Religion Week: India

I've been asked on more than one occasion in the last week what happened to my country blogs. Basically, I've just been SUPER lazy about getting them up. So in an effort not to get any further behind, I'm hoping to catch up today. Asa is working from home, but he's busy, so he won't distract me. And Calib just paid all kinds of points to get out of work for today because he HAS to know what is going on in Free Agency today. (Of course he still has to do our country, a Religion pop quiz, and his Duolingo if he wants to keep his streak alive, but he see's it as getting out of his work for the day, so he's happy). 

Anyway, I don't even remember when we did India, but we did, somewhere a couple of days ago. 

India was part of Religion Week, but not in the obvious way. India is basically Hinduism. 80% of the world's second largest population (China is first of course) are Hindus. More than that, India is home to 90% of the global population of Hindus. But, oddly enough it is ALSO home to 90% of the Sikh population.  I needed a country for Sikhism, the fifth most practiced religion in the world, and as far as Sikhism goes, it's found primarily in the Punjab region of India. I mean, there's a decent Sikh population in Canada and the UK apparently, but the numbers just point to India, with about 22 million Sikhs. Canada and UK each have somewhere around half a million. 

So while we got to recap Hinduism (with sacred cows; the three gods of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu; and Holi, the festival of colors), we also talked about all that India has to offer. 

India's culture and heritage is a mix of past and present. With 438 living languages (although Hindi & English are used for official purposes) and monuments that have been around for thousands of years, India offers a unique look into the past of the Indus Valley civilization. But it is also one of the world's fastest growing economies and one of the fastest developing countries. 

And the tourist destinations, my gosh! Almost every state in India has over ten major tourist destinations.

Some of our favorites we learned about? 

Leh, one of the highest inhabited cities in the world. It's considered by many to be 'the top of the world'. 

Sundarbans,  the largest mangrove forest and delta in the world. It's also home to estuarine crocodiles  those Bengal tigers we talked about during Bangladesh day (Sundarbans is in BOTH India and Bangladesh). 

And Varanasi, one of (if not THE) oldest living city in the world. It was part of the Indus Valley Civilization, located right there along one of our important places for Hinduism, the Ganges river. It's been continuously inhabited since somewhere around 1000 BC, even though India itself has only been a country in current day terms since 1947. 

Other places we would totally do/see if we made a trip to India? 

Mumbai, with it's wealthy residents and clash of old and new right there on the Arabian Sea. Although, we have issues with Disney crowds, so one of the world's most populous urban regions in the world, might not be for us. 

But we could total go for a camel safari through the desert, or a hike in the Indian Himalayas. 

And my internet loving family would be pretty happy in any of the 109 cities in India who are or are going to be 'smart cities' including the capital of New Delhi. 

But of course, out of everything India has to offer our landmark was the Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world.The mausoleum built by emperor Shah Jahan as a final resting place for his favorite (third) wife, is one of the most well-known buildings in the world. 

A couple other fun India facts for you: 

It's home to the man with the world's longest mustache (16 feet)

It is the largest consumer of tea (mostly black tea, that as been brewed in boiling water for at least 4 minutes- that's supposedly the best!) 

We actually did Sikhism over two days, but only had one country. Asa was in the office, so it worked out fine. 

The Sikhism symbol is the Khanda. Obviously you can see the swords within the symbol. It is the military emblem of the Sikhs. 

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion with one God, called 'Ik Onkar', who is indescribable and has no gender. A core belief is Sikhism is that everyone is treated equally. Sikh's do not look down upon other people, or other religions. Sikh's can worship Ik Onkar on their own, without any sort of rituals. They serve God by caring for each other, living an honest life, and working hard. 

The purest of the Sikh community is the Khalsa community, and they follow the five 'K's. 

The various sects really depends on which of the Guru lineage you follow. 

There were 10 living Guru's. The first was Guru Nanak, the last was Guru Singh. Guru Singh designated the 11th and final Guru as the religious scripture of Sikhism. It is called Guru Granth Sahib.  As far as their place of worship goes, they are called Gurdwaras, and can really be any building with a kitchen, a gathering place and Guru Granth Sahib. Those who lead the services are called Granthi's. 

Sikh's share some holidays with Hindus, like Holi and Diwali. They also have various festivals to remember the birth and death of the gurus, as well as a festival to celebrate the founding of the Khalsa. 

