How to Pronounce ‘Can’ and ‘Women’ in Chinese?

How do you pronounce the words ‘can’ and ‘women’ in Chinese?

If you are conversant in English, chances are that you would pronounce them the English way. Unfortunately, the proper pronunciations happen to be quite different. The word ‘can’ is pronounced in a manner similar to ‘chan’, and ‘women’, ‘wuo mern’.

It is, therefore, helpful if you can have some understanding of how the Chinese phonetics works, before you start learning the language. This will save you time, and probably also embarrassment.

Here, I’ll like to highlight the four things that you’ll need to know about Chinese phonetics.

First, Chinese have developed systems using Roman-letters to notate the sounds of Chinese words. Although there is more than one system around, you don’t have to know all of them. The most popular among them, hanyu pinyin - which means phonetics of the Chinese language — has been widely recognized and accepted by the Chinese government and organizations like ISO.

It is safe for you to begin with and stick to only the Hanyu pinyin system.

Second, the Roman-letters of the Chinese phonetics do not follow the English convention. Although it uses the alphabet, the letters can be pronounced quite differently. This is why ‘can’ is not pronounced as the ‘can’ you are familiar with, and ‘women’ not the ‘women’ you know. You may want to go to this video demonstration

http://www.chineseonthego.com/pinyin/index.html#canwomen to hear how the two words sound.

Third, the Chinese phonetics can be grouped into consonants and vowels as well – just like English. The good news is that many of them are similar to the sounds of English. For example, b is pronounced more or less like ‘b’ of ball, and t is similar to ‘t’ of turf. As a result, if you can isolate the consonants vowels that the distinctively different from that of English, giving them prior attention, you would get the hard nuts to be cracked first, and speed up your learning process.

There are around a dozen of the distinctive sounds that deserve your special attention. They include z, c, s, r, zh, ch, sh, j, q and x. You may want to go to this video tutorial

http://www.chineseonthego.com/chinese_phonetic_sounds.html to learn more about them.

Forth, pinyin is a wonderful tool to help you start learning Mandarin Chinese.

Chinese is written in characters rather than alphabet. So it is pretty difficult for many to recognize the words and commit them to memory. This can be a great huddle from the language learning points of view. With the pinyin, you can do away with the characters, and focus only on the pronunciation. This makes the learning process so much less intimidating.

It is, however, important for you to understand that although pinyin can be a convenient tool to help you get started, it cannot replace the roles of the Chinese characters. This is because there are simply too many Chinese words sharing same pronunciation. For example, the pinyin ‘siren’ can refer to both the words for ‘private’ and ‘dead body’. There are tons of other similar examples. It is simply too confusing to rely on pinyin alone for written communication!

It is, therefore, important for you to know that if you are serious about learning Chinese, you will have to learn the Chinese characters eventually.

For that reason, you should always find out the Chinese characters whenever possible when learning a new word. Just have an idea of what they are. It will make the process so much easier if you have to learn the characters eventually.

Tekson Teo is a bilingual writer, speaker and business consultant specializes in Chinese language and culture. He Obtained his BSc Econ (Hon) from University of London and MBA and DIC from Imperial College London. http://www.ChineseOnTheGo.com. For pinyin examples, go to http://www.chineseonthego.com/pinyin/index.html

Chinese Superstitions Versus the West

Those who are familiar with Western cultures know how many things are treated as taboo. Superstitious people will go to any length to avoid certain things that their culture considers as harbingers of bad luck. It is the same all over the world. Go to any part of the world and you will find, irrespective of caste & creed, there are certain things that are considered unlucky and certain things that are considered as lucky. It is the same with the Chinese too, but the difference between the Chinese and Western culture, especially with regards to their culture and the superstitions based thereon, are revealed starkly when it comes to number 13.

You will be amazed, if you are a European, to know that the Chinese consider the number 13 as lucky. It is widely known that Europeans treat Fridays and the number 13 as accursed, and if these two happen to come together like `Friday the 13th’ it is treated as a very bad omen. On this particular day, people tend not to start any new work or not to embark on any journey. It is just the opposite with the Chinese people and this is due to the difference of culture. It is not that the Chinese do not have preferences for certain numerals. They love the numerical 8 and it is rumored that a phone number 8888-8888 fetched $300,000. This occurred in Chengdu, a Chinese city.

