#Church of South India

[whatisonthemoon]

Moon church takes a low profile in India (1996)

LINK: https://religionnews.com/1996/02/15/top-story-unification-church-moon-church-takes-a-low-profile-in-india/

TOP STORY: UNIFICATION CHURCH: Moon church takes a low profile in India Religion News Service February 15, 1996 Tim Murphy

MOOLAVATTOM, India (RNS)-It is a small, obscure town in India’s southern state of Kerala, in the heart of one of the nation’s largest, most conservative Christian communities.

Yet Moolavattom is where the Unification Church, founded in Korea in 1954 by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, has set up its southern India operations. The church, a visible and controversial presence in Asia and the United States, maintains a low profile here, attracting few followers and barely figuring in the region’s complex religious mileau.

But the church’s profile in India-both here and in the north-is likely to grow in coming years. In the early 1990s the church established a second operation in New Delhi, and this past November Moon gave his first public address in a hotel there.

Not only that, the church’s controversial tradition of holding group arranged weddings, involving tens of thousands of followers from various cultures, ethnic groups and races worldwide, has attracted a number of Indians yearning to emigrate to a better economic climate.

For now, few in this small southern town know about the Unification Church or its controversial theology.”I’ve never heard of the Unification Church operating in Kerala,”said the Rev. Jacob Kollaparambil, a Catholic priest based in the city of Kottayam, five miles away. His words were echoed by other clergy in and around Moolavattom.

Moon’s theology, contained in his 1976 book”Divine Principle”and other church documents, teaches that Jesus was murdered before he could fulfill his earthly mission: to marry and bring the world back to its state before the fall.

Moon’s followers consider him the messiah, and offspring from the church’s mass weddings are said to be free of humanity’s fallen nature. The church says its fundamental mission is to foster global peace through the unification of the world’s diverse population.

Such theology hardly resonates in a country like India, which is 85 percent Hindu and 10 percent Muslim, or in regions like Kerala, which has a strong Christian presence.

In Moolavattom, 50-foot towers bearing statues of Jesus and the Virgin Mary soar from street corners, and Christian devotional pictures are fixed to the front of public buses.

Syrian Christians, found throughout the southern state of Kerala, are followers of St. Thomas, whom they believe brought Christianity to India around 52 A.D. Even though Hinduism remains strong in the region, there are many towns and villages where Syrian Christians form a majority.

M. Hasegawa, who is from Japan and heads the Unification Church’s operations in Kerala, said the church has tried hard not to upset the feelings of local residents.”We don’t try to convert anyone,”he said.

Still, the church is attracting Indians into its fold.

This past August, the church joined some 360,000 people worldwide in matrimony, including 75 from India. Half were from Kerala, and most had been Catholics, Hasegawa said.”Some were attracted by the international marriages and the chance to marry foreigners, but we told them we couldn’t guarantee anything,”he said.

While arranged marriages form a cornerstone of Indian culture, the country’s caste system has been a hurdle for the Unification Church. Ursula McLackland, the church’s South Asia director, said Indian women are”still very bound by their parents, who tend to be very orthodox. There is no rosy way for them to get approval for an intercaste, interreligious marriage.” Still, the Unification Church’s presence is growing in India, in part because of the high number of refugees from such places as Iraq and Afghanistan who are desperate to leave for more promising locales.

In a Unification marriage last August, Ali Reza, 32, who fled Iraq a few years ago-his sister died in jail there-wed a woman in Cairo. She remained in Egypt, and the two were linked by video. Reza said he couldn’t wait to move to Egypt, though six months after the wedding he still has not been able to get a visa and emigrate.

Abdul Quadin, 48, fled from Kabul, where he was a telecommunications manager, after his wife and children were killed by a Mujahideen rocket. In August, he was married to a woman in California.

Both Reza and Quadin said they are still good Muslims and swear by the Koran, the Islamic holy book, but they believe in the precepts of the Unification Church and its philosophy of world peace.

Elsamma Vargis, a low-caste Indian from Kerala, was blessed with a South Korean husband.”I could never have found such a good husband in India,”she said.”I can’t wait to move to his home in Seoul.”

