Animal Farm Essay

This is shown perfectly in Animal Farm. In the beginning animals went against Mr. Jones due to the way they were being treated. The animals felt that the farmers received all the goods for the work they did. So they created a government named Animalism, based on the Old Major’s vision. In Animalism, there are no owners, no rich, but no poor, workers got a better life, and all animals are equal. The animals established the Seven Commandments, which were laws created by the pigs to protect animals. The goals of the government were also set up. The goals said that everyone was equal, there would be more food and sleep for all, there was to be respect for all animals, and they would build a windmill to make life better for all. All this didn’t exist by the end of the book. The animals were getting less sleep, less food, and less respect. The windmill became a source of money for the leaders, not for all the animals. The seven commandments were gradually changed to suit the just the pigs until there was only one commandment left. This commandment said that some animals are more equal than others. This was the exact opposite of what they originally intended to achieve. Animalism no longer existed. The pigs began by to act more like humans, whilst at the same time changing the meaning or literally changing the laws. At the start they managed to change the meaning of all animals are equal, by asserting themselves as the â€Å"brain-workers† and taking the milk and apples. Over the years they start trading with animals, drinking alcohol, sleeping in beds, making animals enemies and killing animals. Napoleon also becomes an egomaniac and has a food taster, has dogs to guard him at all times, gun is fired on his birthday, etc. this just goes on to show how he is becoming more like a human. Later on the remaining pigs also took up whips, walked on hind legs, started to wear clothes and played cards. The pigs have now taken up the role of a dictator and rule through force via the dogs, propaganda via Squealer and using the sheep’s new slogan – â€Å"four legs good, two legs better†, which destroys the whole meaning of the of the rebellion. Napoleon only cares about his wellbeing and getting as much power as possible. This is evident when he starts doing business with the humans just to get more money and when he sells Boxer to the horse slaughter for money for alcohol. The final commandment stands as a great example of how those in power manipulate language as an instrument of control. . At the beginning of the novel, the idea of â€Å"more equal† would not only have seemed contrary to the democratic socialist spirit of Animal Farm, it would have seemed logically impossible. But after years of violence, hunger, dishonesty, and fear, the spirit of Animal Farm seems lost to a distant past. Could anyone give some constructive criticism on this essay please?

Stand By Me

In the film the four main characters are, Chris, who is the tough one, Teddy, who is the daring one, Gordie, Who's the sensitive one and Vern, whos just stupid because he asks stupid questions. They hear that a kid has been killed by a train and they've gone to lookfor him. The story is about them growing up and becoming more mature, Friendship, Bullying and an adventure(themes). The Night scene takes place towards the end of the film. They are all smoking around the campfire talking about daft things such as what is Goofy?(the Disney character). This scene is important because it shows their friendship and how they are all close friends, asking Gordie to tell them a story because they all believe he is a really good story teller/writer. The night scene opens with a shot of the moon and then calmly moves down and into the woods to were they are all smoking around the campfire. There is no music at the start of the scene, but there is music towards the end of the scene (once they have finished talking some music comes on, the music is 50's because it makes you feel as if the film is set in the fifties. There are sounds of birds and crickets (wildlife) at the start which makes you feel as if its real life. The Gang ask Gordie to tell them a story, so he tells them a story about a boy called Lardass, who enters a pie eating competition, he doesn't want to win the competition he just wants revenge. Lardass is a overweight kid who is very unpopular, his brother and sister even call him Lardass (Lardass is his nickname). Before the competition he drinks a bottle of castor oil and one raw egg, this is all to do with his revenge. Halfway through the competition his plan had started to work, he was sick all over the champion of last year, then the champion was sick all over another person. Not until the smell reached the crowd did his plan really work, when the smell hit the crowd every body was being sick over everybody. Verns reaction to the story was that of stupidity, when he asks Gordie if Lardass had to pay to get in the competition. Teddy didn't like the ending probably because it didn't have anything to do with fighting or killing. He says the ending should be that Lardass goes home, shoots his dad then joins the Texas Rangers. Teddy thinks like that because deep down inside he hates his dad and that's what he would do to his dad. Chris thought the ending was brilliant, as he was being very supportive and also saying it was brilliant. The story relates to the gang, as they are all outcasts like Lardass. You can also tell the story related to them because it was set in a very similar town to theirs. You could see the story as if it was on the television, physically seeing the story made you feel as if it was going into Gordies imagination. Once they had finished talking about the ending of the story, Chris turned on the radio which was playing fifties music, the music was fifties to remind you what year the film was set in, it also set the scene, gradually fading away as they start to talk. They show their friendship by talking to one another about daft things, such as what is Goofy. The camera fades from one person to another, it doesn't let you hear the whole conversation, it just keeps changing subject. It also shows the friendship with camera shots around the campfire, looking cosy and warm. The mood of the scene changes when they hear the noises of the wildlife, at first only Vern showed that he was scared. Teddy was scaring Vern even more by saying it was the ghost of the dead boy. Teddy was saying that he wanted to look for the kids ghost and then all of a sudden a big howl echoed in the woods, at this point everybody was scared. Vern showed that he was the wimp of the gang by whispering â€Å"I think we should stand guard†. They gang approve of his comment and Teddy is first to stand guard, he was acting as if he was in a War of some sort. When Vern was guarding he was really scared, pointing the gun at every noise he heard. Gordie and Chris were talking because Gordie had a nightmare about his brothers funeral. His nightmare was that his dad whispered into his ear â€Å"It should have been you†.

Islam Worksheet Essay

When studying Islam, it is important to understand the essential elements of the faith, how they are practiced, and the distinctions among the three branches: Shiite Islam, Sunni Islam, and Sufism. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following directives and note where there are differences among the three branches of Islam. 1. Explain the meaning of the name, Islam. Islam is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Quran, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God, and by the teachings and normative example (called the Sunnah and composed of Hadith) of Muhammad, [ considered by them to be the last prophet of God. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim. 2. Explain the basic concepts of Islam. Is an unerringly monotheistic religion. It enjoins the existence of one God, his prophet Muhammad who is the Last Prophet in a long line of prophets sent throughout time and to every civilization, and the Quran as the Word of God revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibrael. Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable and the purpose of life is to worship him and to adhere to his word, as laid down in the Quran, and in Sunnah , as closely as possible. They believe that Islam is the final, completed and universal version of a faith revealed too many prophets before; most notably Abraham, Moses and Jesus, but whose message has now been distorted. Describe the practices of Islam. They go to church in cathedral mosques (Jami’a), in which sermons are preached and congregational prayers are offered up for the reigning Sultan every Friday. Besides these there are about one hundred and eighty Muslim oratories or chapels (Mesjà ®d), to many of which schools are attached. Prayers are also frequently said at the grated windows of the little shrines or tomb-houses of celebrated welys, or saints, which are numerous in Damascus. Men of the higher classes rarely go to the mosques except on Fridays, as they can command proper places for ceremonial ablution and prayer in their own houses; but to a Muslim of the lower ranks, a large mosque which is open every day from sunrise to sunset or later, is like a second home. 3. Describe the goals of Islam. The 4. Describe the view of authority in Islam. philosophy, and the arts in the Muslim world. Write a 1- to 2-paragraph response for each of the following questions. Provide examples to illustrate your thinking. 1. What is the legal ideal in Islamic law? How does the Qur’an inform and guide Muslims in attaining this ideal? 2. What is the relationship between philosophy and theology within Islam? Is it acceptable for Muslims to hold separate philosophical and theological beliefs? 3. What artistic themes are regularly expressed in Islamic art and architecture? How are these themes explored? How has the Qur’an influenced the development of art in the Islamic world?

Is gambling a pastime or addiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Is gambling a pastime or addiction - Essay Example Prediction cannot be made for all betting risks like lotteries, some slot machines and bingo but for certain other things like sports betting and horse racing, a prediction can be attempted, depending on the predictor’s expertise and insight. In the UK, there are a number of offline commercial gambling kinds available such as lotto, bingo, card games, sports-related betting, non-sports betting, scratch cards, roulette, slot machines, and football pools and spread betting (Griffiths, 2009). In the UK, the terms â€Å"problem gambling† and â€Å"pathological gambling† have been employed in a number of studies to explain gambling that affects the person and family life of the gambler. The general term â€Å"Prevalence† is used for process addictions, which is the epidemiological term for the number of people addicted to a specific problem. In the field of process addictions, only problem gambling has so far produced prevalence estimates (Griffiths, 2009). Various societies have distinct societal concepts of social problems, as in Canada beliefs and values vary on when gambling is to be seen as a problem and the causes behind it. It is not easy to define process addictions, for instance, when gambling is a harmless pastime and when is it addictive (Firth, 2010). The American Psychiatric Association (APA) identified gambling as actually a pathological disorder in the 1980. Even Freud (1929/1950) had researched problem gambling but remained inadvertent about its prediction. According to APA, gambling is a rising psychological disorder, featured by emotional addiction, lack of control and attached negative repercussions in the gamblers’ academic, social, or vocational life. Other popular names for pathological gambling are compulsive gambling and addictive gambling (Jean, 2000). In addictive gambling, the person shows a recurrent and continued disorder of dysfunctional behaviours by remaining busy in gambling. The person wants to put at the risk greater sum of money to attain increased stimulation. Continuous striving is seen to curb, check and/or stop gambling. Feeling of restlessness or irritating behaviour is observed when striving to check or curb the habit of gambling. For an addictive gambler, gambling becomes an escape-route from mood shifts. An addictive gambler reverts back to equalise the loss. Such a person attempts not to disclose the level of engagement with gambling. Wrong means are sought to arrange funds for gambling. Gambling when it becomes an addiction causes the loss of one’s aim in life pertaining to the relationship, scholarship or career. Dependence on others for maintaining status increases with the prevalence of gambling, as a gambler needs financial support due to shortage of funds. The only criterion segregating addictive behaviour is the presence of bipolar disorder. The debate over whether gambling is an addiction or pass time, (Kusyszyn, 1980) has been hyped out of proportion. For instance, many years back, a popular suggest columnist used to publish an article by a doctor explaining that gambling â€Å"could not possibly† be addictive (Jean, 2000). Viewing the perspective of this physician, functions like gambling, stealing and outward expression of sexual behaviours do not engage substance intake and that’s why they are not addictions. Instead, the physician debated, they are generally representations of manic depressiveness although mania is an external recognition for the presence of gambling disorders. Had it been true, then most of the gambling patients would have been managed with lithium, which is not so (Jean, 2000). Those who support gambling as mere pass time and question

