Culture, Traditions And Customs Of Afghanistan

The glorious land of the Afghans is now the focus of much political attention and social divide. However, a closer look at the region makes it easy to understand current events. The people here flaunt a culture and tradition that are the result of ancient trade and migration. The customs that have emerged and survived greatly compliment its geo-strategic location, and a long tryst with invaders and individual empires. Modern Afghanistan is well grounded in its beliefs and customs, even as it is open to change. This buffer state is no more one; it has emerged as a power to reckon with. Afghanistan has always influenced world cultures and heritage, more than their military or political mindset. A rich tradition in ancestry and pride in personal honor are characteristics that offer a glimpse of the land and its people. Modern Afghanistan is hardly any different from the older version, physically. However, the influence of neighboring countries and the remnants of a terrible civil war have made the people vary of foreign intervention. The people of Afghanistan are friendly and hard-working. Their lives and vocations are centered around the home. Women are treated with utmost respect and honor.

People
Afghans are very proud of their land, religion and ancestry. They value their independence beyond life. This particular trait is the result of consistent foreign invasion. Their loyalty is first to their local leaders and their tribe, and their identification with an abstract Afghan nation has always been fragile. Afghanistan has never been inhabited by only one ethnic group, but various ethnic groups like the Pashtuns, Hazaras, Tajiks, Uzbeks and other Iranian and Altaic groups. While these ethnic groups differ in language and culture they do share some common characteristics. Religion is a common thread that binds all these people. Islam is followed by almost all Afghans and it dominates much of their personal, political, economic and legal lives. Their fierce loyalty towards their clan, tribe and courage is another common facet of almost all Afghanis. Hospitality and honor are two vital characteristics or rather defining characteristics for all Afghans. They will do their utmost, even give and take lives, to uphold their honor and extend hospitality towards their guest. This lends a touch of mystic romanticism to the Afghan people.

Architecture
Afghanistan has lost quite a few of its historic monuments in recent wars. Architectural remnants of all ages can be found across Afghanistan. Remnants of Greek civilization and Buddhist stupas (shrines or reliquaries) and monasteries, intricate Islamic minarets, arches and monuments have made this place rich in history and architectural significance. The 1000-year-old Great Arch of Qal'eh-ye Bost; the Chel Zina (Forty Steps) and rock inscriptions made by Mughal emperor Babur in Kandahar which also houses the prophet's cloak. Ghazni and Balkh are remnants of architectural extravagance and grandeur. The famous Minaret of Jam have been declared a 'heritage site' by UNESCO.

Sport
A lot has changed since the fall of the Taliban for Afghan sports and athletes. Soccer is the most popular sport, followed by cricket. Of late, the popularity of cricket has seen a surge with the national team making it to the international stage competitions. Basketball is also slowly gaining in popularity. During the Taliban regime sports was banned for men and women both. Since the fall of the Taliban many traditional and local sports have become popular again. Buzkashi is the national sport of Afghanistan and played mainly in the northern part of the country. It is a form of polo that is centered around claiming the carcass of a goat, placed in the center. Hound racing is another popular sport of the highlands. Now, more and more women are also taking up various types of sports, such as martial arts and boxing.

Poetry and Language
Persian poetry is a very important part of Afghan culture. Poetry is a major component in education. Mushaeras or poetry competitions are a common indulgence with the ordinary people. In fact, most homes have exclusive collections of poetry. They have given to the world, poets like Rabi'a Balkhi - the first poetess of Persian poetry, Farrukhi Sistani - the Ghaznavid royal poet, Jami of Herat and Ali Sher Nava'i. The language commonly spoken by the Afghans is the eastern Persian dialect called Dari. The name refers to the 'language of the royals'. Dari is the official language of more than one-third of the population. Pashto is spoken in eastern and southern Afghanistan, while Tajik is spoken prominently in the north. There are many other languages and dialects spoken throughout the country.

Ideas For Homemade Halloween Costumes

Making costumes for Halloween and similar festivals is always a better option. The costumes for Halloween makes use of many different themes. Homemade costumes save a lot of money. However, apart from saving money, advantage of using homemade costume is that customizing them as per our needs is possible. There are many ideas which can be used in making costumes for Halloween. The different themes could be anything from pumpkin shapes to superhero costumes.