[ancientcraftnoccultism]

Introduction To Candle Magic

Ancient Craft & Occultism

___

By KB

Introduction

Welcome back witches in training! We've been covering a lot of ground bases lately, especially within the realms of spellwork. Today, we're going to take that a bit further by opening our horizons to the infinite world of Candle Magic! In this lesson, we're going to discuss basic color magic, the history of candles, and how to use candles in your craft. Let's get to it!

A Brief Candle History

The exact origin of the candle is quite a debate among historical scholars, but there is a large sum of evidence that suggests candles made of beeswax were used in Egypt and Crete as early as 3000 BCE. Other early candles were fashioned using tallow-soaked tapers manufactured from fibrous materials like rushes. Rushlights were one of the first types of enclosed light we are aware of, yet they were unlike candles as we know them today because they lacked a wick. The impoverished continued to utilize them for centuries because they were also inexpensive to produce.

It may come as no surprise that the Romans are credited with creating the first wicked candles by continuously dipping a roll of papyrus into tallow, a converted form of beef or mutton fat, while wrapping it around a length of twine. Candles were still used in the same manner, but they had superior quality and a longer lifespan than rushlights.

However, candle production was not only practiced by the Romans. Wicked candles were "invented" by numerous other ancient civilizations who also used local plant-based waxes. The eulachon fish, which is so oily that when dried, it would burn like a candle when you ignite one end, was used as a candle by tribes in Alaska and Canada. The Chinese used wrapped ricepaper as wicks. In India, wax was created from the fruit of the cinnamon tree.

Candles, in any form, were a significant component of religious rites throughout this time. The Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, was originally documented around 165 B.C. Constantine, the Roman emperor between 306 and 337 A.D., mandated the use of lamps during Easter celebrations. Indeed, from roughly the time of Constantine, lights have played a significant role in religious events and signify the purifying light of God.

Candle flames were seen by ancient peoples to reveal enigmatic things. One could experience an altered state of consciousness and see gods, spirits, or the future by gazing into a flame. In a magic ceremony for "dreaming true," or getting information from dreams, the late Egyptians of the third century B.C. utilized lamps and possibly candles. He retired to a pitch-black cave that faced south and sat there gazing into a flame till he saw a god. Then he went to sleep, hoping that the deity would show up in his dreams and provide him with the answers he was looking for.

The Roman Christian scholar Tertullian fiercely objected to the ancient Pagan practice of lighting candles and lights during religious ceremonies, calling it "the useless lighting of lamps at noon." Candles and lamps were used in Christian rites from the fourth century, but candles weren't put on church altars until the later Middle Ages, starting in the twelfth century. Consecrated holy candles are used in ceremonies for blessings, atonement for sins, and the exorcism of demons, all of which were instituted by the Catholic Church.

Using Candles In The Craft

Candles have long been used as versatile tools, but in witchcraft, they can also be used for divination, spirit sensing, casting spells, and a variety of other things. Let's jump right in.

Divination - Reading the wax and observing how the candle really burns are the two most popular techniques for candle divination. You must observe the candle's burning pattern, including its height, flickering, and the presence of many flames, in order to make a prediction based on how it burns. Two flames could indicate assistance from the afterlife in achieving your objective. Even the hues of the flame may give you a clue as to how well your efforts are going. However, there is no agreement on what these indications signify. While some practitioners hold that a candle that burns tall and strongly indicates that one's request will be granted, others draw attention to the fact that the wick's length and quality, as well as an air vent, can affect how the candle burns. Prioritize your intention over the candle's burning process. You can always read the wax once it hardens, or pour the wax directly into cold water for it to harden and then interpret the symbols, much like you would with bone throwing, or scrying. Personally, I also like to pay attention to the smoke and interpret the way the smoke from the candle flows in order to interpret surrounding energies.

