Invented Tradition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Invented Tradition - Essay Example In the mid 19th century the war between British and China has caused the leader of the British to concede. This was about the legalization of the opium by the Western to sell it to the drug addicts in China. Like in the present situation marijuana and other addicting substance are being sold anywhere. Racism is one of the invented traditions that are important in the development of the Asia or the Orient. It is one of the problematic notions in the Western. From the 19th century until now Westerns or the Europeans and Americans tends to look one person based on its race or history. The racism in Asian or the orient is not evident since they can adopt in different cultural norms and values. China for example has become successful today because of hard work and cooperation without tracing the race or beginnings. It is an invented tradition which may not help the development of a nation. The traditions can be grafted from the old ones. The western notion about race can still be adopted in a different ways. The traditional song or folksong can be the basis of identification of a certain nationality. In the past Asian such as the Philippines has several folksongs helping it in identifying the country. By this invented tradition several composers and writers have been able to compose several songs which was taken from the past and continued in the present. This song from the Western colony has been reorganized or arranged to adopt in the culture of the Asians. The historical development of the song from the Western notion has been changed thru repetitive arrangement of the song and several corrections on it. Now Asians or the Orient has its identity from the invented traditions of songs. Religions in the past are also a significant factor in the history of the Asians under the Europeans. Catholics before are devoted, the invented tradition of religion in western notion of Asians has been changed by changing several writings about the Bible. The result of several religious groups today maybe traced from the past. The war in the religion maybe the cause of different beliefs arises from the culture they are living. Before Westerns are believed to be Catholic, but now different groups with different names is arising adopting their beliefs from the Catholic. Invented tradition is useful since from the past we will be able to solve several problems from the present. The invented tradition may serve as an evidence of the present problem that can be solved by studying the past and the origin of the tradition. The problem in the racism as stated above can be solved by tracing back the tradition of the past. The history of the songs written and the national anthem of every nation can be understood by analyzing the past. Thru invented tradition the understanding about human relation will be clearly analyzed. Discrimination in certain western area can be prevented by tracing the past of such belief to the present situation of the Asian people in a western soil. The western notion about the niger or the black race can be changed by presenting the history of the Asian or the Orient. 2. What role has power and hierarchy

Myth of Demeter and Persephone in terms of ritual Essay

Myth of Demeter and Persephone in terms of ritual - Essay Example The same is applied with the Demeter and Persephone. Iliad portrays Demeter and her daughter Persephone as the lesser goddesses, where Demeter is sketched as the goddess of fertility, corn, harvest and mother earth, where she ruled over the areas including fertility, growth, wisdom, and bloom of the crops, fruits and vegetables. Similarly, Persephone served as the Maiden of Spring, though later she got the title of Queen of the underworld after her deceitful abduction at the hands of Hades, the Underworld King. Demeter’s rituals were celebrated with great enthusiasm in sowing and harvesting seasons i.e. in spring and autumn. Eleusinian Mystery is the ritual attributed to Demeter, which is celebrated to memorize her refuge in Eleusis town in the aftermath of her unsuccessful rummage around the earth for the lost Persephone. Since Demeter maintained sheer feelings of affection for Persephone, she did not let her depart from her sight. Somehow, she was trapped by Zeus for the Had es’ sake, and thus was shifted to the underworld in the wake of the eruption of earth during her gathering the cosmic flowers. Demeter searched for Persephone in all corners of the earth and also sought the support of gods, but no one bothered to help her at the hour of utter disgust. (Roberts, 1960) Consequently, Demeter caused famine and drought all over the earth, which destroyed all crops and cultivation met a sorrowful end. There was everything green and blossoming and people were happy and prosperous. But the anger of Demeter turned greenery into futility and barrenness and people became poignant and gloomy. Consequently, Zeus interrupted and ordered Hades to arrange meeting between Demeter and Persephone. However, Persephone was forced to take seed from the pomegranate of the dead, which did not let her stay with her mother for long. On disclosure of the very fact, Demeter refused to turn the lands fertile and productive again. Somehow, Zeus assured that Persephone wou ld stay with Demeter for six months, and would abide in the underworld for the remaining half year. The myth not only maintained imperative significance in its nature and scope, but also gave birth to the Greek celebrations and rituals for the future years to come. The rituals are based on the sense of hope, cultivation, blossoming, joy and mirth on the one hand, and despair, sorrow, gloom and cruelty on the other. The six months, attributed to union of the mother and daughter give message of hope, spirituality and courage, while their separation represents long awaiting, barrenness, tyranny, deceit and darkness. Somehow, the rituals of Demeter and Persephone are celebrated with unabated passion and spiritual fervor. The most noteworthy issue regarding the celebration of her ritual was the people’s passion for obtaining spiritual elevation on the one hand, and gaining the worldly gains on the other. Since Demeter’s temple provides spiritual and mental relief to the pil grims, her mysterious powers of fertility and bloom bless the people with children, economic prosperity, agricultural flourish and access to the pecuniary gains as well. It is therefore, the pilgrims travelled wide to reach Eleusis particularly in autumn, where the men and slaves kept fast till darkness of night. Demeter had secretly established her temple in Eleusis during her search for Persephone, and the Greeks celebrated the mystery once a year in autumn season which