Descriptive essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Loung's Life Within One Month after the End of Her Story - Essay Example Lying on her bed, with eyes wide open, Loung stares at the ceiling and thinks of good old days, her childhood days, before the Khmer Rouge regime destroyed it once and forever. She dreams of her visit to the noodle shop with her family and her playing hotchpotch with her siblings and friends. But these thoughts inevitably turn towards that fatal day when the bad soldiers came and took her father to the killing fields. The good memories struggle hard against the flood of bad memories that impinge incessantly on her mind and then she is left to grapple in her bed clinging to her pillow, as if, it is the only thing on earth that she could rightfully hold on to. And as she slowly closes her eyes, her mind hovers over the home she has left behind, her father, mother, brothers and sisters. It is her dreams that keep her past alive. For Loung, days in the one-bedroom apartment seems better than nights. With Meng leaving in search for work, she is left with Eang who has become more like a mother to her than a sister-in-law. Loung helps Eang with all the household activities which in reality takes hardly any time. Then they sit and talk and talk about their families and days they cherish. They look outside the window to watch the hustle bustle of the street. Unknowingly, they stop talking and get engrossed in watching people on the street and try to imagine their life. They are brought back to reality by the shrill ringing of the doorbell. It is the weekly visit by the members of the sponsor who have brought them to the United States. The man sits on the dining table, the only set of chair and table in the house, and enquires about their health. He then asks Eang to sign some papers which were needed for the admission of Loung to school. He also suggests some job options for Eang and gives some papers. As Eang clo ses the door behind him, Loung looks at Eangs face, and they hug.  

Triple Bottom Line Essay Example for Free

Triple Bottom Line Essay Introduction: ‘Triple Bottom Line’ is increasingly attaining popularity as a conceptual framework for the purpose of measuring the level of business performance. The term was being coined by John Elkington, in his book entitled â€Å"Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business†. John Elkington has been the co-founder of the business consultancy SustainAbility. ‘Triple Bottom Line’ could be understood in a broad sense, as the range of values which companies need to uphold such as social, environmental and economic. In mere practical terms, the concept of triple bottom line intends to take into account the social and environmental performance of the company along with its financial performance. (The triple bottom line Business and Sustainable Development: A Global guide) The ‘triple bottom line’ indicates the point at which the corporate interests meet the societal interests. It is a novel method of measuring the bottom line, wherein profits tend to move along with the social as well as environmental performance and a method of understanding the concept of sustainability which is being considered to be often-fuzzy. (The Triple Bottom Line: How today’s Best-Run Companies are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success And How You Can Too) Summary Article: 1 Wayne Norman and Chris MacDonald in their article â€Å"Getting to the Bottom of Triple Bottom Line† state that by dedicating themselves to the concept of â€Å"Triple Bottom Line† it shows as if corporations are forming a more concrete as well as verifiable dedication to environment and society. But in reality, it allows the companies to virtually make no commitment at all. As a result of no real bottom lines for calculation relating to society or environment, companies do not have to be bothered about having these â€Å"bottom lines† in comparison to other firms which are within or without of their sector; nor is there any definite worry pertaining to the firm being considered to have reducing environmental as well as societal â€Å"bottom lines† over the various years or under the leadership of the present Chief Executive Officer of the company. Without a complete reliable collection of these reports along with the handy filing system, comparability over a period of time for one firm would be difficult as well as time-consuming. The company could also alter the indicating factors it would choose in order to report on over time. The authors emphasize further that on the one hand, the fact that the firms have created a social report or that of a code of ethics gives us less information with regard to a firm’s real dedication towards the principles being presented in the documents. It is also considered to be relatively of less cost in order to produce these documents, and particularly if they are vague, they do not usually bring any serious risks pertaining for a company. On the other hand, both the kinds of documents could play an important part in a company’s serious technique in order to improve upon its ethical as well as societal performance along with trying to integrate this objective into its boundary of corporate culture. The authors conclude that it is their understanding that clear as well as meaningful principles are the most likely to cater to companies of the latter kind; and that vague as well as literally less meaningful principles like those intended by the Triple Bottom Line are best suited only for promoting hypocrisy. (Getting to the Bottom of â€Å"Triple Bottom Line†) Article: 2 The author Steven F. Hayward in their article â€Å"The Triple Bottom Line: Authentic New Model or Tripartite Nonsense?† states that to the bottom level of profit-and-loss is being included two more groups which have their own balance sheets and these are environmental quality as well as social justice and it is what is being considered as the ‘triple bottom line’. However the author states that by including the term â€Å"social† to the concept of justice does not realistically include the values of justice. In real terms social justice is a disingenuous effort to turn justice by relating legitimacy in relation to a redistributive agenda. Further, with regard to environmental quality, most of the companies, particularly manufacturing companies, have emissions as well as resource-use profiles that could be brought up for measurement and improved by several methods. To add to it, most of the large corporations now tend to create annual environmental reports along with annual financial reports, mentioning the developments made by the firm on the environmental aspect. However most of these gains are considered to be just ‘efficiency gains’ which could be considered to be profitable in several cases, but a single-dimensional attention on efficiency gains removes taking into account both the opportunity cost of the working capital as well as the trained personnel in order to attain such efficiency gains against other tasks as well as any consideration with regard to the internal rate of return IRR on the company’s capital. A more general initiative has tended to elevate the concept of triple bottom line to that of a board level issue. However some of the environmentalists are not wasting their time for the purpose of serious conceptual efforts and have really started to warn the investors that firms that do not listen to the call of the triple bottom line will actually witness their market value to decline in the years to come. Steven F. Hayward provides several examples in this article of how environmentalists are trying to pressurize corporations to adopt social justice and environmental policies as part of their company policy. However examples of Enron’s bankruptcy shows that environmentalists are making their efforts to make corporations into social service units following a statist agenda. But this is something which market-oriented companies are not supposed to follow. (The Triple Bottom Line: Authentic New Model or Tripartite Nonsense?) Article: 3 The author Chris MacDonald in his article on â€Å"Ethics, jargon, and the triple bottom line† states that the supporters of the concept of ‘triple bottom line’ are not satisfied with the concept being just another form of a metaphor and they have made all efforts to make it into a full-fledged management concept and it is now one of the dominant as well as the progressive management concepts of the present day world. And the popularity of the concept tends to be skyrocketing. The author states that that the efforts of conscientious business managers in order to attend to the societal as well as the environmental implications of their business dealings are not at all out of importance. Knowledgeable and far-sighted managers had understood that such activities would tend to have the dual advantages of being right from both an ethical as well as the financial side. However it is not clear still that the concept of ‘triple bottom line’ adds anything valuable as to what the conscientious managers are already been doing. Further as it does not give any concrete and reliable measures to analyze the performance, the concept of ‘triple bottom line’ could even lead to a type of smoke and mirrors that will obscure the efforts of the less progressive firms. The author further asks as to what is the bottom line on the triple bottom line? He states that in their efforts to bring about ethical behavior, like that in anything else that they tend to do, firms should look carefully before they involve in buying. Another point to be noted is that, there should be careful reflection with regard to the best techniques as well as the tools for managers in order to ensure of their efforts to emphasize upon the ethical cultures in their companies. Ethics, whether it is in business or whether in the field of health care or politics, is really about thinking in a clear manner and understanding as to what our obligations really are and agreeing upon the principles that really make value and then abiding by those principles whenever times tend to get tough. (Ethics, jargon, and the triple bottom line) III. Compare/Contrast All the three articles show that even though the concept of Triple bottom line has become a popular approach to functioning of social and environmental commitments of the corporations, most of the companies tend to make less or even virtually no commitment at all towards the concepts of societal and environmental responsibility. As a result of the absence of any real bottom lines pertaining to societal or environmental performance for calculation, the comparability of firms is considered to be difficult and not worth-while. The authors agree that even though most large corporations now tend to create annual environmental reports along with their annual financial reports, mentioning the growth of the company with regard to several environmental benchmarks, a majority of these gains are considered to be only mere efficiency gains, which could be even profitable in several of the cases. Because the triple bottom line gives no concrete reliable methods to measure the performance levels, the concept could account to a type of smoke and mirrors that could obscure the actions of the less progressive firms. The authors of the three articles thus argue that Triple Bottom Line are best only for the purpose of promoting hypocrisy as companies are only interested in making profits and by adding the commitment towards environment and society in their company policy, they however do not make any concerted efforts towards improving the environment or society. In short, the three articles agree that because of its inbound emptiness as well as vagueness, the triple bottom line concept enables it easy for a cynical company to appear to be dedicated towards societal and environmental sustainability. 1V. Critical Evaluation: Even though the authors of the three articles state that the concept of Triple bottom line has not been made use of in the right direction, businesses are being forced upon in order to react to the societal, environmental and economic changes that are occurring in the world around them. Just as we understand that the global warming is basically changing the commercial as well as the regulatory landscape for the energy as well as the auto companies, similarly the occurrence of HIV/AIDS, SARS as well as contagious malaria is altering the fundamental business models for the pharmaceutical companies. In the ever-changing modern world, the real sustainable company would tend to have no requirement of writing checks for the purpose of charity or to provide back to the local society, as the firm’s daily functions would not tend to deprive the society, but would on the reverse tend to enrich it. (The Triple Bottom Line: How today’s Best-Run Companies are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success And How You Can Too) Conclusion To conclude, it can be said that there should be concerted efforts and research done to make triple bottom line as the model of the future and up-coming corporate firms. There should be strong regulated efforts made to create the awareness required that business firms even when contributing towards the societal and environmental concerns can tend to be financially successful. By giving equal importance for the society and environment, companies can tend to have a situation of ‘win-win’ on all sides. References Hayward, Steven F. The Triple Bottom Line: Authentic New Model or Tripartite Nonsense? Sept-Oct, 2002. Vol:12; No; 5. Religion and Liberty. http://www.acton.org/publicat/randl/article.php?id=437 MacDonald, Chris. Ethics, jargon, and the triple bottom line. The Chronicle Herald.   March 3, 2005. http://www.herald.ca/external/sobeys/march05.html Norman, Wayne; MacDonald, Chris. Getting to the Bottom of â€Å"Triple Bottom Line†. Business Ethics Quarterly, April 2004. http://www.businessethics.ca/3bl/triple_bottom_line_abstract.html Savitz, Andrew W; Weber, Karl. The Triple Bottom Line: How Today’s Best-Run Companies are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success And How You Can Too. Jossey-Bass/Wiley. September 2006. http://www.thetriplebottomline.net/ The triple bottom line. Business and Sustainable Development: A Global guide. 2007. http://www.bsdglobal.com/tools/principles_triple.asp