Do you recall the date of opening of the Beijing Olympics? It was on the 8th of August 2008 (08-08-08). If you thing that this was just a fluke and has nothing to do with the Chinese culture and its affection for certain numbers, you should check out the inauguration time of the Beijing Olympics. It was inaugurated at 8:08pm. This obsession for numbers is not prevalent in China only and one can also observe it in Singapore and Hong Kong and both these countries have a majority of Chinese people. Those who know about Chinese culture will tell you that these numbers are linked according to their pronunciation. They observe how a number sounds and then try to associate it with words that have a similar pronunciation.

The number 8 is pronounced as `“fa”, which is how words like fortune and prosperity sound in the Chinese language. But what about number 13 which is considered unlucky by Europeans and why do the Chinese consider it as lucky? The number “1” when put in the “tens” sounds like “shi” which means definite in Mandarin. The digit “3” sounds like living, life or birth. Hence the number “13”, the pronunciation of which is “shisan” in Mandarin, might mean, according to Chinese culture and traditions as “assured growth” or “definitely vibrant”. This is the reason why Chinese people consider the number 13 as lucky. There are some other numbers too which are considered lucky by the Chinese because of they way they are pronounced in the Mandarin language，such as six,sixty,ninety-nine,nine,eighteen.

If you want more about this topic, please let me know!

Michael Song is a professional chinese translator working for VERY TRANSLATION which provides chinese translation services . Here are some useful free chinese translation tools Free Chinese Name Translation,Free Chinese Translation

Expressing Gratitude With Thank You Flowers

It is a sad fact of life is that we often complain more than we say anything positive and we don’t tend to show our affection and devotion to the ones we care about until a loved one is gone. It doesn’t have to be that way; in fact, there are numerous methods that we can employ that tell the people in our lives we appreciate them for all the little things they do.

One approach that underlines this sentiment is the purchase of thank you flowers.

These arrangements can be fun and frilly, romantic and intimate - or friendly and playful, but whatever the mood, you will always hit the right note with these marvelous tokens of esteem.

Now, some people may wonder what situations will prompt the purchase of thank you flowers — the answer? Any kind.

Below are a few scenarios when one may feel inclined to send a thank you bouquet or basket. Just remember to keep the person and their temperament in mind prior to purchase. It may also be helpful to know if the individual is allergic to a specific type of flower.

After a party

You were invited to the blow out event of the year and had the time of your life! Show your undying gratitude with a small yet cordial floral cluster. The host or hostess will greatly appreciate the gesture and you will come up smelling like proverbial rose, guaranteeing an invite to the next soiree.

After a nice gift

When someone gives us a significant gift like a rare bottle of wine, expensive jewelry or an extremely costly item of clothing, we may be at a loss of how to respond. Why not show what the gesture meant to you with a thoughtful gift of your own? A present of flowers can let the person know how touched you were by the astonishing present and that it was greatly enjoyed.

To express gratitude for being there

There are so many crossroads in life that we come to that can be difficult to travel alone. After a break up, divorce, death or other monumental happening in life, a friend who is there for us is worthy of high esteem and reward. While thank you flowers cannot come close to this display of care, it can indicate that you acknowledged that they were there fro you and what it meant to you. Often times people who give of themselves are seldom told how important their presence means. Thank you flowers can do that and more.

Thinking about you

Romantic partners who have travelled a long way together can look back over the years and see a landscape of highs and lows. Sending a thank you floral bouquet lets your significant other know that you are appreciative of the fact that they have stood by you despite the tough times. Little gestures like this, while they seem small, are one way a couple can keep their love alive.

Just a general ‘thank you’

‘You helped me out when I needed it most,’ ‘Thanks for the wonderful Thanksgiving meal, it was terrific’ ‘I couldn’t have organized that charity event without you’, are all sentiments that can be expressed via the purchase of a lush bouquet of thank you flowers.

If you are uncertain as to what flowers will best state how you feel, don’t fret. An experienced florist knows the kind of arrangements that best suit the occasion and can suggest several lovely bouquets that fit well into your budget.

Don’t wait to let the people you love know what they mean to you – tell then today with a colorful bouquet of thank you flowers.

For all your flower needs, we are the online florist and flower shop of choice. Exquisite fresh flowers and arrangements and flower gifts for every occasion such as thank you flowers and sympathy flowers.

