Culture

The 29th Annual French Quarter Festival of New Orleans New Orleans is a city where festivals are a way of life. There are festivals showcasing almost every cultural aspect of the city. However, The French Quarter Festival stands out as the largest free local music festival in the state of Louisiana. The 29th annual French Quarter Festival showcased a wide variety music, food, and special events that provided insight to what makes New Orleans so unique and full of life compared to other to cities in the county.

The biggest aspect of the French Quarter Festival was the music that was showcased, the most prominent genres being Jazz, Cajun-Zydeco, and Blues. A variety of Jazz music was heard during the festival. Traditional Jazz sounds from bands such as the New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings and the Smoking Jazz Club could be heard on Friday. Saturday included a modern Jazz style with acts such as Big Daddy ‘O’ and Kermit Ruffins. The brass sounds of Jazz, such as the Treme Brass Band and the Stooges Brass Band were heard on the last day of the festival. There were also several Blues music acts present.

The first day brought performers such as ‘Wolfman’ Washington and ‘Big Al’ Carson. The next day, Eharmonic Souls and John Lisi and the Delta Funk were among the artists. The Blues music that closed out the festival was from acts such as Vagabond Swing and Amanda Wallace. Lastly, Cajun-Zydeco music could also be heard at the festival. Some of the Cajun-Zydeco bands that opened for the festival were Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe and also Brandon Moreau and Cajungrass. The following day, Tank and the Zydeco Codebreakers and the Lost Bayou Ramblers were among the acts.

Also, The Big Easy Playboys and Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots were among the Cajun-Zydeco acts on the final day of the festival. The traditional, modern, and brass Jazz musicians listed were just a few of the acts, but they provide examples of the talent at the 29th Annual French Quarter Festival. The French Quarter Festival had local vendors featuring the cuisines of the French Quarter, some of which were Cajun, Creole, and Po’boys. Cajun food was a cuisine that was prominent at the festival. Crawfish was a popular ingredient that was featured in several Cajun dishes at the festival such as in Crawfish Etouffee or Crawfish Cakes.

Andouille sausage, found in gumbo and jambalaya was another aspect of the festival cuisine. Alligator, as kebabs or sausages, was also among the many Cajun dishes. Creole food also had a presence in the festival’s cuisine. Rice dishes, such as Dirty Rice and also Red Beans and Rice, were among the Creole cuisine featured at the festival. There were also many Creole seafood dishes, such as Shrimp Jambalaya and Grits or Shrimp Remolaude available. Creole desserts such as King Cake or beignets were also among the dishes offered at the festival. Additionally, several varieties of Po’boy were staples of the cuisine at the festival.

Seafood Po’boys, such as the Shrimp Caminada Po’boy and the BBQ Oyster Po’boy, were among the Po’boys offered. Also available were Creole style Po’boys, such as the Cochon de lait Po’boy or Creole Hot Sausage Po’boy. Finally, Po’boys such as the Alligator Sausage Po’boy or the Blackened Catfish Po’boy were some Cajun- style Po’boys at the festival. Whether you were looking for Cajun, Creole, or Po’boys, the 29th Annual French Quarter Festival had the dishes discussed above along with many more available to choose from. Finally, the French Quarter Festival also held events such as educational lectures, kids events, and dance lessons.

The French Quarter Festival strived to educate people on the impact that the local musical community provides. Super Sousaphone was a lecture by local sousaphone virtuoso Matt Perrine about the impact his career in many influential New Orleans bands created. Another lecture was Groove Interrupted, which focused on behind-the-scenes makings of the modern-day Jazz album. Funkify Your Life discussed The Meters, a New Orleans funk band, impact on New Orleans music. There were also several children’s events at the festival. The Kid’s Music Stage introduced children to festival’s musical genres in a child-friendly way.

The Satchmo collage project was another event where children decorated pieces of a collage of Louis Armstrong. Children were also able to create Victorian-style jewelry at the many crafts station at the festival. Also, several dance lessons were offered at the festival. NOLA Zydeco group hosted a class that taught the traditional Zydeco moves. BrassXcise, with Dancing Man 504, taught dance and exercise moves that are used in Second-Line parades. Also, the NOLA Jitterbugs taught traditional jazz dances such as the Jitterbug and the Charleston.

The lectures, children’s events and dance classes at the French Quarter Festival helped to add the educational and cultural aspect of the festival. The 29th annual French Quarter Festival provides a special aspect to festivals of New Orleans. It sought to showcase strictly the local aspects of the culture of New Orleans. Also unlike other festivals, it was also made free to the public. Those aspects and also the music, food, and events of the festival combined to create an experience unlike other festivals in New Orleans, one that is focused on the people of the city rather than just the city itself.

Gone are the days when people had to buy different things from different places. People would visit local Kirana stores for purchasing daily-required household materials, and go to some other local markets for buying clothes. Shopping was never as convenient for people as it is now. The shopper gets the experience of one stop shop. From apparels to FMCG goods, the consumer gets leisure time visiting malls. Each store offers an individual a wide variety be it for choosing a stationery pen or a laptop. One of the reasons for the existence of mall culture is globalization.