Examples of Good Globalization

Examples of Good Globalization When attempting to come up with a good example of globalisation, the first things that come to mind are McDonalds and children from third world countries wearing USA t-shirts. Anthony Giddens mentions in his book Runaway World how a friend of his was doing field studies in a village in central Africa. She was invited to a local home to enjoy an evening she thought would be culturally informing; however, the families entertainment turned out to be a viewing of the American movie Basic Instinct, and the movie hadnt even been released in London yet (Giddens 2002). This is merely one of many examples that go to show how the world we live in is undergoing a drastic transformation that is impossible for anyone to ignore. Whether it is noticeable or not, globalisation is affecting every person on earth, in every aspect of our lives and in everything we do. Most skeptics and radicals look at the economic side of globalisation and toss the other aspects of globalisation to the side. Globalisation is technological, political, and cultural, just as much as it is economic. It is modifying and influencing, but not destroying, cultural identities across the globe. No matter what country comes to mind, almost all have a word in their own native language for globalisation. This global trend is impossible to miss, from curry and chips-recently voted the favourite dish in Britain-to Thai saunas, Zen Catholicism or Judaism, Nigerian Kung Fu, or Bollywood films, made in Bombay-Mumbai and mixing Indian traditions of song and dance with the conventions of Hollywood (Burke 2009). This is not to say that we are undergoing global hybridisation or falling to transnationalisation, but rather, that the cultural blending happening all around the globe is helping us gain knowledge of the world through the many means of communication out there. Also, globalisation is not diminishing cultural identities, but rather, it is heightening an individual cultures sense of self. Many believe a World Order is indeed falling upon us, some being for it and some against, but if we were to undergo the transition to a single World/Government Order, we would lose all sense of culture identities and individualism. If we had a global state, what would prevent the leaders of this new order from dictating a world of secularization? Who would want to be forced to be in a World Order where everything is dictated and all are forced to more or less become a puppet to one world government? Whether it is seen as a World Order, a global society, or a world system, its presence is unnecessary in todays world. Emile Durkheim, a sociologist not opposed to World Order and solidarity, states that, any society is motivated by its need to normatize the event of its togetherness by constructing and adhering to common symbols, beliefs, and practices. Those common symbols, beliefs, and practices do not exist, therefore, simply for the sake of their intrinsic value, truth, or logic. In other words, they have no intrinsic essence (Bamyeh 2000). In saying that the societies and cultures in todays world lack intrinsic essence in their beliefs, traditions, and practices, Durkheim is underlying that these societies have no innate feelings for their own cultural identities, and that these identities have been formed out of the necessity to bring people together to form a society. If Durkheim were to simply take into account all the religious and cultural turmoil going on, she would see that a cultures beliefs, symbols, and practices do hold intrinsic essence to the people within. A largely discussed topic pertaining to globalisation revolves around Benjamin Barbers thesis, distinguishing the differences between the forces of McWorld and Jihad. These are two general attitudes in regards to globalisation. McWorld represents global mass culture and the unification by consumerism and transnationalism. Jihad, on the other hand, represents the deterioration of local traditions and histories due to globalisation (Cowen 2002). My idea of how globalisation is shaping the world and cultural identities is a mix of the two. Yes, mass cultural communication is unifying the world is every aspect of our lives, but it is not deteriorating local traditions and histories, nor are the worlds cultures subject to transnationalisation. Globalisation is, if anything, allowing individual cultures to expand their knowledge of other cultures and allowing them to use and share products, ideas, and customs of other cultures in unison with their own cultures. The blending of nations and cultures is going on as we speak. It is at our fingertips every day with global communications and the Internet. These forms of communication due to globalisation are how we can be enriched by other cultures and share what we have to offer, but the main difference is our choice to choose what we want to study, admire and aspire to be more like or what cultures we want to melt into our own. Without falling to the grips of a single World Order or system, and without cultures falling to transnationalism, it is possible for globalisation to continue throughout the world, as we know it. As Bamyeh (2000) proposes, the process of globalisation is beginning to create a common knowledge system, which is being communicated across the entire globe. This common knowledge system is being communicated by means of: international media, through films and music; mass travel, through students studying abroad and backpackers trekking across nations; and the Internet, through Facebook, blogs and chats, and international News websites. All of these forms of communication have aided in the widespread knowledge of the worlds cultures, making way for the adoption of international influences on a freedom-of-choice level (McQuail 2002). Communication is what enhances feelings of togetherness in societies and cultures. It is what essentially started the formation of societies and individual cultural profiles. With the improvement of technological communication over the past few decades, communities that have been isolated from each other have been able to exchange cultural elements of interest between one another (for example, the Basic Instinct movie in the central African village mentioned in the introduction) (Bamyeh 2000). When looking at the overall effects the mass media has had on globalisation, the Western nations control most of the symbolic and cultural aspects of cross-cultural communications through their media products. Though foreign troops may not be deployed, and a foreign government established, the presence of the empire is felt in the everyday presence of Western media products (Macgregor Wise 2008). In this sense, Macgregor Wise is almost saying that the globalisation of Americas media is giving all other countries defensive feelings towards America, and that it poses as a major cultural threat. However, when looking at world music, literature, and visual arts, it is clearly apparent that cultures have benefited from these communal aspects of globalisation, and that America is clearly not a global threat to cultures. These means of mass media have provided a diverse menu of choice for cultures in developing their own cultural identities (Cowen 2002). In developing or maintaining cultura l identities during the processes of globalisation, countries have developed their own unique ways in staying true to their individual identities. This goes to show that the beliefs and practices a culture maintains do indeed have intrinsic essence, as stated earlier, and that a culture can maintain its identity while also absorbing what it freely chooses from other cultures. The worlds wide variety of media products and how countries incorporate them into their own culture is a perfect example of cultures absorbing other cultures while maintaining their own. Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, name the country, and they probably import Western media. Many believe that all the importation from the Wests media markets is leading to Americanisation, but when taking a closer look, it is apparent that these importing cultures put just as much if not more emphasis on their own markets than they do the Western markets. Canada, for instance, subsidizes their own domestic cinema and mandates domestic musical content for a percentage of radio time. Likewise, the French spend billions of dollars a year on cultural matters, aiding in the nourishing and successes of their French culture (Cowen 2002). The fear of Hollywood devouring the markets of other countries is being countered innately by the individual countries themselves. Granted, many of the movies played in international cinemas, in France and Italy for instance, are Hollywood films. The main cultural aspect behind this is that the movies are translated into the countries own native language. This is proof that countries can uphold their own cultural aspects while absorbing those of others. When discussing movies with an Italian and a French friend, we found ourselves talking about the movie titles. The movie Home Alone (1990) to Italians is called Mamma Ho Perso Laereo (which translates to Mom I Missed My Flight). The movie A Man For All Seasons (1967) in France is called Un Homme Pour Là ©ternità ©, which translates to a man for eternity. These small changes to Western media products are only a few examples as to how countries can still maintain a cultural identity. Just because the Western culture is widely disperse d throughout the world does not mean countries are falling to Americanisation, let alone Globalisation. There are always steps being taken by countries and cultures in maintaining their own identity. Many critics of the globalisation ideology refute with the fact that many cultures in the world today have already fallen to the processes of globalisation, namely homogenisation. American Indian communities, for example, have been overshadowed by the entirety of the United States, and these contemporary critics believe these communities are on the verge of homogenization (Lewellen 2002). However, as Cowen stated it best, once these individuals [e.g. the American Indian communities] have been brought into a common pool with well-developed means of communication, however, they sort themselves into more finely grained and more diverse groups (Cowen 2002). With an outlook like this, one can see that, even with the effects of globalisation, communities still find ways to diversify themselves from other closely sectored communities. If a culture is amongst the grips of globalisation, the effects are counter-acted by popular press, interest groups, and social movements who devout great dea ls of attention to these cultural dilemmas. It is the threat of the loss of traditional identities that trigger cultures to look inwards at their own identities. This healthy narcissism that results from the fear of globalisation is what keeps cultural identities alive in the world we live in today (Burke 2009). When cultures begin to look inwards is when they begin to value greatly the differences between their own cultural identities and those of others. A culture thought to be on the brink of distinction isnt on the brink at all. The attention drawn to a troubled culture allows that culture to prevail, and in the process the knowledge and traditions of that troubled culture become known to the public. The world would know very little about, for example, American Indians, or dying languages such as Welsh, Basque, and Yiddish, if it wasnt for the troubles these heritages faced (Cowen 2000). Globalisation isnt simply Black and White, McWorld and Jihad, homogenization or heterogenisation. There is and always will be an in-between area, which is where the world is at now and where I feel it best belongs. With the process of globalisation, there will always be the countering effect. By resting in the middle, through mass communication, people have been able to gain knowledge of other cultures they would have never dreamed of knowing about. The diverse cuisine menus, musical genres, film categories, and traveling opportunities have all made way for the world to gain knowledge of different cultural traditions. The world, as we know it, thrives off of the cultures that cherish and preserve their cultural identities. A world culture which is simply a uniform culture would be no culture at all. We should have a humanity de-humanised. It would be a nightmare (Murali 2010). Why would the world fall completely to globalisation or a World Order when what it thrives on would simply b e destroyed in the process? The absorption of cultural knowledge and traditions through the wide variety of mass communication available to us today truly heightens a cultures sense of self, innately countering globalisation and allowing cultures to continually prevail.

Art and Literature in MacLachlan’s Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Together :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Art and Literature in MacLachlan’s Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Together When it comes to an artist, the perspective of the environment will be very different from individual to individual. This leads to the difference in technique and style When art and literature are put together the picture adds to the words and shows what the literature is describing, rather than just something to look at. Although Lloyd Bloom’s illustrations of MacLachlan’s, Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s, Frog and Toad Together can not compare to the famous Leonardo, the art in each is very unique. Bloom gives very sharp, detailed drawings, almost like a photo, where as Lobel gives loose, cartoon like drawings. These two books are very different in terms of reading level, which allows Bloom to create more detailed and real life drawing, where as Lobel can get away with a less life orientating, rounded picture, almost like a cartoon. Bloom’s illustrations stay consistent throughout the book with vibrant, life oriented drawings. The black and white, pencil drawn pictures, create almost an exact replica, like a photo, for an older audience which leaves little to the imagination. In the book there is a picture of two children sitting by a pond. There is so much detail in the picture that you can see underneath the water if you look hard enough, along with both children’s reflection in the water. There is an incredible amount of detail which is put together by small amounts of shaded sections and very fine touches of the pencil. This all brings the realism of the picture in order. Realism shows through when the text is read. This book is fiction but very well could be non fiction. It isn’t a pretend book, there aren‘t people with blue hair or even frogs that talk. The amount of detail in the book’s words go along well with the amount of detail in the pictures. The pictures bring and add to the real life situations of the story, and complement the realism of the words. Lobel’s pictures in comparison, are poor drawings and weak in technique. They lack specific detail , like small markings and create an overall round picture. This book was intended for an audience of grades 1-3, much different from the upper level MacLachlan book. Its use of colors and earth tones are dull.

Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington’s claims

Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington's claims in â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations? † The abrupt end of the Cold War meant that the bipolar model of thinking which had dominated the sphere of World Politics for decades became obsolete. This new phase led to a renewal in thinking in the study of International Relations dubbed â€Å"the hundred schools of thought† which led to a wide spectrum of visions about the uncertain future of world affairs. One of the more prominent visions was the late Professor Samuel Huntington's â€Å"Clash of Civilizations? † published in a 1993 ForeignAffairs article, where he predicted a growing pattern of conflict based on differences in cultural, religious and historical identity of entities he labelled civilizations instead of the ideological differences of the Cold War Era. Huntington's thesis was a Realist response to Fukuyama's 1992 book, The End of History and the Last Man. Fukuyama argued that the post-1991 world was left with no viable ideological alternative to liberal democracy and the free market economy predicting a new era of global consensus on democracy, Justice, human rights and cooperation. The nation will ontinue to be a central pole of identification, even if more and more nations come to share common economic and political forms of organization. ‘i Huntington's premise was that ‘The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural.Nation states will remain as the most powerful actors in world affairs but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. ii The controversial nature of Huntington's thesis ensured the stern critique by some of his fellow academics for reasons ncluding oversimplification, neglecting contradicting factors and inaccurate predictions. The tragedy of 9/1 1 and the events that followed revived the confidence in his thesis by his supporters who saw this as the conformation of Huntington's predictions notably the inconsolable clash between Islam and the West.Huntington begins by describing the historical evolution of the nature of conflicts in the Western World; from the competition between monarchs and emperors for territorial and mercantile expansion leading to the emergence of nation states beginning with the French Revolution, to the rise of ideological conflict after the Bolshevik Revolutioniii. His Eurocentric bias is clear early as he quotes and perpetuates an idea put forward before by William Lind that these were primarily Western Civil Wars'.Labelling World War II, the deadliest military conflict in history which involved the majority of the world's nations, as such greatly diminishes the involvement and sacrifices made by people across the world. Notably the Soviet Union which was mainly composed of nations Huntington would regard as part of a Slavic-orthodox civilization sustained the highest amount of casualties totalling at a round twenty-seven millioniv.Later in the paragraph, Huntington writes ‘peoples and governments of non-western civilizations no longer remain the objects of history as targets of Western colonialism but Join the West as movers of history as if to suggest that events occurring in non-western parts of the world somehow do not constitute as history if they don't involve or have a felt effect upon Western society.Although the leadership of the West in fields such as science, technology and engineering for the larger part in recent centuries is indisputable; Jewish philosophy, Hindu mathematics, Muslim astronomy and engineering contributed significantly to he foundations of what we know today and this shouldn't be undermined. The sharing and borrowing of ideas between the different corners of the world through the millennia's that's still going on today suggests a long-term cooperation instead of a clash of civilizations in our common pursuit of knowledge.According to Huntington a civilization is ‘ the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity'v. He divides the world's population into seven civilizations as well as hinting at the possibility of a Caribbean and an African ivilization; Africa being indeed a continent known for its vast diversity of cultures and traditionsvi. He defines a civilization by what he calls objective elements such as language, history and primarily religion as well as by the subjective self-identification of people.Huntington argues the onset of globalization has led to increased levels of interaction between peoples of different civilizations, which in turn intensifies civilization consciousness and brings to the forefront their cultural differences which unlike ideological and political differences are fundamental and much less mutable nd hence less easily compromised. It's clear that people instinctively identify themselves closely to others who share common traditions, customs and histor y; I hold the belief however that Huntington downplays the penetration of globalization and focuses on one aspect of its possible consequences.It's not the differences that drive cultural conflict between peoples; it's the lack of understanding which in turn creates prejudices and fears. The increased interactions between peoples have led to a wider acceptance of and fascination with other cultures, helping us understand why foreign societies live the way they do. Huntington argues: ‘†¦ Russians cannot become Estonians and Azeri's cannot become ArmenianVii. An Estonian living in Russia will absorb aspects of Russian culture depending on one's willingness, length of stay and the extent to which one feels alienated or accepted by Russian society.Thus the objective elements invoked are not convincingly definitive in determining one's identity; an Englishman may choose to convert to Islam while a Chinese citizen in Shanghai may choose to learn French as a pastime. Globalizati on in itself has penetrated the long-standing limitations in global trade of the past; politicians ever ncreasingly have to consider the global implications of domestic policy. More than ever national states around the world are dependent upon each other; the United States Demands Chinese goods while China needs the US to buy its goods.Huntington ascribes ideas such as constitutionalism, human rights, the rule of law, tree markets and democracy as Western; unable to gain a tootnold in other civilizations. He writes: ‘Modern democratic government originated in the West. When it has developed in non-western societies it has usually been the product of the western colonialism or impositionViii. uggesting that somehow peoples of other civilizations may not be able to sustain or see the benefits of a form of democratic governance.The people of India would point out that democratic government was formed in their country despite, not because of the Westix. Today more than two- thirds of the world's governments operate in some form of democracy, which reaffirms the idea that democracy is a universal value, contradicting Huntington's view of its general Western exclusivity. If asked, most Middle-Easterners would prefer the idea of a democratic to authoritarian governancex; the limitation of democratic evelopment in the region however is a product of the unstable and incompatible political landscape rather than the irreconcilability of the culture.Defining the religious aspects of the Western Civilization, Huntington Justifies the grouping of Protestant and Catholic Christians into a single entity by emphasizing shared experiences in European history such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution which in turn separates them from the Orthodox Christians beyond Central Europexi. Although it is evident that the closer proximity of those events has influenced Protestants and Catholics more than their Orthodox ounterparts, the closer resembla nce of Catholic and Orthodox practices and beliefs as opposed to Protestants is however neglected.Huntington consistently appeals to religion as the primary source of cultural identity, rightly so, to a Christian the creeds of their religion have a profound influence on their world view and thus how they would identify themselves. When speaking of the Islamic civilization however, Huntington doesn't seem to make the effort to differentiate between the major denominations of Shia, Sunni and Sufism which have so strongly influenced the historical and especially current political landscape of the Middle-East.In a passionate attempt to warn his fellow Americans of the potential threats that their country may face in the post-Cold War environment, Huntington essentially perpetuated ideas that were dangerous and self-fulfilling. The existence of a Confucian-Islamic connection that may threaten the West described by Huntingtonxii is yet to be empirically verified, as the Chinese and US eco nomies remain inter-linked and Barrack Obama moves towards a policy of dialogue in the Middle-East. Given the history of US foreign policy, legislators would have found Huntington's paradigm easy to understand and convenient in terms of implementation.A worldview of distrust towards foreign powers that demands the maintaining of military superiority in the name of security panders to the powerful military industrial complex in the US. In order to maintain peace, global stability and have any hopes of dealing with transnational issues such as global warming, policy makers should regard all nations as members of the world community and work closer with international organizations such as the UN and WTO in establishing universal laws. The alienation and coercion of other governments will indeed create an atmosphere of antagonism and hostility.

