Category: Culture Articles

Although Origami is known to be a Japanese Art or sometimes Craft, it actually started out in China. The Chinese invented paper, and when the invention spread to Japan, so did the art of paper folding. Most Japanese practice origami, but it started out as an art form for religious ceremonies. Find out more about the history of origami, and try your hand at a simple model.

Origami simply means to fold paper. Ori means to fold and kami means paper. The art of paper folding reached Japan sometime in the seventh century. At first it was used in religious ceremonies, where pieces of paper were folded in a particular way to have a particular meaning. It was also used for wrapping gifts.
Paper was scarce and expensive so that only the rich could afford to use it. Slowly the process for making paper became quicker and cheaper, and everyone had access to it. Once everyone had access the art of origami really took hold.

Origami wasn’t always called that. That was the name given to it in the nineteenth century. Before that it was known by many different names, depending on what it was being used for. No one has ever come up with a definition of origami that everyone can agree on. Some people say it is an art, some a craft, some say you can cut the paper or use more than one piece, others say it must be only one piece of paper and folded without cutting. It is very confusing, but most people seem to think of it as usually being the folding of a single sheet of paper to form an object. The object can either be decorative, as in the form of a bird, or useful, as in a vase or box.

At first no directions were ever written down for the models. They were taught to each new generation and passed on by learning and practicing. The first known book on how to make an origami object was written in 1797 and is called How to Fold 1000 Cranes. There is a tradition in Japan that says anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes has his wishes granted. Many children start folding cranes in Kindergarten, and complete 1000 sometime later.

Today there are hundreds of books and Internet sites offering instructions on origami. Some of them are very complex models, and it takes a long time to learn how to make them. Because the models are so complex, a special system of symbols has been invented for showing the different folds. There is also special paper for making origami models. It is sold in square sheets, usually colored on one side and white on the other. To start with, though, you can use any square sheet of paper.

Now, if origami is defined as the art or craft of folding paper to make an object, then water bombs are a type of origami. When I was a child water bombs were definitely my favorite things to make from paper. Now I’m a Mom I don’t like them quite as much, but I’ll show you how anyway!

Caution: Throwing water bombs in the house or school may get you grounded for a very long time. It is definitely a good idea to throw these outside.
Also remember that if you live in a high rise, dropping these out of the window from any height can cause serious injury to anyone they land on. They are best used to throw at older brothers and sisters, in your back yard.

You will need a square sheet of paper, and some patience. It is easier to follow the instructions if you color one side of the paper first.

Stage 1: Creasing Your Paper

• • First fold the paper, plain sides together diagonally.
  • Unfold and refold the other way, so that when you flatten out the paper you have two creases in an X shape.
  • Next, fold the paper colored sides together, across the middle. Then unfold again.
  • Now your paper should look like this:

Stage 2: Making a Triangle

• • Lay the paper flat, plain side down, with the down fold running across the middle from side to side.
  • Place a finger under the middle of the paper and push upwards.
  • You should see a pyramid shape start to form.
  • Pull up on the point of the pyramid, push the sides inwards and the front and back together.
  • Now you should have something that looks like this:

Stage 3: Making a Square

• • Turn your triangle so that you have the top point facing away from you.
  • Take the bottom right hand corner (top layer only) and fold it up to the point.
  • Repeat with the left side.
  • Now you should still have a triangle on the bottom layer, and a square on the top.
  • Turn the paper over and repeat with the second triangle.
  • Now it should look like this:

Stage 4: Fixing the Corners

• • Take the right hand point and fold it to the center (top layer only)
  • Repeat with the left point
  • Turn your square over and repeat

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• • You should now have three layers of paper at the top of your square

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• • The points that you folded in should have a little pocket in them, at the top

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• • Take the right hand top layer and fold it down so that it meets the folded in point on the right, at the center of your shape

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• • Now it should look like this:

• • Next, take the right hand piece you have just folded (looks like a small triangle), and fold it again, along the base (see diagram).