Virginia Tech Tragedy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Virginia Tech Tragedy - Case Study Example Cho Seung-Hui had been previously investigated for hostile behavior, but any action was private and was not disclosed due to confidentiality issues ("Killer's Manifesto"). The University was faulted for a slow and inadequate response and the state was criticized for failing to deal with the shooter's mental health problems. Politicians, educators and editorialists lost no time in commenting on the tragedy, but they arrived at radically different conclusions when it came to addressing many of the basic questions arising from an act of this nature. Among them were the following: Why did University officials allow the killing to continue without evacuating the campus Why did the state not take action and force Cho Seung-Hui to seek treatment for his mental disorders How did the suspect obtain high-powered weapons with a history of mental health issues In this review of the initial reactions to the shootings at Virginia Tech, I intend to examine how those three questions were answered, while at the same time indicating my own critical response to the conclusions that they were based on. The killings could have been prevented by a quicker University response, mandatory mental health treatment, and stricter gun control. The formal investigation into the shootings criticized the University for failing to act in a prompt and proper manner. Timothy Kaine, the governor of Virginia, commented, "It was very clear in the immediate aftermath [of the first shootings] that the community should have been notified that the perpetrator or perpetrators were still at large" (qtd. in Tran). The initial students were killed shortly after 7:00 AM, but a lockdown did not occur and students were not warned of the potential danger until 9:26 AM (Tran). The deadlier second wave of killings took place approximately 20 minutes later. The two and a half hour delay in warning students was unacceptable and the e-mail notification should have occurred immediately. An early warning and word of mouth may have been able to identify and prevent the additional killings at 9:45 AM. Locking down the campus may have stopped the killer from entering the classrooms and dormitories. The report into the killings said, "During Cho's junior year at Virginia Tech, numerous incidents occurred that were clear warnings of mental instability" (Tran). Administrators and students are culturally conditioned to respect privacy and students are reluctant to "turn in bad actors to adult authority" (Henninger). In the wake of the shootings there has been a call for reforming the mental health laws. University officials are considering forced removal of hostile students and lawmakers are considering the suspension of students' privacy rights (Bower). With his extensive history of trouble, Cho only received sporadic counseling and infrequent medication to treat his disorder. It is a sensitive issue to force a person to seek mental health treatment when there is only the potential for violence. Our cultural tradition values freedom and privacy. These values will sometimes limit the action that a state or educational institution can take against someone they suspect may be of danger to themselves or others. According to a report on CNN, "Virginia law disqualifies a person from buying firearms only if they have

Product and Service Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Product and Service Strategies - Essay Example Style - look, fashion etc. Integrative force: Changing one or more of the above-discussed parameters could differentiate a Product. This will act as the competitive advantage or unique selling proposition of that particular product and to the company as a whole. Product Hierarchy: The hierarchy of a product starts from the basic need of the customer. A product is designed to fulfill the need. Then a product family emerges which includes major categories. i.e. for a life insurance both savings and income schemes will be included here or all insurance schemes will be grouped here. Then a product class emerges. i.e. considering only the income part of insurance. This is followed by product line where age groups come. Here the target market is known clearly. Then finally item comes where the focus will be on countries. i.e. Italian marble items are known world wide. Product Hierarchy Need Product family Product class Product line Product type Item Product Line Analysis This analysis will give clear details about the product Sales Profit Market profile Positioning Competition Identifying market segments Differentiation Finally, the management will be in a position to decide which product to focus more and which one to drop. Product Line Length The product line would be short if profits increase by adding items. The product line would be long if profits increase by dropping items. The General notion about the product length goes like this: A Company will have shorter product lines if its objective is short-term profitability or high profitability. A Company will have longer product lines if its objective is capturing more market share and market growth. The product line would lengthen for companies in due course of time. Commonly, companies...Product line pricing, a type of product mix strategy, sets price steps (also known as price points) between products in the line to appeal to different groups of consumers. Another product mix strategy called price bundling clusters two or more sports products into a single "packaged" price. Conversely, captive product pricing unbundled two or more sports products and sells each at a separate price. This type of product mix strategy is also referred to as two-part pricing. In economics and marketing, a service is the non-material equivalent of a good. Service provision has been defined as an economic activity that does not result in ownership, and this is what differentiates it from providing physical goods. It is claimed to be a process that creates benefits by facilitating either a change in customers, a change in their physical possessions, or a change in their intangible assets Intangibility - They cannot be seen, handled, smelled, etc. There is no need for storage. Because services are difficult to conceptualize, marketing them requires creative visualization to effectively evoke a concrete image in the customer's mind. From the customer's point of view, this attribute makes it difficult to evaluate or compare services prior to experiencing the service. Perishability - Unsold service time is "lost", that is, it can

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 9

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example The cost of absenteeism for the Silkeborg Council had reached enormous levels and warranted prompt intervention and the majority of the cases of absenteeism, the council noted was as a result of high levels of sickness. The traditional approach to combating sickness absence is to consider this at a personal level. Strategies that are usually employed at this level consist of return to work initiatives, attendance monitoring and referral to a professional health service. Discovery Silkeborg Council Elderly Care Department: Key Issues and Problems Although the Council has previously taken several initiatives in an attempt to intervene to reduce absenteeism in the elderly care sector, the approaches taken have only resulted in production of short-term improvements without any significant long-term effect. The approaches employed have included analysis of the root causes of lost time, developing a Stop-Lift policy that would ensure reduction in lost time caused by back injuries, and assi sting the various leaders in developing supervisory skills. The Council also embarked on education of the management level in supervisory and leadership roles and assisting them and the overall care staff to contribute their skills together in order to develop a policy that would handle absenteeism effectively. Most of these strategies have been employed but they have always produced meagre results. Nevertheless, recent research works have indicated newer approaches to approaching this issue, and as such work attendance has been revealed to be related to both physical and psychological environment at work. In addition, management performances, approaches and behaviours, social customs and economic strains, apparent health conditions and job contentment impacted on absenteeism. Conceptually, lower employment grades have long been linked with both short term and long term absenteeism, particularly those who take sick leaves. Disparities in the level of absenteeism particularly sick le aves between different sectors within the council and amongst the work force operating within comparable socioeconomic profiles within the council imply that work features predict sickness absence behaviour. Absence has always been noted to be high amongst those employees, who consider their duties at work to be lacking leadership roles, low on variety and use of skills, low on assistance at the work place. Employees occupying lower grades at the elderly care facility were up to six times more likely than those in higher grades to report jobs perceived to be low in demands, control, and support; consequently, they are said to be susceptible to moderate, extended and very long periods of sickness absence. The Karasek and Theorell’s demand-control model of work related strain has been regularly applied in such circumstances. The model proposes that risks to health do mostly arise when job demands are combined with low decision latitude that is perceived low control over work an d possible fewer prospects in realizing those skills. However, most studies assert that decision latitude is said to be a stronger forecaster than demand including social support at work as a forecaster of job strain. The demand and control model can be a useful means of developing and designing structures for planning organizational approaches to combat job strain and related characters which include sickness absence. Dream Addressing the Issues In developing an organizational change management intervention that will ensure

Traditional Health Care (Culture Care) Practices Research Paper

Traditional Health Care (Culture Care) Practices - Research Paper Example Figures from the 2009 World Religious survey shows that 50.4% of Nigeria's population are Muslims, 48.2% are Christian (15% Protestant, 13.7% Catholic, and 19.6% other Christian), and followers of other religions are 1.4% (BBC News, 2007). These figures notwithstanding, it is evident that Nigerian, Muslims or Christians, have widespread belief in traditional African religious practices (BBC News, 2007). In fact, this belief system has a bearing on the way health and illness is perceived and treated in Nigeria. The richness and variety of Nigeria diet is well known. Different spices and herbs are used in the preparation of soups and sauces and this dominated by meat and/or fish. The use of spices and herbs in food is believed to prevent illnesses such as malaria. With a dysfunctional educational system, only 68% of the population is literate with the rate for men (75.7%) is higher than that for women (60.6%). A country ravaged by poverty and corruption, it has a very low gross domesti c product (GDP); however, it is considered a lower middle income country by the World Bank (World Bank, 2011). The low literacy rate and the very low GDP affect people’s perception of illness and access to medical facilities, respectively. The Nigerian society, like the rest of Africa and in most developing countries has a male-centered and male dominated culture (U.S. Department of State, 2009). This affects the way women are treated and regarded. Most often sick women such as widows and those without children are accused of witchcraft and molested. Definition and Traditional beliefs of Health and Illness in Nigeria Nigerians regards health as multidimensional and not merely the absence of disease. Health is regarded as the attainment of physical, mental, emotional and social well being (WHO, 2005). This definition, which concord with the World Health Organization’s definition, is not a trademark of Nigerian philosophy of good health but the traditional belief of most ancient civilizations. Illness, on the other hand is disharmony either in the physical, mental, emotional and social state of an individual. Thus it is common among Nigerian to view immoral and erratic behavior as a disease. Furthermore, traditional medicine in Nigeria attributes illnesses to spiritual imbalance. Such imbalance could be self-inflicted or the handiwork of the enemies. Thus illnesses, according to traditional medicine in Nigeria, have their origin in the spiritual world Traditional Methods of Maintaining, Protecting and Restoration of Health in Nigeria The traditional method of maintaining, protecting and restoring health in Nigeria is linked with the African Traditional Religion (ATR). This method is the sum total of practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to diagnose, prevent an d eliminate of physical, mental, or societal imbalance, and rely exclusively on practical experience and observation handed down from generation to generation, whether verbally or in writing (WHO, 2005). The knowledge and practices form part of ATR. As mentioned above, traditionally, Nigerians linked all

Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Insurance - Essay Example A certain level of risk is assumed to be accepted given the risk appetite of the management relating to a particular risk. Risk limitation is considered as the blend of risk acceptance and avoidance such that the company designs its portfolio of risk components and considers as to which risk component needs to be accepted or avoided. Risk transfer is the most common risk management technique such that the risk component is transferred to third party. The most common example is insurance in which the risk is transferred to insurance company against the premiums that the insurance company charges from the business. For different home styles, the most appropriate policy is the special policy called as HO-3. This policy insures all main perils except earthquake, flood, nuclear accident and war. Through insurance coverage, one gets deep coverage up to 100% of the replacement cost of home. The home content that insurer generally covers is between 50 to 75% of the property’s value. As far as the tax implications are concerned on obtaining an insurance policy of any type, it is important to note that any loan obtained to purchase the insurance policy is not regarded as taxable income. However, in case of lapse of policy or the surrender of the policy in favor of the insurer, the amount of loan becomes taxable and it will entitle the policyholder to pay tax on the loan amount. Similarly, if the interest paid on that loan is from out of pocket, it will not be tax deductible and thus result in higher tax consequences. As far as the personal finance plan is concerned, in short-term, insurance on automobile, cellular phone etc. will be needed as these things are frequently replaced with the newer models or versions etc. For medium-terms based needs, insurance policies such as health/disability or home policies will be preferred. For long-terms insurance needs, life insurance policies will be included in the financial plan. Savings and

Financial Markets and institutions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Markets and institutions - Assignment Example March 16 saw an even worse situation in which economic data of the US painted a dismal outlook for the economy. Whole sales prices were seen increasing more than expected, while a lower than expected demand in the housing sector pushed the investors over the edge and panic selling took place. Investors sought sanctuary in US Treasuries instead of the stocks. Another key factor that lowered the stock index was the fact that option prices jumped up by 21% given the situation in Japan. However, the index saved grace and climbed up by almost 2.2% in the following two days, owing to the fact that G& offered their assistance in helping to control the Japanese fiasco. At the same time, the US manufacturing sector registered steady growth figures which boosted the S&P index. Another key factor was that investors displayed a slightly higher risk appetite and this saw Treasuries going down as yields rose to 3.26% from 3.19%. The most primary determinant of any index is the economic outlook of the region. S&P was highly influenced by the economic data that was coming forth. The disaster in Japan nudged the fact that US imports from the region would suffer. This could cause production issues in the US, which depended on machinery and raw material from Japan. Furthermore, the economic indicators such as inflationary pressure and weak demand elucidated the fact that the GDP growth would slow down. These assumptions triggered the rise in US treasuries which were seen as a safe haven. Oil prices not only raised the energy costs in US, but also created a sense of dread in OMCs’ who were at risk of supply shocks. Investors offloaded these stocks, judging that the P/E measures would drop due to lower earning concerns. Present valuation of future cash flows, or rather the ability to generate future cash flows was the major determinant in the decline and the rise in the market during this week. As mentioned above, the rise in manufacturing growth suggested that the sector wo uld show positive returns, hence the market jumped up. International support for the Japanese boosted sentiments that their production capacity would soon normalize. Investors took this as a positive sign and the S&P 500 gained ground on this. The economic theory apart from present value of cash flows which applies to the S&P’s fluctuation is the inflation development. If inflation persists, then monetary tightening could occur. Any hike in interest rates would hurt economic growth, and such sentiments can cause a decline in the indices. As mentioned earlier, the biggest determinant of price movements of stock indices are the economic indicators and expectations of these indicators. If expectations lead to believe that there will be a positive change, then the prices of these indices will jump up. The flip side of the coin is that if sentiments perceive the market factors to be unfavorable, then a downward spiral can ensue. Financial Crisis 2008-11 Introduction The global fin ancial crisis which started in early 2007 has proven to be perhaps the great financial catastrophe in history. Although it traces its roots back to the starting of the millennia, the subsequent meltdown was most gruesome over the past 3 years. What began as a crisis of the sub-prime mortgage market in the United States quickly transcended national borders and developed into an

MBA project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MBA project - Essay Example The study is made on secondary data. Qualitative analysis of the information collected leads to the inference that the bank has excellent human resource practices which is guided by a deliberate overlapping of the business initiatives with the employee training needs for the organizations. Recommendations have been made on the basis of this study. These are aimed at improving the bank’s performance in the future. ... This sector is regulated by â€Å"the Sharia law of Fiqh al-Muamalat (rules of transactions)† (â€Å"Islamic Banking Trends - the Future of Arab Banking†). Employee training and development plays an important role in the banking sector in all the gulf countries. Level of involvement of the employees depend on two most important factors; personal characteristics of the employee as well as the culture in the organization. Training and development of the employees of the banks in the Saudi Arabia takes into account factors such as education and age of the employees and the rank held by them in the organization, tenure in the organizational and the pay received by them (AlKahtani 67-78). 1.1 Background Global The Al Rajhi bank is not only a big financial institution in the Saudi Arabia; it is the biggest Islamic bank in the whole world. It has significant influence in the country’s trade and commerce with the rest of the world. Hence, human resource of the bank casts notable impact on the business sphere at the global level. Continental The gulf region is closely knitted with the banks whose business practices are guided by the Islamic culture and religious beliefs. These banks are a part of the financial system of Saudi Arabia and have majorly contributed to the entire continent of Asia. Indeed, performance of these banks is currently considered as the measure of the economic health of the gulf region and also of Asia (Al-Dukheil 56). According to Al-Dukheil, the private sector is becoming increasingly important in the financial sector and contribution of these banks is set to increase further. National There is high Islamic awareness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (At-Twaijri 11-16). This creates barriers for the organizations in adopting a generalist employee

Naked Economics Essay Example for Free

Naked Economics Essay Baumbach AP Macro Response Paper â€Å"Making money takes time, so when we shop, were really spending time. The real cost of living isnt measured in dollars and cents but in the hours and minutes we must work to live (5). † After reading this sentence, I felt a little confused about what the author meant in this sentence. However, after reading the inflation example about stockings and cell phones, I truly do understand and agree with this quote. As the author explains, just because the price goes up, doesn’t mean that the cost of living has gone up. By factoring in wages people make per hour and comparing that with the price of an item such as stockings or cell phones, the cost of living can in fact be lower than it once was. It all depends on how much time of work is needed to acquire the item desired. Using this method, as the author elaborates, is really how we determine if the cost of an item costs more than it once did. Along with the importance of cost of living, the Real GDP and Real GDP per capita also play an important role in our economic growth. While talking about GDP, the author states the feelings of Americans by stating â€Å"Indeed, if we all believe the economy is likely to get worse, then it will get worse. And if we all believe it will get better, then it will get better (12). † I believe what the author means by this is that we decide whether the economy goes up or down based upon how we feel as a society about spending. The more we spend, the greater real GDP becomes which allows more investments to occur. Because this happens, our economy will continue to expand and do well leading to a respectful amount of inflation along with that. On the other side, when we feel that the economy is likely to become worse, we cut back on spending causing real GDP to go down allowing businesses to invest less forcing them to lay off people (greater unemployment) leading to a worse economy. It’s a continuous cycle; the people determine how the economy performs based on how much consumption, investing, government spending, and net exports occur. Furthermore, the after the national financial crisis of 2008 occurred, President Obama passed a stimulus in 2009, hoping that we could pull ourselves out of the recession. Even though the post-effect wasn’t extremely positive due to speculation of the economy, I thought President Obama did the right thing to pass the Stimulus. As the author says, â€Å"A bad stimulus is better than no stimulus, and a bad stimulus is what we got (18). † Instead of letting Americans live in chaos and fear for many more years, Obama decided to act with a fairly responsive stimulus. Of course, the stimulus wasn’t as effective as many hoped for, but it was a step in the right direction. As a result, the stimulus did little effect on the economy, but I believe that it had a large effect on American morale. The stimulus provided 2 to 3 percent GDP growth and provided millions of jobs to Americans which is perhaps some of the best news many received in the past two years. Even though Americans may have spent or invested in the short spurt of the stimulus, it allowed Americans to become more confident with their spending and investing instead of saving it all again. In addition, the author talks about borrowing and how economists view the budget differently than accountants. Economists seem to be more fluctuating about the amount of spending we do as long as we pay it back while accountants are all about balancing the budget. Based on that being said, the author proclaims that â€Å"As a nation, we are consuming more than we are producing, and we have to pay for the difference somehow (23). I believe this to be a bad thing because there have been no positive signs of our debt becoming any smaller which can cause economic destruction in the future. The author contradicts his previous quote by stating â€Å"countries that have gotten themselves into financial trouble are usually running large current account deficits (24). † I feel that we are one of those countries that have maintained a large current account deficit. If we continue to spend more than we are producing, then it is inevitable that the American economy will collapse.