Reaction to Girl Interupted essays

Reaction to Girl Interupted essays Overall I feel that the movie was pretty good and was linked to psychology in many factors. The social disorders of the girls, the mental hospital, the treatments, and the therapy are all aspects of the movie which are linked to psychology. I believe that Lisa possessed an antisocial disorder to a certain degree. I believe she was naturally antisocial but the fact that she was in a mental hospital for 8 years may have contributed to the level of disorder. Since she has been in there for so long, her mind set may be that she is antisocial and there isn't anything that she can do. If she wasn't in the hospital so long she may have not been so set on believing about her illness and it may have helped her recover quicker. Her antisocial behavior is illustrated by her lack of care towards Daisy when she hung herself, knowing that she was the cause, knowing that she was the person who pushed her over the edge, and still showing no remorse and in fact robbing her while she hung there in front of her. She showed no regard for law by sneaking out of the hospital with Susanna, and she showed no care and respect towards privacy when she broke into the therapists office and handed out their diagnosis to each of the patients. Her lack of caring for others is also demonstrated when she is in the basement with the others reading aloud Susanna's private writing for her book. There are so many instances throughout the movie which demonstrated an antisocial personality and behavior yet it is still possible that the mental hospital confinement has not positively helped her recovery and self-esteem. Knowing that she is a antisocial person, and being locked up for years, does not help one's self image. Susanna's situation was not helped by placing herself in a mental hospital. By being in the hospital she may have convinced herself that she was crazy when in reality she was only a borderline personality disorder. I believe that some of the therapie...

Globalization Impact on Life Career and Future

Globalization Impact on Life Career and Future Introduction Globalization is the international unification, global amalgamation of individual national economies, social cultures, technologies, and political powers into an integrated single society. Globalization is not a recent day concept and has taken many years for the current world to develop into what it is today.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Globalization Impact on Life Career and Future specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Globalization has transformed the world outlook into a more open-minded or neo-liberal present day form. Globalization can also be viewed as the process of heightening relationships between national economies through improved international trade, foreign direct investments by Multinational corporations, and international financial investments. The world in the recent past has witnessed fast flow of information, people and materials from one part of the globe to the other, thanks to globa lization. Globalization in the most basic terms can be viewed as the integration of the global cultures, and as a result reducing the world into a global village. Growing integration of the world economies and societies has been an endless and heated debate in the global economies in the recent past. In the 21st century, great leaps in the technological advancements coupled with myriad innovations have been witnessed. As such, integration of societies has become possible as people can communicate with much ease from one part of the world to another. Globalization can be characterized be expansion of communication networks and transportation systems. For instance, the internet has made it possible to relay data and information from one part of the world to the other more promptly hence crating a global network. Also, transportation of material and information has been improved through the innovation of more efficient transportation of networks. For example, the innovation of large an d fast air couriers and electric trains has enhanced movement of people from one nation to the other. Hence, it is possible to travel half way the world within one day thanks to improved transportation. Globalization as a result, has seen the world become a global village with different economies, societies and cultures creating a global network. Globalization, as a matter of fact, has improved the wellbeing of the global citizens. Individuals and firms can outsource labour, materials and funding they require form any part of the world with much ease thanks to globalization. It is becoming apparent that no nation or individual that wants to compete reasonably can dispense with dynamics of globalization and survive in the current global market.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Globalization offers many opportunities to the global citizens among them making their liv es better. However, there are a couple of risks and challenges associated with globalization and that have a bearing in the lives of the global citizens. This essay seeks to analyze three key areas that could Impact one’s life career and future. The opportunity of Poverty reduction Globalization has increased the flow of fund and information globally through online stock markets. Global financial markets where different national economies can access funds have been made possible by globalization. Nations can access external borrowings and also trade in national currencies hence helping support trade and investments levels. Nations can use the funds accessed to develop the infrastructures and create employment to their citizens hence improved well being. Globalization has also widened the global market for products and services hence impacting on the global industries. Mobility of the factors of production has become possible through globalization. Nations that are not endowed with natural resources can now access these resources through importation and also enjoy the vast global market hence reducing poverty and facilitating international trade. Moreover, globalization has supported the notion of free trade through lowering trade restrictions on direct foreign investments between nations. This has also enabled foreign companies to be located in different nations where they are close to the raw materials and hence creating employment in those countries. Scenario 1 A third world national government can attract foreign citizens’ investments through offering governments securities for sale in the security exchange market. For instance, the government of Kenya encourages foreigners from developed nations to invest in government bonds by reducing regulations and the tax rates on interests on the investments. In this way, the government attracts foreign investments and hence is able to access funds for development of say infrastructure. The risk of incr easing inequality among the rich and poor nations Inequality can be defined as the disparity between the incomes and the standards of living among countries their citizens. Various globalization aspects could contribute to the widening of the poverty gap between nations.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Globalization Impact on Life Career and Future specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the world wealthy nations utilize the loopholes in the liberal markets to start Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the developing nations. These MNCs utilize the local resources, utilize cheap labor from the local citizens and repatriate the gains made to their wealthy nations. As such, the poverty gap continues to grow between the rich and the poor nations. Scenario 2 Developed nations’ MNCs such as the Barclays bank invest heavily in third world countries to their mother nations’ benefit. For instance, the Barclays bank has invested in Kenya (Africa) where it reaps a lot of profits, occasionally much than in their country of origin. The bank offers poor salaries to the local citizens and repatriates the rest of the profits to the United Kingdom contributing to the widening of the poverty gap. The risk of increased international overdependence Globalization has made it possible that nations can specialize in what they can produce more effectively and with much efficiency. Naturally endowed nations supply the natural resources to the less endowed nations. Global outsourcing in regard to the factors of production has become apparent. As such, nation can outsource expertise from more developed nation to suffice their labour needs thus eliminating the need for incurring expansive training of nationals. However, the international interdependence exposes nations to the risk of becoming over dependent and failure to develop capacity internally. Increased international overdependence is multif aceted and could range from production of physical good to the rendering of services. Less developed nations could import technology to spur their own development but sometimes it becomes very expensive when compared to developing own technology. Scenario 3 Most countries in the third world cannot have import expertise from the developed world. For instance, China and Japan have continued to dominate the infrastructure development contracts in Africa. Most road construction tenders in Kenya are won by the Chinese. Hiring of expertise is an expensive affair and developing nations such as Kenya should concentrate on their own expertise. Response plan for high priority risk/opportunities associated with key areas stated In response to the opportunity of poverty reduction, nations should optimize their gains reaped from globalization. For instance, nations should enter into trade agreements that enable them to access raw materials cheaply and also enjoy the expanded market. The nations can also improve their transport and communication networks to enhance the flow of information and materials. In order to mitigate the effects of widening the poverty gap among the rich and poor nation, international bodies should come up with measures such as trade conventions that regulate the conduct of the rich nations. The developing nations should also formulate legislation that regulate the conduct of foreign companies such as imposing higher taxes and imposing demands to such companies to offer better working conditions for the locals.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Summary report This essay has analyzed the way globalization as a megatrend has the potential of affecting ones life, career and opportunities. Globalization has continued to spark debate in economic world as different people interrogate its effects on the global economic spectrum. It has influenced the way information and factors of production flow in the globe reducing the world into a global village. Among the opportunities offered by globalization is the education of poverty through improvement of standards of living. Conversely, the risks associated with globalization are the widening of the poverty gap among the poor and the rich nations, and increased international overdependence. To ramify on the opportunities, nations should maximize their participation in international trade through the development of infrastructure. On the other hand, the risks should be combated through trade regulations that curtail the conduct of the rich nations and encouraging the development of nati ons own internal capacity to eliminate over dependence. Nations can regulate the various dynamics of globalization and benefit positively from the many opportunities it offers to global citizens. References Goyal, K. A. (2006). Impact of Globalization on Developing Countries (With Special Reference To India). International Research Journa l of Finance and Economics , pp 1-20. Goyal, K. A., Khicha, P. K. (2010). â€Å"Globalization of Business: Future Challenges†, Third concept. An International Journal of Ideas. , p 13. Lucas, S. M. (2007). Critical essay: Does Globalization cause Inequity Among Rich and Poor Nations? Global economics , pp 3-4. Obioha, P. U. (2010). Globalization and the future of African culture. Philosophical Papers and Reviews , pp 1-8. Ocampo, J. A. (2010). Rethinking Global Economic and social Governance. Journal of Globalization and Development , p 27. Schumkler, S. L. (2004). Benefits and risks of Financial Globalization: Challenges for Developing Cou ntries. Journal of Development Research , p 26. Stevens, W. (2007). The risks and opportunities from Globalization. Newzealand Treasury , pp 14-16

Cultural Miscommunication essays

Cultural Miscommunication essays America is a country that was founded on diversity. People from all over come to America and become part of the melting pot we call home. Unfortunately, with this blending there are often misunderstandings between cultures. One area that is often misunderstood between different cultures is humor. I have lived in Orange County for five years and over that entire span I have worked in restaurants. In every restaurant I have worked in or been a patron of there have been Mexican men working as the cooks. When I first started working in restaurants I found that the front of house staff (servers, managers) tended to keep to themselves and the back of the house staff (cooks, dishwashers) did as well. Well after awhile at the last place I worked, I began to try to start bridging the gap between the two cultures. I started trying to talk to the cooks at the restaurant because I knew that most of them knew a good deal of English. After a couple of weeks I started expressing my s! ense of humor by teasing them and others that we worked with. Im not sure if making fun of people you are fond of is an American trait or a universal one but we all laughed most of the time so I stuck with what worked. My friends and I would tease each other as one of our ways of entertaining ourselves. Humor in general, certainly is a universal connection-maker. Making those connections isnt always as easy as it seems. In trying to befriend the head cook Juan at my work one night I found out that what is socially acceptable for one to joke about is strongly defined by your culture. One night about three hours into my shift on a slow night myself and another Caucasian male server were in the kitchen at my work. We had been talking to some of the cooks all night and joking around with them. We tossed minor insults back and fourth trying to make each other laugh. Later into the night the cooks started to make jokes that were homosexual in...

View of Toledo by El Greco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

View of Toledo by El Greco - Essay Example However after moving into the Spanish town of Toledo in 1577, where he spent the rest of his life, a spiritual dimension entered his works and a sublime aura of divinity can be seen in all that he was commissioned to paint. The View of Toledo cannot be stared at or its significance understood in a single glance, for it is to be contemplated upon and the seemingly dark spectrum riot of colors should be twirled within the mind, just like how several concoctions of heady liquors are tossed into a smooth cocktail. The storm that is about to break over the town is immanent with the deep spiritual force that seems to breach the heavens and take over the earth. There is an aesthetic element of how the lightning and thunder is not clearly seen or heard, yet brings about an electric tension over the horizon, where the sky is the darkest. The content of this painting maybe a simple landscape, but to what extent the painter's imagination has been affected is clear in the perception of a deep mystery surrounding the emptiness of the town, and from the feeling of vastness and volume, of space and time blending into the ethereal brink of an explosion. There is a three-dimensional quality to the picture plane because of the richness in color tone gradually increasing from left to right.

