Philippine Culture
The culture of the Philippines reflects the country's complex history. It is a blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic cultures, with influence from Chinese.
The Philippines was first settled by Melanesians; today they preserve a very traditional way of life and culture, although their numbers are few. After them, the Austronesians or more specifically, Malayo-Polynesians, arrived on the islands. Today the Austronesian culture is very evident in the ethnicity, language, food, dance and almost every aspect of the culture. These Austronesians engaged in trading with China, India, Japan, the Ryukyu islands, the Middle East, Borneo, and other places. As a result, those cultures have also left a mark on Filipino culture.
When the Spanish colonized the islands, after more than three centuries of colonization, they had heavily impacted the culture. The Philippines being governed from both Mexicoand Spain, had received a little bit of Hispanic influence. Mexican and Spanish influence can be seen in the dance and religion many other aspects of the culture. After being colonized by Spain, the Philippines became a U.S. territory for about 40 years. Influence from the United States is seen in the wide use of the English language, and the modern pop culture.
Philippine Art
-Throughout the early Spanish era, Philippines art took its inspiration from religion with ornate altarpieces or scenes from the Bible or the lives of the saints. It was only in the 18th century that secular themes began to become popular. -In 1884, Filipino art broke into the international mainstream when Juan Luna won the gold medal at the National Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid, Spain. Compatriot FelixResurreccion Hidalgo won the silver medal. In the early 20th century Fernando Amorsolo, Fabian de la Rosa and Jorge Pineda concentrated on romantic landscapes, and in the 1920s Victorio Edades introduced modernism to the Philippines. This has produced a healthy crop of modern artists, from Lee Aguinaldo and Fernando Zobel in the 1960s and 70s to Bernardo Cabrera (BenCab) and Manny Garibay today.
The leading sculptor of the American era was Guillermo Tolentino, whilst Napoleon Abueva brought modernism in the 1950s. Eduardo Castrillo heads modern names with his monumental metal sculptures (including the Heritage of Cebu Monument in Cebu City). Others include Solomon Saprid and Abdulmari Imao who interprets Islamic traditional designs for the modern era.
Phillipine Education
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The system of education in the Philippines was patterned both from the educational systems of Spain and the United States. However, after the liberation of the Philippines in 1946, the system have changed radically.
The Department of Education (or DepEd) administers the whole educational system, which also includes the allocation of funds utilized for school services and equipment (such as books, school chairs, etc.), recruitment of teachers for allpublic schools in the Philippines, and the supervision and organization of the school curricula.
The former education system of the Philippines is composed of 6 years ofelementary education starting at the age of 6 or 7, and 4 years of high school education starting at the age of 12 or 13. In this system, education is not compulsory.
However, since June 4, 2012, DepEd started to implement the new K-12 educational system,[3] which includes the new curricula for all schools (see the section). In this system, education is now compulsory.
All public and private schools in the Philippines must start classes from a date mandated by the Department of Education (usually every first Monday of June for public schools only), and must end after each school completes the mandated 200-day school calendar of DepEd (usually around the third week of March to the second week of April).
Philippine Festivals
In Honor of A Patron Saint
· Ati-atihan Festival - Kalibo, Aklan (in honor of Santo Niño)
· Dinagyang Festival - Iloilo City (in honor of Santo Niño)
· Kinabayo festival - Dapitan City (in honor of Saint James the Great)
· Higantes Festival - Angono, Rizal (in honor of Saint Clement)
· Longganisa Festival - Vigan City (in honor of St. Paul)
· Kasadyaan sa Iligan - Iligan City (in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel)
· Mammangui Festival - May 30, Ilagan City
· Moriones Festival - Marinduque
· Pintados-Kasadyaan - Leyte
· Sangyaw - Tacloban City
· Sinulog Festival - Cebu (in honor of Santo Niño)
· Zamboanga Hermosa Festival - Zamboanga City (in honor of Our Lady of the Pillar)
Indigenous Influence/Non-Religious Festival
· Kadayawan Festival - Davao City
· Lanzones Festival - Camiguin
· Pav-vurulun Festival - Tuguegarao City
· Masskara Festival - Bacolod City
· Ibalong Festival - Legazpi City
· Sandugo Festival - Bohol
· Bangus Festival - Dagupan City
· Sinukwan Festival - San Fernando City.
