the UK. Not forgetting all the old favorites both inside and outside Ludlow Castle, including great demonstrations, talks, trails and much more.
Visitors could sample and vote for their favorite sausage or bread or ale, watch or take part in our Waiters' Race, engage in some serious pudding tasting, and taste some wonderful food that maybe they didn't even know existed.
Whether you are a serious foodie or someone who just appreciates good food and drink, there's more than enough at the festival to ensure that you, and your friends and family, have a great time. There's a wonderful festival atmosphere - and you'll certainly be able to taste the difference.

International Violet Meeting in Toulouse ,France

2009-10-03T02:00:00.000-07:00

Toulouse, the "pink city" and world capital of violets, invites visitors from around the globe to celebrate its favourite flower at the International Violet Meeting.

Over 100 participants (scientists, botanists, producers and more) from all over the world are expected to converge in the city to share their wisdom. The highlight of the weekend, unsurprisingly, is a violet competition, but for those who do not possess extremely rare variants of the plant, there are also exhibitions, markets, food stalls and other flower-based attractions.

Boi Bumba Festival in Brazil

2009-10-03T01:38:00.000-07:00

The Boi Bumbá festival presents myths, tales and legends using characters, parade carts and giant puppets followed by the words of a master of ceremonies who describes in detail every bit of the action.
It is an incredible musical and theatrical experience, a religious procession, a tribal ritual, a giant puppet show, a fairy tale of powerful villains and brave heroes, a folk art presentation, a major party for the audience and an energizing choreography of the galera (gah-le-rah), all at once. The characters in the performance come from the Boi Bumbá tale. There are two teams called Bois (plural of Boi). Each one tells the same story in all three night of the festival, amounting to 6 different performances of the same show. But every night is different because legends, rituals, dances, puppets, garments, alegorias, they all change and create the show anew.
There are many similar festivities in Brazil, but Parintins is the home of the biggest and most impressive of all. It is both an artistic display and a dispute between two different teams: Bois Caprichoso (cah-pree-show-zol) and Garantido (gah-run-tee-dow). Boi is the Portuguese word for ox, and it is also the main character of the drama that unfolds every night in an arena closely watched by 35,000 people. After the 3-hour show of each Boi, the city has food, drinks and party for everybody. The main square, countless bars and every little corner near the Bumbódromo accommodate a crowd still full of energy to mimic the dance and songs of their favorite Boi.

Srivichai Folk Dance from Thailand

2009-10-03T01:28:00.000-07:00

Rabam Sriwichai ( Srivichai folk dance) is invented from the Sriwichai carved picture and the cement mould mixing with Jawa and Bali folk dance model inserting the classical dancing model. Some of the movement model look like Java and Bali dancing model such as setting up the circle in elbow protection, out to be the curve circle, hands actions. using yakgo ( moving the neck up and down) like Java and Bali classical dancing, stand still model, hip twisting likes Bali dancing model.

Saman Dance from Aceh Indonesia

2009-10-03T01:13:00.000-07:00

"Saman" the most popular dance in Aceh and the dance that has become well-known abroad with the name "Thousand hands". It has its origin from the Alas ethnic group and is normally performed to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. and other important occasions. Eight to twenty male performers kneel in a row on the floor and make different kinds of torso movements accompanied by songs, clapping hands, slapping chests, slapping hands on the floor, etc. The songs are praises to Allah or prayers. The dance starts with slow movements and increases its tempo gradually to great speed and finally come to a sudden stop. There are many different regional versions of "Saman"
Meuseukat"Meusekat" is almost the same as "Saman". The only difference is that "Meusekat" is performed by women and originates in west and south Aceh.
(Sources: Aceh.net)

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2009-10-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

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Pendet Dance From Bali Indonesia

2009-10-03T00:30:00.000-07:00

Pendet is a traditional Balinese dance, in which offerings are made to purify the temple or theater as a prelude to ceremonies or other dances. Pendet is typically performed by young girls, carrying bowls of flower petals, handfuls of which are cast into the air at various times in the dance. Pendet can be thought of as a dance of greeting, to welcome the audience and invite spirits to enjoy a performance.
Traditional Balinese dances are the oldest form of performing arts in Bali. Traditional dances can be divided into two types, sacred dance called Wali and entertainment dance called Bebalihan. Wali (sacred dance) is usually performed in some ritual ceremonies only because it has strong magical powers and only can be performed by specific dancers. Bebalihan are usually performed in social events. In addition to entertain, Bebalihan also has other purposes such as: welcoming guests, celebration of harvests, or gathering crowds. Bebalihan has more variations than Wali.
Pendet is the presentation of an offering in the form of a ritual dance. Unlike the exhibition dances that demand arduous training, Pendet may be danced by anyone. It is taught simply by imitation.
Younger girls follow the movements of the elder women, who recognize their responsibility in setting a good example. Proficiency comes with age. As a religious dance, Pendet is usually performed during temple ceremonies.
All dancers carry in their right hand a small offering of incense, cakes, water vessels, or flower formations. With these they dance from shrine to shrine within the temple. Pendet may be performed intermittently throughout the day and late into the night during temple feasts.
The original Pendet dance is performed by 4-5 young girls (before their puberty) in temple yards. Pendet dancers bring flowers in small Bokor (silver bowls for keeping flowers in a ceremony). They spread the flowers around the temple. This dance is a symbol of welcoming God in some ritual ceremonies in Bali. Pendet actually has simple dance movements. These movements are the basic dance movements of Balinese dance. Pendet has undergone later development with variations and now is not only performed in ritual ceremonies but also in some social events. Pendet since has been known as a welcoming dance.