Products and brands from various places, cultures and communities are under one roof. One of the central features of conventional shopping areas and stores has been their uni-dimentionality. Local festivals and events are given special importance within the mall world. Festivals often become the occasion of greater consumption and are also reflected in the fashion trends of the season. The globalization of culture defines the reshaping of public space in the city. The new cosmopolitan lifestyles, represented in the cosmopolitan culture, now demands new kinds of spaces that reflect global diversity, product range and cultures.

The look and feel of the malls is a clear reflection of the cosmopolitan lifestyle that we follow. The lavish use of glass in all these malls suggests possibilities and is future directed. When a person looks in or out of a shop they encounter yet another in the form of a reflection. It creates a sense of hyperrealism which is also seen in the fluid designs often adopted for walls and floors. Time and weather conditions do not really matter since the lighting, arrangement of spaces and the controlled environment makes it very real. Malls are ahistorical and postmodern secular in nature.

While the streets of any city carry markers of history, the mall lives exclusively in the present. The use of plastic, glass, PVC, etc, further shows its contemporary existence. Freed of the spaces of religion caste, class the mall is a substitute for the secure spaces for religion and social grouping. The mall marks pedestrianization of space. As soon as we enter a mall it gives a clear list of directions. Each area is well demarcated which directs the public easily to their destination. The space between various sections inside the stores is reduced thus increasing the outer walking space which runs across the entire complex.

The construction of the malls is such that one store leads to the other and not very easily to the exit. The mall is an escape, separated from the rest of the city. It is a sanitized standalone space set apart from the city’s dirt, pollution, chaos and traffic. Another important aspect of the malls is strict security which keeps undesired elements out and directs parking. It caters to the smooth functioning of the mall. When a shopper goes to a mall he gets to choose from a wide range of goods and products. The mall is there for a space of display where goods are arranged for maximum visual appeal.

In other words the arrangement of goods hass to be attractive enough to instill desire for particular products so that the shopper will purchase the same. Spectacle, attention holding and desire are the central elements of the shopping experience of the mall. Thus visual appeal is very important in the structure of the mall. The presence of models and posters constitute the spectacular fantasy. In a mall there is constant display of consumption where one is surrounded by large size posters of attractive men and women, cozy families and energetic youth.

An individual gets the illusion of acquiring perfection as embodied in these images. The spectacle can be experienced not only visually but also through the sense of touch. The trying on of clothes and accessories, handling the objects, performing actions give us a theoretical experience. The spectacle effect is also achieved through the vistas that open out at every level within a mall. Huge balconies and viewing points at every floor enable one to survey large sections of the store. It suggests a sense of choice – where to go? What to buy? We have a prospect of shopping unveiled before us.

The mall is also hybrid in another sense, it is a place for shopping and of social interaction. It is not uncommon to see the mall’s spaces transformed into spaces of youth culture, with youngsters meeting friends for an evening. A lot of space in the malls is occupied by food courts and entertainment zones where people of all age groups come to eat, drink, chill and relax. All this adds to the footfall in the malls. Food courts in malls provide a wide range of options which represent the global village of food culture. One can choose from Chinese, Italian, Indian or Mexican the list is endless.

Malls, have either cinemas, game space or spas for leisure and recreation. In fact it can be argued that shopping is only one of the several purposes of a mall and leisure is central to its very structure, style and organization. Leisure shopping i. e. pleasure shopping for non essentials is an important aspect of the mall culture . A stroll through the mall which might lead to an actual purchase is about the pleasure of the stroll of spectacle and secure environment. The constant pipe of the music is part of the malls attempt to ensure that we see it as space of relaxation and leisure.

However it is not that the mall is exclusively the producers design. In spite of the wide variety that a mall offers there is always a lack of individuality since all brands are available in different sizes and often in different colors. With the increasing number of malls and the ever increasing brands in those malls one can often spot a lot of people wearing the same clothes. As you get more, you want even more! this is the exact phenomenon which takes place in malls. There is no end to our constantly increasing desires. This often is a result of the immense visual appeal done by the malls.

To grab the attention of more and more customers thousands of rupees are spent every month to add to the look of the place. Hence an immense and quite unnecessary amount of electricity that is used to lighten up the malls results in lack of electricity in places where it is essentially required. The customers decoding is only limited to the producers encoding. This is because a person cannot have more than what has been designed by the producer. From just shopping to an all in one package, malls are one place where more is less.

Critically analyze the work of Hofstede dimensions of national culture and evaluate its relevance in the way different organizations are structured today. The work of Hofstede five dimensions of national culture have gained great significance in today’s world where competition and survival has become highly difficult. Culture plays an important role in today’s highly competitive environment because people belonging to different cultures are merging together for their individual as well as organizational objectives.

Understanding the five dimensions of national culture of Hofstede helps organizations to understand the significance of culture so that they can develop business strategies accordingly and manage workforce effectively. The first dimension is based on small vs. large power distance which emphasizes upon: the autocratic and democratic power relations. Traditional organizations were autocratic where the control of the management and decision-making was under the upper management with no or minimum power t the subordinates.

But today, as the market environment has become highly global and requires the input of every employee as human resource is now considered the real asset of an organization, it emphasizes upon the small power distance for achieving success. Successful organizations have broaden their scope and adapted to the changing global environment where flexibility in the organization can only be achieved through small power distance to allow every individual to take responsibility of work and achievement of both individual as well as organizational objectives.