Techniques for Providing Fresh Water to Arid Regions

Techniques for Providing Fresh Water to Arid Regions Student ID Number: 36845 Introduction Water is vital as it does not have a substitute and is a finite resource (Kaplan, 2011). The demand for water is ever increasing but the supply is decreasing or is constant. This demand is brought up by factors such as population increase, industrialization and agricultural needs. Some areas receive the right amount of whereas, others do not receive the right amount. These regions are known as arid regions where rainfall and water supply is less yearly causing droughts. The report will examine the feasibility of two techniques namely desalination and building dams and reservoirs for supplying fresh water to arid regions considering factors such as cost, technology, location and water quality. Background Kaplan (2011) points out that there is approximately 36 million cubic kilometres of fresh water available on the earth which equals to 3% and the rest 97% is salt water. 77% of the fresh water available is locked up in the polar icecaps, glaciers and icebergs, less than 1% in fresh water lakes, springs and rivers. The rest is found in plants, atmosphere and human bodies. However, another argument put forward by Kaplan (2011) was that just over a half of the fresh water available on the earth is being used. This means that there is plenty of fresh water available but is inefficiently used, wasted in simpler terms and not evenly distributed across the world. Therefore, arid regions are formed as they do not receive the right amount of water demanded from their population in that area. UNEP (1992) reports about 47% of the surface of the earth being arid or semi-arid. This shows almost half of the world is without water whereas, some places have plenty of fresh water available. Another r eport of UNEP (1997) claims about 2 billion people live in arid regions and in many cases in very poor conditions. This shows the need and importance of development of ideas and techniques to provide fresh water to these regions. Figure 1 Global dry land areas by continent Continent Extension Percentage Arid Semi-arid Dry subhumid Arid Semi-arid Dry subhumid (million ha) Africa 467.60 611.35 219.16 16.21 21.20 7.60 Asia 704.30 727.97 225.51 25.48 26.34 8.16 Oceania 459.50 211.02 38.24 59.72 27.42 4.97 Europe 0.30 94.26 123.47 0.01 1.74 2.27 North/central America 4.27 130.71 382.09 6.09 17.82 4.27 South America 5.97 122.43 250.21 7.11 14.54 5.97 Total 1 641.95 1 897.74 1 238.68 Mha=106ha. Source: FAO (2002) Figure 1 above shows the percentage and the distance in hectares (ha) of the surface of the earth that can be classified as an arid or a semi-arid region. From the table; Africa and Asia have the largest extension of arid zones, they account for more than a half of worlds arid regions (FAO, 2002). Comparison of options: Desalination According to Kucera (2014), desalination is defined as the â€Å"process of removing dissolved solids, such as salts and minerals, from water.† Desalination was used practically first in the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries by sailors. Desalination is sometimes referred as distillation and sailors back in the sixteenth century used simple distillation technique to evaporate sea water and collecting the fresh water. The figure below from Kucera (2014) shows the total desalination capacity by different countries since 2003. The highest percentages of desalination capacity are led by the Middle East countries i.e. Saudi Arabia and UAE followed closely by; Spain, USA, China, Algeria, Australia, Israel, and India, respectively. Figure 2 Kucera (2014) Figure 2 above also shows that desalination is a process that is mainly operated by the developing countries. Not a single African nation is seen in the figure means that the most arid region of the world is not using desalination process. Keyes , Conrad Fahy, Tansel, Berrin (2012) claim desalination have two major technological methods involved i.e. membrane and evaporative also known as thermal. Middle East use the evaporative technology while, the USA depend on the membrane process of desalination as it is more technologically advanced and has a cost advantage. â€Å"Desalination water treatment plants must be managed in an environmentally compatible manner and requires significant environmental assessment efforts depending on the quality of the concentrate and geographical location of the facility† (ibid, 2012). This shows the process of desalination for providing fresh water to arid region is quite costly and requires attention to the environment as only developing countr ies like the UAE and the USA can afford to use. Building dams reservoirs: A dam is a structure built along rivers or streams that are used to control the water flow and store the water in reservoirs during the rainy season and release as needed during the times of drought. Reservoirs are artificial lakes that store the water (UNEP, 2000). The stored water is used in several ways; irrigation, domestic use, producing hydro-electricity and leisure activities. .Abu-zeid and.El-Shibini (2010) states â€Å"the only main source for Egypt’s water is the River Nile.† Therefore Egypt is also considered part of the arid regions of the world. The Aswan High Dam was built on the River Nile in Egypt to control floods, produce HEP- Hydro-electric power and irrigate their lands in 1971. The dam had positive impacts on rapid growing population of Aswan province. The tourism industry and the fishers noted a growth in their businesses. The majority of the Egyptian population also depends on the river for its water for domestic and industrial use. The figure bel ow represents the area in hectares-ha of irrigation in countries of Africa in 1997. (University of Michigan, n.d.) The figure shows Egypt irrigated 3.3 million hectares in 1997, and that number will keep on increasing as population increases (University of Michigan, n.d). However, some negative impacts are noted by Abu-zeid and El-Shibini (2010) that during the construction of the dam several Egyptian residents and monuments had to immigrate to the cities of Lower Egypt. The dam being 111 metres high and 3830 metres long costs the Egyptian government about 1 billion dollars (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2014). This shows building dams and reservoirs can have some drawbacks in the short run like cost, re-settlement, natural disasters and water borne diseases but in the long run it also improves the economy of the country and it helps the population of the country in irrigation, power and leisure activities. Recommendation and Conclusion It can be concluded that to provide water to arid regions of the world both the techniques are feasible. Desalination works when the region has a source of salt or seawater. Although, it is quite costly and not very friendly to the environment, it is now widely used in many countries which prove it to be efficient. On the other hand, building dams and reservoirs is very efficient and advantageous to the economy of the country. It attracts tourists, irrigates land, provides hydro-electric power and stores water for domestic use by the population of the country. However, it is also very expensive to build a dam or a reservoir, during the construction people have to be moved, diseases are prone from the water and highly depends whether the region has a source of water like river flowing. Thus, looking at the differences in requirements desalination is better than dams and reservoirs to provide fresh water to arid regions. References: Encyclopedia Britannica. (2014). Aswan High Dam. [online]. Accessed at: 27/03/2015. Available at: www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40203/Aswan-High-Dam FAO. (2002). Land degradation assessment in drylands LADA project. World soil resources report no.97. ROME Kaplan International Colleges. (2011). Skills for study 2: Water. [podcast][mp3]. Nottingham, UK: KIC Keyes Jr., Conrad G. Fahy, Michael P. Tansel, Berrin (2012). Concentrate management in Desalination-case studies. American Society of Civil Engineering(ASCE). [online]. Accessed at 27/03/2015. Available at: http://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpCMDCS008/concentrate-management/concentrate-management Kucers, J. (2014). Desalination: water from water. Canada. Serivener Publishing Llc. M.A.Abu-zeid and F.Z.El-Shibini (2010). International Journal of water resources development: Egypt’s High Aswan Dam. 13(2). p.p 209-217. University of Michigan. (n.d). Human impacts on the Nile River. [online]. Accessed at 27/03/2015. Available at: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec004_gp5/the_aswan_high_dam_benefits UNEP. (1992). World atlas of desertification. 2nd Edition. Nairobi UNEP. (1997). World atlas of desertification. 2nd Edition. Nairobi UNEP(2000). Lakes and Reservoirs: Similarities, Differences and Importance. Osaka: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP IETC)

