CHRISTMAS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Christmas in Ghana
People in Ghana celebrate Christmas from the 20th of December to first week in January with lots of different activities. Many people travel to visit their relatives and friends in other parts of the country. Over 66 languages are spoken in Ghana and all these language groups have their own traditions and customs!
December is also the start of the cocoa harvest (the bean that make chocolate) in Ghana. Ghana is the worlds second biggest cocoa producer! I really like some fair-trade chocolate that's made with cocoa from Ghana!
Christmas Eve night is the time when the celebrations really start with Church services that have drumming and dancing. Children often put on a Nativity Play or other drama. Then choirs come out to sing and people come out in front of the priests to dance. Songs are mostly sang in the languages that the people understand best. This makes them feels that God speaks their language. Sometimes these services and dancing go on all night long!
Other people celebrate Christmas Eve with fireworks and parties.
On Christmas day the Churches are very full. People come out dressed in their colorful traditional clothes. After the Church service on Christmas morning, people quickly go back to their houses to start giving and receiving gifts.
Traditional food includes stew or okra soup, porridge and meats rice and a yam paste called 'fufu'.
During the Christmas period children's parties, employees' end of year parties, etc. are mostly celebrated in the hotels, at the beaches, school parks and community centers with good wishes for all people on earth.
Some Ghanaians also go to Church on the 31st December to God for sending Jesus.
Thank you to my friend John Sidsaya for his help in giving me information on Christmas in Ghana
Christmas in Italy
One of the most important ways of celebrating Christmas in Italy is the Nativity crib scene. Using a crib to help tell the Christmas story was made very popular by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 (Assisi is in mid-Italy). The previous year he had visited Bethlehem and saw where the stable, where it was thought that Jesus was born. A lot of Italian families have a Nativity crib in their homes.
The city of Naples in Italy is world famous for its cribs and crib making. These are known as 'Presepe Napoletano' (meaning Neapolitan Cribs). The first crib scene in Naples is thought to go back to 1025 and was in the Church of S. Maria del presepe (Saint Mary of the Crib), this was even before St. Francis of Assisi had made cribs very popular!
Having cribs in your own home became popular in the 16th century and it's still popular today (before that only churches and monasteries had cribs). Cribs are traditionally put out on the 8th December. But the figure of the baby Jesus isn't put into the crib until the evening/night of December 24th!
One special thing about Neapolitan cribs is that they have always been displayed not only characters and figures from the Christmas Story, but also 'every day' people and objects (such as houses, waterfalls, food, animals and even figures of famous people and politicians!). Naples is also the home to the largest crib scene in the world, which has over 600 objects on it!
In Naples there is a still a street of the nativity makers called the 'Via San Gregorio Armeno'. In the street you can buy wonderful hand made crib decorations and figures - and of course whole cribs!
You can see some pictures of crib scenes and figures from Naples on this page:www.foto.portanapoli.com/presepe.html
One old Italian custom is that children go out Carol singing and playing songs on shepherds pipes, wearing shepherds sandals and hats.
On Christmas Eve, no food is eaten until after Midnight Mass. Then the main Christmas meal is eaten. The meal includes Italian Christmas Cake called 'Panettone' which is like a dry fruity sponge cake. Here's a recipe for panettone. You can find out more about Christmas in Italy and Italian Christmas Recipes on this site.
In Italian Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Buon Natale' and in Sicilian it's 'Bon Natali'. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.
Epiphany (see Spain for more information), is also important in Italy. On Epiphany night, children believe that an old lady called 'Befana' brings presents for them. The story about Befana bringing presents is very similar to the story of Babouska told in Russia. Children put stockings up by the fireplace for Befana to fill. On Christmas day 'Babbo Natale' (Santa Claus) might bring them some small gifts, but the main day for present giving is on Epiphany
Christmas in the United States of America
The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people in celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature. Many customs are similar to ones in the U.K., France, Italy, Holland, Poland and Mexico.