Cloud computing Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cloud computing - Thesis Example ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Immense credit for the study conducted on cloud computing basics and infrastructure goes to my Most Respectable teacher ________[Name of instructor]_____________. With utmost gratitude I humbly state my instructor helped me immensely throughout my study on ________________[name of course you have studied]__________ course in _________[Name of University]________. This thesis would have been incomplete without the critical assistance provided by them. The writers of the researches in pursued in order to compile a comprehensive study on Cloud Computing deserve utmost thanks as well as their enlightening works assisted me greatly and paved the way for me so that I could exercise to attempt the boundaries of knowledge with all my heart. Lastly, I express sheer gratitude for my parents, siblings and my extended family for providing their moral and financial assistance in the shaping up of this thesis. Aims and objectives The aims and objectives associated with the research report are to provide a comprehensive review of the current state of cloud computing.an introduction to recent phenomenon of cloud computing, which by some is stated to lead to death of personal computers as we know them today. It is for this purpose that a comprehensive study on cloud computing has been carried out keeping in account the intricacies that were possible at most. This was accompanies with the most important information that was up to date. Outline The report is aimed at writing a comprehensive narration of the core concepts of cloud computing. It is for the purpose mentioned above that the reports progresses as narrated in the outline below: I. Introduction: Thesis Statement: The revolutionizing and emerging concept of Cloud Computing is assessed for conceptuality and strength. II. Background. ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ A. Conventional Pre-Cloud computing infrastructures and architectures would be introduced. B. The way cloud computing differed from conventional networks would be explained. III. Architecture. A. Technology A. Technologically advanced devices that lay down the basis of cloud computing have been explored. B. Master Slave approach operating underneath. B. Cloud Storage C. Cloud Security IV. FUTURE TRENDS A. Hybrid Cloud Computing. COMPANIES INVOLVED. A. Insightful, Facebook, Amazon, Mosso. VI. REGULATORY ISSUES. A. Data Protection Act and its Salient features. VII. GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS A. Rising adoption and spread of cloud computing globally. B. ERP and the CLOUD. C. SaaS. D. Real World Organizations. VIII. ENTERPRISE CLOUD COMPUTING A. Concept, Implication and Strategies. IX. Conclusion A. Concluding the standing of cloud computing in the modern Era. B. Proposing Future expansions in the domain. THE STUDY CLOUD COMPUTING INTRODUCTION: ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­===================================================================== The phenomenon of cloud computing and the concept of clo ud is well known among the IT techies now. However, for a novice to get to know the basics of the concept the definition provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is quoted as follows: NIST defines cloud computing in the following few words: â€Å"model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal

Analysing Of The Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysing Of The Paper - Essay Example I specifically like this statement which defines how business organizations should go about the extension: "Unless the Brand name is strategically able to brand its extension to their customers and is capable to achieve this goal through similarities then and only then the success is higher. A company should extend their products as long as it is appropriate and along the lines of their products and or services. But, if the company wishes to expand to a class and or category different or other than what they are in, then there is a higher chance of failure." Do you mean that different brands should be used in different sectors or categories Your discussion is very informative. Instead of focusing only in the advantages and disadvantages of brand extensions, you have made the leap through identifying the steps which should be considered by marketers. My question is, can you discuss more on distancing techniques How is it done Richard Branson's extreme personality should be credited for his venture in numerous unrelated product categories.

English Oral - Lady Windermere's Fan - Oscar Wilde Essay

English Oral - Lady Windermere's Fan - Oscar Wilde - Essay Example She confronts her husband but he instead invites the other woman, Mrs. Erlynne, to her birthday ball. Angered by her husbands unfaithfulness, Lady Windermere leaves her husband for another lover. After discovering what has transpired, Mrs. Erlynne follows Lady Windermere and attempts to persuade her to return to her husband and in the course of this, Mrs. Erlynne is discovered in a compromising position. She sacrifices herself and her reputation in order to save Lady Windermeres marriage. The book, Lady Windermere’s Fan was staged in St. Jhames Theatre in London as a play in February 1892. This was written at the request of George Alexander, actor-manager of the St Jamess Theatre in London. Wilde described it as "one of those modern drawing-room plays with pink lampshades". It was immediately successful, the author making the enormous sum of seven thousand pounds from the original run.1 Numerous characters in the play draw their names from places in the north of England: Lady Windermere from the lake Windermere, the Duchess of Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Lord Darlington from Darlington.The plays Broadway premiere on 15, 1892 at Palmers Theatre was also the first Broadway performance for stage and screen actress Julia Arthur, who played Lady Windermere. Lady Windermeres eavesdropping convinces her of her husbands fidelity. Also Mrs. Erlynnes sacrifice of her own reputation convinces her of the older womans virtue. Further adding to the dramatic intensity, the story often has the eavesdropper leave something behind in the room. Hamilton criticized the book; He is an English teacher at Gary Academy, an innovative private school in Gary, North Carolina. He explores how the wit in Lady Windermeres Fan contributes to the structure and meaning of the plot, while also investing the book with a satirical jab at high society. Likewise, Jacobs, one of the critics of Oscar Wilde, examines Wildes use of fantasy in exploring the

Leaderhip and Management in Resusitation Essay - 1

Leaderhip and Management in Resusitation - Essay Example Loss of time and error in the Resuscitation Department are paid dearly by the patient’s increased risk of morbidity (Rosen et al., 2008). In this scenario, there is an incessant demand for the healthcare team in the ERD to hone not only their specific individual and professional skills, but that they should learn to coordinate and work effectively as a team (Cooper and Wakelam, 1999; Sarcevic, Marsic, Waterhouse, Stockwell, and Burd, 2011). The high stress scenario of ERD is not an imagined reality. In fact, it is an actuality that is encountered daily by the healthcare team that is assigned in the ERD. Typically, the healthcare team only has 20 minutes to work together to â€Å"(1) stabilize the patient by (2) rapidly identifying life-threatening injuries; (3) determine the extent of the injury; (4) develop a plan for definitive surgical management of the patient† (Sarcevic et al, 2011, p. 229). Generally, the team is composed of 7 -15 members and they include an attending surgeon, surgical residents or fellows, nurses, an orthopaedic surgeon, an anaesthesiologist, a respiratory therapist, a pharmacist and an X-ray technician (Sarcevic et al., 2011). Additional specialist may be added to the team depending on the need of the patient. In this regard, it can be inferred that the health care team in ERD is technically an interdisciplinary team that have come together for the primary purpose of providing the patient with the initial care that the patient crucially needs. With this perspective, this research will delve on the critical function of nurses-Resuscitation Officer in the ERD. Specifically, this research will focus on the impact of nursing leadership and management in the discharge of the functions of Resuscitation Officer in the Resuscitation Department. Nursing leadership and management in ERD is crucial not only

Tribal gaming Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tribal gaming - Assignment Example In the absence of tribal gaming, reservations can still be effective in terms of reducing the rate of poverty, decreasing the rate of unemployment, and increasing the tribal’s income. However, reservations economies are systematically underdeveloped because most of them are located in poor regions of a country. Due to their limited resources, income and ready access to nearby markets, most of the reservations economies remain underdeveloped. Tribal gaming strategies are commonly used to gradually improve their overall socio-economic conditions of each tribe (i.e. improved literacy rate, better access to education, higher employment rates and higher income, etc.). To ensure that tribal communities are able to maintain their cultural values and practices despite the process of economic modernization, most of the tribal governments are creating a framework that aims to strengthen the cultural background, education, and identity of the tribal nations. Through the use of cultural revitalization strategies, it is possible to preserve or maintain the cultural values and practices of the all tribal communities without the need to adversely affect their economic growth. The tribal gaming investments reflected the underlying cultural values of the tribal people because of its â€Å"spillover effects†. Since people living in tribal lands are socially and economically benefiting from tribal gaming investments, there is a strong possibility wherein cultural values and beliefs of tribal people on gaming can be altered accordingly. It means that some people from the tribes could accept gambling as something that is normal.

English Oral - Lady Windermere's Fan - Oscar Wilde Essay

English Oral - Lady Windermere's Fan - Oscar Wilde - Essay Example She confronts her husband but he instead invites the other woman, Mrs. Erlynne, to her birthday ball. Angered by her husbands unfaithfulness, Lady Windermere leaves her husband for another lover. After discovering what has transpired, Mrs. Erlynne follows Lady Windermere and attempts to persuade her to return to her husband and in the course of this, Mrs. Erlynne is discovered in a compromising position. She sacrifices herself and her reputation in order to save Lady Windermeres marriage. The book, Lady Windermere’s Fan was staged in St. Jhames Theatre in London as a play in February 1892. This was written at the request of George Alexander, actor-manager of the St Jamess Theatre in London. Wilde described it as "one of those modern drawing-room plays with pink lampshades". It was immediately successful, the author making the enormous sum of seven thousand pounds from the original run.1 Numerous characters in the play draw their names from places in the north of England: Lady Windermere from the lake Windermere, the Duchess of Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Lord Darlington from Darlington.The plays Broadway premiere on 15, 1892 at Palmers Theatre was also the first Broadway performance for stage and screen actress Julia Arthur, who played Lady Windermere. Lady Windermeres eavesdropping convinces her of her husbands fidelity. Also Mrs. Erlynnes sacrifice of her own reputation convinces her of the older womans virtue. Further adding to the dramatic intensity, the story often has the eavesdropper leave something behind in the room. Hamilton criticized the book; He is an English teacher at Gary Academy, an innovative private school in Gary, North Carolina. He explores how the wit in Lady Windermeres Fan contributes to the structure and meaning of the plot, while also investing the book with a satirical jab at high society. Likewise, Jacobs, one of the critics of Oscar Wilde, examines Wildes use of fantasy in exploring the

Tribal gaming Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tribal gaming - Assignment Example In the absence of tribal gaming, reservations can still be effective in terms of reducing the rate of poverty, decreasing the rate of unemployment, and increasing the tribal’s income. However, reservations economies are systematically underdeveloped because most of them are located in poor regions of a country. Due to their limited resources, income and ready access to nearby markets, most of the reservations economies remain underdeveloped. Tribal gaming strategies are commonly used to gradually improve their overall socio-economic conditions of each tribe (i.e. improved literacy rate, better access to education, higher employment rates and higher income, etc.). To ensure that tribal communities are able to maintain their cultural values and practices despite the process of economic modernization, most of the tribal governments are creating a framework that aims to strengthen the cultural background, education, and identity of the tribal nations. Through the use of cultural revitalization strategies, it is possible to preserve or maintain the cultural values and practices of the all tribal communities without the need to adversely affect their economic growth. The tribal gaming investments reflected the underlying cultural values of the tribal people because of its â€Å"spillover effects†. Since people living in tribal lands are socially and economically benefiting from tribal gaming investments, there is a strong possibility wherein cultural values and beliefs of tribal people on gaming can be altered accordingly. It means that some people from the tribes could accept gambling as something that is normal.

History of dance Essay Example for Free

History of dance Essay How could you leave your country? The place you grew up in, how could you leave your loved ones in a place so bad you had to flee it yourself? The production of ‘Look the other way’ choreographed by Cadi McCarthy is clearly emotionally attached to the performers. Look the other way describes how people had to leave their home and become refugees, their fear and hatred needing the encouragement to move forward. The mixture of contemporary and hip hop really drives you into the performance and makes dancers, public and even you feel like a part of the attraction. The choreographer clearly displays the variety of talent and emotive skills that all of the dancers consist of. The different interrogations of each dancer themselves are astonishing, having a wide range from the strength and intensity movements by Peter Fares to the smooth, soft and meaningful movements danced by Yillin Kong. The artistic use of props and lighting gives the texture of the movements on the performers and their facial expressions gave an overwhelming feeling inside; it’s a wakeup call to seeing how lucky we are as a country. This was a very effective way to get the audience’s attention. Having to look the other way when all you feel is hopelessness is a very difficult thing to do. The characters make you feel as if they are portraying their country, getting away from the outrageousness and the terror. Sharing their side of the horrific stories. All distributing the same emotions betrayal and being forced to look the other way. The choreographer immersed herself into the stories of the young people who had overcome the sacrifice of fleeing their country to have freedom in Australia. Cadi McCarthy clearly and successfully got her intent to the target audience (young students) expressing the dreadful descriptions by educating us through contemporary and hip hop dance. There are seven characters (not including the two boys who are still learning English) in the performance, each with different difficulties and reports to share with the world. They all show tolerance and ignorance to not give up and not give in. The movements and space used in this choreography by Cadi McCarthy entitles the effects and emotions she wants the audience to feel. Each performer had their own special techniques which was used to their advantage. Movements such as slowly walking, shaking, and closed shapes, sharp turns, counter balancing and falling, these are indications of being pushed around. The fast, muscular movements were intimidating and in each other’s personal space. The most significant peace was the Riot (Fight scene) which was done in a group, but danced in duets. Showing the mob mentality, strength and power, giving the truthful facts that no matter how many times you’re pushed down, you shall thrive to get back up again, keep moving forward. The costumes seemed rushed and not restricted which gave them freedom to move the clothing looking very unfavourable. Using very natural colours such as black, skin colour, white, and a flowered dress worn by Yillin showing the audience that they were in a rush, all they had was the clothing on their backs. The lighting effects by Andrew Portwine was dim and organic to set the mood, the angles of the light reflected off the dancers faces to give texture, dark gloomy looks. The overall costumes and lighting was more than successful and gave the illusion to hardship for the audience. Tristen Parr and Matt Cornell did exceptional work on the soundtrack. The music had been made from scratch so it was an original peace. In the performance the music was recorded and instrumental throughout. You could feel the classical vibrations as if atmospherical, representing the extreme adversity and struggles (Production2; Sacrifice, where videos are used to tell us about true stories). There were sections of the performance where the sound was live, like the word monologues where each dancer talks about accountings explaining what it was like to be a refugee (Peter Fares holding Yillin Kong on his shoulder while telling the story of his parents from Israel, Lebanon, and Syria to Australia). The most memorable and major feature of the props used was the ‘Opening boards’ (Designed by Laura Boynes and Tristan Parr) where the characters drag themselves across the stage and stand up onto a rocking board, representing the uncertainty to travel, external and internal fear of leaving their loved ones, the experience’s to come. Using the boards as a boat and steps revealing their long journey to find freedom, using the rocking motion traveling the entire emotional ride with the characters. The boards drew the audience’s attention straight away to the restlessness and fear. The backdrop of four walls that were recycled substances designed by Monique Wajon (makeshift of materials found in refugee camps). These props communicated to the audience giving meaning and belief to the dance. The Buzz Dance Theatre has accomplished in reproducing all viewpoints of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers. Every possible aspect of contemporary and hip hop dance was put into this performance to accomplish the priorities and achievements of triumphing to the top. Each dancer attributes to the story in individual ways choreographed by Cadi McCarthy. I personally found that every phase used for this special performance including characters, music, costumes, choreography, set and props all worked exceptionally well together to produce a stimulating and significant enactment. Although a little dark I was defiantly motivated at the end of the performance.

