Free Essays on Facing Mt. Kenya

â€Å"†¦I have tried my best to record facts as I know them, mainly through a lifetime of personal experiences†¦My chief object is not to enter into controversial discussion†¦but to let the truth speak for itself (Kenyatta xvii).† Jomo Kenyatta’s Facing Mount Kenya is read as a work of anthropology. Kenyatta takes the reader through the birth, initiation, sex, marriage, family and death of every Gikuyu. Kenyatta’s primary purpose in writing this book was to give a â€Å"true† description of the African culture. He uses his knowledge of the roles of males and females in the Gikuyu society to portrait a convincing Gikuyu society. He also tries to clarify the misunderstandings of polygamy and male and female circumcision. Males and females both play important roles in the Gikuyu society. Kenyatta displays this by dividing the roles of males and females throughout the entire book. There are certain jobs that the man can only do and there are certain jobs that woman can only do. Kenyatta writes, â€Å"†¦the system of division of labour between men and women, at home and in trades, is very important among the Gikuyu (Kenyatta 84).† Pottery and basket making are examples of jobs that are completely done from start to finish by women. The Gikuyu men are in charge of iron making. Both men and women work together in constructing a hut, however, they each have certain roles. Kenyatta states, â€Å"The work of cutting wood necessary for building falls on men; women take the responsibility of providing thatching grass and other materials (Kenyatta 95).† Men and women also share work during the harvest seasons. The men cut out maize or millet stalks, while the women do the actual har vesting and carrying the harvest home. These are just few of the examples of the roles that both sexes play. Kenyatta uses the roles of men and women to provide a more accurate picture of the Gikuyu daily activities. Eating and drinking is an... Free Essays on Facing Mt. Kenya Free Essays on Facing Mt. Kenya â€Å"†¦I have tried my best to record facts as I know them, mainly through a lifetime of personal experiences†¦My chief object is not to enter into controversial discussion†¦but to let the truth speak for itself (Kenyatta xvii).† Jomo Kenyatta’s Facing Mount Kenya is read as a work of anthropology. Kenyatta takes the reader through the birth, initiation, sex, marriage, family and death of every Gikuyu. Kenyatta’s primary purpose in writing this book was to give a â€Å"true† description of the African culture. He uses his knowledge of the roles of males and females in the Gikuyu society to portrait a convincing Gikuyu society. He also tries to clarify the misunderstandings of polygamy and male and female circumcision. Males and females both play important roles in the Gikuyu society. Kenyatta displays this by dividing the roles of males and females throughout the entire book. There are certain jobs that the man can only do and there are certain jobs that woman can only do. Kenyatta writes, â€Å"†¦the system of division of labour between men and women, at home and in trades, is very important among the Gikuyu (Kenyatta 84).† Pottery and basket making are examples of jobs that are completely done from start to finish by women. The Gikuyu men are in charge of iron making. Both men and women work together in constructing a hut, however, they each have certain roles. Kenyatta states, â€Å"The work of cutting wood necessary for building falls on men; women take the responsibility of providing thatching grass and other materials (Kenyatta 95).† Men and women also share work during the harvest seasons. The men cut out maize or millet stalks, while the women do the actual har vesting and carrying the harvest home. These are just few of the examples of the roles that both sexes play. Kenyatta uses the roles of men and women to provide a more accurate picture of the Gikuyu daily activities. Eating and drinking is an...

Holidays of Spanish-Speaking Countries

Holidays of Spanish-Speaking Countries If youre traveling to a Spanish-speaking area, one thing to consider is the countrys fiestas, holidays and other celebrations. On the positive side, you may get an opportunity for an upclose look at the countrys culture and a chance to participate in activities youll see nowhere else; on the other hand, with some of the more important holidays, businesses may be closed, public transportation may crowded and hotel rooms may be difficult to reserve. Spring Holidays Because of the Roman Catholic heritage, in nearly all the Spanish-speaking world la Semana Santa, or Holy Week, the week before Easter, is among the most widely celebrated of holidays. Specific days observed include el Domingo de Ramos, or Palm Sunday, a celebration of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his death; el Jueves Santo, which commemorates la Última Cena de Jesà ºs (the Last Supper); el Viernes Santo, or Good Friday, marking the day of Jesus death; and the weeks climax, el Domingo de Pascua or la Pascua de Resurreccià ³n, or Easter, a celebration of Jesus Resurrection. The dates of la Semana Santa vary from year to year. Winter Holidays La Navidad, or Christmas, is also universally celebrated on December 25. Related days include la Nochebuena (Christmas Eve, December 24), el dà ­a de san Esteban (St. Stephens Day, honoring the man traditionally believed to be the first Christian martyr, on December 26), el dà ­a de san Juan Evangelista (St. Johns Day, on December 27), el dà ­a de los Santos Inocentes (Day of the Innocents, honoring the babies who, according to the Bible, were ordered slaughtered by King Herod, December 28) and el dà ­a de la Sagrada Familia (the Day of the Holy Family, observed the Sunday after Christmas), culminating in la Epifanà ­a (January 6, Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, marking the day los magos or Wise Men arrived to see the infant Jesus). In the middle of all this is el Aà ±o Nuevo, or New Years, which typically is celebrated beginning on el Nocheviejo, or New Years Eve. Independence Holidays Most Latin American countries also celebrate an Independence Day to mark the day of separation from Spain or, in a few cases, some other country. Among the dà ­as de la independencia are February 12 (Chile), Feb. 27 (Dominican Republic), May 24 (Ecuador), July 5 (Venezuela), July 9 (Argentina), July 20 (Colombia), July 28 (Peru), August 6 (Bolivia), August 10 (Ecuador), August 25 (Uruguay), September 15 (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua), September 16 (Mexico) and November 28 (Panama). Spain, meanwhile, celebrates its Dà ­a de la Constitucià ³n (Constitution Day) on December 6. Other Days of Celebration: Dà ­a del Trabajo or Dà ­a del Trabajador - May Day or Labor Day is widely observed on May 1.Fiesta Nacional de Espaà ±a - This day, observed on October 12, marks the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas. It also goes by other names, including la Fiesta de la Hispanidad. In Latin America, it is often known as el Dà ­a de la Raza.Cinco de Mayo - This Mexican celebration marking a victory in the Battle of Puebla has been exported to the United States, where it is more widely observed than in Mexico.Dà ­a de la Asuncià ³n - A day commemorating the Assumption of Mary is observed in some countries on August 15.Dà ­a de la Revolucià ³n - Mexico celebrates the start of the Mexican Revolution on the third Monday of November.Dà ­a de Todos Santos - All Saints Day is widely observed on November 1.