The Psychology of Social Proof

Social Proof is one of the most important psychological tactics increasingly used by advertisers, marketers, website owners, politicians, professionals, business owners, and many other folks. These folks understand the human psychology that it is easier and more comfortable to agree with others than analyzing and going our own way. Social proof makes them lazy to perform logical research and also relaxes their defenses. When there is enough social proof for the quality and worthiness of a product or service, people tend not to challenge its credibility, especially when it comes from an authority source. Below are few examples where you can see “social proof” in action:

People visit websites which are “most visited”, “most popular” and “highly recommended”.

When a celebrity is used in advertising, people tend to believe that the product must be good without considering any facts.

Quite a few websites have testimonials of their clients displayed on their pages. This adds credibility to the product.

Television producers use a laugh track in their comedies every time a punch line or joke is cracked. Even if you know that it’s just a recording, it doesn’t stop you from laughing even louder, does it?

Roadside vendors also use this psychological trick on unsuspecting customers. Have you seen a hawker demonstrating a product and after some time one or two people step in to buy them; and then everybody follows suit? These first two people were (in most cases) the hawker’s own delegated people prepaid beforehand, to initiate the buying frenzy!

Another similar case is when performers at a bar or live event secretly put higher denomination currency bills in the tips jar to raise the tips of others! So if you see $5 bills, it is to make it clear that “everyone else gives this amount” so you should also give five bucks!

A more sophisticated example is when donation collectors make some “seeded guests” at a gathering pay huge amounts of checks to get others pay higher, and later return the checks to the seeders!

Just like in a herd of animals, humans also have a tendency to “self preservation” by resisting to venturing out on our own. We’re also “pack animals” but in a slightly different perspective. The social proof strategy is increased multifold when it comes from those who we identify with. So for example, when an advertisement says that Arnold Schwarzenegger uses this special Rocky’s Muscular Pain Balm and found it beneficial and you’re into the body building, it identifies better with your market and you will want to buy it.

Sometimes good copywriting is used to create the effect of social proof. Websites often have a list of “best sellers” or “most popular” products. Even if they’re not really popular or selling well, it creates credibility in the mind of the prospect and he thinks “If everybody is buying it, it must really be good”.

Having read so far, do you think you should use social proof in your marketing efforts (or whatever you’re trying to achieve)? Certainly! Should you give false claims just to create a social proof? Certainly not! While the false claim if found out can back fire and cause you a lot of bad reputation and possible permanent business loss, it could also land you in jail depending on the laws in your country. So be honest when creating your social proof strategies. If you don’t have enough testimonials, give a free trial to selected folks whose testimonials could help your business the push it requires. You can learn some more sales techniques by visiting http://www.bharatbhasha.com/author.php/Nirjara%20Rustom where I’ve published all of my articles.

Good luck in your endeavor!

Nirjara Rustom moderates the psychology articles section of http://www.bharatbhasha.com at http://www.bharatbhasha.com/psychology.php - a free information resource.

Christmas: The Real Reason for the Season

For almost 1600 years, millions of people around the world have been taught that “Christmas” represents the true birthday of the Jewish messiah and Son of God, Jesus Christ. But does Christmas really represent Jesus’s birthday?

Before it was deemed “Christmas” and the birthday of Jesus Christ, the period of the winter solstice - ending on December 25th - was celebrated in various countries as the birth of the sun, who was considered a god in these many places.

The Christian celebration of “Christmas” was only formalized in the middle of the fifth century (450 AD/CE), when Emperor Julius I “assimilated the festival with that of the birth of Mithra (December 25), in order to facilitate the more complete Christianisation of the empire.” Until that time, December 25th had been the birthday of Sol Invictus or the “Unconquered Sun,” established as such by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD/CE.

Concerning the origins of the solar holiday of December 25th vis-?-vis Christianity, the Catholic Encyclopedia (”Christmas”) states:

“The earliest rapprochement of the births of Christ and the sun is in [the writings of early Church father] Cyprian [200-258]…’O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born…Christ should be born.’

“In the fourth century, [Church father] Chrysostom…says: …”But Our Lord, too, is born in the month of December…the eighth before the calends of January [25 December]…, But they call it the ‘Birthday of the Unconquered’. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord…? Or, if they say that it is the birthday of the Sun, He is the Sun of Justice.”

As we can see from these remarks, the birth of Christ at the winter solstice has been asserted since as early as the third century. Moreover, the reason for this birthdate is clearly given: This date represents “the birthday of the Sun!”