• • Unfold it and then tuck it into the pocket that was formed in stage three.
  • Repeat this for each of the remaining three points.

Stage 5: Opening out your “Bomb”

• • Take the top point and fold it down to the center, crease hard.
  • Do the same for the bottom point
  • Unfold both points, turn your model over and repeat, creasing them the other way, and unfolding them again.
  • At the bottom point you should see a small hole.
  • Blow hard into the hole, and gently pull the sides of your model until you have a cube.

Now you can pour water into the cube and throw it. Don’t wait too long to throw it, or the paper will become too wet, and the cube will tear.

If you want to learn more about origami and try your hand at some other models, visit these sites:

How to make an Origami Crane
Origami Pyramid Container
The History of Origami
Origami Files and Diagrams

An African American Celebration

Beginning
on December 26 and lasting for 7 days, Kwanzaa is an African American
holiday. It reinforces community, family and good social values through
seven principles.

Kwanzaa is a relatively new holiday in
terms of most celebrations held at this time of year, but it is celebrated by
millions and is a fast growing holiday. It first started in 1966, when Dr.
Maulana Karenga thought up the idea. He was concerned at the loss of identity of
The African American people, and wanted a celebration of their cultural heritage
and roots. It is far more than just a celebration, though. It is a way of
bringing the community together, teaching younger members to be proud of whom
they are and reaffirm the commitment to family and community.

It begins on December 26 and lasts for seven days, ending on January 1. For
each day there is a different principle, or theme, to think about and discuss.
The ideas and origin of the Kwanzaa celebrations come from an ancient African
tradition of celebrating the first fruits. The word Kawanza comes from Swahili,
a widely spoken African language. The names of the seven principles and the
Kwanzaa greetings are all in Swahili. This is because it does not reflect one
particular African nation or group, and so can be used by all.

The Seven Principles

Each day a different principle is celebrated and thought about.

• Ujimah (oo-MO-jah) or unity. It is to remind people to come
  together as a family, community, nation and race.
• Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-GOO-lee-ah)
  or self-determination. To have a separate identity, and to let others know
  about it.
• Ujima (oo-JEE-mah) or
  cooperation and working together. Helping to build a community and solve
  problems together.
• Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) or
  supporting one another. To build businesses and places of work especially to
  support others in the community
• Nia (NEE-yah) or purpose.
  To rebuild the community ties and maintain them.
• Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) or
  creativity. To improve the community and make it a better and more beautiful
  place.
• Imani (ee-MAH-nee) or faith
  in the leaders and the community.

The pronunciation is in brackets, with emphasis being placed
on the sound in capital letters. You will learn about why the words have
different colors, as you read on.

The Symbols

This holiday has many symbols. There is a candleholder that holds seven
candles. The center candle is black, to symbolize the face of the African
people. On the left of the black candle are three red candles, and on the right
are three green ones. The red symbolizes the blood of the African people and the
green is for the land and the hope of new life.

The candleholder (kinara) should be placed on a table. First, the table
should be covered with a piece of African cloth, preferably with the black, red
and green colors. Then a straw mat (mkeka) is placed on the table. The
candleholder is then placed on the mat. For every child an ear of corn (muhindi)
is also placed on the mat. Even if there are no children in the family, there
should be two ears of corn. This is because in African culture every adult is
meant to be a social parent to all the children in the community. There is also
a cup known as the cup of unity (kikombe cha umoja).

The Celebration

Each day the family gathers to discuss the principle of the day. They can
gather in their home, or several families may gather together in one home, or a
large meeting hall. Traditionally the youngest person lights the candle. On the
first day the black candle is lit, and the first principle is discussed (umoja).
Everyone can talk about what it means to them, how they try to practice it, and
how other people practice it and how it helps the entire community. Then there
can be a discussion on how they can continue to practice it throughout the year,
and activities based on the principle of the day. After the discussion is
complete, the candle is put out. On the next day the black candle is lit again,
and then a candle for the next principle, Kujichagulia. If you look back at the
list of principles, you will see this one is written n red, so a red candle is
lit. The next day the black candle, the red one and a green one are lit, and so
on, until on the seventh day all seven candles are lit.