Spirit Work - Fire scrying is the most common way to communicate with spirits, and as it's the only method with candles I have experience with, that's what I will be discussing here. I encourage you to do your own research into spirit communication outside of my suggestion, because I'm sure there are plenty other methods out there. Again, there is no base consensus in a means to interpretation, as spirits and practitioners alike have different ways of communication. Just like with any other scrying, its imperative to stay connected to your personal energy while connecting with surrounding energy to properly interpret the signals you are receiving. Connecting with deities is also possible using this method of Candle Magic.

Rituals/Spellwork - In rituals and spells, candles are used to increase vibrations, represent specific elements and other important objects or creatures, use symbolism, and seal items like letters or spell bottles. Even candle spells can be created simply lighting a candle with intention. It is very common to carve, dress, and anoint candles in aid for ritual and spellwork as well. Fire being the main force driving the work, of course.

Worship - Candles are often used as offerings for various deities. Symbolism, color, and dressings can all play a part of this as well. They are also used as a beacon for an entity to guide you through your working.

Candle Correspondences

When undertaking serious candle work, choosing the right candle colors is crucial. Each hue has a unique meaning and possesses unique abilities. It's crucial to pick colors that align with your aims while working with candles in spells or rituals. Please remember that this is a very basic list and that the things you will read in your personal correspondence are far more significant than anything you will read here.

White - Attraction, Purification, Protection, Balance, Clarity, Grounding, Healing, Hope, Innocence, Optimism, Peace, Truth, Willpower

White can take the place of any other color when not available. Just a bit of visualization is required.

Black - Acceptance, Afterlife, Banishing, Binding, Determination, Endings, Justice, Loss, Release, Break, Security, Grief, Negativity, Patience, Persistence, Rebirth, Strength, Self Control

Red - Assertiveness, Courage, Creativity, Energy, Desire, Loyalty, Motivation, Power, Survival, Change

Yellow - Action, Communication, Learning, Finances, Business, Intellect, Inspiration, Knowledge, Wisdom, Stimulation

Pink - Acceptance, Affection, Beauty, Compassion, Healing, Family, Harmony, Kindness, Longevity, Nurturing, Partnership, Prosperity

Green - Abundance, Agriculture, Beauty, Creativity, Family, Fertility, Healing, Luck, Environment, Nurturing

Purple - Authority, Enlightenment, Spirituality, Emotions, Imagination, Influence, Truth, Wisdom, Overcoming Fear

Orange - Adaptive, Ambition, Confidence, Courage, Discipline, Energy, Freedom, Justice, Positivity, Pleasure, Stimulation, Travel

Blue - Honesty, Truth, Trust, Dreams, Sleep, Mental, Wisdom, Leadership, Fertility, Marriage, Healing, Study

Brown - Endurance, Animals, Balance, Courage, Grounding, Stability, Protection

Silver - Awareness, Intuition, Money, Purification, Potential, Stability, Success, Celestial

Gold - Abundance, Ambition, Money, Happiness, Power, Influence, Solar energy

Even if you aren't aware of it, the type of candle and the type of wax it is made of may have an impact on your craft. It can all come down to functionality or magical implications.

Taper Candles

Taper candles are tall, thin candles with a tapered top; they are often placed in vintage, smaller candle jars and are more ornamental and symbolic. Shorter taper candles are typically used to seal objects with wax. They can, however, be utilized for any task.

Pillar Candles

There are many different types of pillar candles, but these are the ones I see used almost exclusively. They differ from being short and fat to being tall and slim. They can be utilized for a variety of purposes, but I've found that rituals are where they're most useful.

Votive Candles

Votive candles are little and barely taper more at the base. They are frequently placed in glass candle holders and are used as offerings to deities. Given that their modest, tapering size is what makes them votives, their sizes rarely fluctuate. But they do come in a variety of colors. They are often white.

Tealights

Tealights are tiny, thin, and short candles. You can use them to make offerings, perform spells and rituals, decorate, or even keep wax warmers warm. I frequently observe this kind of candle being used, largely because they are the least expensive candles available.

Now, let's go over some of the different wax types.

Beeswax

It used to be difficult and dangerous to obtain beeswax, which added to the candle's mystique and spiritual power. Beeswax is a natural substance that burns more slowly, making it a premium item among contemporary candle spiritual practitioners; yet, because of its price, it may not be the best choice. Beeswax candles are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and hues and can be rolled, poured, or dipped. Longer ancestral rituals that demand higher vibrations and purpose work best with these candles.