Before that time, the winter solstice was also celebrated in many other places, including in Egypt, where the baby sun god Horus was brought out in a manger for display. Concerning winter-solstice “Feasts and Festivals,” the Encyclopedia Britannica reports, “The common people in China have a similar custom on the arrival of the winter solstice…” The Encyclopedia Britannica also names several other cultures as having winter celebrations, including the Mexicans and Peruvians. Even the Jews had their winter holiday, or “Feast of the Dedication,” as mentioned in the New Testament at John 10:22. The winter solstice in Latin is called “bruma,” serving as one source of the Roman celebration called “the Brumalia.” There was also the December festival of Saturnalia in the Roman Empire, which ended at the winter solstice.

December 25th actually represents the end of the three-day period or triduum of the winter solstice, which begins at midnight on December 21st or the morning of December 22nd and ends at midnight on December 24th - “Christmas Eve” - or the morning of December 25th. This time represents the shortest days of the year, when the sun appears to be “dying.” Thus, when the days start to lengthen again, the sun seems to have been “born,” “reborn” or “resurrected.” Hence, December 25th is the birthday of the sun!

Acharya S is the author of The Christ Conspiracy, Suns of God, Who Was Jesus? and Christ in Egypt. More information about Christmas can be found in her article at http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/christmas.html.

Control of the Wine Industry

Prior to the eighteenth century the wine trade was in the hands of small individual merchants, and establishments on the scale of modern bodegas were entirely unknown; there was no continuity of name and no records of individual merchants have survived. Only one modern firm—J. M. Rivero—can trace its direct ancestry to an earlier period. This house has been trading at least since 1653.

Its trademark is CZ, and the initials stand for Cabeza y Zarco, the family name of Don Pedro Alonso Cabeza de Aranda y Zarco, who was its founder. One of his descendants, Don Antonio Cabeza de Aranda (who was created Marques de Montana by Royal Decree in 1775) took Don Francisco Antonio de la Fixera into partnership. Don Francisco’s grand-daughter married Don Pedro Agustin Rivero, whose decendants still own the business.

Many valuable archives have been preserved, including marble coasters (http://www.thirstycoasters.com/servlet/-strse-Cats-&-Dogs/Categories), letter books dating from 1734, and account books from 1802, which record the names of many British merchants trading in Andalusia. Commercial records dating back to this period are rare, as much of the business was done by word of mouth, to avoid the royal taxes.

The oldest established of the many bodegas founded by immigrants from the British Isles appears to be that of Rafael O’Neale. The O’Neale family fled from persecution in troubled Ireland during the seventeenth century, and entered the armies of France and Spain, to follow the only profession that was open to them.

In 1724 Timothy O’Neale, who had married into one of the best local families, established his bodega in Jerez, and it is headed today by the widow of Don Enrique O’Neale, one of his descendants. So far, however, no detailed records of the history of the firm have come to light. It is a small house selling only on the export markets but has some very fine wines, stone coasters (http://www.thirstycoasters.com/servlet/-strse-Garden-Accents/Categories), and a notably beautiful bodega that includes some of the Moorish walls of the city and is designated a “Monumento Nacional.”

The oldest-established of the large bodegas is undoubtedly that of Pedro Domecq. The Domecq family originated in the Basses-Pyrenees, and their history has been traced in great detail by a private investigator, apparently to satisfy his own curiosity, as it remains in his possession and is unpublished. It is, however, a remarkable document and makes fascinating reading.

Inevitably, there are elements of comedy, as when a noble lady’s dowry included two cows (with bells) and a feather bed. But essentially it is the record of a great aristocratic family who had the rare privilege of doing obeisance to each successive king of France and presenting him with a pair of white gloves.

Like many other French aristocrats, some members of the family found it prudent to leave their native country during the eighteenth century, and their arrival in Andalusia had a profound effect on the history of the sherry trade. But the Domecq bodegas trace their origin to the year 1730, when the Domecq family was still in France, busy presenting white gloves to French sovereigns.

The house of Domecq was founded neither by a Frenchman nor by a Spaniard, but by an Irish farmer and wine-grower called Patrick Murphy. He came to Spain some time prior to 1730, and although he soon became prosperous, he cared little for his business, as he was a bachelor and was in poor health. His great friend was Juan Haurie, who lived next door in Plaza de Plateros, where he traded as a general merchant, with linen stores and drapers’ shops.

In 1745, Haurie began to help his friend in the management of his vineyards and when Murphy died on 21 July 1762, Haurie was his heir. He inherited all his properties, including vineyards in the finest areas of Macharnudo and Carrascal; and the wine business so suited him that he entirely abandoned his other interests.