Theories of the Totemism Belief System

Theories of the Totemism Belief System Anthropology is crucial for understanding the contemporary world. Anthropology offers both things to think about and things to think with. Anthropologists would be interested in Totemism because they study people throughout the world, investigating their history, behaviour, how they adapt to different environments, communicate and socialise with each other, along with examining the biological characteristics that make us human, our physiology, genetic make-up, nutritional history and evolution along with social features like language, culture, politics, family and religion. Totemism is a belief system where humans are believed to have kinship or a mystical relationship with a spirit-being such as an animal or plant. The totem is thought to interact with a given kin group or individual and serve as their emblem or symbol. Totemism has been described as a cluster of traits in religious and in the social organisation of populates (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, 2013). Totemism originates in populations whose traditional economies relied on hunting, gathering and mixed farming with the emphasis on rearing cattle. Totemism is a multifaceted set of ideas and ways of behaviour built on a worldview drawn from nature. There are ideological, mystical, emotional, reverential, genealogical relationships of social groups or specific persons with animal or natural objects, the totem. There is a difference between group and individual Totemism although they share a few basic characteristics; they happen with different emphasis and in specific forms. Generally societ ies have special names and emblems to relate to the totem, and those it sponsors engage in partial identification with the totem or symbolic integration to it. Usually, there is a taboo against people killing, eating, or touching the totem. Individual Totemism is articulated in an intimate relationship of friendship, respect and protection between a person and a particular species of animal; the natural object can grant special power to its owner. However, this relationship, in the case of the individual totem, begins and ends with the individual man, and is not, like the clan totem, transmitted by inheritance. An individual totem in America is: Usually the first animal of which a youth dreams during the long and generally solitary fasts which American Indians observe at puberty. He kills the animal or bird of which he dreams, and henceforward wears its skin or feathers, or sonic part of them, as an amulet, especially on the war-path and in hunting (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013) Individual totems among the Slave, Hare and Dogrib Indians will always be a carnivorous animal, and must not be skinned, eaten or killed. A man will always carry a photograph of his totem; if they are unsuccessful in a chase he will smoke to it and make a speech. Group Totemism is the most widespread belief system. The totem is often an animal or plant that is respected by all members of the social group, because of a mystical or ritual relationship between the group, the spirit which embodies the totem represents the bond of unity within the tribe or clan. The group believe they are descended from a totem ancestor or that they and the totem are brothers. The totem can be viewed a group symbol and the protector of all members of the group. The animal or plant totem is the object of a taboo, just as the individual totem it is forbidden to kill or eat the sacred animal. It is possible for the totem symbol to be tattooed on the body, engraved on weapons or carved on totem poles. Males and females in some cultures have their own totem; however, typically Totemism is connected with clans or blood relatives. Marriage between members of the same totemic clan is totally forbidden. Group Totemism is usually associated with people in Africa, India, Oce ania, North America and some parts of South America. The first theory on Totemism was conducted by McLennan (1869) who searched for the origins of totemism, he belied that: The ancient nations came, in prehistoric times, through the totem stage, having animals and plants, and the heavenly bodies conceived as animals, for gods before the anthropomorphic gods appeared (LÃ ©vi-Strauss, 1969, p. 18) Many scholars believed this theory and set out with the assumption that some type of UR-totemism has existed, and that its faint contours could be discerned behind the left-over totemic systems fragments of present day (ibid, 18). McLennans theory was criticised by Taylor (1899) who discarded the confusion of Totemism with simple worship of animals and plants, and viewed Totemism as a relationship between one type of animal and a clan but he did argue with the idea that totems were the basis of religion. Franz Boas (1916) research was based on North West American Indians and he found a society employing a visual form of Totemism in the form of totem poles. The totem pole was made up of mystical characters from the tribes ancestral past. Item were chosen from nature and used for cultural purposes. Totem poles functioned as an emblem of a clan or family, showing its unity and the rights which each clan were entitled to, and as a reminder of each clans link to a spirit ancestor. Totems were also a form of communication as tribes had no written language, so the totem poles were used to tell their stories, legends and events. Totems could not only be for clans they could also be individual however, only the most affluent tribe members could afford to have their own totem carved. Boas (1916) argued against a psychological or historical origin of totemism because its characters could be linked with individuals, and are in every social organisation, appearing in various cultural contexts and would not be possible to fit all totemtistic phenomena into one classification. The first complete work on totemism was conducted by Sir James Frazer (1919) who developed several theories in regard to the origin of totemism. The first theory suggested that men have totems because they expect benefits from them: The connection between a man and his totem is mutually beneficent; the totem protects the man, and the man shows his respect for the totem in various ways, by not killing it if it be an animal, and not cutting or gathering it if it be a plant (Frazer, 1887, p. 3) His second theory was that totemism was a system of magic intended to provide a supply of food for someone else (Hopkins, 1918, p. 153), this was disregarded in place his final theory which was more radical than the others and based on the fact that: Some savages believe their offspring comes not from intercourse between man and woman, but from the spirits of animals or quasi-animals seen by the woman or from the food she eats. They think that the spirits which thus become their children are really the animals they have seen or whose flesh they have eaten before conceiving (ibid, p. 153) This is what Frazer called the conceptional theory. Totemism at this point had come under attack from American anthropologist Goldenweiser (1910) who began by listing five key characteristics believed to be symptomatic of totemism, an exogamous clan ( people marry outside of their own social group), the name of the clan derived from the totem, a religious attitude toward the totem; as a friend or brother or protector, taboos or restrictions against the killing and eating of the totem, a belief in the decent from the totem (ibid, p. 182-83). Goldenweiser (1910) concluded that: Each of these traits..displays more or less a striking independence in its distribution; and most of them can be shown to be widely-spread ethnic phenomena, diverse in origin not necessarily coordinated in development, and displaying a rich variability of psychological make-up (ibid, p.266) Although not willing to give up the idea totally he proposed an alternative definition of totemism in terms of the association between definite social units and objects and symbols of emotional value (ibid, p. 275). Lowie (2009) was more radical arguing that totemism did not exist and for all intense and purpose was an invention of anthropologists. Durkheim in his book The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1915) presented the most influential interpretation of religion from a functionalist perspective stating society was the soul of religion and was the foundation of all religious beliefs. Durkheim (1961) said all societies divide the world into two categories: the sacred and the profane. Religion is centred on this division; it is a unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, things which are set apart and forbidden (Haralambos, 2001, p. 432). Thus to comprehend the role of religion in society, the connection concerning sacred symbols and what they signify must be determined. Durkheim used the religion of Australian aborigines in order to explain his theory. Durkheim referred to their religion as totemism stating it was the most basic and simplest form of religion. Aboriginal civilisations were divided into numerous clans each having duties and obligations towards their members, one of which is exogamy, where members are not allowed to marry within their clan. Each clan has a totem usually that of an animal or plant which is the emblem of the clan, a sign where each clan can distinguish itself from the others. The totem is the most sacred object in aborigine ritual. The totem is the outward and visible form of the totemic principle of god (ibid, p. 432). Durkheim argued if the totem is the symbol of god and society, therefore society and god are one. So people who are worshipping god are in fact worshipping society therefore, society is the real object of religious worship. Sacred things are considered superior in dignity and power to the profane and part icularly to man, thus, in relation to sacred things individuals are inferior and dependent (p.432). Durkheim said primitive man came to view society as something sacred because he is totally dependent on it. Furthermore, Durkheim argued the reason why society invents a sacred symbol like a totem is because it is easier for a person to visualise and direct his feelings of awe toward a symbol than towards so complex a thing as a clan (ibid, p.433). Durkheim believed in the collective conscience a set of shared values and moral beliefs, religion reinforces the collective conscience. The worship of society strengthens the values and moral beliefs that form the basis of social life. However, Goldenweiser (1910) said: The appearance of Durkheims brilliant but unconvincing treatise on religion brings home the fact that one of the phases of socio-religious thought, namely the problem of totemism, remains as replete with vagueness and misunderstanding as ever (ibid, p.288) Boas (1916) aiming at Durkheim as much as Frazer, denied that cultural phenomena could be bought together into a unity (LÃ ©vi-Strauss, 1969, p. 79). British anthropologists were less ready to give up on the concept of totemism. Malinowski (1925) gives an uncomplicated analysis of totemism relating to the function it has in a given society. Totemism plays a significant role in the ordering and control of nature by man (ibid, p. 22-23). The kind of mans attention in the totemic species shows also the kind of belief and cult to be there expected. Since it is the desire to control the species, dangerous, useful or edible, this desire must lead to a belief in special power over the species, affinity with it, a common essence between man and beast or plant (Malinowski, 1954, p. 45). Totemism as a style of social organisation maintains the status quo in society while as the same time serving as mans interests in a much deeper way: From the survival point of view, it is vital that mans interest in the practically indispensable species should never abate, that his belief in his capacity to control them should give him strength and endurance in his pursuits and stimulate his observations and knowledge of the habits and natures of animals and plants (ibid, p. 46) A criticism of Malinowski is he is guilty of operating entirely within the world of nature and his theory leaves us to explain why totemism, if it responds to human needs is not universal (Leach, 1969, p. 130). Evans-Pritchard (1951) said, Malinowskis theoretical conclusions are no more than descriptions in more abstract language (p.95). Radcliffe- Brown (1929) explored totemism from a structural functionalist perspective; he did not attempt to understand totemism in terms of beliefs, but as a collection of practices that serve to uphold the solidarity and equilibrium of the social group. Radcliffe- Brown described totemism as that circumstance whereupon: Society is divided into groups and there is a special relation between each group and one or more classes of objects that are usually natural species of animals and plants but may occasionally be artificial objects or parts of an animal (Radcliffe-Brown 1965, p. 117). Radcliffe-Brown (1965) said totemic objects are objects which have been accorded ritual value (ibid, p. 123) and he argues that: Any object or event which has important effects upon the well-being (material or spiritual) of a society, or anything which stands for or represents any such object or event, tends to become an object of the ritual attitude (Radcliffe-Brown 1965, p. 129). Here, Radcliffe-Brown comes really near to the utilitarian theories offered by Frazer and Malinowski however; this hypothesis does little to the general understanding of why particular plants and animal species have such a high ritual significance. In a further essay Radcliffe-Brown (1956) highlighted the significance of the conclusions about the relations between humans and animals. Moreover, after listening and examining stories told about animals by Australian aborigines, Radcliffe-Brown concluded they had one theme, and added the resemblances and differences of animal species are translated into terms of friendship and conflict, solidarity and opposition Radcliffe-Brown, 1958, p. 116). Overall concluding, the world of animal life is represented in terms of social relations similar to those of human society (Radcliffe-Brown, 1958, p.116). Radcliffe-Brown proposed the central terms in his version of totemism are opposition and integration adding Totemism stopped being a type of rel igion but was instead a mode of thought where nature had become an object of contemplation for the expression of socio-cultural differences (Tremlett, 2008, p.47). Radcliffe-browns previous idea that objects become totems because they are of ritual interest to society can be turned around: why are they not of ritual interest because they have been designated as totems? (ibid, p.130). Questions have been asked about the integrity of his studies because some anthropologists have accused him of appropriating other peoples research and passing it off as his own. The Australian anthropologist Elkin (1933) said there are many forms of totemism in Australia specifically: Individual, sex, moiety, section, subsection, matrilineal and patrilineal social clans, localised cult clan and dream-totemism. Elkin denied the unity of totemism but sought to preserve its reality on the condition that he might trace it back to a multiplicity of types he stated there is no longer one totemism but many totemisms, each in itself a single irreducible whole (p.113). Elkin (1933) denied the unity in totemism as if he thought it possible to preserve the reality of totemism on condition that it be reduced to a multiplicity of heterogeneous forms (Levi-Strauss, 1969, p. 35). For Elkin (1933) there is no longer one totemism but many totemisms, each in itself a single complex whole. LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1962a) says Elkin instead of helping to slay the hydra (of totemism) has dismembered it and made peace with the bits (ibid, p.66). Evans Pritchard in his book on Nuer religion (1956) regarded totemism as a symbolic formulation of intellectually constructed relationships, (Strauss, 1962. p. 27). He wanted to comprehend totemism in terms of extensive Nuer Beliefs about Kwoth which stands for God or Spirit; there were two manifestations of spirit, higher and lower, with the totemic spirit being the spirit of the below. Evans Pritchard noted that Nuer totems were not symbols of linages, because some linages had none and other linages shared the same totem but did not otherwise acknowledge kinship with each-other. Nor did the totems signify Spirit as such, but rather the connection between God and a specific linage. So, such a study fixed totemism within the religious beliefs and practices of a particular society. Levi-Strauss was very critical of the reality of totemism for him the totemic illusion is the product of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century effort by scientists to relegate the primitive outside the realm of culture (Leach, 1962, p. 127) because they wanted to protect the Victorian world-view by maintaining the Christian distinction between man and nature, thus, by failing to recognise the similarities between Western and primitive codes, scholars created false taxonomies and blurred the universal logic behind all so-called totemic phenomena (ibid, p. 127). Levi-Strauss was inspired by Radcliffe-Brown, whose analyses he attempted to expand upon. LÃ ©vi-Strauss was the leading academic in contemporary structuralism believing human minds have certain universal characteristics which originate in the common feature of the homo-sapiens brain (Haralambos, 2001, p. 910). These common mental structures lead people everywhere to think similarly regardless of their society or cul tural background. LÃ ©vi-Strauss developed a system to show the abstract divisions that he saw in totemism as a phenomenon in human nature. His system was implemented in a table of oppositions or mutual relationships. The basic relationship was between the binary opposites such as nature and culture. On one side there were in nature certain realities such as species of animal, or plants and specific animals and plants. On the other side, there was in culture various groups and individuals who identify themselves with particular species or with specific animal and plants. LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1962a) noticed four types of relationship between nature and culture within totemism: A species of animal or plant identified with a certain group; a species identified with an individual and finally a particular animal or plant identified with a group of animal or plant identified with an individual, a particular animal or plant (p.18). LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1969) stated each of these four groupings correspond to the phenomena that are to be seen in one people to another (ibid. 84). For the first grouping he suggested the Australians, for whom natural entities are linked with cultural groups (p.84); the second grouping was the individual totemism of North American Indians where an individual is linked with a species of nature (p.84). The third grouping the Mota people from the Bank Irelands of Melanesia named: a child is thought to be the incarnation of a specific animal, plant or creature which was found and eaten by the mother when she first found out she was pregnant(p.84). The final groupings were from Polynesia or Africa where fixed individual animals formed the groups support and worshbluefrost13ip (p.84). In conclusion LÃ ©vi-Strauss stated the difference between the classes of man and animal serves as the conceptual basis for social differences. Thus, for LÃ ©vi-Strauss totemism is an illusion and a logic that classifies- a post hoc explanation in which the structure of social relations is projected onto the natural phenomena, not taken from it. In conclusion, totemism is a belief system where the traits in the social organisation of people are believed to have kinship or a mystical relationship with a spirit-being such as an animal or plant which serves as the group or individuals emblem or symbol. As anthropology tries to understand different cultures and provides knowledge about cultural variation in the world through details studies anthropologist would find totemism an interesting topic which has been proved by the number of studies which have been discussed. The first study on totemism was undertaken my McLennan in (1889) who explored the origin of totemism. Boas (1916) studied American Indians and their totem poles, concluding the totem poles functioned as the emblem of the clan showing unity and the rights each clan was entitled to. Frazer (1919) gave the first comprehensive work on totemism; he came up with three theories the final of which saw the origin of totemism as an interpretation of the conception and birth of children a belief he called conceptionalism. Durkheim (1915) hoped to discover a pure religion in a very ancient form and claimed to see the origin of religion in totemism. In 1925 Malinowski explored totemism as a function in a given society. Radcliffe-Brown (1929) researched from a structural functionalist perspective explored how totemism upheld the solidarity of the social group. Elkin (1933) explored numerous forms of totemism. Evans-Pritchard (1956) explored Nuer religion and the symbolic nature of totemism. The final theory discussed on totemism was by Levi-Strauss (1962a/1969) who explored totemism from a structuralist perspective. He gave the most incisive critique of totemism by denying its reality stating totemism is an illusion. Investigations of totemism has decline in recent times, those which have been undertaken have moved away from its universality toward explorations which consider totem structures in a more precise context.