· Frog Festival - San Fernando City.
· Binatbatan Festival of the Arts - Vigan City
· Sampaguita Festival-San Pedro,Laguna
· Halamang Dilaw Singkaban Festival - Marilao, Bulacan
Film Festival
· Cinemalaya
· Metro Manila Film Festival
Flower Festival
· Panagbenga Festival - (Feb 26- Feb 27), Baguio City
Religious Festivals
January
· Feast of the Three Kings - 2, Gasan, Marinduque
· Bailes de Luces - 5, La Castellana, Negros Occidental
· Lingayen Gulf Landing Anniversary - 9, Lingayen, Pangasinan
· Feast of The Black Nazarene - 9, Quiapo, Manila
· Biniray Festival - 9, Romblon
· Hinugyaw Festival (Araw ng Koronadal) - 10, Koronadal City
· Binanog Festival - 10-16, Lambunao, Iloilo
· Sinulog (Kabankalan) Festival - 10-16, Kabankalan City
· Coconut "Coco" Festival - 15 (week long), San Pablo City, Laguna
· Makato Santo Niño Festival - 15, Makato, Aklan
· Pasungay Festival - 15, San Joaquin, Iloilo
· Batingaw Festival - 16, Cabuyao City
· Kahimunan Festival - 16, Butuan City
· Pangisdaan Festival - 16, Navotas City
· Kinaradto Festival - 16, Buenavista, Guimaras
· Batan Ati-Ati Malakara Festival - 16, Batan, Aklan
· Fire Works Display and Contest - 16, Iloilo City
· Caracol Festival - 16, Makati City
· Bansudani Festival (Feast of The Divine Savior) - 17, Bansud, Oriental Mindoro
· Sadsad sa Kalye - 19, Janiuay, Iloilo
· Pandot sa Bacolod - 20, Bacolod City
· Binuligay Festival - 20, Jamindan, Capiz
· Feast of the Santo Niño - 3rd Sunday, Nationwide
· Ati-Atihan Festival - 3-16, Kalibo, Aklan
· Dinagyang Festival - 22-23, Iloilo City
· Longganisa Festival - 22, Vigan City
· Sinulog festival - Cebu City
· Sto Niño de Malolos Festival - 30, Malolos City
· Pintauo Festival - 21, Ibarra, Maasin City
· Altavas Santo Niño Festival - 21-22, Altavas, Aklan
· Feast of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage - 24, La Carlota City
· Ibajay Ati-Ati Municipal and Devotional Fiesta - 24-25, Ibajay, Aklan
· Dinagsa Ati-Atihan Festival - 24-30, Cadiz City
· Sana-aw Festival - 28, Jordan, Guimaras
· Hinirugyaw Festival - 30-February 6, Calinog, Iloilo
· Balot sa Puti Festival - 31, Pateros
· The Boracay International Funboard Cub - 31-February 5, Boracay Island
· Boling-Boling Festival - 28 Catanuan Quezon
February
· Salakayan Festival - 1-6, Miag-ao, Iloilo
· Pabirik Festival - 1-2, Paracale, Camarines Norte
· Bicol Arts Festival - 1-28, Legazpi City
· Festival of Hearts - 1-14, Tanjay City
· National Arts Month - 1-28, Nationwide
· Lavandero Festival - 1-6, Mandaluyong City
· Suroy sa Surigao - 1-28, Surigao City
· Feast of Our Lady of Candles - 2, Iloilo City
· Pamulinawen - 2-10, Laoag City
· The International Bamboo Organ Festival - 3-11, Las Piñas City
· Guling-Guling Festival - 5, Paoay, Ilocos Norte
· Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival - 6, Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental
· Fiesta Tsinoy - 6, Legazpi City
· Tinapay Festival - 7-13, Cuenca, Batangas
· Fistahan - 9-15, Davao City
· Chinese New Year - Nationwide
· Bulang-Bulang Festival - 9, San Enrique, Negros Occidental
· Davao Chinese New Year - 9-17, Davao City
· Pabalhas sa Tablas - 11, Candoni, Negros Occidental
· Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year) - 11, Baguio City