Haurie was a man whose intense ambition was not confined to acquiring fame and fortune: he also wanted to make his wine as good as it could possibly be made. But his efforts were continually frustrated by the restrictions of the Gremio, which prevented sherry and coaster set shippers from accumulating the necessary stocks of old wine.

In 1772, the prolonged conflict was taken to the courts, and Haurie was eventually permitted to take part in all three branches of the trade, becoming a grower, storekeeper and shipper. He bought extensive bodegas and had his own cooperage. Like his Irish friend, he was a bachelor; with his brothers and nephews, he went to live in a magnificent house where there was also room for his offices.

To develop the business, he founded a new company with his five nephews; it was called Juan Haurie y Sobrinos, and included not only the wine business, but also several farms and shops. His principal interest, however, remained in the wine, and he steadily acquired new vineyards.

Juan Haurie died in 1794. Under the terms of his will, all his capital remained in the business and was kept undivided, as a central trust fund for the benefit of his five nephews equally. One of these was Pedro Lembeye, the son of Haurie’s sister Dona Maria. Lembeye’s sister had married a Domecq, and their son was named Pedro. But Pedro Domecq’s story belongs to the next century, so we will end this story here.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in the history of viniculture and international cuisine and travel. For a beautiful selection of marble coasters or a specialty coaster set, please visit http://www.thirstycoasters.com/.

Louis Seize (XVI) 1774-1793

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette succeeded to a shamed throne. Out of sympathy with a licentious Court, they played child-like on the edge of a volcano. Financial difficulties pressed sorely and ministers were unable to hold their appointments long enough to bring much relief.

The people were terribly oppressed. While revolution smoldered, the Queen played dairy maid at the Petit Trianon at Versailles, and the King listened to bad advice from every courtier who could gain his ear. The Petit Trianon, a small palace near the vast edifice in the park at Versailles was erected by the architect Gabriel during the latter part of the reign of Louis XV.

For this reason the interior shows some of the elements of design that were typical of his reign, but the building has been so closely connected historically with the ill-fated Marie Antoinette and shows so many of the decorative features of her reign that it is generally considered a specimen of Louis XVI art.

The simple personal tastes of the monarchs accepted, but did not create the clear cut change in decorative styles already begun during the previous reign. The discovery of the buried cities of

Herculaneum and Pompeii brought classic forms again into favor, and the Neo-Classic or new classic styles pervaded both France and England and reached America no less surely.

France added charming studies from nature to Classic influences, introducing the pastoral element to please the Court. Rooms were symmetrical with classic pilasters framing the doorways which had flat or arched openings or were square-headed with bullnose corner blocks (http://www.ferche.com/). Walls were plain wood with rectangular panels, painted in light tones of gray, green, old rose, blue and cream, white and gold; or paneled in silk brocades, reps, printed linens or wall-paper.

The most characteristic difference with the work of the preceding reign was the complete elimination of the irregular curved lines and the substitution of straight lines for all purposes. Where curves were used, they were the simple curves, portions of circles or oval shapes.

Ornament both painted and carved was on a small scale, disposed symmetrically and was particularly naturalistic in form as compared to a tendency to conventional movement under Louis XV. Roses, daisies, and other flower forms were arranged in garlands and festoons tied with ribbons.

Grisaille work (paintings in imitation of bas-relief carvings) became popular as over-door decorations and stone fireplace designs. Mirrors and paintings were well spaced on paneled walls. Floors were composed of contrasting colored woods in parquet patterns or tiled marble; ceilings were flat, occasionally vaulted and often exquisitely painted; a continuous cornice dividing wall from ceiling.

The furniture was again rectilinear but much lighter than the previous types with delicately carved classical ornament, enameled, gilded, and seldom left in the natural wood; upholstered in the light colored brocades of the period or in fine Beauvais or Aubusson tapestry designed by artists like Boucher and Watteau, or caned.

The artist David dictated the styles. Reisener was among the designers of the most notable cabinet work. The greatest charm that the Louis XVI period conveys to the modern mind is its informality and intimacy created by small rooms, light and delicate details, and pastel coloring.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in home improvement, interior decorating, and stone fireplace designs. For the best in the bullnose corner blocks, hardwood moulding industry, please visit http://www.ferche.com/.