The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favour turkey with trimmings, keilbasi (a Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagne!
Some Americans use pop-corn threaded on string to help decorate their Christmas Tree!
In New England (the American States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine), there are shops called 'Christmas Shops' that only sell Christmas decorations and toys all the year round!
People in America like to decorate the outsides of their houses with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen and Reindeer.
Customs such as Mumming take place in some communities. On New Years Day in Philadelphia there is a Mummers Day parade which lasts over six hours! Clubs called "New Years Associations" perform in amazing costumes which take months to make. There are four categories (Comics, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades) which are judged.
ABIGAIL
CHRISTMAS RECIPY
Christmas Star Cookies
Lemon-scented sugar cookies are sandwiched between a light layer of currant jelly. A cut-out star gives a peek inside!
Ingredients
- Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
- Filling:
- 1/2 cup red currant jelly
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
For cookies, cream together butter and 2/3 cup sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well mixed. Add flour, salt, and lemon peel, mixing just until blended. Chill dough for 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface roll dough 1/8-inch thick. With a 3-inch star shaped cutter, cut into dough and place on prepared baking sheets. Using a one-inch mini star-shaped cookie cutter or other small shape, cut out holes in center. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks. Repeat with other half of dough making stars, but do not cut out a center section. When cookies are cooled, place jelly and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saucepan and heat to boiling. Cook and stir constantly for about 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. To assemble cookies, place about a half teaspoon of melted jelly in the center of each star without the hole. Top each with star with the hole, so jelly shows through. Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.
Notes: Note: If desired, you can dust the cookies with the hole with powdered sugar before placing on the cookie with the jelly.
Remember Atita
Is a story from Unganda that talks about a young girl who left her hometown because of the death of her parents and his grandfather. Her mother's cousin came in for her to help with her children. Ten years later she came back to her hometown with a piece of old foto in her hands in order to seach for her friends who appears in the foto. The old foto that Atita is having is the only thing that she's having as a remembrance of her past. She met with Okema who tries to escape from the rebels who attacks the small villages and kidnape the men and women, sho goes to the town in the evening to sleep on verandas.
Both of them spent night sleeping on shop verandas in town and during the day time Atita goes in search of her old friends.
Atita got intouch with one of her friends but she was ill in a hospital bed, nobody knew what's wrong with her as far as she doesn't talk. Atita goes to the hospital every morning to visit her friend but it seems like she doesn't remember nothing. Atita showed her the old foto and asked her about another girl called Oyella her friend made a strange moviment in the sick bed as she tells Atita the story of the other girls. She told Atita oyella was been killed by the rebel who came to kidnape the other girls away. Some few days later her friend came back to normality and seems to remember Atita and the past.
ABIGAIL
RELIGIONS
Traditional Religions in Africa
A Definition
One can describe African religion as a this-worldly religion of salvation that promises well-being and wholeness here and now. It is a religion that affirms life and celebrates life in its fullness; this accounts for the lively and celebrative mood that characterizes African worship in all its
manifestations.
One can describe African religion as a this-worldly religion of salvation that promises well-being and wholeness here and now. It is a religion that affirms life and celebrates life in its fullness; this accounts for the lively and celebrative mood that characterizes African worship in all its
manifestations.
The Concept of African Religion
Related to this geo-political and cultural view of Africa is the 19th-century classification based on the so-called evolutionary theory of culture and religion. This classification of religions based on belief systems puts African religion and culture on the lowest level of the evolutionary ladder, because, it was believed, African primitive culture can only produce the most elementary and primitive belief systems. Until recently, this treatment of African religions in the Western intellectual tradition has made it impossible for African traditional religion to speak for itself except in terms of 19th-century evolutionism or the Western anthropological theories of primitive religions and cultures.