Soy

People who use earth magic sometimes like soy candles since they are natural. Although they tend to burn for a shorter period of time than beeswax candles, they keep fragrances quite well. When dressed, they can also be extremely fragile and challenging to mold or carve. The majority of soy candles are already housed in glass. They are most effective when utilized in ancestral rituals for healing and rebirth.

Paraffin

Since it's a byproduct of the petroleum industry, many people consider it to be less natural than the available alternatives. The fact that it releases chemicals like toluene into the air makes it a poor choice for poorly ventilated areas. Other than providing the foundation for candles, I haven't discovered any sources that discuss the magickal powers of paraffin itself. I found a few for petroleum jelly, which is frequently used as a foundation for herbal salves, but they mainly praised how simple it was to use as an ointment. Even our non-human ancestors may have used petroleum, according to some sources, which makes it a solid foundation for ancestor magic.

[mammonscheeks]

demon brothers + dateables as destinations in the human world

✎ a/n: these are my opinions! i'm south and west asian, so i am most knowlegeable about those countries, please correct me if i've said anything incorrect!

LUCIFER

new york city, usa. he likes the cold, industrial corporate feel of nyc. it helps him avoid his feelings.

anywhere in germany. he likes their no-nonsense culture and unspoken social rules.

MAMMON

las vegas, nevada, usa. he always begs mc to take him there. the flashy lights and casinos are right up his alley.

dubai, uae. he loves the luxurious feel of it, and how its the center of celebrity gatherings, vacations, and parties.

LEVIATHAN

tokyo, japan (especially the akihabara/electronic district). he's always updated on pop culture and the newest technology/games.

seychelles island, africa. he likes swimming, but not socializing on the beach. that's why he likes isolated islands.

SATAN

london, england. he's interested in their medival history and seeing the places that inspired novels like harry potter and the sherlock holmes franchise.

cat island in japan, or any mediterranean country where cats freely roam.

ASMODEUS

paris, france. he'd love paris fashion week. he also just seems french to me, idk.

seoul, south korea. he'd adore seoul's culture, everything from the modern sappy kdramas to traditional dresses, like hanbok. he would bring an empty suitcase to stuff it with beauty products.

BEELZEBUB

mumbai, india. this metropolitan city in india offers so many different kinds of food. he would love to eat his way through the city, if not the entire country.

every city in mexico. he'd try the regional cuisine, but also hang out at the beach with his brothers and mc (so cute).

BELPHEGOR

cairo, egypt. he was once fascinated with humans, and often watched them build civilizations from heaven when he was an angel. he would enjoy the historical wonders of egypt.

reykjavic, iceland. idk why he just gives me iceland vibes. life there can be slow and cold, and it often gets less light than other countries.

DIAVOLO

transylvania, romania. he loves its breathtaking castles and culture, and is intrigued with all the pop culture references of vampires.

petra, jordan. this is a significant place in abrahamic religions, known for being haunted by demons, or jinn. diavolo would be fascinated by this history, whether its actually haunted or not. i know he'd eat up those scary ghost tours (insert fic about that here) and even probably try and scare a few tourist groups, despite barbatos advising him against it.

BARBATOS

istanbul, turkiye. istanbul has well-maintained structures from the byzantine empire, the ottoman empire, and even "newer and hip" neighborhoods. barbatos, being able to see the past and future, would appreciate the blend of it all here, like he's walking through time.

kathmandu, nepal. he'd enjoy the peace of monasteries and mountains, which are as old as the earth itself.

SIMEON

tuscany, italy. he'd enjoy the vast fields, heavenly sunsets, small towns and historic churches. he would find tuscany a peaceful place to write, but appreciates the community feel of small italian towns. would definitely be so friendly he'd get invited to eat dinner at a random family's house.

thessaloniki, greece. he would absolutely love seeing all the greek orthodox churches there, with their blue and white colors and dome roofs. he is just amused to see the religious structures humans have created. he'd also probably be interested in greek mythology, even though he's an angel.

