Monthly Archives: February 2012

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Athletics Defining Youth Around the World

        My little brother Jonathan turns 6 years old this week, and this is a short little video of his basketball game last weekend. He’s wearing the number 11 jersey, and as you can see he still has a lot to learn about basketball! But he along with so many other children in our American society are participating in the phenomenon called organized sports.
        After watching Jonathan play his game, I began to wonder if children in other countries have the same opportunities for playing sports and being a part of athletic teams. I also wonder if organized sports in other regions of the world are carried out with a specific purpose and goal in mind, and I wonder if that goal is similar to the goals of the organized sports associations in America.
        In order to ensure that we cover each area of the globe during this journey through culture, this week we will look at youth sports in India, a cultural group we have yet to study. After comparing organized youth athletics in India to the American system, we will see that both similarities and differences exist between youth sports in these separate regions of the world.

Americans view athletics as an important part of a child's development.

        First of all, let’s take a brief look at organized youth athletics in American culture. America as a nation encourages its youth to participate in organized sports, and organizations such as the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS) exist in order to enhance the youth sports experience in America. Serving millions of boys and girls nationwide, the NCYS and other similar initiatives work with over 200 organizations in order to promote safe environments and healthy lifestyles through youth athletics.

Sports provide children with opporunities to develop important life-skills such as team work and cooperation.

        American culture has recognized that sports provide children with many benefits including physical exercise, team-building skills, confidence, agility and responsibility. Participation in athletic activities also gives children the opportunity to develop leadership skills and to learn how to work together with others to achieve a common goal. According to The Forum on Child and Family statistics, there are approximately 75 million children under the age of 18 in the United States today. The U.S. Census Bureau states that 41 percent of these children participate in organized sports.

Athletics also provide children with a sense of community.

        But organized sports for youth is not a universal, international phenomenon. In fact, many nations do not even have programs for youth athletics, and many nations have yet to realize the benefits of athletics in the development of youth.
        India particularly is a nation that has placed little emphasis on youth athletics in the past and in modern day society. Even in upper-class schools, sports activities usually take up only one hour a week. Youth athletics in India is often characterized by favoritism and lack of facilities, leaving little opportunity for involvement. But India’s leaders are beginning to realize the benefits of sports for youth and have begun to reform the mindset of the country.

India is beginning to recognize the value and significance of athletics for youth.

        In 2011 the India’s government released the National Sports Development Code of India, which outlines a plan of action for the development of athletics in India. The document states that sport development is a national priority due to the fact that it promotes active lifestyles, child development, social inclusiveness and a host of other benefits.
        Clearly, other nations around the world are  beginning to realize that athletics play an integral role in the development of a child. Sports provide unique opportunities to interact with peers, to develop strategies and to stretch physical and mental capabilities. So even though my little brother Jonathan has a little way to go before he’s any Michael Jordan, the lessons he learns on the court will clearly shape his development and impact his life.

Children around the world benefit from athletic involvement.

To learn about youth sports in India, visit http://theviewspaper.net/the-sports-culture-in-india/ or http://theviewspaper.net/sports-and-india%E2%80%99s-youth/.

To read the National Sports Development Code of India, visit  yas.nic.in/writereaddata/mainlinkFile/File918.pdf.

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Valentine’s Day: China and the West

Roses have become a trademark of Valentine's Day in the West.

Roses, chocolates, kisses and cards are the typical images that come to mind when we think of Valentine’s Day. The post office was overflowing earlier this week with bouquets of flowers and stacks of valentines. But as someone who has grown up in American society all of my life, I find these activities completely normal, and I even expect this on Valentine’s Day. But do other cultures celebrate Valentine’s Day with the same level of enthusiasm and commitment as Americans?

A Chinese couple celebrates Valentine's Day.

This semester I’ve had the opportunity to represent the country of China as part of my University’s Model United Nations team, and I have really enjoyed learning about this culture that is so different from ours. So I wondered how the Chinese celebrate Valentine’s Day, and I want to share with you what I have found.

Chinese legend says that the poor Zui Lang could only see his lovely wife once a year because of the Queen of Heaven.

Although many Chinese individuals have embraced the Western celebration of Valentine’s Day on February 14, the actual Chinese Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The holiday is founded on the myth of the seventh daughter of the Queen of Heaven and an her relationship with a poor, orphaned cowherd named Nui Lang. Nui Lang’s only friend was an old cow, and Nui Lang expressed his loneliness to the cow. The cow suggested that he go to the riverside one evening, and while he was there Nui Lang met Heaven’s seventh daughter, and they quickly fell in love and married. But the Queen was not happy and separated the two lovers, allowing them only to meet once every year, which is why the Chinese celebrate Valentine’s Day on the seventh day of  the seventh lunar month.

