May 2005
An enewsletter for CultureGrams™ subscribers
This month's Culture Matters enewsletter will help teachers, librarians, administrators, and students stay informed about the world's cultures, while providing classroom resources and giving tips for using CultureGrams. Check out our online archive for access to past issues.
Regional Focus
This month: Oceania (pronounced oh-shee-AN-ee-uh)
Next month: Central and Eastern Europe
In this issue:
- Notes for CultureGrams Users: Photo Gallery
- Did You Know?
- Holiday Focus/Upcoming World Holidays
- Teaching Idea: Flag Mania
- Oceania Quiz
- Recipes from Oceania
- In the News: Solomon Islands rebels sentenced
- Email Service Information
1. Notes for CultureGrams Users
You may have seen our photo gallery before, but maybe you don't know about all the features it offers. Upon first glance, you notice that photo galleries are grouped by region and divided into countries. What you may not have realized is that the gallery is also searchable. You can put any term into the search box in the top right corner of the landing page, and any photo with that term in the caption or key words will show up as a result.
Just to get you started, try typing in "mountain," "ocean," "church," "fish," "fruit," or "ruins," and see what comes up.
Try the Photo Gallery today!
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2. Did You Know? Tidbits from CultureGrams
- In Tuvalu (pronounced Too-VAHL-oo), it is improper to touch another person's head, the most sacred part of the body.
- The island of Kiribati (pronounced KEER-ee-bahss) has no rivers, so residents rely on rainwater for most of their needs.
- The island nation of Micronesia (pronounced my-kruh-NEE-zhuh) is made up of 607 islands, and most of them cover less than 1 square mile. In fact, the name Micronesia means "tiny islands."
- Australia and New Zealand are two of the world's largest exporters of wool.
- In American Samoa and Independent Samoa, many men receive the traditional pe'a, an intricately designed tattoo covering the torso from mid-back to the knees.
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3. World Holidays
Holiday Focus:
The Marshall Islands celebrates Constitution Day (May 1)
The Marshallese consider this their Independence Day because it is the anniversary of the day in 1979 when the islands gained autonomy from the United States. Independence came after more than 400 years of rule by the Spanish, Germans, Japanese, and Americans, so the islanders feel they have great cause to celebrate. People celebrate by participating in sport and band competitions, parades with floats, and by eating special foods.
Some Upcoming World Holidays
Central African Republic
Fête du Travail (Work Celebration) – May 1
Known alternatively as Labor Day or International Workers' Day, this holiday is celebrated in nearly 100 countries around the world.
Namibia
Cassinga Day – May 4
Honors all who died in the struggle against South African domination, especially marking the massacre of 800 refugees during the war.
Mexico
Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May) – May 5
This holiday is sometimes wrongly considered Mexico's independence day (which actually takes place in September). Cinco de Mayo is actually a celebration of Mexico's 1867 victory over the French.
Micronesia
The Proclamation of the Federated States of Micronesia – May 10
Celebrates the day in 1979 when Micronesia became an independent nation.
Bulgaria
Day of Bulgarian Culture and Science/Cyril and Methodius Day – May 24
Honors the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet, as well as the achievements of Bulgarians throughout time.
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4. Teaching Idea
Summary: Students will discuss the symbolism and meaning of various national flags and then create flags to represent themselves.
Curriculum standards:
Conforms to the National Council for Social Studies curriculum standard for Culture
(1.c.): Apply an understanding of culture as an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and values, and behavior patterns.
Conforms to the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations curriculum standard for Visual Arts
(Standard 3): Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. Students reflect on how artworks differ visually, spatially, temporally, and functionally, and describe how these are related to history and culture. Students describe the origins of specific images and ideas and explain why they are of value in their artwork and in the work
of others.
(Standard 4) Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures. Students differentiate among a variety of historical and cultural contexts in terms of characteristics and purposes of works of art. Students describe the function and explore the meaning of specific art objects within varied cultures, times, and places.
Materials:
- CultureGrams World Edition or Kids Edition
- Art materials: Construction paper, scissors, glue, colored pens or pencils, etc.
Instructions:
1. Help students to see flags as works of art that use color, design, symbols, etc., to convey meaning. Refer to some of the country flags depicted in the country reports (and the accompanying interpretations) to give examples of the artistry in flag design.
2. Assign students to create a unique flag representing themselves, their family, or their city, state, or country of birth.
3. Students can display their flags and explain their use of color, symbolism, and design.
Follow-up:
1. Discuss flag etiquette.
2. Talk about other kinds of symbols that are prevalent in our culture and how they function to convey meaning.
How do you use CultureGrams? Submit your teaching ideas using CultureGrams today!
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5. Quiz
- The Pacific Ocean's deepest trench lies to the southwest of this island.
- Which country's parliament building has a grass-covered roof?
- Which nation's currency is the pa'anga and has the international abbreviation TOP?
- On this island, a boy receives his first haircut at age 7, and the event is a cause for great celebration.
- In this nation, people celebrate New Year's Day by dousing others with water or dunking people in streams or the ocean.
Answers: 1) The Mariana Trench (36,201 feet, or 11,033 meters deep) is southwest of Guam. 2) Australia; the parliament building in Canberra. 3) Tonga. 4) Niue. 5) Solomon Islands.
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6. Recipes from Oceania
Note: You could try to create these dishes as a class, or the kids might want to try them at home and bring in the results.
Main dish from Papua New Guinea:
Sweet Potato & Banana Casserole
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked sweet potatoes, sliced
1/3 cup sugar
Grated rind of 3 lemons
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 ripe bananas, sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
1. Grease a casserole dish. Place half the sweet potato slices in it, sprinkle with half the sugar and half the grated rind, and dot with half the butter. Put in a layer of banana slices and pour over half the lemon juice. Repeat the process.
2. Bake on high heat, covered, for 20 minutes; then uncover for 10 minutes to brown.
Yields: 6 servings
Side dish from Niue:
Salati Meleni (Watermelon Salad)
Ingredients:
Watermelon
Coconut Cream
Vanilla
Sugar
Directions:
1. Peel and cut watermelon into cubes.
2. Mix coconut cream, vanilla, and sugar to taste. Pour over melon cubes, stir to mix, then chill.
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7. In the News
There has been ethnic unrest in the Solomon Islands since the 1990s, when a national economic crisis increased existing tensions between two ethnic groups: the Istabu and the Malaitans.
The majority of inhabitants on the main island of Guadalcanal are of Istabu ethnicity. But people from the Malaitan ethnic group began immigrating to Guadalcanal from the nearby, rural island of Malaita around 1945. Today, most of best jobs on the island--including those in government and business leadership--are held by Malaitans.
Guadalcanal's indigenous Istabu resented the growing dominance of the Malaitan minority. So when the failing economy fanned the flames of ethnic tensions, the groups began fighting. The situation improved when Australia sent peacekeepers in 2000, but terrible violence continued.
Many acts by Istabu rebel leader Harold Keke are numbered among the atrocities that took place. In 2002 he killed a Catholic priest named Father Augustine Geve, who was also a cabinet minister. Keke is also suspected of killing six Anglican missionaries in 2003. After surrendering later in 2003, Keke and other rebels were put on trial. In March 2005, Keke and two other men were convicted of Father Geve's murder and sentenced to life in prison.
To read more about the Solomon Islands, access the Solomon Islands CultureGrams report.
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8. Email Service Information
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Cordially,
Your ProQuest K-12 Team
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