There is a feast, usually held on December 31. It is called the Karumu. At
the feast there is dancing, story telling a talk about Kwanzaa and plenty of
fun. At the feast everyone drinks from the Cup of Unity. Gifts may also be
exchanged. Although gifts are not necessary to the celebration, they are often
given, mainly to children. They should include a book and heritage symbol. The
most treasured gifts are the homemade crafts. The food that is eaten at the
feast should be authentic African recipes, no hot dogs and hamburgers!

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Although Kwanzaa is only celebrated for seven days, its principles are
carried on throughout the year. The seven days are to remind everyone of how
they should live their lives throughout the coming year.

 

There are plenty of sites on line showing how to make paper lanterns, but none quite as impressive as this one. It takes basic materials, a little skill and a lot of patience. Follow these simple instructions and make your own.

Making paper lanterns is fun, and this one can be proudly hung in your room all year round. It is similar to the ones children carry in the St Martin’s Day Parade. You will need:

• • Three sheets of lightweight letter size paper (the lighter the better).
  • Glue or tape.
  • Crayons, markers or paint
  • Needle and thread.
  • Two craft sticks, popsicle sticks or strips of card (optional).
  • Patience and nimble fingers!

Step One: Coloring

• • Take the three sheets of A4 paper, and glue or tape them together lengthwise to make one long sheet.
  • Fold the paper in half lengthwise and color, the outside of the paper, on both sides.
  • You can put a picture, a pattern, or just a solid color.
  • The top of the picture will be along the fold.
  • It is best just to use a pattern or solid color the first time, until you understand just how it goes together.

Step Two: Folding

• • Fold the paper in concertina fashion, the same as for a paper fan
  • Fold about a half inch fold one way, then the next fold the other way.
  • Press well on every fold, to make sure it is well creased.
  • When you are done, this is how it should look:

Step Three: The Tricky Bit!

You need to separate the two sides of the paper.

• • First, unfold the whole thing, just a little.
  • Next, refold each side separately.

• • You should end up with one fold at the top, and two edges, making a v-shape.

• • Press on all the folds again.

Step Four: Fixing

• • Take a needle and long thread, doubled.
  • Pass the needle through each fold of one edge.
  • Leave about 1 inch of thread hanging loosely and pass the needle back through the folds.

• • Tie off the thread, with about 1 inch slack at either end of the folds.
  • Repeat on the second edge.

Step Five: Opening the Lantern

• • Pull out the folded edges of the paper, it should unfold in a circle.

• • If your lantern seems to have a big hole in the center, you can fix it by tightening the slack in the threads.

Step Six: Hanging your Lantern

• • To hang the lantern you need to put some kind of a hook at the top.
  • I have found the best way to do it is to stick a popsicle stick on either side of the join, or a thin strip of card.
  • Punch a hole through both sticks.
  • Tie thread, string, or use a paper clip to make a hook.
  • St Martin’s Lanterns should really be hung from a pole, but you can hang it anywhere.

Lighting your Lantern

• • It is very important to NEVER use a candle with a paper lantern.
  • You can light your candle by suspending a small flashlight in it, or getting an adult to help you rig up a battery with a bulb inside the lantern.
  • You can hang the flashlight or bulb from the sticks.

 

A North American Holiday

Although
most people outside North America have heard of Thanksgiving, not many
really know much about it. This article explains what Thanksgiving is,
who celebrates it and why.

Thanksgiving is a National Holiday celebrated in both Canada and the US. In
Canada it is celebrated on the second Monday of October, and in the US on the
fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving in Canada

The Canadians can actually lay claim to having had the first Thanksgiving
celebration in North America. Martin Frobisher, an English Navigator, held a
formal ceremony in Newfoundland in 1578. He did this to give thanks for
surviving the long sea journey. Other settlers continued the tradition after
they arrived in Newfoundland. At the time of the American Revolution, Americans
who remained loyal to the Government in England, moved to Canada and thus
Thanksgiving celebrations spread throughout Canada.