Secondly, individualism vs. collectivism implies that cultures that follow individualism are where individuals are independent to make their own decisions for their individual growth and success whereas in collectivist cultures, individuals are bund to act together within a group whether family or work group and take decisions that have an interest for every group member.

Today, when national wealth and economic well being of the societies are rising, the trend towards individualism has increased and allows individuals to be more creative and responsible for achieving their goals with determination and lead to the achievement of log term goals. Then, the third dimension is based on the masculine and feminine cultures in the society which helps to identify the attributes of individuals where M culture shows the quantity of life though competition, ambition, wealth, material belongings and assertiveness, while the F culture shows the quality of life through relationships and values.

Today, organizations aim to achieve a combination of both cultures so that objectives can b achieved successfully in the long run. Now, the fourth dimension is regarding weak or strong uncertainty avoidance that is how individuals and societies respond to uncertainties and unforeseen situations in the future. The cultures with weak uncertainty avoidance are basically the risk takers and innovative to meet the dynamic market environment through innovative and unique ideas. Lastly, it is the long term and short term orientation, where individuals either work for long term objectives or short term objectives. The recent global trends have shown that organizations that are long term oriented have a stronger position in the market and are capable of dealing with contingencies and uncertainties effectively.

The ‘Little Children are Sacred ‘ study was released in 2007 following a twelvemonth long enquiry into studies of sexual maltreatment in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. The study made 97 recommendations to better the wellness and well-being of Autochthonal people. The federal and province authoritiess responded within 2 hebdomads with what became known as the Northern Territory Emergency Response ( NTER ) . In a rushed move that lacked lucidity of aims, research and mensurable marks or foresight to sustainability ( Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education -ERC 2008:1 ) .

Autochthonal Culture is diverse and hard to specify as each community is characterised by its ain civilizations, history, political relations and demographics ( Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation ) . The Australian Governments ain reappraisal into the NTER, the NTER reappraisal ( 2008 ) measured it ‘s actions affected 45,500 Aboriginal people in over 500 communities, so it is inevitable a “ one size fits all attack ” ( ERC 2008 ) non be a sensible solution to the issues across the Northern Territory. “ There is uncontentious support from the Autochthonal communities for a decrease in intoxicant related force, quality lodging, improved wellness and well-being, instruction and employment ” ( NTER reappraisal, 2008 ) , nevertheless there is a sense of unfairness that Aboriginal people feel, being that their civilization is responsible instead than the actions of consecutive authoritiess failure to adequately supply sufficient substructure and resources.

The Federal and State Governments acted on the substantiated grounds from the Small Children are Sacred study and there is no denial that action was required. The combined study from the Department of Health and Ageing and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare revealed a figure of wellness concerns ; 40 % of kids had untreated dental cavities, 38 % had perennial thorax infections, and 31 % skin conditions. Alarmingly, sing the high figure of infant deceases in Autochthonal people, 71 % of babies were found to be at hazard of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome due to bed sharing, exposure to tobacco fume and inappropriate bedclothes.

Sadly though, due to the deficiency of grounds based wellness betterment schemes introduced during the intercession, long term heals ends are yet to be achieved ( Bacon, Nash, Fowler and Sorenson 2010 ) . The Government offers advancement studies on how they are shuting the spread but a comparing to the Small Children are Sacred study shows that small has really been achieved. Whilst they have appointed Dr Howard Bath as Children ‘s Commissioner ( recommendation 9 ) , the enterprises for kid protection are still either impermanent steps or waiting for funding allotment or legislative alterations. ( Northern Territory Government 2008:7 ) . Likewise, the pressing demand for better lodging and “ critical mass building ” ( Wild & A ; Anderson 2007 ) to alleviate overcrowding has amounted to 3 houses for autochthonal households and 19 places for Government employees ( recommendation 84 ) . Clearly this does non run into the demand identified and the $ 647 million allocated to remote lodging must be utilised as a affair of urgency ( Northern Territory Government 2008 p.17 ) .

Australia is reportable to the International Covenant on economic, societal and cultural rights which states the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest come-at-able criterion of physical and mental wellness ‘ ( Couzos and Theile, 2007 ) . Further more, the authorities is to supply ‘sufficient resources to guarantee wellness services are available, accessible, low-cost, acceptable and of good quality ‘ ( p.522 ) . It is unacceptable so that the authorities can non work out a wellness crisis impacting less than 3 % of its population ( Webb, 2010 ) .

A Western Australian Inquiry from 2002 proved success from such intercessions comes from “ culturally relevant plans, staffed and managed by their ain communities ” ( Gordon, Hallahan & A ; Henry 2002:388 ) and deficient co-involvement reinforces the belief of authorities control over their lives and intensifying exposure and impotence.

Legislation passed at the clip allowed for the remotion of the license system to, and compulsorily acquisition of, autochthonal land, enforced English speech production in category suites, removed the Community Development Employment System ( CDES ) , quarantined 50 % of public assistance payments and implemented compulsory wellness cheques for kids ( Creative Spirits 2010 ) . This was achieved without audience with the autochthonal communities and enforced with a ferociousness reminiscent to colonial times, distributing fright and favoritism. In the words of Aboriginal Elder Yingiya Guyula from Darwin, NT, “ We urgently need the white governments, federal every bit good as Northern Territory, to come and speak to us at the community degree ” . Possibly if this had been the instance the people involved may hold been more unfastened to communicating and action.