Shakespeares Childhood :: essays research papers

Life as a Child in the Renaissance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There have been many classic rag-to-riches stories, and while they may seem almost clichà ©, there are so few that are overlooked. For example, many musicians in the rock era who we know today grew up in lesser homes, and they struggled to earn a dime. Elton John, as well known and wealthy as he is today, spent the greater part of 10 years fighting diligently to fill small clubs to make a living off of his wonderful musical talent. While it may be hard for many people to believe, not all quintessential icons in our day were bathed from golden faucets in oversized mansions; quite the contrary, rather. The famous William Shakespeare is a thriving example of this theory; however, there is a main difference between Shakespeare’s fame from the normal rag-to-riches story, and his eminence is most comparable to Van Gogh. During the time when he was alive, his literature was not taken seriously. It was merely viewed as a form of writing not meant to be explored, and much less, praised. Aside from this, he came from an extremely poverty-stricken family, where most of them died from diseases. Also, the quality of education in those days was determined by how much money families could lay down to have their children accepted into pristine schools, which was not possible for the great William Shakespeare. In Shakespeares’ days of inadequate education, he must have had a very strong ambition to become a world-reknown writer and poet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As mentioned, Shakespeare’s family was plagued with much sickness, and it spread like wildfire since they were such a large family crammed into a small, musty English cottage. Third-born William was accompanied by his 6 siblings, Joan, Margaret, Gilbert, Amney, Richard, and Edmund. According to â€Å"In the Days of Shakespeare’s Childhood,† most of his siblings lived only into their teen years due to diseases such as yellow fever and malaria. Because of so many child deaths, the exact number of children is debatable, because many died before coming out of infanthood. In fact, when William was born to his parents, John and Mary, he was the first surviving infant. To give an idea of just how many people were affected by various diseases of the time, as stated by John F. Andrews, in 1592, there were 15,000 deaths. This number was significant enough to have the globe theater close down! The home they grew up on was in Stratford-Upon-Avon on Henley Street, a small village that now houses his home as a

Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart versus Fasting and Feasting by Anita Dasai :: essays research papers

From the title of the story â€Å" Things Fall Apart † and from the name of the author Chinua Achebe ,who is one of the most eminent post-colonial writers, readers can predict what this novel is going to talk about. This book is mostly concerned with the coming of imperialism to a tribe called â€Å" Igbo† in Africa and its social complexity. When I first read this book , I see a lot of similarities and differences in comparison to â€Å"Fasting , Feasting†, which particularly focuses on life in India after the period of colonialism. Anita Dasai , the author, is also a remarkable post-colonial writer so I decided to discuss about the similarities and differences of both books. This paper is going to point out 2 major subjects which these novels share the similarities and differences.The first is the attitudes of native towards the colonizer including the outcomes of cultural clash and second, life of women in both societies. Both Africa and India were invaded by the English Empire during the period of imperialism but the attitudes of the native towards the colonizer are different considering in the books. In Things Fall Apart , the native tribe of Africa or â€Å" Igbo†, which is separated into many villages seems to be violently opposed to the coming of the colonizer and the colonizer too reacts violently.Foe example,when English government had known that his missionary was killed in Abame village,They massacred the village â€Å" †¦until the market was full and they began to shoot. Everybody was killed †or Okonkwo, who was a leader of the African Igbo community of Umuofia couldn’t stand the coming of the Christian religion so he suggested Mbanta , the village of his mother to fight against the Whites â€Å" Let us not reason like cowards†¦If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor,what do I do?Do I shut my eyes? No! I take a stick and break his head.† And the situation that was most severe was when Okonkwo killed the head messenger who was sent by English to stop the congregation of Igbo. After that he hanged himself because he knew that the District Commissioners wouldn’t let this pass and they would dishonor him as they had done when they caught him and his friend for destroying a church by whipping him and shaving his head. At first English came with Christian religion and many villagers converted to Christian and forgot their old pagan gods like Amadiora, the god of thunder.

High School and School Counseling Interventions Essay

Introduction and rationale for the research In the fields of counseling, education, and psychology, there has been a strong emphasis placed on evidence-based practices to determine the effectiveness of school counseling interventions. In this article, two types of Meta-Analysis interventions were used during this study. Meta-Analysis 1 involved treatment-control comparisons and Meta-Analysis 2 involved pretest-posttest differences. The overall average weighted effect size for school counseling interventions was . 30. This study determined how effective moderator variables influenced effect size of, guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support. Analyses of moderator variables are designed to determine the effectiveness of school counseling program activities in this article. Major strengths/weaknesses in the article The overall school counseling interventions produced an average effect size of . 30 which is significant. However, in this article, the average effect size of Meta-Analysis 2 intervention was not significant, only . 07. Previously research has found that meta- analyses using pretest-posttest typically produces a higher effect size compared to the more traditional treatment-control group comparisons. It’s difficult to determine the non-significant mean effect size for pretest-posttest meta-analysis. Additional analyses in the pretest and posttest form will need to focus on specific interventions and additional information regarding the effectiveness of specific strategies in school counseling. One of the common criticism of meta-analytic approaches is that studies with weak methodological rigor may artificially inflate average effect sizes(M. W. Lipsey,2003). M. W. Lipsey (2003) also argued that methodological moderator variables that often are assumed to be independent are not necessarily independent and carefully conducted meta-analytic reviews should explore methodological relationship patterns. The effect size of . 30 was based on 117 experimental studies that involved 153 interventions, which is a significant increase from the six studies used by Sprinthall (1981). Many more studies were conducted with elementary school students; however, school counseling interventions included in this meta-analysis appeared to be slightly more effective with middle or junior high students followed by high school students. Thus, these studies show a significant effect on school counseling interventions for all levels of K-12 education. There are also some limitations when meta-analytic techniques are used. The validity of effect size largely depends on the quality of studies that were included in the review. Some major limitations in school counseling research could not be addressed statistically. Also there are few studies that address the issues of treatment integrity. Only a handful of studies used treatment manuals or well-developed curricula. It was difficult for researches to determine what was effective because researchers could not determine what interventions were implemented with students. Another limitation was the elimination of 111 studies that had insufficient data or missing information. Another limitation from this article concerns the dominance of non-standardized outcome assessments in school counseling research. Meta-analysis also lacked long-term follow-up data. The lack of longitudinal data allows for the measurement and analysis of only short-term effectiveness. Another issue with meta-analysis research is that interventions focused mostly on specific interventions rather than comprehensive school counseling programs. There has been very few research studies conducted on comprehensive school counseling programs. Summary of research outcome.  There were 118 studies that used meta-analysis 1, involving treatment-control comparisons and 153 school interventions; however, two studies were considered one study because of the same simple. Out of the 117 studies, 81 were published in journals and 36 were theses or dissertations. This meta-analysis study had 16,296 participants and the sample ranged from 8 to 5, 618, with the average study involving 139. 28 participants. From these studies, 50. 4% were elementary school students, 17. 9% were middle or junior high school students, and 24. 8% were high school students, and 6% had a mixture of ages, and one study did not report the age of the student participants. There was an overall weighted effect size of 27% for students that received school counseling intervention compared to those students that did not receive school counseling intervention. The average effect size was significant. Also, there were a total of 33studies that used meta-analysis 2, involving pretest-posttest design; however, two effect sizes were eliminated from one study. Therefore, 31 studies that involved 51 school counseling interventions were used. The effect sizes calculated from these 31 studies involved 2,015 participants and the average study involving 62. 97 students and the sample ranged from 9 to 283. Out of the 31 studies, 17 were published in journals, 13 were theses or dissertations, and one study was an ERIC document. From these studies, 29% involved elementary school students, 12. 9% were middle or junior high school students, and 54. 8% were high school students, and 3. 2% had a mixture of ages and grade levels. There was only a . 07% weighted effect size on pretest and posttest meta-analysis which indicates the average effect size was not significant. Two methods of applying this research to practice Firstly, my goal as an aspiring school counselor is to implement a comprehensive school counseling program for all students. I would provide a variety of interventions and activities using the four components of the delivery system of a school counseling program, guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support. I would then, conduct studies in my school, collecting data, and determine which services students and the school will benefit from the most. This will help me determine what type of programs and activities are most effective for our students and school. Secondly, I would consider taking additional research courses to prepare me to contribute to the knowledge base of school counseling, while conducting research projects related to school counseling. Simply, there needs to be more and better research in the area of school counseling. â€Å"Without additional empirical support, some schools may eliminate professional school counseling programs†(Erford, p 68). Conclusion. From this research on meta-analyses not all school counseling interventions were equally effective. Additional research is needed to examine the impact these studies had on students from diverse backgrounds. Although more research is often a recommendation after completing a meta-analysis (e. g. , Ehri et al. , 2001; Swanson, 1999; Whiston, Brecheisen,& Stephens, 2003; Xin, Grasso, Dipipi-Hoy, & Jitendra, 2005), we contend that lack of methodological rigor and dearth of studies make the calls for additional sound research in school counseling particularly important. Also, the issues of treatment integrity and increasingly use standardized outcome assessments will enhance future school counseling interventions. From this study, one would learn that additional research is needed, however, from this research; data shows that school counseling interventions have a positive effect size on student outcomes. Furthermore, there were significant effect sizes for interventions at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. School counselors’ were able to increase students’ ability to solve problems while decreasing discipline problems. However, the researchers were unable to identify specific programs or approaches that produce positive outcomes. Additional research is needed to address what interventions for school counseling works, with what students, and under what circumstances. References Erford, B. T. (2011). Transforming the school counseling profession (3rd Ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Whiston, Tai, Rahardja, and Eder. (Winter 2011 Volume 89). School Counseling Outcome: A Meta-Analytic Examination of Interventions. Journal of Counseling.