Our important places for Sikhism was the Punjab region, where most Sikhs reside, and the Golden Temple. It is a square building, that sits on a reflecting pool with doors on all sides to show that they are open to everyone from every corner of the world. 

Some other important things to know: 

Sikhs do not mourn death, as it is all a part of life. There are no headstones or monuments are allowed, and Shiks are cremated. They believe in reincarnation until you reach mukti (liberation), and then you are one with God and free from the cycle of reincarnation. 

In an effort to remember the five K's, the boys all had five minutes to do their best to represent the five 5's and Sikhism with their dress. They did pretty good (I'm not sure where the horse head came from for Calib, other than I think he knew I was taking his picture, and he's not a fan). 

I'm hoping this game doesn't seem disrespectful, it was more of an effort to help them remember some things, and for that purpose it totally worked. 

The boys did an awesome job on their India postcards, so I posted them on Facebook so people could vote for their favorites, and the boys were awarded a dime for their jars for each vote. 

For dinner we used a recipe out of our 'Around the World in 450 Recipes' book with Balti Chicken Curry, along with some help from the Publix frozen food section with Samosas. 

Along with those things, strawberries and bananas are in season in India, and Aloo Palak (basically spinach and potatoes). 

This dinner earned FIVE spoons up! 

We all really, really enjoyed it. The somosas were a total hit (Asa even made a yogurt dip for them), and the potatoes were some of my favorites we've had. The main dish was also pretty awesome and with a familiar favorite veggie like broccoli, the kids ate it right up. 

And we had another big country colored in (India is the 7th biggest by area)! 

33 Down, 160 to go! 

Next Up: Judaism and Israel 

Polynesian Cultural Center: Fiji

Before we head out to Hawaii, I'm putting together a few of country blogs we'll be visiting at the Polynesain Cultural Center. I won't post them until they can all be put together, but at least I'll be halfway done. 

The first country up on our tour is Fiji. It's a stereotypical South Pacific country where you can spend your days soaking in the tropical atmosphere. Visitors swim through caves, snorkel with manta rays, surf the world class waves, and island hop to bask on the many beaches. 

It's one of the most well known countries of Melanesia, and is very popular with vacationers. Visitors are intoxicated with the friendly people, delicious fresh fruit, brave fire walkers, and exciting wildlife (including the rare Fijian monkey faced bats). While there are two large islands, Fiji is spread over 332 islands, offering something for everyone. 

While 64% of the country identifies as Christian, the second most practiced religion is Hindu (at around 28%). The Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in Nadi is the largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere and our landmark. The bright temple is one of the few places outside of India where you can see traditional Dravidian architecture. The wooden carving of deities were brought from India, and to keep with authenticity,  the artists who painted the temple in bright colors and designed the impressive ceiling frescoes, were also from India. 

Fiji has an interesting history. 

First, if you visit, you can often catch a traditional 'meke' performance. It's a dance that has been performed across generations, and tells the story of the Fijian culture, history, and legends. 

Most Marine Biologists believe all life started in the Western Pacific in the waters off Fiji. Today it is home to one of the most vibrant reefs in the world, the appropriately named Rainbow Reef. 

Like many countries in the Western Pacific, Fiji has a history with cannibalism. 

In 1867, an English Missionary touched the chief's head (a big no-no and an act of war), and he was boiled and eaten. Apparently one shoe survived the ordeal and can be found on display at the Fiji museum! 

The first king of Fiji was a warlord feared by many. It was common knowledge that he would boil and eat his enemies after defeating them in battle. 

But for the boys postcards, they all found the most fascinating thing about Fiji to be its placement on the 180th Meridian, or the International Date Line. Dividing the world into the two hemispheres, the line passes right through the island of Taveuni. There is even a spot on the island where you can jump back and forth between days. 

Calib also noted the surfing at Cloud Break. 

Peyton did as well, but in his you can see that this wave is caused by a coral reef. As a result, Fiji regulates how many people can go out on it a day. 

Hayden, meanwhile, focused on the colorful Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple. 

Before we left, we added Fiji to the table. It's down there in purple, south of Vanuatu. 

Ok. So, this blog has been sitting in 'draft' mode for almost a month. And honestly, I didn't even re-read the first part, because I have lots of catching up to do, so forgive me if I'm a bit repetitive. We did the country part before we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center. 