The execution of public assistance quarantining causes shame and humiliation to all who are affected and is non a necessary step for most people. In fact, it causes more jobs as people now need to go long distances at a immense fiscal and clip load, to shop at major mercantile establishments alternatively of back uping local shops ( Eatock 2008:12 ) . The embarrassment of utilizing a centrelink rudimentss card reveals the shoppers income position and is evocative of the ration system from the clip of colony, “ taking societal security policy backwards ” ( Australian Council of Social Service ) . The issue of favoritism and the wide generalization that the hapless behavior of some are displayed by all is affecting. It is known that intoxicant is a conducive factor to criminal behaviors such as force, assault and disregard, nevertheless since autochthonal people are 12 % less likely to be regular consumers of intoxicant than not autochthonal people ( Gray & A ; Saggers 2002:115 ) , the job can be more right attributed to the deficiency of resources and funding spent in the country of instruction, bar and rehabilitation. Couzos and Theile suggest that overall wellness coverage costs for autochthonal people are well less that all other Australian citizens, and in fact have a medicare outgo of merely over a 3rd of that for not autochthonal people ( 2007:522 ) .

The Government could hold achieved so much more through common coaction. In their ain response in hind sight, it was identified that long term solutions could “ merely be achieved through consistent battle and partnership between community and authorities ” ( NTER reexamine 2008 ) . This sentiment was mirrored by Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islands Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda who believes community battle is cardinal to guaranting services are “ delivered and developed suitably ” and funding be targeted to greatest demands ( Human Rights Commission 2010 ) .

Sing autochthonal people have a rate of morbidity of disease, and societal, educational and economic disadvantage at 3 times the rate of their non autochthonal opposite numbers ( Couzos & A ; Theile 2007:523 ) and because of the unjust distribution of primary wellness attention services and marginalization in rural and distant Australia, the biomedical attack to wellness is non culturally competent in these countries ( Langton cited in Gray & A ; Saggers 2002 ) nor does it cover the holistic model now favoured in order to embrace the dimensions of wellness that are experienced in Autochthonal people, that cover the single, households and whole communities ( Besserab 2000:85 ) .

The response to the NTER has been widely and aloud voiced by community members, non for net income administrations, Aboriginal rights groups, wellness organic structures and authorities bureaus. The general reaction has been one of choler for the blazing Acts of the Apostless of favoritism and neglect for human rights.

The senate standing commission on community personal businesss said the Government was evidently cognizant that the NTER was outside the jurisprudence or it would non hold suspended the Racial Discrimination Act and that as such the unity of citizenship was lost rendering autochthonal people “ no longer equal before the jurisprudence ” ( 2010 ) . Further more, Peter Robson claims the statute law that enabled the intercession was a signifier of “ corporate penalty ” ( Green Left Weekly 2008:13 ) for autochthonal people. It is apprehensible that feelings of eviction, choler and isolation would be heightened along with a sense of history repetition.

The mandatory acquisition of land is a peculiarly sensitive country due to the battle to win back native rubric. Of importance though is the Rudd authorities ‘s agreement to interchange support for wellness, lodging and instruction in exchange for land ( ERC 2008:5 ) . This is evidently non the instance for other Australians and represents unjust trade patterns.

Aboriginal Rights Coalitions called for an “ immediate terminal to the prejudiced statute law ” ( Robson 2008:13 ) . Amnesty International have reported on the lodgment by Aboriginal communities to the United Nations for pressing action for breach of rights to “ audience, consent and engagement ” ( 2009 ) believing Australia is non run intoing its duties under the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination.

It is easy to look back and justice the action of the NTER, and if the administrative officials had merely taken the clip to be after before implementing their actions, better determinations may hold been made. Assessing old intercessions elsewhere is Australia for illustration may hold given them better thoughts on how to outdo do it work. An illustration of a good undertaking is the Looma Healthy Lifestyle undertaking intercession in Queensland ( Clapham, K, O’Dea, K, & A ; Chenhall, R 2007: 275-278 ) . Faced with epidemics of diabetes and bosom disease, clip was spent developing local people from the community to take messages into the schools to advance healthier life style and better nutrition to the younger coevalss, promoting athleticss and diversion, implementing breakfast plans and doing all public countries smoke free. The local store was taken over by autochthonal people, giving more control back to the people and the consequence was healthier nutrients such as fresh fruit and vegetable and better oils for sale. The intercession proved a success through records of lower cholesterin degrees, lower blood force per unit area and less incidence of bosom disease, although diabetes degrees remained unchanged in the short term. Although on a different graduated table to the NTER, this shows how coaction and instruction can accomplish more than hurried aggressive authorities controlled enterprises.

There are other illustrations of community enterprises that have brought about alteration and hope across Australia every bit good as reappraisals of old intercessions that have been successful and non successful, and the NTER may hold had a different response if the grounds had been considered and managed before hotfooting in from a top heavy attack. The 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion ( WHO ) is an illustration of researched, proved grounds that societal attacks to intervention through community development, capacity edifice and authorization are a more humane and sustainable system for alteration.