Human Activities and Global Warming

Human Activities and Global Warming Global Is Warming Caused by Human Activities The major issue that is discussed today is global warming, which is considered a threat to the earth in coming future. Global warming is the raise in the average temperature of the Earths surface, atmosphere and oceans. There are always two sides to every story and when it comes to the discussion of global warming there are two very different points-of-view. The world seems to be divided between global warming caused by humans and it caused due to natural reasons. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that the noticed temperature increase was caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced due to human activity such as fossil fuel burning and deforestation. The IPCC also concludes that changes in natural phenomena such as solar radiation and volcanoes produced most of the warming and had a small cooling effect afterward. I strongly believe that global warming is a phenomenon caused by human activities, which results in a raise in greenhouse gase s in the atmosphere. The scientific panel studying climate change stated that the proof of a warming is clear and the human activity has been the major reason for the change. Global warming is the result of warming of earth and sea due to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases. The main cause of global warming is the human activities which emit greenhouse gas which is known as the greenhouse effect. When sunlight reaches the earth it is absorbed by the earth and warms it. Some of the heat is radiated back to the atmosphere. The absorption of this radiant heat energy warms the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and discharge of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere warm the earths atmosphere and surface. The major greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and ozone (O3), Clouds also affect the radiation balance, but they are composed of liquid water or ice and so are considered separately from water vapor and other gases. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change, in 2001, the human activity had played an important role in global warming. The main reason of warming due to human activities is due to the burning of fossils fuels and rapid industrialization. Since the Industrial era the amount of greenhouse gases has increased in the atmosphere, leading to increased radioactive radiations produced from carbon dioxide, methane. The concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane have increased rapidly. Fossil fuel burning has produced a noticeable increase in carbon dioxide from human activity over the past years. And the other major reason for increase in global warming is due to land-use change, particularly deforestation. However, because of the increasing demand of raw materials for houses and other uses for example wood and paper pulp, industries tend to cut down more trees. Therefore, the enormous change in the rate of temperature is due to the industrial revolution. Some researchers and scientists disagree to the statement that human activities are reason behind the observable fact of global warming, According to William M. Gray, â€Å"natural variations are the cause of periodic global temperature increases and human kind has nothing to do with the temperature changed†. Some researchers believe that main cause of global warming is natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions, solar cycles and water vapors. But I insist that these natural phenomenas have existed since from the existence of the earth and havent showed any ill-effects from past many decades. These natural phenomenas are affected by human activities which resulted in causing global warming. If human activities had not played contributed the warming would not have been to the extent of harmful results. However considering natural phenomena a cause for global warming will not be true. According to Karl and Trenberth, â€Å"Over the past 50 years, human influences have been the dominant detectable influence on climate change.† (Billy A.).The activities of humans that put in to global warming are the use of fossil fuels for example coal, oil, and natural gas and the clearing of land. Most of the consumption of fossils fuels occurs in industries, in vehicles and in power plants that supply energy for houses and offices. The burning of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide; carbon dioxide is a delays the discharge of heat into atmosphere. Deforestation results in more concentration of carbon dioxide, as it reduces the rate of removal of gas from the atmosphere. Trees and other plants inhale carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis. Land-use changes by humans for example clearing land for logging, and agriculture, which also results in carbon dioxide emissions. The decomposition of dead vegetation is also a reason for global warming because vegetation contains carbon which on decomposition or burning is released as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has been rising from the time of James Watt, creator of the auto- steam engine that significantly helped in the industrial revolution. Since then, coal and natural gas have major contribution to industrial revolution. Hydro-power and nuclear power are contributing less to the needs of energy to human in comparison to coal, oil and gas. Today the amount of carbon degraded into the atmosphere shows, on average, to one ton per individual on the earth, each year. In the United States, carbon energy is especially important. The standard American per capita release is 5 tons of carbon per annum. The report from the climate panel predicted that if the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere will continuously rise than the temperature is also expected to rise in the future. (IPCC Report) Major climate changes have been noticeable since many past years. The world has gone through ruinous weather events such as the dreadful tsunami in Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina. All over the world, the existence of some diseases and other fears to human health depend mainly on the local climate. Tremendous changes in temperature can lead to the loss of humans. According to the Union of Concerned scientist â€Å"In 1999, a heat wave killed more than 250 people in Chicago. Though, scientists advise that the global temperature has increased in the past years. There has been increase in surface temperature, 1 ° F, since the 19th century†. Global warming has harsh effect on the earth and had put it on the verge of harmful conditions. One of the major effects seen due to global warming is the extinction of polar bear. â€Å"Due to the warming temperature the arctic ice is melting at an alarming rate, depriving the polar bear of their habitat. Reduced food availability due to global warming has also resulted in extinction of polar bear† (West). As I discussed, the major cause of global warming is the human activities as the activities done by the humans have increased the level and impact of global warming which from past many decades was not a matter of concern as the emission of carbon dioxide was not to the extent of being a threat and whatever amount of gas was emitted was absorbed by forests. But due to deforestation the amount of carbon dioxide discharged from the atmosphere was less resulting in more warming of the atmosphere. Nowadays due to carelessness of human beings the issue of global warming is at it s peak. Because if human beings would have been taken care of their activities the global warming would not have been that existed. However, the sarcasm of the circumstances is that the humans, who are responsible for this sudden rise in global warming, are the ones who will be mainly affected by its devastating effects. â€Å"Many experts predict that the increase in extreme weather events, including floods, storms and heat waves, will result in more deaths, injuries and diseases† (Spence). Rising temperatures and changes in rainfall affect crop production and food, aiding and breeding of animals are upsetting crops. Changes in temperature could be devastating to people in poor countries. Global warmings major cause has been the activities of humans and the effects of which are very much seen as the melting of arctic ice, extinction of polar bear, rise in temperature as these effects were not present earlier when only natural phenomenas were warming the earth to some extent. Humans by their activities raised the level of warming leading to global warming. Therefore, I strongly believe that the major cause behind global warming is human activities and the information provided is witnessing the presence of global warming due to human activities. Though, natural phenomenas do contribute to some extent but they cannot be said to be the reason of high temperature. Emission of greenhouses gases are effecting the climate to a great extent due to which numerous disasters have been faced and if these emissions or greenhouse is not reduced or controlled more harmful results can be seen in the coming future. Global warming is a serious issue and is of great concern as its effects can result in harmful circumstances. Works Cited Historical Overview of Climate Change Science (PDF). IPCC WG1 AR4 Report. IPCC. pp. p97 (PDF page 5 of 36). 21 April 2009. WEB. 8th Oct 2009. Summary for Policymakers (PDF). Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 21 April 2009. Web. 8th Oct 2009. Spence, Christopher. Global Warming: personal solutions for a healthy planet. New York; Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Print. Climatic Research Unit. Jones, Phil. 1999. Web. 8th Oct 2009. Bily, Cynthia A. Global Warming (Opposing Viewpoints). Green haven Press, February 2006 .Print. Union of Concerned Scientists. Global Warming. n.d. Web. 8th Oct 2009. Environmental Issues. Larry West, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2009

student :: essays research papers

The earliest known measurement from the earth to sun was in 200 B.C. Aristarchus of Samos, a man of astronomy and Mathematics, made this discovery. He believed the Earth revolved around the Sun. Aristarchus of Samos used what is known today as right-angle trigonometry. By connecting Earth to Moon, Moon to Sun, and Sun to Earth, one forms a right triangle as shown below. The measure of angle â€Å"a† is 90 °; an observer on Earth can then measure the angle measure of â€Å"b†. Then for one to find the distance between Earth and Sun simply find the sine of angle â€Å"c.† Aritarchus of Samos would have expressed this a little differently for the sole fact of modern Trigonometry had not yet been discovered. Although this is strong in theory, it had its downfalls. This method in was proven to be very inaccurate. The Earth to Moon ratio is very small compared to the Earth to Sun ratio, which leads one to infer that angle â€Å"a† would measure close to 90 °. With the measure of angle â€Å"b† is close to 90 °; which would leave angle â€Å"c† very small. If a small human error occurs in measuring angle â€Å"b,† one is left with an emasculate error in the ratio of Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun. In modern trigonometry, it is describe as 1/(sin c)2 , which is very large when â€Å"c† is small. Aristarchus measured angle â€Å"b† as 87 °, but in fact was 89 ° 50 minutes. Although this error seems small, it leads to a 95% error. Aristarchus believes the Earth to Moon over Earth to Sun measured 19, but in all reality is measured as 397. But all in all Aristarchus of Samos was the first to mathematically set the spatial scale of cosmos. During the time of Kepler, most people still believed the Earth was the center of the Universe. Copernicus, in 1543, published his book, De Revolutionibus, states the Sun is the center of the Universe, and the planets orbit around, yet he didn’t know how the planets did so. In 1601, Kepler became the proud owner of Tycho Brache’s, an astronomer whom Kepler was an assistant for, meticulous measurements of planets, stars and sun that Brache had gathered in his last 38 years.

Free Things They Carried Essays: M&Ms :: Things They Carried Essays

M&M's in The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien uses many interesting literary devices in his collection of short stories about his experiences in Vietnam. One of the most striking, yet understated, is his fleeting reference to M&M's. O'Brien allows them to be seen as something of a mystery, an enigma. O'Brien transforms M&M's into a symbol of America: mystical, powerful, and incredible. O'Brien also uses the simple image of a yo-yo to explain the necessity of American GI's to transform their mental attitudes to something different in order to survive the war. M&M's and yo-yo's are two very powerful symbols that O'Brien uses to explain the mentality of American soldiers in Vietnam. "As a medic, Rat Kiley carried a canvas satchel filled with morphine and plasma and malaria tablets and surgical tape and comic books and all the things a medic must carry, including M&M's for especially bad wounds, for a total weight of nearly 20 pounds." (O'Brien 5) The first mention of M&M's is cryptic. O'Brien makes use of a standard list to describe what Rat Kiley carries, until he reaches the M&M's. M&M's are separated by a phrase, they are set apart; they receive special treatment. O'Brien is making clear to the reader that M&M's are not to be included in the normal list of things carried by a medic. M&M's are above and beyond simple medical gear. M&M's are for "especially bad wounds," they treat something more than bandages and tape can. O'Brien allows the reader to understand that M&M's have significance, and are very important to the soldiers. O'Brien's brief mention of M&M's allows us to wonder if when this magical cure is used. Does Rat Kiley administer M&M's to Tim when he is shot? Could M&M's have saved Rat when he goes insane? Are M&M's something so mystical that they don't even need to be mentioned? O'Brien creates M&M's to be a symbol of everything that the soldiers leave behind. To Kiowa, M&M's embody the spirit of his grandmother and the faith of his father. To Norman Bowker, M&M's mean as much as his medals mean to his father. To O'Brien, M&M's capture the spirit of a kind old man in Minnesota. M&M's are O'Brien's alternative symbol for "Mom and Apple Pie." Another symbol that O'Brien uses is Mitchell Sanders' yo-yo, Sanders is playing with his yo-yo when Curt Lemon is killed.