Louis Quatorze (XIV) 1643-1715

A few months after the death of Richelieu, Louis Xlll died, leaving his five-year-old son Louis XIV to reign for seventy-two years, first under the restraint of Mazarin, and later as absolute monarch. With his succession and under the unbroken influence of his long reign all the arts flourished to an extraordinary degree. Le Roy Soldi ruled with a magnificence and state unknown since the days of the Roman Empire. Colbert, his able minister, gathered famous artists and craftsmen together and housed them in the Louvre under royal patronage.

Early in his reign the King had decided to make his court the most magnificent in all Europe and to make France the center of culture of the modern world. To accomplish this purpose he appointed Le Brun his Minister of Fine Arts. Le Brun took over several of the finest manufacturers in France, placed them under government control and supported them with state funds.

Among these were the Gobelins, Beauvais, Aubusson and Savonnerie looms where tapestries and floor coverings commonly placed in front of fireplace doors (http://www.ferche.com/) were made, and the Sevres porcelain factory. He also established the National School of Fine Arts (Ecole des Beaux Arts) which is still under the French government control and which receives pupils from all over the world, offering free tuition in architecture, painting, sculpture and engraving.

Jules Mansart was appointed royal architect and commissioned to build the great palace at Versailles, one of the most magnificent and largest buildings ever constructed. The cost of this structure alone was so expensive that it is said to have sown the seeds of the French revolution.

The palace was intended not only to furnish living accommodations for the immense retinue of the King, but enormous rooms were planned to entertain thousands of persons in the most regal splendor. Although the building was practically stripped of all its furnishings during the revolution and has undergone many changes since that time, enough of its original decoration still remains to make it the finest extant example of the Louis XIV period.

The most typical characteristic of the interior architecture of this style was the enormous scale of the rooms themselves and the massiveness of the architectural detail and furniture that was in them, right down to the wooden bar rails (http://www.ferche.com/). The orders were largely used and classical proportions were strictly adhered to, although ornamentation was quite original.

Paneling was large and vigorous. The main structural lines of the panels were straight and rectangular, but much ornament was used. A dado usually ran around the room, the panels above it running up to an ornate cornice. As a rule, the colors used were a cream ground and gilt moldings although natural oak and other painted colors were also employed.

Elaborate woodcarving was much used. Fireplaces were conspicuous, the openings and the chimney breast elaborately treated. Over-mantels incorporated framed paintings, and in smaller rooms mirrors. Doors were paneled, carved, painted and gilded. Floors were of parquet or marble tiling and ceilings often flat in smaller rooms.

Le Brun appointed as head cabinet maker to the King, Boulle (also spelled Boule and Buhl), who with the possible exception of Chippendale has had a greater influence upon the development of furniture than any other man. Boulle is known as having popularized the use of metal mounts (Ormolu) in the ornamentation of furniture. He also is famous for his use of tortoise shell and metal inlay. By cutting two layers of tortoise shell and sheet metal in an elaborate jig-saw pattern, he alternated the metal and the shell in applying it as veneer to the doors and panels of his cabinet furniture.

Boulle used a great variety of wood. Ebony was one of his favorites, but oak, walnut, tulip, rosette wood corner blocks, rosewood, and other more costly woods were also used. Many of his pupils later became well known cabinet makers. Among them were Levasseur, Jacob, and Oeben. The furniture of this period was as a rule large and in the main rectangular lines predominated. The chairs were commonly reinforced with heavy stretchers between the legs.

Later the furniture became curvilinear in both structure and ornament. It was elaborately carved, painted, and gilded, with small pied-de-biche, dolphin’s head, scrolled, round, or square feet. The pieces were numerous, the canape, commode, armoire and escritoire were finely developed. Superb Aubusson tapestry, embroidery, needlework, damask, large figured velvets, leather and caning were used. Metal mounts were works of art in brass or ormolu. Everything was formal, stately and sumptuous.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in the history of interior design, home improvement, and hardwood moulding. For the best in the rosette wood corner blocks industry, please visit http://www.ferche.com/.

World Hoiday Traditions

Cold and snowy days, long nights, colorful lights, festivals, parties and shopping can only signify one thing- the holiday season. With hundreds of different celebrations throughout the world, December is the official month of holidays. Here in the West most people decorate trees and give each other gifts to commemorate the birth of Christ. But many people don’t know where the tradition originated or what the other major holidays around the world are.