The inquiry of support is a ambitious issue. The first twelvemonth cost about $ 88 million ( ERC 2008:3 ) and what this money really achieved is problematic.

In that first 12 months the incidence of substance maltreatment and baccy and debris nutrient ingestion increased and school attending remained inactive ( NTER Review 2008 ) .

On top of this, no grounds of paedophile rings were found in the Northern Territory, and less than 1 % of kids examined were referred to child protective services.

40 % of the kids carried treatable diseases, all of which are normally associated with poorness ( Robson 2008:13 ) .

One would believe that the graduated table of morbidities found during compulsory wellness cheques for auditory, dental and parasitic diseases for illustration would justify the pressing and unrestricted arrangement of primary wellness services such as child wellness nurses in all communities. Further more, if such services had been in topographic point antecedently the degree of disregard would non hold reached such critical degrees. Surely the fiscal cost of supplying wellness and societal services on a long term footing would hold outweighed the billion dollar disbursals that achieved little over an intense period.

The Federal Governments ‘Stronger Families Fund ‘ in Western Australia was a committedness of $ 20 million over a 4 twelvemonth period and created a Centre for kids to travel for nutrient, instruction, diversion and wellness demands, and it was supported by the autochthonal community who were empowered and strengthened by the mending relationships procedure ( Gordon, Hallahan & A ; Henry 2002:402-403 ) . The Edmund Rice Centre ‘s ‘Grass roots ‘ plan trialled in Goodooga in NSW really required no support. The purpose was to convey the community together, increase instruction results for kids and base on balls on civilization and was based on conveying parents and grandparents into the schoolrooms to go through on their cognition and experience and giving control to the community ( ERC 2008:6 ) . The $ 800 million committed to community safety, reconstructing communities and undertaking kid maltreatment as promised by the Rudd Government in 2009 is now being watched closely and critically ( FaHCSIA 2009 ) .

Another scheme to come out of the ‘Little Children are Sacred ‘ study and has gained Autochthonal support and blessing from many in the legal sphere is offender rehabilitation ( Recommendations 36-40 & A ; 72 ) . In a move to recognize Aboriginal traditional jurisprudence, maintain households together and supply and ‘effective option to condemnable justness ‘ ( Gordon, Hallahan & A ; Henry 2002:394 ) , it has been recommended the authorities expression into condemning that “ incorporates Aboriginal impressions of justness and rely less on tutelary sentencing ” ( Wild & A ; Anderson 2007:25 ) . This would return culturally relevant intercessions and advance a regard the community. Family duties have strong bonds and since there is a loss of assurance in white adult males policy, better results may be resolved by seting the burden back to the autochthonal groups and make a mutual regard. Aboriginal Magistrate Pat O’Shane believes if wrongdoers participate in plans to “ construct self regard and mend their lives and relationships ” ( Gordon, Hallahan & A ; Henry 2002:394 ) , happier healthier communities will eventuate.

To the job now of sustainability: It can be seen that short term holes that lack the proper support and evidenced based pattern and neglect to turn to the “ implicit in societal determiners ” ( Clapham, K, O’Dea, K, & A ; Chenhall, R 2007:273 ) so length of service is hard to accomplish. Sustainability has been likened to ‘routinisation ‘ ( Clapham, K, O’Dea, K, & A ; Chenhall, R 2007:273 ) , and in that regard no profound outcomes can be expected in the immediate hereafter, nevertheless the alterations can get down to be made now and the rippling will hopefully be positive. Of class support, engagement, employment, intersectoral relationships and services may non stretch between election rhythms and it is up to each authorities to perpetrate to seeing these issues through until equality is achieved for all Australians.

The NTER reappraisal recognises that “ you can non drive alteration into a community on the dorsum of a truck ” ( 2008:58 ) . The hope of class is that no irreparable harm has occurred since 2007 that may hold set rapprochement back for a farther 200 old ages. This fright was spoken by an Aboriginal senior from the Djirrikaymirr people, Dr Djuniyini Gondarra, who said “ the intercession has failed to better wellness and had in fact, intensified depression and loss of hope among Aboriginal people. ” It is tragic to believe we may be responsible for farther eviction and wellness diminution on an already delicate population when our occupation was to assist and foster them to get the better of the events of the yesteryear.

Cuisine is a culture also appear in particular region by deferent types. Each types of cuisine Is unique and deserve us to cherish. As they are according to different preference, split and tradition to form. That’s why we need to explore the inheritance of sullen culture. Afterwards, I will compare Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine and Korean cuisine, then find out the difference and the among them. Firstly, about the culture of Chinese cuisine. It has strong influence on a lots of Asia countries. Carbohydrates is the basic element, such as rice and noodles.

Chinese people emphasize the color, smell, taste, meaning and form. As China has different region, it divide lots of styles. But the most well-known are the Cantonese cuisine, Sandhog cuisine, Jungian cuisine and Schuman cuisine. Secondly, about the culture of Japanese cuisine. It also based on rice and noodle, such as don. However, their feature is fresh fish and miss soup. Japanese cuisine tend to use the five basic condiments to enrich the natural flavors of food. The five basic condiments are showy, sake, mall, dash and salt.