· Tinagba Festival - 11, Iriga City
· Tiburin Horse Race - 12, Pasay City
· Pamaypay ng Caloocan Festival - 12, Caloocan City
· Sambalilo Hat Festival - 13, Parañaque City
· Feast Day of Santa Clara - 13, Pasay City
· Local Media Familiarization Festival - 13-19, Cagayan de Oro City
· Serenata - 14, Pasay City
· Harana: Karantahan nin Pagranga (Music Festival) - 14, San Jose, Camarines Sur
· Suman Festival (Aurora Day) - 14-19, Baler, Aurora
· Apayao Province Foundation - 14, Apayao
· Kalinga Province Foundation - 14, Kalinga
· Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming - 18-19, Baguio City
· Kapayapaan Festival - 18-20, Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur
· Bicol Regional Tourism Councils Assembly - 18-19, Naga City
· Pasayaw Festival - 19, Canlaon City
· Babaylan Festival - 19, Bago City
March
· Kaamulan Tribal Festival - 1-6, Malaybalay City
· Rodeo Masbateño - 1-April 2, Masbate City
· Araw ng Island Garden City of Samal - 1-7, Island Garden City of Samal
· Pasig Summer Music Festival - 1-31, Pasig City
· Parade of Festivals - 1, Muntinlupa City
· Payvanuvanuan Festival - 1-31, Mahatao, Batanes
· Zamboanga Peninsula Summer Event - 1-31, Zamboanga City
· Sugbahan - 2-14, Davao City
· Pacto de Sangre de New Washington, Aklan (Blood Compact of New Washington, Aklan) - 3, New Washington, Aklan
· Puerto Princesa Foundation Day - 4, Puerto Princesa City
· Bangkero Festival - 6-10, Pagsanjan, Laguna
· Arya! Abra Festival - 7-11, Bangued, Abra
· Tinguan Festival - 7-11, Bangued, Abra
· Panagtagbo Festival - 7, Tagum City
· Vis-Min Travel and Lifestyle Show - 7-9, SM City Cebu Trade Hall
· National Women's Month Celebration Exhibit - 8-12, Manila
· Birth Anniversary of The Late President Jose P. Laurel - 9, Tanauan City
· Tinagba Festival - 11, Iriga City
· Tiburin Horse Race - 12, Pasay City
· Pamaypay ng Caloocan Festival - 12, Caloocan City
· Sambalilo Hat Festival - 13, Parañaque City
· Feast Day of Santa Clara - 13, Pasay City
· Local Media Familiarization Festival - 13-19, Cagayan de Oro City
· Serenata - 14, Pasay City
· Harana: Karantahan nin Pagranga (Music Festival) - 14, San Jose, Camarines Sur
· Suman Festival (Aurora Day) - 14-19, Baler, Aurora
· Apayao Province Foundation - 14, Apayao
· Kalinga Province Foundation - 14, Kalinga
· Philippine Military Academy Alumni Homecoming - 18-19, Baguio City
· Kapayapaan Festival - 18-20, Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur
· Bicol Regional Tourism Councils Assembly - 18-19, Naga City
· Pasayaw Festival - 19, Canlaon City
· Babaylan Festival - 19, Bago City
Administrative divisions
-The Philippines is divided into three island groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. As of March 2010, these were divided into 17 regions, 80 provinces, 138 cities, 1,496 municipalities, and 42,025barangays.[79] In addition, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 5446 asserts that the definition of the territorial sea around the Philippine archipelago does not affect the claim over Sabah
The Philippines is divided into, from the highest division to the lowest:
Autonomous regions
Regular administrative regions are not elected and are considered arms of the national governments, not governments in their own right.