It started with the sun

Originally the month of December marked a hard and difficult time for people. With the harvest season officially over and winter quickly approaching, people living in northern latitudes had to live off whatever food they had stored and any animals they were able to hunt. Not only did they have this to deal with, but on top of that, the sun got lower and lower in the sky during this time and the days got shorter. People feared that the sun would disappear and leave them in a permanent state of cold and darkness.

However, after the winter solstice which occurs on December 21, they noticed that the days started getting longer and the sun went higher in the sky. This, of course, was reason to celebrate. Granted, there was still many months of winter ahead, but this event reassured everybody that the coming of spring was inevitable and only a matter of time.

Throughout the world and across many different religions and belief systems people had their own ceremonies and traditions to celebrate the solstice. Candles were lit, trees were decorated, people gave thanks, sang songs and said prayers.

Christmas

The Christmas holiday, which many people around the world celebrate today, is closely linked to the solstice celebration. In the 4th century, many Christians wanted to celebrate the birth of Christ, however there was no official record of the date of his birth. Also at that time the Roman Emperor was trying to make Christianity the official religion, so December 25 seemed like the perfect time because many Romans were already celebrating the solstice. With the conversion to Christianity, people could keep their festivities and traditions, but instead of celebrating the sun, they now celebrated the birth of Christ.

Other then the time of the celebration, there are many other traditions that have made their way from Ancient Rome to modern times. Decorating trees with lights and ornaments, holly, ivy, mistletoe, the Yule log, giving gifts, and magical reindeer are all traditions that are associated with the Ancient Romans.

Additionally we have also come up with new ways and new traditions to celebrate Christmas. Santa Claus is a popular figure amongst children throughout the world. In many countries, Santa Claus comes down your chimney and gives presents to good children and lumps of coal to bad children. In other places children put their shoes out at night and “Father Christmas” comes and fills them with presents. But no matter how you celebrate Christmas now, if it wasn’t for our ancient ancestors, it would be a very different holiday.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah is another celebration of light. This is a Jewish tradition that occurs for eight days during December. It commemorates the war fought by the Maccabees for religious freedom. When they returned to their temple, they only had enough oil to last one day. However, the oil ended up burning for eight days.

Today, modern Jews celebrate this holiday by lighting a menorah every day for eight days. There are nine spaces in the menorah, the center one being where they keep the “lighter” candle that lights the others. Each day, they light one more candle, until finally on the last day, all nine candles are glowing brightly.

Nowadays Hanukkah is a much bigger celebration then it used to be. Mainly because of the popularity of Christmas, this holiday has grown in importance, especially for children. In addition to lighting the menorah, every day for eight days, the children receive a gift from their parents. Other festivities include building a Hanukkah House, playing with dradles, singing songs, baking cookies and decorating the house with silver and blue.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an African holiday celebrated by millions of people throughout the world with African roots. It’s a celebration of culture and tradition that speaks to what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. It was created in 1966 by a professor of African studies at California State University and was intended to be a cultural holiday rather than a religious one. In that sense anyone can celebrate the holiday, no matter what their faith.

Kwanzaa is celebrated for one week from December 26 to January 1. Each of the seven days of the celebration is based on one of the seven principles which are Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.

During Kwanzaa people decorate their homes with the African colors black, red and green. They put out traditional African symbols such as African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects and harvest symbols. People greet each other using Swahili, saying “Habari gani?” The answer is one of the seven principles- whichever one is the focus of that day’s festivities.

Gifts are given only to children. But every gift must include a book and some sort of heritage symbol. The book emphasizes the African value of learning and the heritage symbol is to reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.

Of course, there are countless other festivals and celebrations going on in every country around the world at this time of year. No matter where you live or what your faith, there’s sure to be some sort of holiday or celebration associated with the change of seasons. So have fun, be merry and Happy Holidays!

Mindy Tulsi is the owner of Vancouver-based Green N Green, creating unique gift baskets that a lasting impression.

Indian Tribes of Montana - A Proud Heritage

The first people to inhabit the area now known as Montana were members of nomadic tribes that supple-mented their diets with native plants and sustained their existence by hunting buffalo and other mammals. Following the buffalo herds, these first people crossed the Bering Strait from Asia approximately 12,000 years ago and over time migrated southward. Archaeologists have verified evidence of a thriving tribal culture established west of the Rocky Mountains more than 9,000 years ago.