There also have some combination of the culture of foreign countries. For example, Ramee come from the Chinese and curry come from the British. Thirdly, about the culture of Korean sullen. It based on rice, meat and vegetable, but their feature is spicy. Korean people are clever, they think that grilled meat is headiness, as too headiness may cause damage to body, so they use the cool food such as Chime to remove headiness. Korean cuisine mainly are light and less greasy food. About the differences. Chinese chopsticks, Japanese chopsticks and Korean chopsticks are totally different.

Chinese chopsticks have flat head, Japanese chopsticks have pointed head, Korean chopsticks are made by metal. Chinese chopsticks aims to clip foods, as they have contraindication is that they can’t use hopscotch to needle food, and needle food means worship their ancestors. But Japanese chopsticks alms to needle food, as they like to eat sashimi, also It Is slippery and difficult to clip It. Korean people Like to eat grilled meat, so their chopsticks are made by mental In order to prevent morph because of the heat from the charcoal stoves. It Is also convenient to wash it.

About the cooking methods of Chinese cuisine, Japanese cuisine and Korean cuisine. There are a various of cooking methods of Chinese cuisine, they are fried, cooked, leavened, boiled, braised, steamed, grilled, stir, simmer and rinse etc. You can see that Chinese cuisine’s making steps are complicated. Moreover, Chinese people are very care about the level of attainment, because it will effect the mouthful of the food. Japanese cuisine mainly are fresh ingredients, especially sea foods. For examples, sashimi and sushi. In contrast, Chinese people are not encouraged to eat raw food.

Another famous types of Japanese cuisine is Sailed, It made by art. It will be decorated beautifully, but the amount Is small. The cooking methods of Korean cuisine mainly are barbecue and pickled, both of them hope to complement one another. Because cool food can equalize hatless food. In addition, Korean sullen Like to mixing. For examples, Bambina which means mixed rice and will put all the ingredients inside the sizzling Chinese cuisine’s raw materials are diverse and complex, as China have different types of areas. They have prairie to feed animals and ocean to catch fishes.

Furthermore, rice is still Chinese cuisine’s main element. However, Japan and Korea have limited land area, their raw materials are more focusing but not have large varieties. As Japan is a sea island, their sea foods are abundant. But Japanese cuisine moieties may combined some foreign cuisine, so they may use some of the foreign raw materials as their raw materials, such as spaghetti. It proves that Japan is an international country. Rice is the emphasis of Korean cuisine, meat and fresh vegetable also included. Meats are for grilling.

Besides, fresh vegetable for marinating Chime. That’s indeed healthy. About the beverages, there also have a huge difference. Chinese main beverages are tea, Bijou and herbal drinks. Tea can deal with the problem of indigestion, such as black tea, long tea and green tea. Bijou is a white wine, and it made from rice, corn or wheat. Herbal drinks are similar as tea, but herbal drinks have medical benefits also made from medicinal herbs. Japanese main beverages are Japanese green tea, Shochu and Sake. Japanese green tea which is made in Japan and have a positive effect on human.

Shochu is one kind of distilled wine and it made from buckwheat, wheat or rice etc. Sake is made from a variety of rice, so it is also a rice wine. It is common in Japanese restaurants. The best known Korean beverages are Korean beer, Yak and juju. About the Keenan beer, Korean people use rice to replace barley, so that the taste will be more sweeter ND lighter. Yak is Korean traditional rice wine, also is most formers one of their favorite. Juju mainly made from grain and rice. You can see that Korea has a high level of using rice as cuisine.

About the etiquette of diet, Chinese, Japanese and Korean so care about it. Before having a meal, Japanese people will shout “dissimilar” to thank for the food. But Chinese people and Korean people will eat after ones elders eats. Furthermore, Japanese people like to eat noodles with slurping sound, it means appreciate for the chief. But for Chinese people and Korean people, they think it is unacceptable. Chinese people and Japanese people will use chopsticks to eat rice, however Korean people will use spoon to eat rice also but those rice into the bowl of soup.

About the impact among these three countries, long time ago, China was the most influential country among East Asia. Rice and chopsticks were imported by China, so Japan and Korea absorbed this Chinese culture. Nowadays, you can see that Japan and Korea have developed their own feature of cuisine culture. Also, population grow because of the spread of the rice. The culture of Chinese cuisine encourage to cut up the food into little pieces, as they need to use hopscotch to pick up. Smaller pieces of food may be more easier to pick, also the size suits our mouth and it will cook more faster.

This import to Japan and Korea, you can see most of their meal will be cut up into small pieces. It is crystal clear that Tofu and Ramee are very important to Japanese cuisine, it also imported by China. Japanese people transform these materials successfully but still keep the style of Japan. Japanese people transform tofu into egg tofu, it is more sweet and smooth. Moreover, Japanese people turn Ramee into Japanese Ramee, it is more attractive and famous than before. Additionally, Korean people like to pickle some fresh vegetable, such as cabbage and cucumber.

Culturally Poetic Cultural identity is the collective personality of a people usually associated with a certain group or culture, or that of an individual in relation to certain behavior, thoughts, and influences. (Central Michigan University) These beliefs and shared characteristics allow a group to establish a common ground and in turn make them unique to others. A cultural identity may be national, ethnic, or even generational. Our identity is based upon our differences when compared to other groups.