English Essay

close polity, traditions, language, sustenance, costume, belief trunk, computer architecture, artistrys, contrivance, music, dance, and sports which leave al star be discussed in this article to take a leak you an indication of Fijis autochthonous lodge only to a fault the sev datel(a) communities which train up Fiji as a raw civilisation and living. The endemic culture is an officious and living part of e realday vitality for the major(ip)(ip)ity of the population. However, it has evolved with the introduction of vibrant and gray cultures including Indian, Chinese and European culture, and dis alike cultures from the peaceful neighbors of Fiji in particular the Tongan and Rotu valet cultures.The culture of Fiji, including language, has created a extraordinary common and field of study identity operator. Tradition and hierarchy Fijian native ordination is rattling common, with large(p) im workforcesity attached to the family unit, the colonisation, an d the vanua (land). 1 A hierarchy of chiefs presides everyplace crossroadss, clans, and common peoples. Chiefly positions argon hereditary a deceased chief is invariably followed by a kinsman or kinswoman, though non necessarily his own son or daughter. This reflects Polynesian influence in al near former(a) Melanesian societies, chiefs atomic number 18 appointed on merit.The largest social unit for Fijians is the Yavusa, defined by R. A. Derrick as the direct agnate posterity of a ace kalou-vu (deified ancestor). Chiefly eon was from aged(prenominal)er brother/ infant to young brother/sister, after the death of their baffle/mother. When the youngest brother/sister died, the eldest son/daughter of the eldest brother/sister became chief. This tradition nonoperational influences Fijian society presentlyadays, though little rigidly in that respect is more of a tendency nowadays towards primogeniture. 23 Each brother/sister in the family then turned his own split up of the yavusa, called the Mataqali.Each matt-upaqali became the custodian of a specific task. A fully developed Yavusa has some(prenominal) mataqali * Turaga This mataqali descends from the original ancestor through primogeniture heritage of the eldest son in from separately bingle succeeding contemporaries. The chief of a hamlet is al modalitys chosen from the Turaga mataqali. 14 * Sauturaga These be following(a) in rank to the chiefs, support him, and physiologic exertion his commands and oerly choose final say in the quickness of a Chief1 * Mata ni vanua These seduce the equipageofficial heralds of the village.They atomic number 18 also in charge of ceremonial functions. 5 * Bete This was the conventionalisticistic priestly class. The kalou-vu was believed to speak through the Bete. 16 * Bati This mataqali marks the conventional warrior class. 6 * Dau (skill) and Matai these ar the crafts people and specialize skilled people of the tribe e. g. Dau ni vucu (Poet/choreographer/composer), Dau ni yau (treasurer), Mataisau (carpenter/or burn downoe builder)1 The mataqali be subdivided into Tokatoka, each comprising closely related families. some(prenominal) mataqali comprise a village, several of which form a yavusa or district. The British compound rulers amalgamated the districts into Yasana, or commonwealths. The districts also form ternion Matanitu, or Confederacies. These ar ofttimes said to be agglomerations of provinces, but as the latter were a colonial imposition, the boundaries do non coincide exactly, and the Provinces of Tailevu, Ra, Naitasiri, Lomaiviti and split of Yasawa and Ba sees the Kubuna Confederacy. This Confederacy in mod Fiji is considered to be the some senior.The other two ar Burebasaga (covering the rest of Viti Levu), and Tovata, covering Vanua Levu, Lau archipelago and Rotuma. Despite its closing off and relatively small size, Tovata has been politically dominant since Fiji gained its indep endence in 1970. Language The official language is face while the home(a) original language is Bauan which is solitary(prenominal) one of the many a(prenominal) dialects that exist in the Fiji Group, each of the fourteen provinces more or less bedevil their own dialect though there is a clear distinction between the dialects of the West, Central and Eastern parts of the domain.Other languages mouth in the awkward are Fiji Hindi, Cantonese, Rotuman, Gilbertese (Rabi Island), and Tuvaluan (Kioa Island). The Fiji Islands are conventionally relate to their island neighbours Rotuma, Tonga and Samoa, and this is obvious in the culture and dialects of the blue and Eastern provinces universe Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata, and Lau. The many dialects spoken in these four provinces consistently role sounds that are heard in Tongan and Samoan, but not so with dialects from the westbound and South western sandwich parts of Fiji.The Fijian language uses a Latin alphabet. However, th e Fijian alphabet is dissimilar from the English alphabet. Fiji English The existence of many dialects within the Fijian language as hale as exposure to the other languages spoken eat up contributed to many Fiji Islanders organism bilingual. For general colloquy in an informal environment, a very provoke cross use of the languages has developed, resulting in slang now comm yet referred to as Fiji English. In formal settings, of course, correct use of goods and services is adhered to.Fiji English comprises aspects of Fijian, English and Hindi, which reflects the hi warmheartedness level and identity of the people of Fiji. Fiji English is non-r sultryic. . Cultural arts and social polity In culture, its heterogeneous crafts and music give it an identity along with it traditional etiquette and falsifying forms of clothing attire, its unique architecture also tells a taradiddle of a culture and its evolution, the following exit discuss these aspects of culture in Fiji. valet ities and crafts Fijis arts and crafts reflect local anesthetic anaesthetic adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage.By tradition, the mens and womens crafts are separate. Womens crafts The village of Na lotu on Kadavu Island is far-famed for its pottery, the make of which is still governed by strict rituals. Nadroga and Rewa also produce fine pottery. Each neck of the woods has its own unique style in the making of pottery. Tapa from the Lau Islands in Fiji. The making of Tapa cloth, or (masi), is another(prenominal) craft associated with women. Tapa is do from the bark of the piece mulberry tree and decorated in charcoal with symbolic motifs and discordant patterns.In modern durations, it has become fashionable for a masi to bear the name of the person who make it. Masi are often permuted as gifts on formal occasions. The island of Vatuelele of the southern swoop of Viti Levu is famous for its masi products. Most Fijian mats are made from the leaves of th e pandanus tree. The long branch of preparation includes scraping and boiling the leaves, and drying them in the sun. in that respect are antithetic mats utilise for distinct occasions, and some are made as gifts for formal occasions much(prenominal)(prenominal) as weddings.Most mats are meet with highly decorative and brightly benighted wool. unmatched well-know Fijian mat is the kuta, made by women in Vanua Levu, e peculiarly Bua. Weaving using mingled materials was another craft generally know by the women but also aspects of twine were mastered only by the men, various typesetters cases of weaving salutary were and still are basketful weaving, cocoa palm rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving. workforces crafts Carving was pulld by the men carving would be employ for percentage points of practical use and simple word forms and image were used.A lot of effort was depute into well adorned weapons and items for the home and ceremony, today carving is ade pt for its use in tourism and no longer plays a major role in Fijian society and life except in the case of the Tanoa used from drinking Kava. Drua, the more or less impressive Fijian canoe. Canoe grammatical construction was another art practiced only by the men, canoes were not only the major form of communication, but were master(prenominal) in all aspects of Fijian society, from the gathering of food and transporting of crops to use in presentation ceremonies and they were submissive in wars and politics which were rife in Fiji. 9 The art of Canoe building was wide-ranging across the group and had several different types but of a similar be after, the Camakau was a small twin hulled canoe for fish or small transportation purposes, the approximately impressive of Canoes in Fiji were that of the Drua. In Fijis aboriginal history before European matter, Control of the seaway was a major and decisive objective disrupting or tender off the enemies supply and reinforcements gave massive reinforcement in strife and would ensure victory. sea battles involving hundreds of canoes were frequent. The canoe, which inspired fear and awe and so often held the balance was the tycoony Drua. wizard of the most elaborate and beautiful artifacts of Oceania, the Drua was a product of considerable group efforts and man reach. Double hulled and of gigantic proportions, the Drua was a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, requiring total community involvement in its construction and human sacrifice in its launching. 10 Its speed out at sea would be in waste of twenty knots and still remained highly manoeuvrable, it was assailable of carrying upward of 150 warriors and likewisek some 6 to 7 years to build and would vary in length from 100 feet to 118 feet and have a mast height of 60 to 70 feet, in the mid-19th century the following accounts were preserve Up went the huge sail, down went the capacious steering oars, splashing into the sea, and away we iri descent a ilk a racehorse.Owing to the vast rate at which we were going, the sea was like a hissing cauldron on either side of our course, and the vessel, sooner of having time to mount over the smaller waves, roll in the hay its way through them. (West, 1869). It had a magnificent appearance with its immense sail of uncontaminating mats its velocity was almost inconceivable. (Wilkes, 1840). Ratu Seru Cakobau commanded an impressive transcend which had Several Drua with armed warriors ready for battle the led Canoe was named Rusi I Vanua or Cursed is the land. 11 Much of the art of Canoe building has been lost and only a small few still practice the art on a very small scale as its use in this modern era seems to have lost its place. The craft of Canoe building was traditionally reserved for the male. execute arts Fijian rugger police squad Performing a Traditional struggle Dance before their rugby fulfil against Canada. The Meke An indigenous art form is the Meke, wh ich whitethorn incorporate the seasea (womens fan dance) or a meke wesi (mens spear dance).It is unremarkably a narrative of an authorized number such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Some mekes are generations old, and form an important part of Fijis oral history. In olden times, the meke was considered to be an oracle from the gods, and the Dau ni vucu, or composer, would often go into a trance before a performance. Others are modern, composed for a particular event, much as a poet laureate might write a poem to note an event in a Western country. Each district of Fiji has its own form of meke, performed in the local dialect.Other forms of Polynesian and Melanesian dance art forms exist with most widely known being dances of Rotuma and Tonga. in that location are also various Indian dances and Chinese dances which are performed at germane(predicate) festivals marking important times for these communities which are now a part of Culture in Fiji. Music Mu sic of gaga Fiji consisted of various chants which often told a story or preserved information to be passed on from generation to generation, these songs used various traditional instruments.With the introduction of European and Asian cultures music in Fiji has evolved and songs sung in the Fijian vernacular are favorite but so also are songs in Indian and English, some local artists mix all three languages and traditional instruments from each culture making for a very interesting musical experience. A distinct Indian sound has evolved in Fiji that some see as influencing modern Indian music and even jazz. tog and costume The traditional attire was lumbus cloths for men and grass skirts for women.Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls tolerateing pure locks before marriage. Most ladies of rank had the commence parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs trim downed more elaborately. moderne Fijis issue dress is the sulu, which resembles a skirt. It is commonly worn by both men and women. One type worn by both men and women is the Sulu va Taga pronounced Sulu vah Tanga which is a wrap almost piece of rectangular material which is elaborately decorated with patterns and designs of varying styles this is for more chance(a) and informal occasions. some men, especially in urban areas, also have Sulu va taga which is a spare sulu and can be tailored as part of their suit. many another(prenominal) willing wear a shirt with a western-style collar, tie, and jacket, with a matching Sulu va taga and sandals, this type of sulu can be worn to a semi formal or formal occasion. take down the military uniforms have incorporated the Sulu va taga as part of their ceremonial dress. Women usually wear a multi-layered Tapa cloth on formal occasions. A blouse made of cotton, silk, or satin, of often worn on top. On special occasions, women often wear a tapa sheath across the chest, quite an than a blouse.On other occasi ons, women may be dressed in a chamba, also known as a sulu I ra, a sulu with a specially crafted top. There are many regional variations throughout Fiji. Residents of the village of Dama, in Bua Province and Cakaudrove i Vanua (Province), Fiji wear finely weave mats called kuta, made from a reed. While traditional and semi-traditional forms of dress are still very much in use amongst indigenous Fijian culture, there is a greater influence for Western and Indian forge in urban areas as in neighboring developed nations. Traditions and ceremoniesEtiquette in indigenous Fijian ceremony is rather obscure depending on the function as various formalities and presentations which do several things foremost it shows respect between two communal groups, ratify tribal and family ties and reinforce social, tribal and family ties. Various items are used in ceremony and surrounded by ceremony, Kava, known in Fiji as yaqona, is Fijis national drink. Traditionally, it was used only in important ceremonies. Nowadays, it is a social beverage. There is a strict protocol associated with yaqona drinking.One should smasher once, clasping the hands, take the cup, and drink the yaqona in a single draft before returning(a) the cup to the bearer. Another highly prized item in ceremony is the tabua or behemoths tooth, other items also the use of mats (masi) are also used traditionally in ceremony also various regions have tradition that has been passed down generation to generation for centuries one example are the firewalkers of beqa. The Sawau tribe of Beqa are noted for their might to walk on white hot stones without being burned. 12 Strict rituals have to be find before the firewalking ceremony. There is an antediluvian myth closely how an ancestor of the Sawau tribe was given this power by a spirit god in exchange for his life, after the god was captured by the man who was fishing for eels. Cuisine The cuisine of Fiji in pre-colonial times consisted of root crops, vegeta bles, and fruits, as well as various land animals such as wild pig, human, and various birds. The coastal tribes would have had the same, but also had a large amount of local seafood.These would have been prepared with local herbs and spices on wood fire rock ovens. Most formulation areas were located in the center of raise so the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the chapiter thatching. Another everyday rule of cooking, which is still used today, is the lovo which is an earth oven13 a fire made on in a pit in the nation lined with heat-resistant stones. It closely resembles the hangi of the New Zealand Maori. When the stones are hot, food wrapped in (banana) leaves, is placed in the pit, covered with soil and leave to cook before being exhumed and eaten.Dishes cooked this way include palusami, parcels of taro leaves saturated with coconut milk, onions, and sometimes tinned meat. Modern Fijian Cuisine is rather diverse with great influence from Indian cuisine and spi ces. When these are applied to local traditional dishes, it makes for interesting eating. European, Indian, and Chinese variants of cuisine, along with traditional foods, are common place in most, if not all households in Fiji. Architecture A bure kalou, a sketch done in the previous(predicate) 1800s.In disused Fiji, the architecture of villages was simple and practical to meet the physical and social need and to provide communal safety the houses were solid in shape and with pyramid like shaped roofs,14 and the walls and roof were thatched and various plants of practical use were implanted nearby, each village having a meet house and a Spirit house. The spirit house was elevated on a pyramid like base strengthened with large stones and earth, again a square building with an elongated pyramid like 14 roof with various scented botany planted nearby.The houses of Chiefs were of similar design and would be set higher than his subjects houses but instead of an elongated roof woul d have similar roof to those of his subjects homes but of course on a larger scale. With the introduction of communities from Asia aspects of their heathen architecture are now perspicuous in urban and bucolic areas of Fijis two main Islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A village structure shares similarities today but built with modern materials and spirit houses (Bure Kalou) have been replaced by churches of varying design.The urban landscape of early Colonial Fiji was reminiscent of most British colonies of the 19th and 20th century in tropical regions of the world, while some of this architecture remains, the urban landscape is evolving in leaps and boundary with various modern aspects of architecture and design becoming more and more evident in the business, industrial and domestic sector, the rural areas are evolving at a much slower rate. Literature The emergence of Fijis literature (as distinct from oral literature) coincides with the countrys transition to independence in 1970.Among the first published works of Fijian literature, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Raymond Pillais short stories (in English) and Pio Manoas rhyme (in English and in Fijian). More new-made notable Fiji writers include Satendra Nandan (poet and novelist), Sudesh Mishra (poet), Larry Thomas (playwright), and Joseph Veramo (novelist). pietism Religion is quite diverse with Christianity being the dominant religious belief in Fiji. Many Christian denominations are present in Fiji, the most prevalent of which is Methodist.Of the other Asian religions the Hindu faith is dominant, followed by Islam. There are other belief systems observed by Fijians as well. The relate of Christianity The impact of Christianity in the 19th century resulted in certain traditions being proscribed. In the pre-Christian era, human sacrifice was practiced. Men were buried viable to hold the pillars to the house of a chief. Cannibalism was practiced, too16 the bodies of enemies slain in bat tle, or in sacrifice, were piled up and cooked for festivals, such as the installation of chiefs or the launching of a great canoe. 16 Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The Bauan warlord who united the disparate tribes of Fiji and proclaimed himself fag in 1871, renounced cannibalism on his conversion to Christianity in 1854. A bure kalou, a pre-Christian Fijian spectral Building. Old religion Fijis old religion is no longer practiced by the majority in the indigenous community who have adopted Christianity. Old deities are still acknowledged and respected, but not worshipped. Fijian rituals still exists in private. Demographics Of the various faiths, Christianity is the dominant belief system and ncluding all the various denominations of the Christian faith they number in total 449,482. Hindus, with their various denominations, number in total 261,097. Muslims make up 54,324 of Fijis population. Followers of other belief systems make up 10,166 of Fijis population. Sports Sports culture is un ique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest. Fiji is fanatical about sports and the two most dominant being rugby and soccer. Traditional sports Sports in elderly times had a practical place, by from recreation, helping to train young warriors.One such practice would have the senior men bring the male children a severely injured captive of war, allowing the boys to practice their archery skills against this living target. There were other sports that were practiced in older times which are not practiced now. Notable traditional sports used to be vie were tiqa, ulutoa, veisaga, and veisolo. Modern sports The Fiji sevens aggroup at the 2006 area Games in Melbourne. Sports have developed greatly over the past two decades in Fiji with a wide variety of sports undertaken. Fiji is most well known for its prowess in the game of rugby sum total and in particular rugby sevens. rugger coalescence rugby football union is the most popular sport in Fiji . The highest level of argument is the Colonial Cup. The Fiji national rugby union team has competed in five Rugby World Cup competitions. The Fijian Rugby Sevens team is constantly one of the top two or three teams in the world, often the premier team. Rugby fusion Rugby league is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fiji national rugby league team is known as Fiji Bati, with the team competing in three Rugby partnership World Cup competitions. They made it to the semi-finals of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. footballFootball was a minor sport, but over the last decade with further internationalistic funding from FIFA and sound local prudence of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community. Other sports Many sports exist in Fiji and in many ways has its own cultural following, sports such as golf which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh. Sports such as cricket and surfing which was brought to pr ominence by former world champion and Fiji athlete Tony Philips. Sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian military arts, boxing, and the list goes on.