In 1879, Parliament declared November 6th a national holiday of Thanksgiving.
Over the years this date changed, and on January 31, 1957, Parliament declared
the second Monday in October of each year to be “A Day of General
Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has
been blessed”.

Thanksgiving in the United States.

Thanksgiving in the United States is a day when people reflect on all the
things they are thankful for during the year. People celebrate the bounty of the
harvest and their lives, just as the Pilgrims did years before.

The pilgrims were the first real European settlers to go to North America.
They boarded a ship called the Mayflower in 1620. They were setting off to the
new land of America for a variety of different reasons. This group included
merchants, servants, freemen, and religious separatists. Regardless of why they
chose to become colonists, they were all willing to risk everything they had
including their lives for new opportunities that could not be found in their
home countries.

The religious separatists were the smallest group within the ranks of the
colonists; however, they were also the most organized. They were going to
America for religious freedom. This group was originally from England. To escape
religious persecution, imprisonment and even death, this group had escaped
England for the Netherlands to live in self-imposed exile. It is there that the
lived and practiced their beliefs, as best as they could, for twelve (12) years
before they boarded the Mayflower.

Whilst we generally refer to the whole group of colonists on the Mayflower as
Pilgrims , the term more appropriately refers to these religious
separatists. In fact, the word pilgrim was not used to describe the
colonists until 200 years later.

The Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving that first year after they arrived at
Plymouth as they had suffered through much hardship. They had run out of food
and the crops they had planted failed to grow. With the help of Native Americans
led by Chief Massasoit, they survived to once again have an abundant harvest and
rebuild their lives and carve a niche for themselves, and those who later
followed, in the New World.

One of the things that enabled the Pilgrims to survive was their friendship
with Chief Massasoit and his tribe. They showed the Pilgrims about native food
and crop cultivation so that their farming would be abundant. The Pilgrims, in
turn, showed their appreciation for the friendship of Chief Massasoit and his
tribe by inviting them to celebrate their harvest and bounty after all of their
sufferings.

The first Thanksgiving meal was nothing like the meals of today. It was more
like a giant cook out. Now, traditionally, people eat turkey, mashed potatoes
and gravy, corn in some form or other and a variety of other vegetables and side
dishes. The traditional dessert is pumpkin pie and/or pecan pie.

The Pilgrims continued to hold a Thanksgiving celebration every year, and it
was eventually declared a national holiday. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln
declared Thanksgiving a national day of Thanksgiving, and made a proclamation.
Every year since, the current President of the United States gives a
Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

All American children know that a pancake is thick, round and dry, and that you add a topping to it. British children will tell you it is thin, slightly oiled and tastes best rolled up with lemon juice and sugar in the middle. Egyptian children eat it as a snack, folded in half, stuff with nuts or cream, deep-fried and soaked in sugar syrup. So who is right? When is it a pancake and when is it something else completely?

Actually they are all right. Even though they are all very different, depending where you
come from they are pancakes. It isn’t really clear who made the first pancakes. There are pancakes made with potato, and even a pancake made with cabbage and carrot from Indonesia. Since they aren’t stuffed or topped with anything, and are always savory, we won’t count
these as pancakes for this article. It isn’t really clear who made the first pancakes. The original pancakes were more like bread, using flour and water. Modern pancakes are more nutritious, usually containing eggs, milk instead of water, and sometimes a raising agent like baking powder. Let’s take a look at some of the different pancakes.

The British Pancake 

The British pancake is made much the same way as the American one, but doesn’t contain baking powder or yeast. It is made from a plain batter of eggs, flour and milk. For a sweet pancake you add a pinch of
sugar, for a savory one, salt. After the pancake is cooked, and while it is still hot, you add the stuffing and roll it. The most popular sweet stuffing in England is lemon juice and sugar. Savory pancakes usually contain a stuffing made from ground beef.