Cultural identity is essentially defined by differences rather than likenesses to others. The identifiable aspects of culture are historical, linguistic, and mental. These three factors may also be found in poetry and are related to the views that an author wishes to express. In my essay, I will seek to identify elements of culture in the following poems: “Bully”, “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl”, “Self-Pity’s Closet”, “Rite of Passage”, and “The Panther”, In Martin Espada’s poem, “Bully” cultural identity is evident throughout the length of the poem.

The poem is introduced by way of location, the time period, and the year, “In the school auditorium / the Theodore Roosevelt statue / is nostalgic for the Spanish American War” (713). The poet themes seemingly focus on change within American society. This theme is noticeably identifiable in the following stanza: But now the Roosevelt school is pronounced Hernandez. Puerto Rico has invaded Roosevelt with its army of Spanish-singing children in the hallways, brown children devouring the stockpiles of the cafeteria, children painting Taino ancestors that leap naked across murals. 714) Espada effectively provides contrast between Roosevelt’s belief of ethnocentrism and the invasion of the Spanish colonies by comparing the immigration of Puerto Rican families in a 1987 Boston, Massachusetts. At the poem’s ending we are able to envision a revenge of sorts with the children now invading Roosevelt himself. The following stanza is irony at its best and brings the element of culture and change to the forefront, Roosevelt is surrounded by all the faces he ever shoved in eugenic spite and cursed as mongrels, skin of one race, hair and cheekbones of another. (714)

This bit of irony is representative of the fact that change once experienced on the island of Puerto Rico now too is prevalent within America. Roosevelt is declared the “bully” by his conquest and those that were once without power are now empowered through change and assimilation. This poem uses historical factors to establish a cultural identity. Patricia Smith’s, “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl” (for Those of You Who Aren’t) approaches the idea of a black girl becoming a woman at a time when race matters were still prevalent. The author begins with a direct but conversation like tone to denote the importance of what is being imparted:

First of all, it’s being 9 years old and/ feeling like you’re not finished, like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong…(672) The theme here is puberty based changes that takes place according to a “black girl. ” The girl feels incomplete because her body is experiencing changes. Smith goes on to describe the girl’s desire to fit into society by wanting to have the physical traits of a white woman. The young girl is displeased with being black and seeks to change her appearance: …it’s dropping food coloring In your eyes to make them blue and suffering Their burn in silence.

It’s popping a bleached White mophead over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of the mirrors that deny your reflection…(672) She goes on to describe the Black Power Movement and the Motown era by mentioning “it’s flame and fists and life according to Motown. ” As a blossoming young girl approaching womanhood she finds it not only difficult to become a woman, but a black woman. Finally, the girl looks forward to every woman’s dream of becoming a bride. This is evidenced in the final three lines: “it’s finally having a man reach out for you/then caving in/around his fingers. The girl anticipates a completed transition when she will become married. This poem uses mental aspects to form cultural identity during a time or racial tension. Michelle Boisseau’s, “Self-Pity’s Closet” focuses on the way that society views beauty, self-image, and self-confidence. Boisseau uses figurative speech, imagery, and perceived sounds throughout the poem to bring light to a poor self image. The theme of this poem is equated to as the poem states self-pity. What seemingly appears as others judging us blinds us to the fact that we judge ourselves far worse than others would.

The closet so to speak is within the individual feelings of: “Depression, loneliness, anger, shame, envy” (999) are the basis of self-pity. Feelings of self-loathing and self-hurt are evident in the following lines: after your vast and painful declarations subtle humiliations creeping up like the smell of wet upholstery, dial tone in the brain, the conviction that your friends never really loved you…(1000) The author seeks to express an inner fight a person struggles with when worried about the way others perceive them. The narrator uses the words, “dial tone in the brain” to describe a continuous mode of embarrassment within herself.

She is unable to part with a feeling of inadequacy and is therefore trapped by her very own self pity. This poem uses mental aspects by associating self-pity with not being able to identify with the status quo of our cultural identity. In Sharon Olds’s, “Rite of Passage” a mother examines the behavior of her son and his friend during his birthday party. The title of the poem allows the reader to relate the “rite of passage” being the journey that her son will take toward manhood. Male maturity is the theme of the poem. What makes the poem ironic is her ability to view them as men though they are but six and seven years old.

The following lines are quite imaginable to any mother noticing the machismo nature of young boys: As the guests arrive at my son’s party they gather in the living room— short men, men in first grade with smooth jaws and chins. Hands in pockets, they stand around jostling, jockeying for place, small fights breaking out and calming. One says to another How old are you? Six. I’m seven. So? (811) In the last line we experience a typical conversation between two boys that are likely “sizing” each other up; the six year old responds to the seven year old “So? The mother then goes onto visualizing the boys as men with careers by stating, “They clear their/throats a lot, a room of small bankers/they fold their arms and frown…” One cannot help but to envision the boys as men at a table matching wits at an older age. The birthday boy as if chairman of the bank settles the dispute between his friends in the following lines: “speaks up as a host/for the sake of the group. /We could easily kill a two-year old,/he says in his clear voice. ” The group agrees and the children return to playing or as the mother describes, “…they relax and get down to playing war, celebrating my son’s life. Just as Smith’s “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl” focused on a girl approaching maturity so did Olds’ “Rite of Passage. ” Olds uses mature language and terms to equate the behavior expressed by the boys as being their way of coming into manhood. The boys feel a need to intimidate each other with physical threats which showcases their immaturity on their way to adulthood. This poem identifies with the culturally defined behavior of a male having to prove he is a “man. ” In Rainier Rilke’s poem “The Panther” the poet uses the panther a wild animal to express personification and similes to express confinement.