Provinces and independent cities
Municipalities and component cities
Barangays
Each division at each level from the provinces down to the barangays is a local government unit (LGU). For administrative purposes, the provinces and cities are grouped into regions. The President has the prerogative to create, abolish and determine the composition of regions, which is done so most often in consultation with the local government units affected; with the exception of autonomous regions, where the residents of the local government units have to ratify in a plebiscite their inclusion in such a setup.
Other political divisions exist for the other branches of government
Provinces
All regions except one (Metro Manila) are subdivided into provinces. Each province is headed by a governor. Its legislative body is the Sangguniang Panlalawigan composed of the different members from Sanggunian districts, which in most cases are contiguous to the congressional districts.
Cities and municipalities
Regions, aside from having provinces may also have independent cities. Independent cities, classified either as highly urbanized or independent component cities, are cities which are not under the jurisdiction of a province. These cities are not administered by their mother provinces, do not share their tax revenues with the province, and in most cases their residents are not eligible to elect or be elected to provincial offices.
Cities that are politically a part of a province are called component cities. The voters in these cities are allowed to vote and run for positions in the provincial government.
Municipalities are always components of a province, except Pateros, Metro Manila, which is independent.
Cities and municipalities are headed by a mayor. The legislative arm of these units are the Sangguniang Panlungsod for cities and Sangguniang Bayan for municipalities, which are composed of councilors elected at-large or in some cases, by Sanggunian district.
Barangays
Cities (both component and independent ones) and municipalities are further divided into barangays. The barangay is the smallest political unit. In some populous cities, barangays are grouped into zones and/or into districts for administrative purposes. In rural areas, sitios or puroks are the preferred ways of subdividing barangays for administrative purposes. Each barangay is headed by a barangay captain.
Gated communities may either be a part of a barangay or a barangay itself. An example of a barangay coextensive with a gated community is Forbes Park, Makati City.
Sitios and Puroks
Below barangays are smaller communities known as sitios and puroks. Not all baranagays are so sub-divided. They leadership is not a recognized Local Government Unit and are not elected in regular general elections. Sitios and puroks are most common in less populated, rural barangays where you might have several pockets of population spread out over a wider area and surrounded by farms or undeveloped mountainsides, or even on different islands.
Geography
The Philippines is an archipelago comprising 7,107 islands with a total land area of 300,000 km2. The 11 largest islands contain 94% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon at about 105,000 km2. The next largest island isMindanao at about 95,000 km2. The archipelago is around 800 km from the Asianmainland and is located between Taiwan and Borneo.
The islands are divided into three groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The Luzon islands include Luzon Island itself, Palawan, Mindoro, Marinduque, Masbateand Batanes Islands. The Visayas is the group of islands in the central Philippines, the largest of which are: Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar. The Mindanao islands include Mindanao itself, plus the Sulu Archipelago, composed primarily of Basilan, Sulu Island, and Tawi-Tawi.
The Philippine archipelago lies in Southeast Asia in a position that has led to its becoming a cultural crossroads - a place where Malays, Hindus, Arabs, Chinese, Spaniards, Americans, and others had interacted to forge a unique cultural and racial blend. The archipelago numbers some 7,107 islands; and the nation claims an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its shores. The Philippines occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers from about the fifth to the twentieth parallels north latitude. The total land area is slightly more than 300,000 square kilometers. Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated, and fewer than one-half of these are larger than 2.5 square kilometers. Eleven islands make up 95 percent of the Philippine landmass, and two of these — Luzon and Mindanao — measure 105,000 and 95,000 square kilometers, respectively. They, together with the cluster of islands in Visayas in between them, represent the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag. Topographically, the Philippines is broken up by the sea, which gives it one of the longest coastlines of any nation in the world.
Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the Philippine Trench, which descends to a depth of 10,430 meters. The Philippines is part of a western Pacific arc system characterized by active volcanoes. Among the most notable peaks are Mount Mayon near Legazpi City, Taal Volcano south of Manila, and Mount Apo in Mindanao. All of the Philippine islands are prone to earthquakes. The northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera Central, rise to between 2,500 and 2,750 meters, and, together with the Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion of Luzon and the mountains of Mindanao, boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal groups. The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.