Related to this geo-political and cultural view of Africa is the 19th-century classification based on the so-called evolutionary theory of culture and religion. This classification of religions based on belief systems puts African religion and culture on the lowest level of the evolutionary ladder, because, it was believed, African primitive culture can only produce the most elementary and primitive belief systems. Until recently, this treatment of African religions in the Western intellectual tradition has made it impossible for African traditional religion to speak for itself except in terms of 19th-century evolutionism or the Western anthropological theories of primitive religions and cultures.
From History to CultureToday the liberation from the classifications of the last century has given an intellectual autonomy to African religion and culture. They can now be understood as self-contained systems that are internally coherent without reference to any grand theories. This has allowed us to face up to
the plurality of religions and cultures. Therefore in any discourse about African religion we must start from the perspective of the worshipers and devotees of African traditional religion.
the plurality of religions and cultures. Therefore in any discourse about African religion we must start from the perspective of the worshipers and devotees of African traditional religion.
God, Creation and Cosmic LifeGod in Africa is a relational being who is known through various levels of relationship with creation. In relation to humanity, God is the great ancestor of the human race. Therefore, all over Africa God is portrayed more in terms of parent than as sovereign. In relation to the earth, God
is a husband who stands behind the creative fecundity of the earth that sustains human life. God in relation to creation is the creator from whom life flows and is sustained. In relation to the divinities, God is their father who requires them to care for the cosmic processes.
is a husband who stands behind the creative fecundity of the earth that sustains human life. God in relation to creation is the creator from whom life flows and is sustained. In relation to the divinities, God is their father who requires them to care for the cosmic processes.
Traditional religions in Africa
Afro-Asiatic (Afrasan) religious tradition
Traditional religion among Afro-Asiatic-speaking peoples was originally henotheistic in nature. In this sense, each clan gave allegiance to the community's own god while still accepting that other gods exist. Each Afrasan clan community was headed by a hereditary ritual leader.
Egyptian religion
he concept of a sacral King and the sending of servants into the grave alongside the King, a custom only stopped during the 3rd dynasty, are of Sudanic origin (see below section on Sudanic religion).The Sun god as creation god and the divine law [Maat] connected to the sun god and justifying the rule of the King also show Sudanic influence.
Cushitic religion
The religious beliefs of the proto-Cushites were a mixture of two distinct religious traditions. Probably as early as the seventh millennium BCE, the Cushites in parts of eastern Africa blended their traditional Afro-Asiatic religion with aspects of the religious tradition of their Sudanic neighbours. Specifically, they exchanged their belief in a clan deity with the Sudanic concept of "Divinity", expanding the use of the old Cushitic root for "sky" (waak'a) to also extend to "Divinity". However, they retained their older institution of a clan priest-chief (or *wap'er), with the *wap'er's religious duties now re-directed toward Divinity.
Omotic religion
Among the Omotic peoples of southwestern Ethiopia (whom Ehret and many other linguists consider to be Afrasan-speaking) Afrasan henotheism has been preserved relatively unchanged.
Nilo-Saharan religious traditions I - Koman religious tradition
In this religion spiritual power and spiritual danger do not reside in a deity but are expressed by an animating force.
Uduk religion
A contemporary example of a religion belonging to the Koman tradition is the religion of the Uduk.
Maasai religion
A contemporary example for a variety of the Sudanic religious tradition is the monotheistic religion of the Maasai.
Meroitic religion
The religion of ancient Meroe is a variety of the Sudanic religion with some Egyptian influence.
Niger-Congo religious tradition
The original Niger-Congo spiritual tradition indicates that it centered around 'spirit' as manifested in various aspects of nature, deities and/or ancestors.