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a bit like Epcot's world showcase for Polynesian Countries. There were three in particular we were focused on: Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. At the end of our day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, we had a luau dinner, that I just counted for all three countries. Is that cheating a bit? Perhaps, but it's my project, so I can cut a few corners here and there if I want to, right? 

Anyway, we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center way back on June 30th, when we were on our second day in Hawaii. (Just click on the link if you want to read about that day.) 

To keep all the various countries at the Polynesian Cultural Center straight, I took a picture before we went into each of the little pavilions (I'm not sure that is what they are called there, but it works for EPCOT, so I'm using it.) 

The blurb for Fiji on the Polynesian Cultural Center's website says: 

"Ever heard of a lali (translated: log drum)? You will. And you’ll discover its cultural significance at the same time. You can even give it a try, unless you’re too busy checking out the wide array of devastating clubs and weapons native to the Fijiian culture. Beware, you’ll discover some mean-looking military hardware. After all, the Fijiians took war very seriously.

Natives will help you understand what the cowry shells on a structure’s roof really mean, and who can enter such a building. Here’s a clue – you better be the village chief. Explore the six-story high Fijiian temple – just make sure you enter through the correct door. (Otherwise, according to tradition, you risk death.)" 

Hayden was not pleased at the 'take your hat off' rule to enter the building where the village chief would live. There we were greeted by a guy who was actually being groomed to be the next village chief back home in Fiji. He told us all about his dad, and his grandfather and how he would be next in line (although he did say he would like to stay in Hawaii). 

We also saw the Fijian Temple, Bure Kalou , or the spirit house. Always elevated on a pyramid type structure, there is one of these and a meeting house in every village. 

Our next stop in Fiji was that meeting house, where we got to hear from a guy from Fiji tell us a little bit about his home. Apparently, they play most musical instruments there from their nose, because that is the 'purest of air' (as opposed to coming from your mouth). 

But, the musical instrument we got to play was the lali, or log drum. He led us in a couple of different 'songs' of sorts. Basically it's like a percussion instrument, as the translation of 'log drum' would suggest, where you mimic his cadence. These drums traditionally were used for communication- to announce a birth, or death, or even wars. But, today they're used more in church services and even as entertainment in Fijian hotels and such. 

I guess sometimes you play these with another smaller stick you hit it up against, but we just played them by hitting them on the floor. There is a hallow end, and a closed end. The closed end is what you knock against the floor. 

Fiji is also where Hayden, Calib, and Asa got their polynesian tattoos. Each one had their own meaning and they could pick based on that. But honestly, it's been so long now, I don't remember what each of theirs meant. (I knew I should have written this blog sooner). 

Every afternoon there is also a canoe pageant, where each of the six polynesian countries/places has their own canoe with traditional dancers. I really liked the continuity of the traditional attire in the pavilions, during the canoe pageant and at dinner. Even when we saw the 'Ha, Breath of Life' show after dinner, I could pick out who was from where.  

I really could have spent multiple days here, because certain activities only happen at certain times, and it's hard, if not impossible to make it to them all. 

I think I'll just go ahead and post the luau food once I get to Tonga. Basic staples of Fijian cuisine include sweet potatoes, taro, rice, pineapples and bananas, all of which could be found at the luau. They also use underground ovens, which is where the pig was cooked. So, it all totally counts. 

I may, however, eventually make this Fijian Honey Cake when we finish up our Polynesian countries just to have made something specifically from Fiji, but we'll see. 

The numbers here are also a little out of order, because we did some of the 'vacation' countries while Asa was in the office. 

Next Up: Samoa at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Religion Week: Nepal

We're on to learning about our the third most popular religion in the world, Hinduism. Nepal has the largest majority Hindu population in the world. So on we go! 

Home to the mysterious Yeti, and the world's tallest mountain, Nepal has had a rough go of it lately. Threy endured two devastating earthquakes in 2015, a major one and a serious aftershock. In some cases villages were destroyed by landslides caused by the earthquakes. Many buildings were destroyed or damaged. Plenty of countries offered aid to Nepal, but it's still a long road back. 