Chocolate has become another staple of Valentine's Day in our culture.

Clearly, the Chinese Valentine’s Day has a completely different heritage than than the Western version of the holiday. The Western version of Valentine’s Day traces its history to the Roman Empire. While Emperor Claudius II was ruler of Rome, he banned all marriages and engagements in order  to build a great army. But a priest named Valentine secretly arranged marriages and defied Claudius’ ruling. Valentine was eventually discovered by Claudius and was put to death on February 14 around the year 270 A.D. Valentine was named a saint after his death.

What would Valentine's Day be without valentines?

Valentine’s Day in China also follows different customs than Valentine’s Day in the West. The Chinese do not place much emphasis on giving chocolates, flowers and kisses on this day. Instead, Chinese girls often prepare fruits, melons and incense offerings to the seventh daughter of the Queen of Heaven in order to ask for her to give them skills needed to become a good wife. The girls also wish for acceptable husbands on this day. The Chinese often go outside and observe the constellations on this night as well.

In contrast, the West celebrates Valentine’s Day with elaborate cards, extravagant flower bouquets, roses, cupids and chocolate. It is known as the ultimate romantic holiday in Western culture and is celebrated in due fashion. So even though Valentine’s Day in both regions celebrates the gift of love, it is important to understand the cultural differences that affect the  history and current day expression of this holiday.

Although both regions highlight love on Valentine's Day, each region has its own unique way of celebrating.

To learn more about Valentine’s Day in China, visit http://www.everythingvalentinesday.com/chinese-valentines-day.html and http://www.china.org.cn/english/NM-e/39852.htm.

To learn more about the history and traditions of Valentine’s Day in the West, visit http://www.stvalentinesday.org/valentines-day.html.

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Western Art: Classical to Present

On January 27, 2012, I spent an evening at the Dayton Art Institute with a few special friends in celebration of my birthday. I love art institutes and museums, and my favorite thing about them is just viewing the beautiful, intricate masterpieces that have been created by so many different individuals at different times and places.

An evening at the Dayton Art Institute

The museum is divided into three main wings:  the Berry Wing of European Art, the Dicke Wing of American Art and the Patterson/Kettering Wing of Asian Art. There are also other galleries that showcase African Art, Oceanic Art, Pre-Columbian Art, Native American Art and Glass. A special exhibit of Norman Rockwell’s art work was on display during the time when we visited, and I especially enjoyed the showcase of a complete set of 323 Saturday Evening Post cover sheets that spanned over 47 years of his creativity.

An example of Norman Rockwell's artwork on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post.

At the end of the evening, I was once again shocked at the differences between the various art forms, and particularly with the variations between modern art and classical art. I want to discover why these periods of art history have differed so greatly from each other and understand how the works have contributed to and stem from society. So in this brief posting, we will look at the differences between the modern art and classical art of the West, learning about the unique characteristics of each period.

Many Western structures are modeled in the architectural style of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.

Western art traces its roots to the influence of Ancient Greece and Rome. The government buildings and offices in Washington D.C. emulated structures such as Greece’s Parthenon, and the Classical period  clearly influenced the design of many architectural structures in the West.

Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa"

This period eventually brought forth the Renaissance with influential artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Angelo.

A portion of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michael Angelo

Western art has been heavily influenced by Christianity and the commissions of the church for works of architecture, painting and sculptures. Secularism has also influenced Western art, and political culture has been another driving force.

The West has also been marked by Byzantine, Baroque, Modern and Postmodern art throughout its history, but what intrigued me most at the museum was the differences between the Classical period and the Modern period. Impressionism is a major artistic movement in the modern era. Artists like Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro and Pierre-Auguste Renoir differed from earlier artists and desired to capture light as seen by the human eye in their paintings.

Claude Monet's "Water Lilies"

The Modern period is also marked by the movement of Fauvism, which explored the ideas and use of color. Cubism revolutionized the use of shapes and the portrayal of three-dimensional reality, and Abstract art is another art movement that challenged the traditional form of art.

An example of Cubism is "Violin and Playing Cards" by Juan Gris.

It’s such a privilege to live in a place where art is appreciated and where it is valued and treasured. Art is such an important part of our culture and tells us so much about our history, from the architecture of Greece that shaped the structures of our nation to the Cuban, African-American and many other cultures that have influenced Modern art and continue to influence art today. Although I enjoy the intricate beauty and details of the Classical period of art, I have gained a new appreciation for more modern designs and artistic works. I look forward to many other visits to local art institutes and museums as they provide a unique setting in which to understand the forces that shape our culture and show us that culture indeed shapes us.