World War I Weapons and Machines

Explain why machine guns could dominate the battlefield in World War 1: Machine guns would change the war because of the fast fire rate, the calibre that can be fired and the distance that the gun can cause fatalities. They were devastating to the opposing side because of the amount of casualties that could be produced, in a far shorter time period due to fire rate and reload time. Machine guns were applied to many things e. g. lanes, tanks and trenches they would assist in stopping the advance of soldiers between the frontlines, because of the far shorter reload time in comparison to a rifle or side arm. There were not many flaws but the small amount are quite substantial, for instance the mobility there was either very little or none because of the vast weight, another fault that surfaced quite regularly was the jamming of firing system and reload mechanism. These flaws were soon overcome with the release of LMG (light machine gun) that was far more manoeuvrable, and was less likely to jam it also could reload substantially faster than its predecessor, but had a smaller calibre. The LMG was dominating during the war for the advancing side because of its compact size, and many other features. During an advance a soldier could drop into a trench and fire upon multiple enemies without have to press the trigger numerous times and/or try and fire using a bolt action rifle which was a very slow means of firing. 2 Outline how the role of aircraft changed during World War 1. Any and all aircraft in the World War 1 were initially used for surveillance and /or scouting the landscape but as the war matured as did the aircraft technology and they soon became weaponized into fighter plans that could hold an arsenal of different machine guns, either for firing upon enemy planes or trenches. These fragile planes were also used for bombing enemy positions or dropping supplies 4 Use your own word to define the following terms: Sump: a form of drainage used to remove water into a low lying area. Dugout: a hole dug in the ground that is covered and used as a shelter for soldiers.