Obviously Mount Everest ('Sagarmatha', meaning 'goddess of the sky' in Nepal), was our landmark. How could it not be? It is the 'tallest mountain in the world', or more accurately the highest above sea level-mountain in the world. From base to summit it's not the tallest (that actually goes to the Mauna Kea in Hawaii), but at 29,035 feet above sea level it is the tallest from that measurement. 

We did talk about just what a trek it is to climb Mount Everest, and how if you die up there, you just kind of get left there because it's too hard to bring you back down. Instead you just become a marker in other climbers trek. And there are a lot of ways to die up there: avalanches, ice collapses, altitude sickness, among others. The area at the top is even considered a 'death zone' . Just under 300 people have died climbing it, but about 800 people attempt to climb it every year. 

Nepal has the most interesting flag of them all, as it's the only non-quadrilateral flag in the world. (Country wise, I know you Ohioans could try and correct me!) The two triangles are a representation of the Himalayan mountains and the two major religions in the country: Hinduism and Buddhism. 

It's also worth noting that Nepal is one of the last places in the world to use the ancient Hindu Vikram Sandwat calendar. It's 56 and a half years ahead of ours; it's 2070 in Nepal! 

After learning about Nepal, we were on to Hinduism. Hinduism is, for practical purposes, the oldest religion still practiced today. It's at least 4,000 years old, making it twice as old as Christianity. Hindus believe in karma, that every thing has a religious meaning, and worship a variety of deities.  There are four basic stages of life: Student, Householder, Thinker and Wanderer. 

There's no particular official sects/branches/practices, but Hindus can be divided by the God they primarily worship, and there are five major ones.The boys were familiar with some terms and deities such as Brahman and Vishnu from our lessons by dad, when we talked about the Caste system in India.  Smartism treats all the deities the same . 

Their 'scripture' is the Vedas, a book containing songs to the Gods, and the Upanishads, which contain teachings about how to live, and what happens when you die. (Basically the rules of karma decide how you are reincarnated). 

We usually split our religions up to two different countries, and two different days. We actually spread Nepal over two days (since Asa was in the office), and both of our activities had to do with the Hindu holidays, so here's what our board looked like after today. 

I just want to take a second to show you how great my stick people skills are with my drawing of a Sadhu. Sadhus are held to great regard in much of southern Asia because of their dedication to their religion. They give up all their worldly possessions to dedicate their life to bless ceremonies, protect their villages from evil, and meditate. And they wear yellow robes. 

Our first celebration we talked about was Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights held in the fall. 

During Diwali, Hindus, especially in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh (our other Hindu country), make rangolis. The create patterns on the floor, or in courtyards, using colored rice, dry flour, colored sand, or flower petals. 

The boys went out to the front porch to make their rangolis using some colored sand and colored noodles- ok, it's not rice, but I improvised- because I still had some left from Native American week. (See if you keep things long enough, you'll need them eventually!) 

Calib somehow decided he should use Fritos in his design as well. (He was having his snack, I don't ask questions). 

Hayden went out and got leaves and such from the yard. 

And Peyton went with some dried beans, noodles, and sand. 

The rangolis are supposed to bring wealth and good luck, so here's hoping! Asa judged his favorite when we got home (since he didn't know whose was whose), and Hayden won, earning him a dollar for his jar. So I guess it worked, someone got some wealth!  

The boys all did an excellent job on their Nepal postcards. We're going to vote on collections tomorrow, and it's going to be tough to pick a winner, they're all really good! 

So the boys are kind of over certain things for dinner, and one of them is rice. So I've been trying really hard to mix it up. I told them all we were having pizza, and we kind of were, with Chatamari. You can top it all kinds of different ways with chicken, or eggs, or ground beef. But, seeing as we were doing Hinduism, and cows are sacred (so no eating beef) we nixed that. And the boys had been having a lot of eggs lately, so we went with chicken. I took a picture of it in the pan, because I wasn't sure how it would look once I dished it up. 

But I actually did good with it. I was even able to pick it up and eat it like a normal piece of pizza. We paired it with some Asian pears and Nepali green bean-sesame salad. 

This meal earned five spoons up. 

We all wished we had made more than two pizzas, everyone cleared their plates, and would totally eat it again. 

We colored in Nepal on the table, even though somehow I didn't draw the bottom line to separate it from India when I made the map. I'm sure this will happen more than once, but we'll make do. 

29 countries down, 164 to go! 

Next Up: Bangladesh