The American Pancake

The American pancake is much thicker. It contains baking powder to make it rise. Because it is thicker it is difficult to roll, so it is served flat, stacked up with a topping. The favorite topping is maple syrup and whipped butter.

The Egyptian Pancake 

Like the American Pancake, the Egyptian Pancake contains a raising agent. It can be either baking powder or yeast. The pancake is fried on one side only, and then allowed to cool. After it has cooled a small amount of stuffing is placed in the middle. The pancake is folded over and the edges sealed with water. Then it is deep fried, and dipped in sugar syrup. It is extremely sweet and sticky and not very healthy!

Pancake Traditions

In England the Tuesday before Lent (Shrove Tuesday) is known as Pancake Day. On that day it is traditional to eat pancakes. The origin of this is that the Catholics, who observe Lent, wanted to use up all the rich foods in their pantry before Lent. In Lent eggs, sugar and butter were not allowed so they were used to make pancakes. Now everyone celebrates Pancake Day, regardless of religion, and there are pancake-tossing competitions. The competitions involve seeing who can toss the pancake highest and catch it again in the pan, or who can toss it the most times in a minute. There are also pancake races, involving running while tossing a pancake.

In America pancakes are a common breakfast food. They are served in most restaurants for breakfast with an amazing variety of toppings.

In Egypt pancakes are eaten all year round, but especially in Ramadan, the month of fasting. At sunset the fast is broken with a meal, and then sweets are served. One of the favorite sweets is the pancake.

The Recipes

You will need a mixing bowl and whisk, or a blender, a frying pan and some adult help.
The basic batter for all three is the same.

• • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the American and Egyptian versions you need to add 1-½ teaspoons of baking powder.

Place the flour and egg and half the milk into the mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Add the rest of the milk until the batter pours easily off a spoon but is not too watery. Use more milk if you need. Add the
sugar, and if you are using it the baking powder, and mix again. Let the batter stand for about 20 minutes and give it a final mix.

For the cooking you will need adult help.
Heat a frying pan coated in oil on the stove until very hot. Drop in a spoon full of batter and rock the pan to make it spread out. Fry until the batter changes color and bubbles appear on the top. The bubbles should burst open and the pancake look white.

For the Egyptian pancakes fry only the first side. For the other pancakes turn them over and fry the second side, too. Then add your favorite topping and eat them while they are still hot.

For the Egyptian pancakes you need to prepare a stuffing and the syrup.
The simplest stuffing consists of chopped nuts (any kind) a little sugar and a little cinnamon (optional).
For the syrup, put two cups of sugar and one cup of water into a pan and bring to the boil. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Boil for exactly ten minutes and remove from the heat.

 

Caution: Boiling syrup is very hot and can cause severe burns. An adult should do this. Never taste the syrup when it is hot, and if any of it gets on your skin hold the affected part under running cold water for at LEAST five minutes.

After the pancakes have cooled, add a small amount of the stuffing to the center of the pancake (uncooked side).
Fold the pancake in half and pinch the edges together, they stick better if you run a wet finger over them before folding.
Strictly speaking the pancakes should then be deep fried until golden brown. For health reasons it is probably better to brush them lightly with oil or butter and bake them in a hot oven for 20-25 minutes.

The last step is to soak them in the syrup. For the best results the pancakes should be hot and the syrup cold, or the pancakes cold and the syrup hot. If both are hot or cold, it doesn’t work as well. Soak them for about a minute, remove them from the syrup and allow them to drip off the excess syrup before eating. They are best eaten cold.

So, get busy trying all the different types of pancake, and decide which is your favorite. Try different nuts for the Egyptian one (my favorite is walnuts) and different toppings for the others. Try tossing the English ones. Don’t toss too high or they stick to the ceiling! Most important have fun and be safe. Remember that kitchens can be dangerous and you should always have adult supervision.