2008年12月2日火曜日

Maori

Maori

In 1839, there were only 2,000 European called Pakeha by Maori in New Zealand.
But after concluded a treaty of Waitangi, immigrants from Britain increased suddenly.
From 1840 to 1860, 40,000 British immigrated into New Zealand.
So, the ratio of population of Maori and Pakeha almost became half-and-half.
Sudden increase of immigrants made demand for Maori’s estates fierce.

Due to lack of Maori’s resistance in the thinly populated South lands, Maori lost most of estates between 1844 and 1864.
Fertile North lands (Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki) owned by Maori were attractive to immigrants.
North lands Maori didn’t sell their estates easily.
So immigrants tried to take away Maori’s estates by force of arms. And Maori resisted by force of arms.
It became a Maori Wars (1680-72).


Maori War lasted for 12 years.
In the end, because of British great military strength and an overwhelming difference in numbers, Maori lost a war.In this way British dominance of New Zealand established.

Because of increase of immigrants, ratio of Maori decreased and Maori became to be subjected to unfair differentiation. But Maori’s resistance lasted until 20 century.
In 1907 Maori became a dominion of Great Britain.
In 1947 Maori became independent.

British increase deepened British culture in New Zealand and a clear distinction was made between a white and Maori.

Today, Maori became official language in New Zealand, and being made an effort to blend Maori culture into daily life of New Zealand.

2008年10月26日日曜日

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead

In short, Day of the Dead is like a Japanese Bon festival.
November 1 is All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ Day is a day when all saints are praised and celebrated. And it is a day when lost souls of children come back to their own home.
All Saints’ Day is also known as Small Angels’ Day.
November 2 is All Souls’ Day. All Souls’ Day is a day when souls of dead people which has not purified are prayed. And it is a day when lost souls of adults come back to their own home.


A custom of the day of the dead is traditional event had being carried on by native Mexicans before a Columbus found out the American Continents.
And to respective places, legends and stories which had been the origin of this event have being handed down.
Since Christianity was imported to Mexico by Christianity, there were any differences that offering of fruits which had not been in American Continents was placed and a cross was hung on wall.
Distinctive traditions have being handed down to respective places.

2008年9月30日火曜日

movie


"CHASING HOLDEN"
I watched this movie when I was high school student .
Why I watched this movie ? Because I read a book of this movie,and it was very nice for me. Why it was nice for me? You would know why it was nice if you watch 
this movie or read this book.


First time running away from home, first time falling in love, and a journey to find out he really is.
Divorce of his parents, strife between he and his father who is a governor of a state of New York, and his older brother’s suicide. Neil who is 19 years old has a lot of problem. He comes back from a mental hospital to a prestige and boarding high school. But he can’t adapt himself to the surroundings.
He always keeps a book
Catcher in the Rye” written by J.D.Salinger.
That book is his source of emotional support and he is convinced that if he meets
J.D.Salinger, all problems will be solved.
And then he is given a subject to describe a story of what happened later to the Holden who is a main character of “Catcher in the Rye”
But he can’t describe because it means to describe a story of what will be happened later to himself. He always thinks that he resembles Holden.

He sets out to meet Salinger and to ask a story of what happened later to the Holden with his girlfriend TJ whom he met the dramatic class.
It’s a journey from New York to New Hampshire in a hard winter.
On their way they spend a precious time and know a first time love.
But developed into a quarrel from something quite trivial, and they left from each other.
Neil goes to meet Salinger alone. He found out a Salinger’s house, and he found out a Salinger. Then he knows that the most precious person for him is TJ.
At once he turns back the way to TJ ..... but TJ was in hospital.
She had a serious disease. She got worse because of coldness and tiredness.And he lost the most precious person.