To learn more about the Dayton Art Institute, visit http://www.daytonartinstitute.org/.

To learn more about the art history, visit http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/.

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The Trobriand Islanders

The Triobriand Islands

This week we will look at another culture in the tropics, the culture of the Trobriand Islanders. The Trobriand Islands are located off the coast of Papua New Guinea and are home to many individuals. The island of Kiriwana is the most populous and is home to around 25,000 people, and the total population of the islands is around 30,000. Believing that they came from the underground, Trobrianders also believe that there are four clans that make up humanity. They live in thatched huts, and yam is one of the most important foods and crops in the community. Pigs are also an important source of food as well as fish, which provide most of the protein for the society.

Yams are an integral part of the culture.

As stated before, the production of yams is a crucial and integral part of the Trobriander lifestyle. They are both a food source, a source of wealth and a political tool due to the fact that they can be stored for almost half a year. Men are usually in charge of growing yams, and they typically create entire gardens that are just filled with this product. Women usually are in charge of the other food gardens which also contribute to a substantial portion of the Trobriand diet.

The typical homes in the Trobriand Islands.

European sailors and traders exerted influence in the Trobriand Islands, and Australia had control of the islands in most of the twentieth century, but the islands gained independence in 1975. The villagers occasionally dress in Western clothing, but typically they dress in fiber skirts and colorful cotton cloth. As stated before, the Trobrianders are a part of four matrilineal clans called kumila. Matrilineal refers to the idea that descent is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors. These clans dictate marriages, and individuals must marry someone from a different clan because marriage is seen as a way to strengthen ties. Trobrianders also belong to their mother’s matrilineage called the dala.

Trobrianders have interesting ideas about the beginning of life and conception. They believe that the island of Tuma is the place that a spirit goes after death, and they believe that this spirit then returns to the island of Kiriwina, enters a woman’s body and grows to become her child. They believe that the father contributes to further development of the baby through frequent intercourse, but they do not believe the father alters or contributes in any way to the physiology of the child. The child is seen as the consummation of the woman’s blood and the spirit child.

A young Trobriander with a cockatoo.

Fathers are held responsible for the safety and caretaking of their children, meaning that the fathers are responsible for providing for their families. Fathers are also responsible for maintaining their child’s physical and social beauty, and they do this to demonstrate their own wealth and prosperity. Death in the Trobriand Islands is said to be caused by something, and they believe that people are always “killed” when they die and that people never die just from natural causes. They have many rituals that surround the death of individuals, such as engaging in ritualized crying, grieving for months, prohibiting the widow or widower from speaking or feeding themselves and secluding the spouse for months after the death.

Dance competitions can last for weeks in the islands.

As stated before, yams are an important political tool. They are also significantly important in marriage, and the bride’s father plants a yam garden for his daughter a year after the marriage has passed. The brother of the bride then takes over the task eventually of caring for the garden. The growth of the yams also determines the holiday times for the people, and they rest when the yams are harvested and the yam houses are filled. The Trobrianders hold many yam competitions during this holiday period as well as dance competitions. Cricket is another staple activity of the Trobrianders, and the sport was brought to the islands by the British. Similar to the yam and dance competitions, the cricket matches often contain overt sexual activities, and this can be seen through dress, chants and dances. Magic is also an integral part of Trobriand society, and anthropologists Malinowski and Weiner have come to two different views of magic in the society. We will discuss these views later in the paper as both anthropologists have contributed significantly to the study of the Trobriand culture.

Children also take part in the dancing.

The Trobrianders also participate in something called the kula ring, which is a system of the exchange of shells. The system has both ceremonial value as well as allowing traders to exchange their surpluses for other items and goods that are needed for them and their clan. Women also participate in a type of manufacturing and distribution of goods as well. Women in the culture produce skirts and bundles from leaves of bananas, and these skirts and bundles are typically used when individuals in the community die.

HIV and AIDS are currently major issues in the Trobriand society. It is so prevalent due to fact that individuals engage freely in sexual relations with numerous partners, including at times their own family members. Due to the fact that Papua New Guinea is one of the largest developing countries in the South Pacific, the Trobriand Islands have seen many tourists in the recent past. But a fire that destroyed the island’s hotel halted tourism, and the islanders have resisted change. Nonetheless, the Trobrianders have begun to slowly assimilate to modern society even though their kula traditions still remain strong at the roots.

To learn more about Trobriand culture and customs, visit http://www.everyculture.com/Oceania/Trobriand-Islands.html.