Akan religion
The Akan people of Ghana and Ivory Coast believe in a supreme god who takes on various names depending upon the region of worship. Akan mythology claims that at one time the god interacted with man, but that after being continually struck by the pestle of an old woman pounding fufu,a traditional Ghanaian food, he moved far up into the sky. There are no priests that serve him directly, and people believe that they may make direct contact with him. There are also numerous spirits(abosom), who receive their power from the supreme god and are most often connected to the world as it appears in its natural state. These include ocean and riverine spirits and various local deities. Priests serve individual spirits and act as mediators between the gods and mankind. Nearly everyone participates in daily prayer, which includes the pouring of libations as an offering to both the ancestors who are buried in the land and to the spirits who are everywhere. The earth is seen as a female deity and is directly connected to fertility and fecundity. The religion of the Akan, as described by Wiredu, is an example for a contemporary manifestation of the Niger-Congo religion.
Khoisan religious tradition
Their beliefs recognized the existence of an impersonal condition of spirit, a force that existed outside human beings as well as in some animals. In the thought of the particular Khoisan peoples who have lived in southern Africa since 5,000 BCE, this force could be tapped by means of the trance-dance and used to heal sickness and to relieve social and individual stress and conflict. In this procedure, a person recognized for special religious talents, a kind of shaman whom we may call a trance-healer, dances until he or she goes into a state of trance, which might last for many hours.
Noe
The Cristianity in Africa
History
The History of Christianity in Africa began in the 1st century when Mark the Evangelist started the Orthodox Church of Alexandria in about the year 43. Little is known about the first couple of centuries of African Christian history, beyond the list of bishops of Alexandria. At first the church in Alexandria was mainly Greek-speaking, but by the end of the 2nd century the scriptures and Liturgy had been translated into three local languages. Christianity was also planted in north-western Africa (today known as the Maghreb), but the churches there were linked to the Church of Rome.
At the beginning of the 3rd century the church began to expand rapidly, and five new bishoprics were established. These were suffragans of Alexandria, and at this time the Bishop of Alexandria began to be called Pope, as the senior bishop in Egypt. In the middle of the 3rd century the church in Egypt suffered severely in the persecution under the Emperor Decius. Many Christians fled from the towns into the desert. When the persecution died down, however, some remained in the desert as hermits to pray. This was the beginning of Christian monasticism, which over the following years spread from Africa to other parts of the Christian world.
The 4th century began with renewed persecution under the Emperor Diocletian. In the early 4th century, King Ezana declared Christianity the official religion of Ethiopian Kingdom of Aksum after having been converted by Frumentius, resulting in the foundation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
Christianity in Africa today
At the beginning of the 21st century Christianity is probably the main religion in most of sub-Saharan Africa while in the northern part of the continent it is a minority religion, where the majority of the population are Muslims. There has been tremendous growth of Christians in Africa - coupled by a relative decline in adherence to traditional African religions. As evidence, only nine million Christians were in Africa in 1900, but by the year 2000, there were an estimated 380 million Christians. According to a 2006 Pew Forum on Religion and Public life study, 147 millions of African Christians were "renewalists" (a term that includes both Pentecostals and Charismatics). According to David Barrett, most of the 552,000 congregations in 11,500 denominations throughout Africa in 1995 are completely unknown in the West. Much of the Christian growth in Africa is now due to African evangelism rather than European missionaries. In South Africa, it is rare to find a person with no religious beliefs, which is almost always Christianity amongst the whites and coloureds, but Christianity is extremely popular amongst the blacks, especially city-dwellers, and it is rare to find a black South African who isn't Christian. Christianity in Africa shows tremendous variety, from the ancient forms of Oriental Orthodox Christianity in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Eritrea to the newest African-Christian denominations of Nigeria, a country that has experienced massive conversion to Christianity in the recent time.
Some experts tell about the shift of Christianity's center of gravity from the European industrialized nations to Africa, Asia and Latin America in modern time. Yale University historian Lamin Sanneh stated, that "African Christianity was not just an exotic, curious phenomenon in an obscure part of the world, but that African Christianity might be the shape of things to come." The statistics from the World Christian Encyclopedia (David Barrett) illustrate the emerging trend of dramatic Christian growth on the continent and supposes, that in 2025 there will be 633 million Christians in Africa.
Links about Cristianity in Africa:
