Hej guys
We're having a vacation, just telling you c: I'm travelling with my mom this week and I won't have internet until Christmas, and I have to talk to some people so we can decide what we're going to do next year (about this blog. I said I was going to make something different with some friends, but we don't know what. Yet.) and I think it would be nice to start it after New Year's Eve because of no particular reason, but I think it sounds better (????).
And that's it :3



Aaaaaand I have kind of a promise to you guys: if I pass that fucking test I did this week (which decides if I'm going to a public university or not) I'll shave a part of my hair. And I'm fucking serious. Write it down. I think it's fun how public schools are so shitty while public universities are so nice and everyone wants to study there. Makes no sense to me. 

And now it's really over.

Happy Holidays :D
See you in January

LIFE IS HARD, BUT LOOK:

Hej guys (:
I had some problems yesterday (that's why I didn't write anything) and I'll have to go to more lessons soon, so, no, I don't think I'll write Thursday's post. I'll make a longer post next week. 

MYTHOLOGY: THE PEACOCK MAIDEN (part 1)

Hej (:
How are you guys? I'm fine, and soon I'll be on vacation *-*
I wanted to make a post about the Swan Maidens of Norse mythology, but when I was searching I found this Chinese legend and I found it nice:

 In Monbanja, a land of perennial green, there once lived a king named Bahkeladir. His granaries overflowed with the fruits of good harvests and his palace was beyond compare for splendor and richness, but he had no children. Both he and his queen Machena longed for a son, for an heir to succeed to the throne and complete their happiness.
 And then, one morning in early spring, their wish was fulfilled. The people rushed excitedly about, talking of a strange happening. A man-child crawled out from the foot of a huge white elephant and then disappeared without a trace. Right at this moment, the queen gave birth to a healthy son which the king named Chaushutun, after a prince famous for his bravery, hoping that his son, too, would grow into a strong and brave man.
 With each passing day Chaushutun grew taller and stronger. He diligently studied the arts of peace and war, becoming well versed in the arts and proficient with all weapons. His intelligence was astonishing, and his strength excelled all other men.
One day he peered into a well and by the dim light beheld a strange object in it. The wise old men said that the great King Bahmo had left a wonderful treasure there, which men for many generations had tried in vain to obtain. Chaushutun ordered the well be drained, and when this was done he descended into the well to examine it more closely. The object was a magic bow. So powerful was it that he who owned it could defeat an entire enemy army. No one but Chaushutun had the strength to bend the huge bow. He could draw it taut till it was as round as the full moon, and every arrow from it hit the target clean and sure.
 One day as an evil bird of prodigious size was arrogantly wheeling overhead in the clouds, a black fish clasped in its beak, an arrow from Chaushutun's bow pierced it. The fish fell from its beak into a river, and the bird, mortally wounded, plunged down into the forests below.
Sixteen times the breezes of autumn fanned the paddy fields into a swaying, burning gold. Chaushutun was now a brave, handsome lad, with deep, clear eyes that sparkled with life. His face was more lovely than the legendary Dewawo's, and his voice was like the chiming of bells, soft and musical to the ear.
 When the maidens saw him their mouths and eyes opened wide in admiration and they longed to toss the embroidered pouch of courtship at him, offer him the slit-bamboo stool reserved for their dear ones, and give him love nuts. His parents grew increasingly concerned about his marriage, and time and again urged him to marry a girl of noble birth.
 The treacherous minister Mahashena, eager to increase his influence over the throne, offered his daughter. But it was of no use. Of the many beautiful but empty-headed daughters of nobles, not one could win Chaushutun's heart. His one wish was to find himself a girl as capable as she was beautiful, who could be his faithful companion for life.
 One day, with his magic bow and sword, and mounted on his wonder horse, Chaushutun rode away, over vast fields, over range after range of mountains and through thick forests, to search for a girl after his heart. On the way he fell in with an old hunter named Gohagen and the two became firm friends. Together they hunted the wild boar and the flame-speckled deer, and shared the same fire. As they ate their fill of savory venison they talked of many interesting things. One of the stories Gohagen told the prince was this:

Not many years ago, Bahna, the God of Waters, with a magic weapon captured the son of Bahun, king of all fish-eating birds. In revenge the bird king caught the God of Waters while he was visiting the ocean's surface in the guise of a black fish. And just as the bird king was exulting high in the skies an arrow suddenly struck him, making him release the black fish, which fell down into a river, right into the net old Gohagen had spread. The black fish pleaded to be set free and promised to come to Gohagen's aid whenever he needed help. The kind-hearted Gohagen set the fish free.