The country's most extensive river systems are the Pulangi River, which flows into the Mindanao River (Rio Grande de Mindanao); the Agusan, in Mindanao which flows north into the Mindanao Sea; the Cagayan in northern Luzon; and the Pampanga, which flows south from east Central Luzon into Manila Bay. Laguna de Bay, east of Manila Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power.
To protect the country's biological resources, the government has taken a first step of preparing a Biodiversity Action Plan to address conservation of threatened species.
National Anthem of The Philippines
Tagalog Lyrics
Lupang Hinirang
Bayang magiliw,
Perlas ng Silanganan
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig
Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok
Sa simoy, at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula,
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng wata wat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhatit pagsinta,
Buhay at langit sa piling mo.
Aming li gaya na pag may mangaapi
Ang mamatay nang da hil sa iyo.
African Culture
The culture of Africa encompasses and includes all cultures within the continent of Africa. There is a political or racial split between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, which is in turn divided into a great number of ethnic cultures. African cultures are diverse and varied and not static, and like most of the world have been impacted upon by both internal and external forces
African Art
African culture has always placed emphasis on personal appearance and jewelry has remained an important personal accessory. Many pieces of such jewellery are made of cowry shells and similar materials. Similarly, masks are made with elaborate designs and are important part of African culture. Masks are used in various ceremonies depicting ancestors and spirits, mythological characters and deities.
In most of traditional art and craft of Africa, certain themes significant to African culture recur, including a couple, a woman with a child, a male with a weapon or animal, and an outsider or a stranger. Couples may represent ancestors, community founder, married couple or twins. The couple theme rarely exhibit intimacy of men and women. The mother with the child or children reveals intense desire of the African women to have children. The theme is also representative of mother mars and the people as her children. The man with the weapon or animal theme symbolizes honor and power. A stranger may be from some other tribe or someone from a different country, and more distorted portrayal of the stranger indicates proportionately greater gap from the stranger.
African Folklore
African Clothing
Women's traditional clothes in Ethiopia are made from cloth called shemma and used to make habesha qemis: it is basically cotton cloth, about 90 cm wide, woven in long strips which are then sewn together. Sometimes shiny threads are woven into the fabric for an elegant effect.
An Ethiopian model at the Ethiopian Fashion Show at the 2008 International Festival in Texas.
Men wear pants and a knee-length shirt with a white collar, and perhaps a sweater. Men often wear knee-high socks, while women might not wear socks at all. Men as well as women wear shawls, the neTela. In West Africa much of the local dress is influenced by Islamic traditions, Zulus wear a variety of attire, both traditional for ceremonial or culturally celebratory occasions, and modern westernised clothing for everyday use.
Traditional male clothing is usually light, consisting of a two-part apron (similar to a loincloth) used to cover the genitals and buttocks. The front piece is called the umutsha (pronounced IPA: [umtifash]), and is usually made of springbok or other animal hide twisted into different bands which cover the genitals. The rear piece, called the ibheshu [ibeːʃu], is made of a single piece of springbok or cattle hide, and its length is usually used as an indicator of age and social position; longer amabheshu (plural of ibheshu) are worn by older men. Married men will usually also wear a headband, called the umqhele [umǃʰɛle], which is usually also made of springbok hide, or leopard hide by men of higher social status, such as chiefs. Zulu men will also wear cow tails as bracelets and anklets called imishokobezi [imiʃoɠoɓɛːzi] during ceremonies and rituals, such as weddings or dances.
African music
Traditional Sub-Saharan African music is as diverse as the region's various populations. The common perception of Sub-Saharan African music is that it is rhythmic music centered around the drums, and indeed, a large part of Sub-Saharan music, mainly among speakers of Niger–Congo and Nilo-Saharan languages, is rhythmic and centered around the drum. Sub-Saharan music is polyrhythmic, usually consisting of multiple rhythms in one composition. Dance involves moving multiple body parts. These aspects of Sub-Saharan music were transferred to the new world by enslaved Sub-Saharan Africans and can be seen in its influence on music forms as Samba, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock & Roll, Salsa, and Rap music
But Sub-Saharan music involves a lot of music with strings, horns, and very little poly-rhythms. Music from the eastern Sahel and along the Nile, among the Nilo-Saharan, made extensive use of strings and horns in ancient times. There was also extensive use of string instruments among the Afro-Asiatics. Dancing involve swaying body movements and footwork. Among the Khoisans extensive use of string instruments with emphasis on footwork.