The following paragraphs contain information about different homemade Halloween costume ideas. Household materials need to be used in preparing these costumes. Homemade Halloween costumes would save both, time and money. The Halloween costumes to make at home presented below should prove to be useful.

Batman Costume: A batman costume is easy to make. The main requirement for this costume is a black dress. Black cloth would be required to make a cape. The mask can be prepared with cardboard painted in black color. Belt is the important component of any superhero costume. Again, cardboard can be used in making the belt. It can be covered with duct tape. The color used for belt should preferably have a bright shade and which appears to be in contrast with the black batman costume. For additional information you can also refer to creative Halloween costumes 2010.

Animal Halloween Costumes: It is one of the best ideas to use homemade Halloween costumes with the animal theme. The easy homemade Halloween costumes with animal theme look good. Children would love to wear the costume which represents their favorite animal. Here is the procedure to make the octopus costume. To make this Halloween costume one would require following items: sweatshirt (hooded), grocery bags, socks (4 pairs), scissors, glue, duct tape and felt sheets (white, black and pink). The eyes and other facial features of octopus can be prepared by cutting felt sheets. These features need to be glued on sweatshirt with the help of glue. Next step in the process is making the legs of octopus. The 4 pairs of socks need to be used to make the legs. The plastic grocery bags need to be stuffed inside the socks to make them appear like legs. Socks need to be taped inside the waistband of sweatshirt. All these features and embellishments altogether create an attractive looking octopus costume.

Pumpkin Costume: Materials needed to make this costume include the following: orange fabric, paper plate, hot glue gun, needle, thread and plastic grocery bags. The orange fabric should form the external pumpkin shape. Paper plate should cut in a manner that the head of one who wears this costume should comfortably fit inside. The orange fabric should be glued to the paper plate with glue. Holes for arms and legs need to be made into the orange fabric. Needle and thread should be used in sewing the edges properly. The plastic grocery bags need to be stuffed inside the orange fabric to give it a fluffy pumpkin-like shape. Also browse through ideas for Halloween costumes which shall definitely help.

Homemade Halloween Props
The information about Halloween props along with that of costumes mentioned above, should prove to be useful. These props can be made using materials available at craft stores. Skeletons, scarecrows and similar items make for good Halloween props. Cardboard-made spooky signs can also act as props for Halloween.
The article deals with some of the easy to implement homemade Halloween costume ideas. There is literally no limit as to ideas which can be used for homemade Halloween costumes. These ideas are just a snapshot of different ways in which Halloween costumes can be decorated. There is great scope to use creativity in making these costumes. One should therefore, think about enjoying this year's Halloween with homemade costumes.

Many Of The Ancient Chinese Traditional Customs Are Followed Till Date

A custom is often an established behavioral pattern that prevails through years. It is commonly the result of social influences on the people of a society. Traditional customs have their own analogies. They associate certain things or actions with certain happenings in life. Traditional customs are meant to invite good omen while warding off the evils. Let's find out all about the ancient Chinese traditional customs.