An obvious reason for the panther being the subject is because its color represents a seemingly dark nature and contributes to the poem’s tone. A panther is also known to be a solitary creature that stakes out its prey. The use of the panther represents a theme of entrapment that most readers are able to identify with. The panther’s discontentment and longing to be free from his troubles is expressed as the cage’s bars. He has become so accustomed to seeing the bars that he no longer sees anything but what appears directly in front of him it is as if he has lost himself. The panther’s desperation in a sense mirrors human personality.

Rilke’s offers her interpretation of this poetically by saying, His vision, from the constantly passing bars, has grown so weary that it cannot hold anything else. It seems to him there are a thousand bars and behind the bars, no world. (674) Rilke’s makes us aware that although the panther is confined we are still able to see its power and its beauty. Though caged he is still himself though he feels “paralyzed” by the cage; this feeling is interpreted in the following lines, “As he paces in cramped circles, over and over/the movement of his powerful soft strides/is like a ritual dance around a center/in which a mighty will stands paralyzed. The idea of confinement is relatable to a prisoner or anyone trapped in a situation with seemingly no way out. The panther yearns for more and this is evidenced by his pacing and boredom with his life. In the end the panther has lost his soul and his excitement is reduced to the opening of his eyes ever so slightly. It seems that the panther takes his final glance that touches him inwardly to the point his body becomes tense and his heart is excited for a split second until he realizes his situation and no longer bothers to react. This idea is well expressed in the final stanza.

Only at times, the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly—. An image enters in, rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles, plunges into the heart and is gone. Rilke in “The Panther” and Boisseau in her “Self-Pity’s Closet” both convey the message of an inner struggle within their subjects. The poems are able to speak to the reader on a personal level and make the connection of human emotion with their dark but personal nature. “The Panther” embodied a feeling of weariness and surrender that human often time encounter in not one but within all societies and cultures.

Often times we find ourselves staying within the box or the status quo instead of stepping outside of the box-in this case the cage. In comparison, the five poems that I have chosen to review are full of impact and take on a deeper meaning. They touch on outward appearances as well as inner feelings. They were all able to bring out identifiable aspects that we are all able to connect with through either personal or secondary experiences. In contrast, “Bully” came from a historical standpoint, while “What it’s Like to Be a Black Girl” and “Rite of Passage” focused on what is accepted by society.

Lastly, “Self-Pity’s Closet” and “The Panther” dealt with inner struggles and the way that we tend to view ourselves when we take an inner look. Works Cited Central Michigan University. Cultural Identity as an Instrument. 8 May 2006. 3 November 2009 <http://www. reslife. cmich. edu/rama/index. php? section=Diversity&category=Cultural_Identity>. Boisseau, Michelle. “Self Pity’s Closet. ” Mayer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 999-1000. Espada, Martin. “Bully. Mayer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 713-714. Olds, Sharon. “Rite of Passage. ” Mayer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 811-812. Rilke, Rainier Maria. “The Panther. ” Mayer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 674. Smith, Patricia. “What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl. ” Mayer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. 672-73

List three civil rights events that Lorraine (or the Hansberry family) was involved with:

1. Her parents were both active in the black community of Chicago as well as social change work.
2. She was involved in the Hansberry vs. Lee case because her family was being forced to desegregate their white neighborhood with a restrictive covenant. Despite violent protest they didn’t move until the court ordered them to.
3. One of her brothers dodged the draft because of segregation and discrimination in the military.
4. In your own words, what are “restrictive covenants”? A sort of agreement, which limits what the owner of the land or lease can do with it.
5. How have they been used in segregation? Used to keep blacks from “invading” white neighborhoods The title A Raisin in the Sun comes from Langston Hughes’ poem entitled “Harlem. “
6. Do you think this theme fits with the poem? Why or why not? Yes it explains what happens when a dream is postponed.
7. List two literary elements that can be found in the poem and give an example of each (copy and paste line): Literary element: rhetorical questions. Example: What happens toa dream deferred?
8. Read through the commentary and tell what you think most likely happens to a “dream deferred” and explain why. When a dream is deferred it is lost, sense you no onger are able to fulfill it. It becomes a waste of time and a disappointment. In Act II, Scene Two, a character refers to Booker T. Washington as one of our “great men,” but another character disagrees and calls him a fool. Learn some facts about Mr. Washington to help you arrive at your own conclusion. Use the following websites to find three facts that support that he was a “great” man and three facts that may have lead the other character to believe he was a fool.
9. First African American man to be invited to the white house
10. First African American man to receive an honorary degree from Harvard
11. He was born a slave and had no early education, yet he still became America’s foremost black educator Fool
12. His Atlanta compromise was known as a betrayal to the black community because it accepted segregation.