Modern Sub-Saharan African music has been influence by music from the New World (Jazz, Salsa, Rhythm and Blues etc.). Popular styles include Mbalax in Senegal and Gambia, Highlife in Ghana, Zoblazo in Côte d'Ivoire, Makossa in Cameroon, Soukous in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kizomba in Angola, and Mbaqanga in South Africa. New World styles like Salsa, R&B/Rap, Reggae, and Zouk also have widespread popularity.
African Geography
Africa is a continent comprising 62 political territories, representing the largest of the great southward projections from the main mass of Earth's surface. It includes, within its remarkably regular outline, an area of 30,368,609 km2 (11,725,385 sq mi), including adjacent islands.
Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea and from much of Asia by the Red Sea, Africa is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez (which is transected by the Suez Canal), 130 km (81 mi) wide. For geopolitical purposes, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt – east of the Suez Canal – is often considered part of Africa. From the most northerly point, Ras ben Sakka in Tunisia, in 37°21′ N, to the most southerly point, Cape Agulhas in South Africa, 34°51′15″ S, is a distance approximately of 8,000 km (5,000 mi); from Cape Verde, 17°33′22″ W, the westernmost point, to Ras Hafun in Somalia, 51°27′52″ E, the most easterly projection, is a distance (also approximately) of 7,400 km (4,600 mi). The length of coast-line is 26,000 km (16,000 mi) and the absence of deep indentations of the shore is shown by the fact that Europe, which covers only 10,400,000 km2 (4,000,000 sq mi), has a coastline of 32,000 km (20,000 mi).
The main structural lines of the continent show both the east-to-west direction characteristic, at least in the eastern hemisphere, of the more northern parts of the world, and the north-to-south direction seen in the southern peninsulas. Africa is thus mainly composed of two segments at right angles, the northern running from east to west, and the southern from north to south.
African Harvest Festivals
In Africa the festival is of a religious nature and has lots of dancing and music. Dancers wear masks and each dance tells a story. The stories range from a good ghost who looks after their crops and scares away the bad ghosts who try to spoil the food.
African people have always had festivals at the time of harvest.
In some parts of Africa good grain harvests are a cause for celebration. In other parts of Africa there is the Festival of Yams.
Tribes of West Africa, for example, celebrate the yam harvest with days of ceremonies and offerings of yams to their ancestors and to the gods.
The Yam Festival is usually held in the beginning of August at the end of the rainy season.
A popular holiday in Ghana and Nigeria, the Yam Festival is named after the most common food.
Yams are the first crops to be harvested. People offer yams to the gods and ancestors first before they distribute them to the rest of the village.
This is their way of giving thanks to the spirits.
The Homowo Festival of Africa, is a celebration of a traditional harvest festival from the Ga people of Ghana, West Africa, it is the largest cultural festival of its kind. For the Ga people, the word Homowo means "hooting at hunger."
The origin of Homowo is tied to the origin of the Ga people and their migration to Ghana. The Ga traveled for many years before reaching the west coast of Africa where they now live. Along the way they experienced famine, but because they helped each other, they survived. Later when their harvests were bountiful, they held a feast at which they jeered at the hunger and hard times that had plagued them. This was the first Homowo.
The Homowo Festival commences with a traditional Ghanaian procession in which people from local African and African-American assume the roles of kings, queens and followers of the royal family of each of Ghana's ethnic groups.
In some African cultures they hold a ceremony called "first fruits" that takes several days of planning in order to bless the newly harvested crops and purify the people before they eat the foods.
African National Anthem
Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw' uphondo lwayo,
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa la matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa South Afrika - South Afrika.
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom,
In South Africa our land.
Submitted By:
Leo Francis Villareal
Ivan Erich Toca
Emmanuel John Doloiras