Traditional Customs of China

• Chinese considered tea as one of their seven basic necessities. Firewood, oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar were some of the other basic needs. Ways of tea preparation, the ways of tasting it and the occasions on which it is consumed make the Chinese tea culture unique. Children serve tea to their elders as a token of respect. People of lower order are supposed to serve tea to people of higher ranks. This custom is still practiced on formal occasions. When a person is served tea, he knocks on the table with bent index finger and middle finger to say, "thank you". Chinese tea is not only their drink but also an ingredient of herbal medicines.
• Chinese weddings have certain traditional customs associated with them. As a form of expressing gratitude, the bride and the groom kneel in front of their parents and offer them tea. In response to this, parents drink a small portion of tea and gift the pair a red envelope. The tea ceremony was once an occasion of the families of the newly wed couple to know each other. In olden times, drinking the tea offered showed acceptance of marriage while refusal represented opposition to the marriage.
• As a part of the Chinese tradition, the husband has to carry his wife over a pan of coals so that she can successfully pass through labor. Pregnant women are supposed to be very careful in everything they do, as it is believed that their actions influence the unborn baby. The hour, day, month and year in which the baby is born determine the Eight Characters of Chinese Astrology under which the baby falls. The Chinese believe that these characters are highly influential throughout the life of the newborn.
• Chopsticks form an integral part of Chinese cutlery but few know what they stand for. Chopsticks are believed to symbolize kindness and gentleness. Confucianism taught the Chinese to abandon knives and forks from the dining table. So they have their food cut to bite-size before it comes on the table.
• New year is one of the most prominent festivals of the Chinese calendar. According to a Chinese myth, Buddha had asked animals to visit him on the New Year's Day. Twelve animals came and Buddha named the year after each of them. The Chinese celebrate the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of each lunar month. New Year is about getting together. Red is believed to abolish bad luck. So people clothe in red for the New Year celebration. A long dragon made of silk, bamboo and paper is carried along streets. Young men hold the dragon and dance while carrying the dragon along. The Dragon dance is an ancient Chinese tradition.
• On meeting someone for the first time, the Chinese shake hands. A handshake may be accompanied by a bow to show respect. According to the Chinese customs, guests always gift their hosts on visiting them. It is best to present the host, fresh flowers or fruit. The hosts are not supposed to unpack the gift until the guests leave. Hosts usually escort their guests to a considerable distance when they leave.
• In ancient times, people used to cover the bodies of the dead with brushwood and clay and leave it in the family's home. They left utensils filled with food near the corpse. They thought the spirit of the dead would re-enter the body and would need food. Food items, which would not perish soon were kept beside the dead body. The ancient Chinese dwelt in natural or artificial caves. The Chinese tradition of burying the dead in caverns emerged from this kind of dwelling. As time passed, people sought a separate place to bury their dead and this ancient practice changed.

Many of the ancient Chinese traditional customs are followed till date. They have undergone modifications and reforms due to the changing times. But if you visit China, you will realize that hospitality is a Chinese tradition!

Water Splashing Festival Onto Each Other Symbolizes Good Wishes

Feeling  jinxed?  Had  a  run  of  bad  luck lately?  You  must  make  your  way  to  the laidback  southern  China  city  of  Jinghong. There they have an excellent cure for misfortune—a  bucket  of  water  in  the  face. Apparently,  there  is  nothing  like  a  good drenching to wash away the blues and this city of black and white pagodas and yellow robed  Buddhist  monks  becomes  a  frenzy of water dunking every April as the locals grab  buckets,  basins,  and  bottles  and soundly soak whoever crosses their path.

From  a  distance,  the  city’s  streets  and square take on the appearance of an anarchic  fountain  with  white  arcs  of  water stretching  across  the  air  before  descending  into  peals  of  screams  and  laughter. Everybody   is   fair   game,   so   don’t   go expecting to avoid a soaking. There are no wet  blankets  at  this  shower  party.  The good thing is you can retaliate by grabbing the nearest receptacle and throwing back.

The annual Water-Splashing Festival is most important holiday of the Dai people. Held during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, usually falling in the middle of April, it is also known as the Festival for Bathing the Buddha.

Water is regarded as a symbol of holiness, goodness and brightness by the Dai  people. The water splashing onto each other symbolizes good wishes.

The Water Splashing Festival falls during the New Year of the Dai Calendar. It is the most important festival observed by the Dai ethnic group in Xishuangbanna in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province. The festival is similar to Thailand’s Songkran, three days of festive activities in which everybody gets doused with water.
Traditionally, friends and neighbors sprinkled  each  other  with  drops  of  water to  wish  them  luck  for  the  New  Year:  The 3-day festival takes place during the local Dai people’s New Year party. Then somebody  realized  it  was  much  more  fun  to saturate  and  be  saturated  in  turn. 

Girls huddle and scream as youths attack them with  water.  Even  the  monks  join  in  and jump in the river or nearest fountain. Buddha himself gets wet during a ceremonial bathing in the Mekong river. While all this happens,   homemade   bamboo   rockets scream into the air and tiny, magical hotair  balloons  float  through  the  sky  before being consumed in their own flames. Candle  rafts  float  away  down  the  river  and small  bean  bags  known  as  love  pouches are thrown at whomever you fancy; catch one of those in the face and you know you have an admirer.