 "I admired the bowman whose arrow brought down that fish! I have always hoped that some day I will meet him," concluded Gohagen.
"That unknown bowman probably wants to meet you even more," Chaushutun added with a smile. So they talked through the night, like old, intimate friends.
Chaushutun looked up and sighed. "Ah, bright star!" he said. "Herald of dawn! So high, yet so easily seen. Now why is a beautiful and talented maid born among men so difficult to find?"
 "Love never disappoints pure hearts. The steadfast and true will bring the deep-seated spring water to the surface," Gohagen chuckled knowingly.
Chaushutun nodded. He would remember that saying.
 "And not far from here," the old hunter went on, "is Lake Langsna with its jade-green waters as clear as a polished mirror. And every seven days, seven peacock maidens extraordinarily fair to see bathe there. They are as fair as resplendent flowers, and the youngest outshines them all. When you see her, you will see the beauty of the legendary Nandiowala and you will know what wisdom and cleverness really mean. Come, let us go and see."
 Chaushutun rose eagerly. They mounted their swift horses and soon were at the lake. They hid themselves on the lake's edge and waited.
Source: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/swan.html#peacock

That's it c:
See you next week
Hej då

LIFE IS HARD, BUT LOOK:

"BRAZILIAN" CULTURE: IEMANJÁ

Hej c:

Today's post is about something that isn't really Brazilian, but is really present in our culture because of the beliefs of the African slaves and, in a in a predominantly Christian country, these beliefs are seen as "devilish" and a lot of people don't respect it. 

 Yemanja is an orisha, originally of the Yoruba religion, who has become prominent in many Afro-American religions. Africans from what is now called Yorubaland brought Yemaya/Yemoja and a host of other deities/energy forces in nature with them when they were brought to the shores of the America as captives. She is the ocean, the essence of motherhood, and a protector of children.
 Because the Afro-American religions were transmitted as part of a long oral tradition, there are many regional variations on the goddess's name:
Africa: Yemoja, Ymoja, Yemowo, Mami Wata
Brazil: Yemanjá, Iemanjá, Janaína
Cuba: Yemaya, Yemayah, Iemanya
Haiti: La Sirène, LaSiren (in Vodou)
USA: Yemalla, Yemana, Yemoja
Uruguay: Iemanjá
Dominican Republic: Yemalla or La Diosa del mar (sea goddess)
 Yemaja is said to be the mother of all orisha. She also is the spirit of water, and her favorite number is 7.

In Brazil, the goddess is known as Yemanjá, Iemanjá or Janaína in Brazilian Candomblé and Umbanda religions.
 The Umbanda religion worships Iemanjá as one of the seven orixás of the African Pantheon. She is the Queen of the Ocean, the patron deity of the fishermen and the survivors of shipwrecks, the feminine principle of creation and the spirit of moonlight. A syncretism happens between the catholic Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Our Lady of the Seafaring) and the orixá Iemanjá of the African Mithology. Sometimes, a feast can honor both.
 In Salvador, Bahia, Iemanjá is celebrated by Candomblé on the very same day consecrated by the Catholic Church to Our Lady of Seafaring (Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes).Every February 2, thousands of people line up at dawn to leave their offerings at her shrine in Rio Vermelho.
 Gifts for Iemanjá usually include flowers and objects of female vanity (perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks, mirrors). These are gathered in large baskets and taken out to the sea by local fishermen. Afterwards a massive street party ensues.
 Iemanjá is also celebrated every December 8 in Salvador. The Festa da Conceição da Praia (Feast to Our Lady of Conception of the church at the beach) is a city holiday dedicated to the Catholic saint and also to Iemanjá. Another feast occurs on this day in the Pedra Furada, Monte Serrat in Salvador, called the Gift to Iemanjá, when fishermen celebrate their devotion to the Queen of the Ocean.
 Outside Bahia State, Iemanjá is celebrated mainly by followers of the Umbanda religion.
 On New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro, millions of cariocas, of all religions, dressed in white gather on Copacabana beach to greet the New Year, watch fireworks, and throw (white) flowers and other offerings into the sea for the goddess in the hopes that she will grant them their requests for the coming year. Some send their gifts to Iemanjá in wooden toy boats. Paintings of Iemanjá are sold in Rio shops, next to paintings of Jesus and other Catholic saints. They portray her as a woman rising out of the sea. Small offerings of flowers and floating candles are left in the sea on many nights at Copacabana.
 In São Paulo State, Iemanjá is celebrated in the two first weekends of December on the shores of Praia Grande city. During these days many vehicles garnished with Iemanjá icons and colors (white and blue) roam from the São Paulo mountains to the sea littoral, some of them traveling hundreds of miles. Thousands of people rally near Iemanjá's statue in Praia Grande beach.
 In Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, on February 2, the image of Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes is carried to the port of Pelotas. Before the closing of the catholic feast, the boats stop and host the Umbanda followers that carry the image of Iemanjá, in a syncretic meeting that is watched by thousand of people on the shore.

Source: wikipedia

 

For real, if you think the Devil made this, there's something really wrong with you. I know people who have a real problem with afro-brazilian religions, like "omg, devil blah blah blah". Coincidentally, this person says "not like this band because they made a pact with the devil". 

But, yeah, that's it c:

Hej då