Before the white man came west, Indian people roamed freely across this great land, following the gigantic buffalo herds that once covered the plains. For hundreds of years the native peoples relied on the buffalo for food, clothing and shelter. The bison was revered among the Indian Tribes as a bountiful gift from the Creator and were thus hunted with reverence and respect.

The area now known as Montana was inhabited by two major groups of Indian tribes. The Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Crow, Assiniboine, Atsina and Arapaho tribes lived on the south and eastern grassy plains. The rugged western mountains were the home of the Shoshone, Bannack, Kalispell, Flathead and Kootenai tribes. The Dakota, Sioux and the Nez Perce tribes entered Montana at times to hunt and dispatch war parties, but were not permanent residents of the State.

With the arrival of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the first decade of the 19th century, the traditional way of life of Montana Indians became increasingly threatened. By the mid-1880’s, the federal government began to deal formally with the tribes, entering into treaties that assigned tribes to certain designated areas and obligated them to respect the land boundaries of their neighbors. However, the mining “booms” of the 1860’s fractured these fragile arrangements as miners rushed into the lucrative gold fields that often lay adjacent to or within the designated tribal lands. These new “settlers” demanded federal protection, thus beginning the garrisoning of Montana and the eventual forced relocation of the tribes to smaller and smaller reservations.

The combination of “tribal” and “nation” best encapsulates essential aspects of both the historical and contemporary identity of Indian communities in Montana. There are nine principal tribal groups living on seven reservations in Montana. Three of the reservations are inhabited by more than one tribal group.

The Confederated Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai share the Flathead Reservation; the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine co-habit the Fort Belknap Reservation; and the Assiniboine and Sioux both reside on the Fort Peck Reservation. In each of these cases, the reservation population consists of diverse fragments of larger tribal nations. For example, there are 33 bands of Assiniboine Indians, two of which are represented on the Fort Peck Reservation, where each of the seven primary bands of the Sioux nation are also represented.

The Rocky Boy’s Reservation was originally inhabited by members of the Chippewa and Cree Tribes. However, because of extensive inter-marriage over the generations, the tribal rolls now list members only as “Chippewa Crees”. In 1935, the Chippewa Crees adopted a tribal constitution for the “Chippewa Cree Tribe”, officially recognizing the coming together of the two tribes into one.

Montana is also home to the Little Shell Band of Chippewa, often referred to as “Landless Indians”. Although a distinct tribal group, the Little Shell are not yet a federally recognized tribe.

Tribal nations are distinctive in several respects. They are based primarily, although not exclusively, on ethnic heritage and are racially distinct from other minority groups in Montana and the United States. Most important from a legislative standpoint, tribal nations have a unique status in the American federal system. American Indians are not just an ethnic minority; they are also respected members of quasi-sovereign tribal nations. The Indian nations of Montana are governed by tribal governments that are legally empowered to determine who is and is not a member of that nation. Each of the tribal governments in Montana has established its own criteria for enrollment, with some requiring higher blood quantum levels than others.

The tumultuous history of the Indian tribes in Montana is characterized by years of violent warfare and constant movement. They traveled the plains to follow the buffalo and the many tribes battled for control of prime hunting grounds. Finally, with the bison near extinction and tribes decimated by disease and battles with white settlers, there came a final move onto reservations, marking the sad end of a proud and noble era.

Indian Population

According to 2007 figures from the US census, Montana has a population of approximately 957,800 people, the Indian Population of Montana was approximately 6.4 percent of the total population of the state.

The census reports information for American Indian areas that includes all American Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and other tribal-designated statistical areas. Montana has seven Indian areas. The Indian population ranges from 24% of the total population in the Flathead area to 95% in the Rocky Boy’s area.

Although the Indian population in Montana is highly concentrated in a few counties, Native Americans live in all 56 counties of the state, ranging from a small percentage of less than 1% in 19 counties to 10% of the population in 29 counties. There are eight counties in which Indians compose 11% to 56% of the total population.

Each Montana Indian tribe has unique customs and cultural traditions. The state’s Indian tribes have endeavored to adapt and adjust to the ever changing world around them; however, they have retained the traditions and tribal mandates of their proud past. In celebrating through language, dance, songs and sacred religious ceremonies the special connection they feel with nature, our native tribes richly contribute to the distinct flavor of Montana.

Marlene Affeld has a passion for the environment and all things natural. A seasoned traveler, Marlene enjoys sharing her experiences with other. Visit Nandu Green at http://nandugreen.com for Eco-Friendly products.

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