There is lots to admire about the province  of  Yunnan  itself.  Scenic  valleys  and fertile  hills  lead  to  lush  paddy  fields  and tropical jungle. Here the people are more laidback  than  their  northern  cousins  and the  pace  of  life  much  less  frenetic  than Beijing  or  Shanghai.  The  people  themselves  are  different,  made  up  of  several minorities,  the  most  prominent  of  which are  the  Dai  people.  Their  fun  and  relaxed attitude  is  more  in  line  with  their  Thai, Laotian, and Burmese neighbors.

The area has become a popular tourist destination with  lots  of  trekking  and  biking  possibilities  in  the  surrounding  area.  Of  course many  come  for  the  New  Year’s  celebrations which run from the 12th to the 18th  of  April.  As  well  as  the  water  party,  an amazing  dragon  boat  race  takes  place  on the river with each craft holding 50 rowers, pilots, dancers, and drummers. An extravagant  parade  rolls  through  the  town  with colorful  floats  surrounded  by  traditional dancers.

 On  the  final  night  a  massive  fireworks display takes place on the riverbank opposite, distracting tired and wet revelers with an awesome display.

Dragon Boat Festival In Hong Kong

Do you know the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival and the famous Dragon Boat Race?This Chinese feast was also unknown to us until one of our interns arrived with many stories about one of his favorite travel destinations.

The Dragon Boat Festival, or Festival Tuen Ng, is held every year, on the fifth day of the fifth month (Chinese calendar). It’s celebrated not only in Hong Kong, but also in other places such as Shanghai or Taiwan and in other cities or countries with a significant Chinese population. Nowadays this tradition is followed in more than 60 countries, with over 60 million international participants – still the most famous one is in Hong Kong.

This event is not only a boat race, even if the race is the most popular happening during this day. The Chinese month in which the festival occurs is actually considered an unlucky month, as it coincides with the beginning of the warm weather season and outbreaks of sickness epidemics.

The Dragon Boat Festival is a Chinese traditional and statutory holiday. It is a public holiday in mainland China and in Taiwan (and yes in Singapore as well), where it is known as the “Duanwu Festival”. It is also a public holiday in Hong Kong and Macau, where it is known as Duen Ng Festival. Its alternative name in English is “Dragon Boat Festival”, after one of the traditional activities for the holiday.

The Duanwu Festival is believed to have originated in ancient China. A number of theories exist about its origins as a number of folk traditions and explanatory myths are connected to its observance. Today the best known of these relates to the suicide in 278 BCE of Qu Yuan, poet and statesman of the Chu kingdom during the Warring States period.

There are many findings about the origin of the festival. Legend has it that the patriotic scholar-statesman Chu Yuan committed suicide (by drowning) to protest against the emperor. People respected Chu Yuan and when they heard that he had drowned, they jumped on boats to search for him. As they failed to find him, they started to hit the drums and make a lot of noise to scare the fish so that they won’t eat Chu Yuan. Also they tossed cooked rice in the river so that the fish won’t eat the poor man’s body. They started to wrap the cooked rice in bamboo leaves which evolved in today’s rice dumplings.

During the West Tsin dynasty, it became popular to eat rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival
Today, the rice dumplings can be either salty or sweet. The salty ones are made from rice, fresh meat or ham, while the sweet ones are made from rice, bean paste, dates’ paste and honey.

The highlight of this festival is obviously the Dragon boat race, where gorgeously decorated boats compete ferociously in a thrilling atmosphere. This practice is very old, it stems from the same era as the first Olympic games!

The race is meant to awaken the highly respected dragon god, who is in hibernation. The awakening of the dragon god, master of rivers and seas, maker of clouds and rain, will ensure a bountiful harvest to ward off diseases.

The symbolism behind the race is that after the dragon boats sail in the water, the water is considered blessed and people can then go for a swim or just touch the water, in order to stay healthy all year.
In the past this rite included fighting boats, where the drowning of some participants in the action was seen as a sacrifice, but obviously nowadays it’s just a boat race and has even become a sport.