Output Research on Indigenous People’s Group

All Aeta communities have adopted the language of their Austronesian neighbors, which have sometimes diverged over time to become different languages. These include, in order of number of speakers, Mag-indi, Mag-antsi, Abellen, Ambala, and Mariveleno. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Religious Beliefs and Practices ?There are divergent views on the dominant character of the Aeta religion. Those who believe they are monotheistic argue that various Aeta tribes believe in a supreme being who rule over lesser spirits or deities.The Mamanua believe in the supreme Magbabaya while the Pinatubo Aeta worships Apo Namalyari. According to anthropologist E. Arsenio Manuel, the Agta believe in a supreme being named Gutugutumakkan. Manuel notes other lesser deities of the Agta; Kedes, the god of hunting; Pawi, the god of the forest; and Sedsed, the god of the sea. There are four manifestations of the â€Å"great creator† who rules the world: Tigbalog is the source of life and action; Lueve ta kes care of production and growth; Amas moves people to pity, love, unity, and peace of heart; while Binangewan is responsible for change, sickness, and death.These spirits inhabit the balete tree. †¢Marriage ?After the bride and the groom have fed each other with a handful of rice supposedly blessed by god, a â€Å"mabalian† or a priest conducting the ritual would gently knock the couples’ heads to perfect the marital vow. †¢Dressing ?The traditional clothing of the Aeta is very simple. Cloth wraparound skirts are worn by the women when young. Elder women wear bark cloth, and the elder men loincloths. The old women of the Agta wear a bark cloth strip which passes between the legs, and is attached to a string around the waist.Today most Aeta who have been in contact with lowlanders have adopted the T-shirts, pants and rubber sandals commonly used by the latter. †¢Music ?The Aeta have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung ensembles †“ ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?The most common form of Aeta visual art is the etching found in their daily tools and implements. This is done on the outer surfaces of various household containers/utensils and ornaments.Bamboo combs are decorated with incised angular patterns. Geometric designs are etched on arrow shafts. They are also skillful in weaving and plaiting. For example, the Mamanua, like other Aeta groups, produce excellent nego or winnowing baskets, duyan or rattan hammocks, and other household containers. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?Aetas are found in Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, Angeles, Olongapo, Panay, Bataan and Nueva Ecija. But because of the Mount Pinatubo eruption, some of them move to resettlement areas in Pampanga and Tarlac. 2. THE B’LAANS I. CULTURE The basic culture is dry cultivation of a broad range of food pla nts including rice, supplemented by food gathering and hunting. Culture change is in an advanced stage. The B’laan language is classified in a group that includes the Tiruray and T’boli, which are distinct from the central Philippine group. The same pattern of scattered settlements exists among the group although the houses generally remain within sight of each other near swidden fields. Rice, corn, and millet are planted. Corn is gradually supplanting rice as the staple. Gardens are planted to sugar cane, bananas, and rootcrops.Each neighborhood is organized under a local datu who has autonomous authority over an area depending on his personal influence. The position is supposedly hereditary and follows a rule of the firstborn assuming the position. The lebe is the B’laan equivalent of the Bagobo magani. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?B'laans adheres to sedentary form of agriculture and engage in other economic endeavors for their subsistence and devel opment. Although many have adapted the ways of the modern Filipino and have been integrated into the main body politic, they still believe and practice their indigenous rituals and customs.B'laans observe certain rituals in their planting cycle. In these rituals, they make offerings to their deities requesting for signs to know where to best make a clearing for a particular planting season. One of this is the mabah or offering to the deities requesting omens that would help them choose the fields for planting. B'laans practice swidden farming as the main agricultural method. They grow rice, corn, sugarcane, banana, papaya, and other rootcrops. Some of their crops are used as barter commodities in exchange for tools and other utensils that they need. †¢Marriage ?Parents arrange the marriage of the children.They are the ones who decide for their future partners. Children are suppressed of their right to refuse. The B'laan practice giving of sunggod or bride price wherein the brid e price wherein brides family especially the father and close raltives demand valuable things and animals such as agong, carabao, horse from the grooms family. The wedding is officiated by a Fulong with the presence of the elders in the community. For them, wedding is the merriest celebration which usually lasts for four days. The people in the community enjoy the saf kain, aparty prepared by the groom's family at the bride's wife.A muli agno (welcome party) is also being held by the groom for his wife. The men especially the Bong Fulong and the Dad Tua are polygamous, men are allowed to have many wives for as they are capable to give sunggod (dowry) and can feed his family/ies. Having many wives is a symbol of power and influence. To be a Bong Fulong's wife who is able to give birth to many sons symbolizes prestige and high status. †¢Burial ?The B'laan does not use chemicals to preserve their dead instead the dead body is wrapped with tadtad or broken bamboo then tied with uwa y (rattan) and hang in the tree.It should be done within 24 hours from the time the person dies. They believe that hanging the cadaver in a tree is a form of respect to the dead person because if it is buried underground, the earthworms and other soil organisms will feed on the flesh of the person while if it hanged the cadaver will decompose in a natural way. †¢Music ?The B’laan use musical instruments extensively with their rituals and dances. The instruments run the full range of idiophones (percussions), zithers (bamboo tubes with strings), chordophones (wooden lutes), and aerophones (flutes and reeds). Dressing ?The people of these tribes wear colorful embroidered native costumes and beadwork accessories. The women of these tribes, particularly, wear heavy brass belts with brass ‘tassels' ending in tiny brass bells that herald their approach even when they are a long way off. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?They are famous for their brass works, beadwork and t' nalak weave. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?The B’laans is one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao in The Philippines. Their name could have derived from â€Å"bla† meaning â€Å"opponent† and the suffix â€Å"an† meaning â€Å"people†.Other terms used to refer to this group are Blaan, Bira-an, Baraan, Vilanes, and Bilanes. The B’laan, are neighbors of the T'boli, and live in in Lake Sebu and T'boli municipalities of South Cotabato, Sarangani, the southeastern part of Davao and around Buluan Lake in North Cotabato. 3. THE T’BOLI’S I. CULTURE ?Only a few T'boli are Christian or Islamite. More than 95 percent of The T'boli people still has their animistic religion. They were hardly influenced by the spread of the Islam on the island. The Spaniards too, didn't succeed to Christianize the T'boli during the Spanish colonial period.Main reason was that the T'boli withdrew to the hinterlands in the uplands. ?The T'boli still beli eve in spirits who live on several places in the natural environment. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?In the past the T'boli practiced the primitive way of agriculture â€Å"slash and burn†. â€Å"Slash and burn† means that the people will clear a part of the forest by cutting the big trees and burning the lower and smaller trees and bushes, after which they use the cleared plots as arable land for some years without any fertilization.Rice, cassava and yams were the most important agricultural products. Next to that, the people went hunting or fishing for additional food. For years slash and burn is no longer possible. The forests are gone by intensive economic activities as foresting. At present The T'boli live in the mountains. Agriculture is the only source of income. Some foreigners, in cooperation with the aid organization Cord Aid, succeeded in developing some hectares of arable land in the last few years. Nevertheless, the T'boli live in poor circumstanc es; a struggle for live. †¢Courtship Blit B'laan is a courtship dance of the B'laan people of Davao del Sur in which the dancers mimic the behavior of forest birds in the mating season. Two male dancers that represent richly-plumed male birds eye three females. The females try to hide from the males, burying their heads under their wings, which are represented by their malongs. Still, the aggressive males pursue them. †¢Marriage ?Sla-i (marriage arrangements) are considered lousy without t’nalak during the exchange of kemu (traditional properties) such as heirlooms, gongs, horses, work animals, ancient swords and other tribal artifacts. †¢Burial Just like the other indigenous peoples in the country, the T’bolis of South Cotabato in Southern Mindanao has interesting burial rituals. Grieving starts when the tau mo lungon (coffin maker) or an elder who has been summoned to ascertain the death gives a wrenching cry. Upon hearing the cry, the family members s tart weeping. If the dead is a child, he or she is simply wrapped in a blanket (nga sadan-kumo) or a mat (igam) and then suspended on a big tree. However, if the dead is an older child or an adult, he or she is wrapped and then placed in a lungon (coffin) together with his or her important belongings.The finances of the dead play a vital role in the type of burial as well as the length of wake given him or her as these must be exhausted before he or she is buried. Hence, the wake could last for a week up to five months. Before the coffin is sealed, the relatives of the dead stroke the corpse as a last farewell. Then the coffin is closed and tied firmly with a darnay. It is at this point that the weeping and grieving come to a halt. The T’bolis bury their dead at night. Before the coffin is brought out of the house, the tau mo lungon breaks a bamboo water container called kobong.As the container breaks, the people let off a shout. The coffin is then brought around the house, a nd then carried out into the burial site. Only the men are allowed to accompany the cortege. At the site, the coffin is placed in a small house-like structure fitted into the pit. After the coffin is settled on the grave, the people sit down for a meal, leaving some of it on the grave. After the meal, the tau mo lungon breaks an earthen jar, after which the people start leaving the site in a single file, following the order in which they had come, kuloy or plumelike flowers of talahib on their head.Reaching the house, they jump over two T’boli knives (Kafilan or Tok) stuck on the ground forming an X. Then they bathe in a nearby river. Otherwise, the bereaved family put their left foot on a stone at the stair landing, and then walks to a tray of food from which they scoop a little, eat it, and then exit through the backdoor. Finally, the house of the dead is either burned or abandoned as they build a new one. †¢Music ?The T'boli have a musical heritage consisting of vario us types of agung ensembles – ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument.T'boli have a variety of musical instruments including a drum, the agong, the kulintang, bamboo zither, flute, the hegalong, a long, slender and spindle-shaped two stringed guitar. They have also a variety of dances, which are mostly expressive imitations of their immediate environment. †¢Dressing ?The T'boli women are known for their body ornaments. During ordinary days, the women can be seen wearing several sets of beaded necklaces, brass or beaded dangling earings, and a wooden comb decorated with round pieces of mirror and trimmed with beads and fibers or horse's hair.The men nowadays wear their traditional dresses made of tnalak only during special occasions. Both the men and women wear brass rings in sets of five for each finger. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?T’nalak is an exotic fabric mad e through a centuries-old process of tie-dye weaving by the T’boli women. It is made into bags of different sizes, attache case, wall decors, blankets, jackets, purse, clothing, cigarette case, belts, portfolio and others. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN The T'boli is of proto-Malayan stock and is found in the mountain ranges of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat Provinces. 4. THE HIGAONON I. CULTURE ?The belief in the power of the spirits of ancestors and in the influence of more than one god is strongly rooted in the hearts and minds of many Higaonon. Most Higaonon still have a strong belief in the existence of gods and spirits. The ‘upper god’ is Magbabaya, the creator of all aspects of life. There are several ‘lower gods’. Each ‘lower god’ has dominion over a specific part of the natural environment.There is a lower god (Igbabasok) who has dominion over the farms, a lower god (Pamahandi) who has dominion over treasures and properties, a lower god (Bulalakaw) who has dominion over the waters and fishes and there is a lower god (Panalagbugta) who has dominion over lands. The (ancestor) spirits have control on all aspects of the daily life of the people. This belief, called â€Å"animism†, influences the Higaunon people deeply. They believe that all problems like illnesses, bad harvests and even the death, are due to their failure to satisfy the spirits.The Higaonon believe that they have to please the spirits. Only if the Higaonon succeed during their life to fulfill all the wishes of the spirits, they will not die and a path will be shown to go from this world into the eternal world where the creator gods live. One way to satisfy the spirits is having rituals with sacrifices. Pigs and chickens are the most common sacrifices. Without the sacrifices or when there not enough sacrifices, there will be problems with their subsistence, crops will fail and illnesses will not be cured and people will die.If somebody gets ill, an ‘all knowing’ shaman is asked advice what to do. The shaman is a person in the village who has the ability to tell which spirit caused the sickness and what should be done to pacify the spirit II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?The Higaonon is one of the mountain tribes in the Philippines. Most Higaunon still have a rather traditional way of living. Farming is the most important economic activity. †¢Courtship ?Prior to the wedding, the boy must live in the girl's house for about a year to prove his worth and where he is scrutinized by the parents of the girl. Marriage ?Marriage in Higaonon society is arranged mainly by the parents of the boy and girl. The arrangement is a long and tedious process. The wedding ceremony is elaborate and expensive. Feasting lasts for several days at the residence of the bride and groom. The marriage of a datu is even more elaborate. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?The main economic activity is slash and burn cultivation of upland rice and corn. The agricultural cycle starts during March and April when the Higaonon devote themselves to clearing and planting. They also engage in food gathering.Their livelihood is supplemented by logging timbers like apitong, lauan, yakal, kamagong and narra. The timber is cut by hand and the logs are hauled using carabaos as draft animals to bring the logs down to the Agusan river. The hunting of banog, bats, snakes, field rat, monkey and different kinds of birds is prevalent. Fishing is also one of the major activities. Occasionally, poisons are used in streams. Spear guns are also employed. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN †¢The Higaonon are an indigenous tribe found in the northern regions of the island of Mindanao in The Philippines.With a population estimated at 350, 000, they are distributed over five provinces — Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte and Bukidnon. 5. THE IFUGAO’S I. CULTURE ?In the past the Ifugao were fear ed head-hunters, just as other tribes in the mountainous regions of northern Luzon. The war-dance (the bangibang) is one of the cultural remnants of the time of tribal conflict. Their ancestors constructed the fascinating rice terraces with the perfect working irrigation systems. These mountain tribes still distinguish themselves by their specific cultural expression and their skills.II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?Ifugao culture revolves around the rice, which is considered a prestige crop. There is an elaborate and complex array of rice culture feasts inextricably linked with taboos and intricate agricultural rites, from rice cultivation to rice consumption. Harvest season calls for grandiose thanksgiving feasts, while the concluding harvest rites â€Å"tungo† or â€Å"tungul† (the day of rest) entail a strict taboo of any agricultural work. Partaking of the rice beer (bayah), rice cakes, and betel nut is an indelible practice during the festivities and ritua l activities. Practice ?Batok or tattooing is practiced by Ifugao men in some districts. In other districts the tradition has disappeared, but in general, men tattoo almost all the parts of their body except the back and the feet. Tattooing of the chest, shoulders, arms is common; less common are tattoos on the face, buttocks and legs. Younger men tattoo only their necks and upper chest. The more common tattoo designs used by the Ifugao men are: tinagu (man); kinahu (dog); ginawang (eagle); ginayaman (centipede); kinilat (lightning); pongo (bracelet). †¢Marriage Monogamy is the norm, but the wealthy sometimes practice polygamy. The incest prohibition extends to first cousins; more distant cousins may be married only on payment of livestock penalties. Ifugao courtship takes place in the girls' houses ( agamang ). Before a wedding, temporary trial marriages sometimes occur. Wealthy parents arrange marriages through intermediaries, and they make decisions concerning their children 's use and inheritance of property. Families exchange gifts and maintain close relations following marriage. Divorce may occur by mutual consent, or with the payment of damages if contested.Grounds for divorce include bad omens, childlessness, cruelty, desertion, and change of affections. There is a vast difference in property allocation if the couple has children. Childless partners each take whatever they brought individually into the marriage through inheritance and then divide commonly acquired joint property equally; if there are children, all property goes to the children. A widow or widower may marry again only after making a payment to the deceased spouse's family; the payment is reduced if the second spouse is of that same family.Postmarital residence is typically close to the largest rice field acquired by either partner, but newlyweds may initially spend some time with the parents of either the groom or the bride. Both sexes may inherit property and debts from both parent s, although the firstborn receives the greatest share. An illegitimate child has the right to receive support from his or her natural father's family but no right to inherit from his estate. †¢Burial ?Their funerals are not only a sad event because of the lost of the person. There is also a celebration during days; because of they believe of a better life after death.Six years after the body is buried, the bones are dug up, after which a second celebration will take place. This is one time repeated after another six years. †¢Music ?Generally Ifugao songs can be classified into ritual songs and non-ritual songs. Ritual songs are sung in religious occasions; some songs require responses while others are extemporaneous. A ritual song is the alim. Non-ritual songs include the hudhud, the liwliwa, and the salidumnay. The liwliwa, used to express love, protest and other personal emotions, is sung in debate form by groups of men and women and their leaders.The salidumnay, which c an express ideas or emotions, is usually sung antiphonally by groups of men and women. †¢Dancing ?Dancing has always been part of the Ifugao life, taking center stage during rituals, religious activities, and special occasions. The dance steps follow a slow shuffle with slow turns and twists of the left hand and a fast up-and-down movement of the right hand. While kneeling in front of the dancers, the gong players hold the gangsa on top of their thighs with the convex side held up. They beat the gongs with their hands, the right hand giving the downward stroke, the left hand serving to dampen the sound.Speeches are made in between these dances, with the resounding â€Å"whoooo-o-eee† serving to silence those present so that the speech may be delivered. †¢Dressing ?Men wear their hair short all around the head but the middle part is allowed to grow long, thus giving impression that they wear a cap of hair. Some wear a turban. Ifugao men carry butong (hip bags), the l arger kind is called the pinuhha; the smaller kind the ambayong. The pinuhha bags are made of white threads, the ambayong of double block thread. The men usually put their betel nut leaves and lime container, kottiwong (small crescent-shaped nife), wooden spoon, amulets, and other things here. Necklaces worn by Ifugao males are usually a string of 2 to 8 pieces of gold, silver, or copper in a C-shape and worn tight at the base of the neck. Pang-o of amber beads, which hang much lower than the other necklaces, are sometimes added. In some places, men wear a tight necklace or trapezoidal shells. Many Ifugao men also wear leglets made of Copper wire wound spirally in 20 to 40 coils, gradually increasing in width from above downward. Some wear armlets made of tusks of wild boar.A belt called ginuttu, made of round white shells kept together by a string of rattan dyed red, is worn at the waist from the right side of the upper part of the left thigh, and then allowed to hang loose at the left side. ?Ifugao women, on the other hand, wear the tapis, a wraparound skirt called the ampuyou or tolge. The ordinary tapis consists of a blue cloth with narrow white horizontal stripes and two broken line of red triangles, and is worn just above the knee (Vanoverbergh 1929:209). Ifugao girls begin to wear the tapis by the time they are five or six years old. There are five kinds of Ifugao skirts.The inggalgalletget is worn just above the knee. It is full of narrow stripes and is made of two pieces of cloth joined together. This skirt is working in the rice paddies, but is not in fashion at present. The intinlu is a typical Ifugao skirt made of three pieces of cloth. The pieces are joined together with a takdog and other stitches, a black thread alternating with white. The indinwa skirt is also typically Ifugao although less frequently woven. It is shorter than the intinlu but longer than the working skirt. The gamit skirt is made of two equal pieces of cloth joined together by takdang stitch.Red and white threads alternate with white and yellow (takdog stitch); its edges that fray are hemmed and have a bambulud. Gamit skirts are characterized by elaborate border designs which vary according to the type and the color of alternating threads woven into the textile. Some Ifugao women allow their hair to hang loose at the back, but some fold their hair up and use a string of beads called atake or inipul; these they wind several times around the head to keep the hair in place. The atake is made of small white beads while the inipul is of large beads of light colored agate.Sometimes these beads are worn around the neck. The women put their belongings in the folds of their tapis in front or in a pouch made of cloth similar to that used by men, except that it has no rings and is thus carried in the hands or pace din the folds of the tapis. Women also tattoo their arms up to the shoulder blade, with designs similar to men. Earring and pendants used by men are also worn by the women. The necklaces hang lower than those of the men, sometimes reaching the navel. Copper bracelets are also used by the women. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft They have skills in making bowls; baskets, weapons and clothing. The Ifugao still practice the same skills as in the past: Woodcarving and weaving clothes. They discovered the tourists as a welcome client for their products in a time that the youngest Ifugao prefer Western clothes. ?The Ifugao produce baskets to serve the needs of the household, and many other purposes. They have baskets for winnowing, storing, catching pests and domesticating animals, storing grains and cooked food, keeping household utensils, clothes, and personal belongings, and for rituals and religious ceremonies.Carrying baskets have been so designed as to leave a person’s hands free to carry other loads. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?The Ifugao inhabit the most rugged and mountainous part of the country, high in the Central Cordillera in northern Luzon, with peaks rising from 1,000-1,500 m. , and drained by the waters of the Magat River, a tributary of Cagayan River. The area covers about 1942. 5 sq. km. of the territory. Their neighbors to the north are the Bontoc; to the west Kankanay and Ibaloy; to the east the Gaddang; and to the south the Ikalahan and Iwak.There are 10 municipalities in the province: Banaue, Hungduan, Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut, Mayoyao, Potia, Hingyan and Tinoc. There are 154 barangay, with Lagawe as the town center of the province. 6. THE IBANAG I. CULTURE ?Their language is also named Ibanag, which also serves as the lingua franca of other neighboring ethnic groups such as the Gaddang, Yogad, and a few Aeta. This is spoken by about 500,000 peoples in Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan. However, most of the Ibanags can also speak Ilocano, one of Northern Luzon's dialects.II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?The Ibanags are lowland farmers that used to in habit the area along the Cagayan coast but migrated further inland. They conducted trade with neighboring areas using distinctive seacrafts, and their commercial interests made their language the medium of commerce throughout the region before the influx of Ilokano migrants. They are also excellent blacksmiths and continue to make good bolos. . Are agricultural, and they engage in fishing and farming. †¢Marriage ?Marriage customs, to great degree, have been made simple.Expenses are now borne by both parties unlike before when the groom's parents shouldered all wedding expenses. Preparations may not be very lavish but the umune-ca presents and maginterga, are still parts of marriage customs, likewise the gala is, sine qua non especially in rural wedding. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?The Ibanag are concentrated on the Provinces of Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela. The Ibanag are among the minority of Filipino people that live along the banks of the Cagayan River. They are the most ass imilable and adaptable among groups of the Filipino people.On Cagayan, Ibanag are more found in Tuguegarao, Abulug, Pamplona, Camalaniugan, Lal-lo, Amulong, Iguig, Penablanca and Aparri towns. 7. THE MANOBO I. CULTURE ?An occupation that figures as entertainment for the Manobo is bee hunting, the procedure for which the basis of the comic bee-hunting dance. Bees appear during the season when the tress start to bloom. The hunter waits for them along the creek banks and trails them to their hive. If he catches a bee, he ties a fluff of cotton to it and then releases it. When the bee reaches the hive, the other bees raise such a buzzing noise, that a hunter is led to the location of their hive.He builds a fire to smoke out the bees and then climbs the tree to get the empty bee hive. However, the hunter faces hazards, such as the tree catching fire or the bees attacking him. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Farming ?The upland Manobo practise swidden or slash-burn farming whereas those in habiting the valleys practise wet-rice farming. Rice culture is so central to the Manobo way of life that there are more than 60 different names for rice varieties, and all agricultural rituals center on it. †¢Marriage ?Intervillage relationship is based on upakat or reciprocity.Village members, usually belonging to kinship group or groups allied by marriage, expect assistance from each other in matters of subsistent labor, defense, and support in crises. Marriage is traditionally by parental arrangement, which begins when each of two families chooses a spokesperson, preferably a datu or bai, who is known for eloquence and knowledge of custom law. The ginsa (â€Å"asking†) begins with the girl's representative offering betel chew, which the boy's representative politely refuses until negotiations for the kagun (bridewealth) begin.All the groom's relatives, especially the datu/bai related to the groom's family, will contribute to the kagun. The wedding date is determined by the length of the groom's family will need to raise the kagun. In the meantime, the bride's relatives are preparing the apa (wedding feast), consisting of rice, meat, fish, and rice wine. On the wedding day, the groom – wearing a white handkerchief – and his party walk to the bride's home. The bride is kept hidden behind a curtain in another room with someone guarding her.The groom's party knocked at the doorway y the ed-ipal, two or more of the bride's relatives who may ask the groom's party for a gift, such as clothing or money. After the feast, the elders sit on a large mat for the edteltagan he rirey, to display the symbols for the bride's value. Ten piles of corn kernels each are laid out in rows. Each pile symbolizes remuneration for the pains taken by the bride's family in rearing her. For example, one pile represents the purangan (to keep awake at night), the sleepless nights the parents spent over her; another pile represents the tugenan (viand), the nouris hment they have given er. Then the groom's family presents the items of the kagun which may consist of a house, a piece of land, clothing, money, articles made of iron, brass, and animals. These items are distributed to members of the bride's extended family, especially her aunts and uncles and those who contributed to the bridewealth given by her father when he married the bride's mother. The negotiations over, the groom's family presents the tenges (headcloth), which symbolizes that the arrangements must be wrapped up tightly to ensure a happy life for the young couple. The seru ritual follows: the bride and groom sit before a dish of rice.Each of the spokespersons takes a fistful of rice, molds it into a ball, and gives it to the couple, who feed each other. Then the guests join in the eating, with much revelry. The bride's mother prepares betel chew and hands it to her daughter, who offers it to the groom. This gesture symbolizes her tasks and duties as a wife. The couples are t hen given advice by the elders while the guests leave for home. The groom's parents stay for three more days, during which a purification ritual of chickens and rice is performed for the couple's gimukod (soul-spirit), whose approval of the marriage is sought.The groom goes home with his parents to call his gimukod in case it stayed there while he was away. He does not stay away too long from his bride's home because, for every day that he is gone, he must gift his in-laws with an article of clothing. Marriage is an alliance system in which reciprocity and mutual obligation between the groom's and bride's kinship groups are expected. It is, therefore, a means of maintaining peace and oder, for the Manobo's practice of retaliation does not extend to one's kindred or allies. Incest taboo is strictly followed up to a common great-great-great grandparent on both the mother's and father's side. Polygamy, although rarely practised, was allowed. A datu might resort to it, usually for econo mic and political reasons. Several wives allowed for more fields that could be cultivated, since the Manobo women did all the work in the fields. Polygyny also multiplied one's alliances and expanded them to several communities. However, the man could take another wife only if the first wife and her parents consented. The fist wife remained the head wife. †¢Burial ?When death occurs, lapuy, death messengers, are sent to inform relatives and friends.The body is washed, dressed in best clothes of the deceased, laid on mat at the exact center of the floor directly underneath the peak of the rooftop, and completely covered with a blanket. Objects, such as a bolo sword that the dead must take with it on its journey to the afterlife, are placed near the body. A clothesline is strung parallel to the body, and the clothes of the family or the dead person's personal possessions are hung there. There is much wailing and shouting and the agung (gong) is constantly beaten to announce the d eath to everyone within the hearing distance.The number of beats indicates the dead person's age, status and social position. After the grave has been dug, someone stands guard by the pit to keep the busaw away. Burial rites begin in the house with the â€Å"cutting the strand† ritual: an elder blackens half of a strand of manila hemp. This blackened end is held by the family while the white end is tied to the corpse. The strand is cut to signify the cutting of ties of affection between the family and the dead. A man is buried facing the east so that the sunrise will signal to him that it is time to work.A woman is buried facing the west so that the sunset will remind her that it is time to cook. As the dirt is thrown back into the pit, all turn their backs to avoid temptation of accompanying the dead person. The grave marker is a low wooden frame. Tree cuttings are stuck around the grave. After the burial, the mourners go to an unfrequented part to wash themselves and the to ols used to dig the grave. When they return to the house, they spit on a burning woo or a fire by the doorway. Everyone takes a small bite from the small meal that has been placed on the mat where the corpse had lain in state.The last person coming in takes the glowing piece of wood and the meal out of the house and throws it in the direction of the grave. Everyone, including the soul of the dead, is invited to eat. A mourning period of 8 to 12 days is set, depending on the stature of the dead person. A baby is mourned only for one day; a datu, seven days. There is singing and dancing but no instrumental music is allowed. †¢Music ?Manobo music differs from one group to another. The variance can be observed in the gong ensembles, which may consist of 8 to 10 agong (gongs) as in the ahong of Magpet, or five small hand-held gongs as in the sagagong. Dressing ?Before the Spanish colonial period, the Manobo wore bark cloth to cover their genitalia. Today they wear Western clothes: t he skirt and blouse or dress for the women, trousers and sports shirt for men. The heavily embroidered traditional Manobo costume is now worn only on special occasions. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?Traditional fabric for clothes was abaca or hemp, weaved by the ikat process, but is now cotto cloth obatained through trade. Dyes were acquired from plants and trees: the tagum plant and the bark of the lamud treee produced lack, the turmeric root, yellow, and the keleluza plant, red.Ginuwatan are inwoven representational designs such as flowers. If cotton trade cloth is bought, big floral designs are preferred. Typical colors are red, black, yellow, green, blue and white. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?Most Manobo inhabit the river valleys, hillsides, plateaus, and interiors of Agusan, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Davao, Misamis Oriental, and Surigao Del Sur. The whole Manobo population numbers 250,000. The subgroup Manuvu inhabits a contiguous area along southern Bukidnon, northeastern Cotabato, an d northwestern Davao. The Ilianon, Livunganen-Arumanen, and Kirintekan are in northern Cotabato.The Tigwa/Tigwahanon are concentrated in Lindagay and scattered all over the town of San Fernando, Bukidnon, close to the border of Davao Del Norte. Tigwa may have derived from guwa (scattered) or the Tigwa River, whose banks they inhabit. The Umayamnon are scattered around the town of Cabalangsan, Bukidnon, and the interiors of Agusan Del Sur. The western Bukidnon Manobo inhabits the southwestern quarter of Bukidnon province. 8. TIRURAY I. CULTURE ?Their language is structurally related to those of the Malayo-Polynesian family. But when spoken, it is unintelligible even to their immediate neighbors.II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Religious practices and beliefs ?According to the Tiruray, the world was created by the female deity Minaden, who had a brother named Tulus, also called Meketefu and Sualla. Tulus is the chief of all good spirits who bestow gifts and favors upon human beings. He goes around with a retinue of messengers called telaki. Tulus is said to have rectified some errors in the first creation of theworld and of human beings. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?The Tiruray have not developed the arts of traditional cloth weaving, metal craft, and pottery, but have excelled in basketry.They are, in fact, one of the most accomplished basket weaving groups among the country's cultural communities. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?They live in the upper portion of a river-drained area in the northwestern part of South Cotabato, where the mountainous terrain of the Cotabato Cordillera faces the Celebes Sea. The Tiruray call themselves etew teduray or Tiruray people, but also classify themselves according to their geographic location: etew rotor, mountain people; etew dogot, coastal people; etew teran, Tran people; and etew awang, Awang people, or etew ufi, Upi people. . TAUSUG I. CULTURE ?Tausugs are experienced sailors and are known for their colorful boats or vintas. They are also superb warriors and craftsmen. They are also famous for the Pangalay dance (also known as Daling-Daling in Sabah), in which female dancers wear artificial elongated fingernails made from brass or silver known as janggay, and perform motions based on the Vidhyadhari (Bahasa Sug: Bidadali) of pre-Islamic Buddhist legend. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Religious practices and beliefs ?The Tausug follows standard Islamic beliefs and practices.The Quran is considered by all Muslims as the words of Allah (God), revealed to the prophet Muhammad through archangel Gabriel, and as the source of all Islamic Law, principles and values. Aside from the Quran and the Sunnah and Haddith (literally, â€Å"a way, rule, or manner of acting†), other Islamic sources of law include Ijtihad (independent judgment) and Qiyas (analogy). The Five Pillars of Islam are dec-laration of beheb in the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad and the four obligations of praying, almsgiving , fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one's lifetime. Marriage ?Marriage is ideally arranged by parents. Contacts between the sexes are restricted and marriageable women are kept in relative seclusion to protect their value to their family as political and economic assets. First and second cousins are favored spouses (with the exception of the children of brothers). A series of negotiations precedes marriage, concluding with an agreement on the amount of bride-wealth and other expenses to be paid by the boy's family. In addition to arranged marriages, wives may be obtained by elopement or abduction, both common alternatives.Weddings are held in the groom's parents' house immediately upon payment of bride-wealth and are officiated by an imam. Newly married couples generally reside uxorilocally for the first year, or until the birth of a child, after which they are free to join the husband's family, remain with the wife's family, or, preferably, build a new house of thei r own, typically close to the husband's natal community. Independent residence is the eventual ideal. Relations between husband and wife are characteristically close and enduring.Divorce is permitted but is infrequent, occurring in less than 10 percent of all marriages and, although polygamy is allowed, few men take more than one wife. †¢Burial ?Four acts must be performed at death: bathing the corpse, enshrouding it, reciting the prayer for the dead, and burial. Burial is followed by a seven-day vigil. Depending on a family's economic circumstances, commemorative feasts may be held on the 7th, 20th, 40th, and 100th day, and on the first, second, and third anniversaries of death. Each person is believed to have four souls that leave the body at death.The body goes to hell, where the length of punishment it suffers is determined by the misdeeds and accumulated religious merit of the deceased. On the fifteenth day of the month of Shaaban, one of the souls of the dead is sent back to earth: here the deceased is honored with prayers and on the following day graves are cleared. †¢Music ?Various musical instruments played solo or as an ensemble, provide the Tausug with music. Most notab-le is the kulintangan ensemble consisting of two gandang (drums), a tungallan (large gong), a duwahan (set of two-paired gongs), and the kulintangan (a graduated series of 8 to 11 small gongs).At least five players are needed to play the ensemble which is used to accompany dances or provide music during celebrations. Other popular instruments are the gabbang (na-tive xylophone) and the biyula (native violin). With 14 to 24 keys divided into seven-note scales, the gabbang has become the most popular musical instrument in Sulu. It is used to accompany Tausug vocal music such as the sindil. The tune produced when the gabbang is played solo by a man or woman is called tahta'. The biyula is similar to but larger than the western violin. It consists of four strings played by a bo w made of horsehair.Traditionally played by men, the biyula, with the gabbang, accompany the sindil (Kiefer 1970:2) Flute music is associated with peace and travel. It represented by the following less popular instruments: the saunay (reed flute), suling (bamboo flute), and kulaing (jew's harp). The saunay is essentially a six-holed slender bamboo, 1. 5 mm in diameter, capped by a sampung simud (mouthguard). A resonating chamber made of palm leaves is housed in the mouthguard. The suling is a larger version of the saunay. It is a 60-cm long bamboo with a 2-cm diameter. Like the saunay, it has six fingerholes (Kiefer 1970:4).The repertoire for Tausug instrumental music in-clude: the gabbang tahtah (gabbang with biyula accompaniment); the kasi-lasa, lugu, and tahtah (biyula songs); the sinug kiadtu-kari (kulintangan); the tiawag kasi (saunay music), the tahtah (suling music); and others. Kalangan or Tausug vocal music can be divided into narrative and lyric songs, and further into the lugu and the paggabang traditions. The luguh traditio-n denotes unaccompanied religious songs, while the paggabang tradition applies to â€Å"more mundane† songs that are accompanied by the gabbang and biyula. †¢Dancing The most well-known dance of the Tausug is the pangalay. It is the basic style from which the move-ments of various dances in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are derived. The pangalay is danced by either sex, alone or together, and is usually accompanied by the kulintang ensemble. The movement of the pangalay is concen-trated on the thighs, knees, ankles, toes, waist, shoulders, neck, elbows, wrists, and fingers. The torso is usually kept rigid, moving upward or downward as the flow of the dance demands. The feet is firmly planted on the ground and move in small shuffling steps (Amilbangsa 1983:14, 62).The pangalay dances are distinctive in their use of the janggay (metal nail extenders) to underscore hand movements. The extended fingers are stiff and set apart from the thumbs. †¢Livelihood/ Handicraft ?Tausug visual arts are represented by carvings, metalworks, woodworks, tapestry and embroidery, mat making and basketry, textile and fashion, pottery, and other minor arts. III. GEOGRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?Mainly in the Philippines Region: Jolo, Sulu Archipelago. Palawan Island, Basilan Island, Zamboanga City. 10. BADJAO I. CULTURE ?The Badjaos are itinerant travelers.Their paintings and carvings are integral to their life cycle. In wedding ceremonies, the wedding beautician must be adept at applying the special makeup on the bride and groom. With a razor blade tied with thread to a split bamboo twig, the beautician shapes the bride’s eyebrows into a triangle and carves tiny bangs on her forehead. Lampblack is used to outline a rectangle on her forehead and is emphasized by a yellow ginger juice. Black dots are outlined horizontally above the eyebrows and/or beneath the eyes with the pointed end of a coconut midrib.Another beautician attends to the groom and his face is made up the same way. II. CUSTOMS/ TRADITIONS †¢Marriage ?In wedding ceremonies, the wedding beautician must be adept at applying the special makeup on the bride and groom. With a razor blade tied with thread to a split bamboo twig, the beautician shapes the bride’s eyebrows into a triangle and carves tiny bangs on her forehead. Lampblack is used to outline a rectangle on her forehead and is emphasized by a yellow ginger juice. Black dots are outlined horizontally above the eyebrows and/or beneath the eyes with the pointed end of a coconut midrib.Another beautician attends to the groom and his face is made up the same way. †¢Music ?The Badjaos have five types of songs: the leleng, binoa, tenes, panulkin, and lugu. Except for the last two, the lyrics are improvised and sung to a traditional tune. The â€Å"leleng† is sung in most occasions. Anyone can sing the leleng. †¢Dancing ?The Badjao’s dance traditions are simila r with the other ethnic groups of Sulu, particularly the tribes in Samal. The basic traditional dance movement is the igal or pangalay performed by the female.The dancer’s hair is preferably pulled back in a bun, although it may also be allowed to hang loose. Either a drum or a gabbang accompanies the dance. †¢Dressing ?The traditional attire of the Badjao consists of either everyday wear or elaborately embroidered costumes for special occasions. The patadjung/tadjong has many uses. Among the Badjao it is large enough to fit any person and is worn by both men and women as a skirt or gown tucked at the chest level. It can serve as putung (headcover), waistband, sash, blanket, hammock, shoulder bag, cradle, pouch, hood, or pillow. Livelihood/ Handicraft ?Metal craft designs can be classified into three kinds: the repousse, relief hammered from the reverse side; arabesque, incision of interlocking curves; and filigree, tracing with thin gold, silver, or brass wires.III. GEO GRAPHY/ TERRAIN ?Sulu-Tawitawi, Siasi, Tabawan, Bonggao Sitangkai, Cagayande Tawitawi (Mapun); Basilan, Maluso, Malamawi, Bohe’ Lobbong; Zamboanga del Sur, Rio Hondo, Batuan Lumbayaw, Taluk Sangay, Sanggali; Zamboanga del Norte, Olutangga; Davao City, Isla Verde, Sasa; Cagayan de Oro; Visayas, Cebu, Tagbilaran; Palawan, Puerto Princesa; Batangas.