LUKE

cape town, south africa. he would be so excited to see penguins at the beach and would enjoy the burst of color south africa offers. he'd also enjoy the modern bakeries and desserts in south africa.

lyon, france. the country is known for desserts. luke would probably take a baking class there to learn how to bake more things.

SOLOMON

salem, or just any small town in massachusetts. as a sorcerer, he's intrigued with their history of "witch hunting" and the paranormal.

lalibela, ethiopia. being old, he's intrigued with how ancient cities like lalibela have changed since biblical times. he also probably enjoys learning about different cultural practices and what they have in common with his sorcery. he also wants to learn how to cook more dishes from different countries, but fails miserably

[mybeingthere]

Contemporary Swiss artists Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger hung flowers, seeds, and branches in a 17th-century church in Venice.

Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger design site-specific installations that envelop the viewer. Falling Garden is a world in which botanical curios are suspended from the ceiling of a 17th-century church in Venice. It's a botanic tableau in three dimensions, against a backdrop of richly decorated Italian marble. The piece immerses visitors in a magical reality of dreamy conceits—if a blossom had a mind, this is surely what it would look like. Falling Garden becomes the visitors' collective dream of botanical liturgies and ecclesiastic whimsy.

The artists installed "Falling Garden" inside San Staë church, on the Grand Canal, at the 50th Venice Biennial. According to the artists, the church was built as a mausoleum for a 17th-century doge (duke), who was entombed in the center, under an arrangement of skeletons and a grinning skull. To view the installation, visitors lie on the floor, or, as the artists suggest, on the gravestone's bed. It's the best seat in the house, a house of cascading flowers and cherub carvings. Having thus submitted, the visitor's thoughts are free to drift, as "the garden thinks for them."

To further extend the installation's dimensionality, consider the geographic distance it spans: Falling Garden is a collection of botanical tokens from many different places, including baobab seeds from Australia; beech, elder, and magnolia branches from Switzerland, silk buds from Sweden, celery roots from Canada, seaweed from South Korea, and plastic berries from India.

Photos by: Gerda Steiner and Jorg Lenzlinger.

[i-yap]

Hi! You mentioned in a prev oneshot that you were Indian, as a fellow south asian it is so nice to have someone into the fandom as well !!! May I have a request if batboys with an south asian so who does Indian classical dance like bharatnatyam or odissi please?

Heyyy I have never professionally learned classical Indian dances but I love watching them so ill try my best. Im sorry if its offensive, Im doing fem reader cuz gn wasn't requested..hope that okay too

Batboys x Dancer!Y/N

Dick grayson

He loved the story the dances depicted. He learned all the meanings and history behind all the hand movements and music.

Dick had probably been to India for a mission so he does know a little about indian history but now he has a much stronger motivation to learn everything and anything about that culture .

Also we all know dick has a thing for strong powerful women. And Bharatnatyam or Odssi or any indian classical dance for that matter REQUIRES SO MUCH STRENGTH . The facial expressions, the precise movement and the beauty of it all..he is whipped.

'He also loves when you get in touch with your culture. Dick is like a culture connoisseur and having a beautiful south asian girlfriend who is proud and expressive of her heritage makes him so proud.

He for sure has videos on videos which he show or boast about to anyone- even at galas , his favorite thing to talk about you and he is just so proud.

Jason Todd

I dont think todd will take the time to look into the difference meanings or stories these dances depict.

I have mentioned how much he stares and now he has a new found excuse to stress. Its like those movie montages of the wife through the husbands eyes where there is like a light glow behind her and he is just laughing (and then she dies or something)- idk if you know what I'm talking about but that exact thing happens with him.

you are like his salvation , so beautiful, golden poised and graceful. Its like a beggar seeing a goddess , a murderer on the steps of church or a ray of sunshine in the cold cold dark city - it becomes his way to spirituality.

He doesn't talk that much about it. the whole experience feels too surreal for him and he loves to see that side of you. when your practicing and don't have the routine perfected, he loves seeing the side of you no one else would get to see.

Tim drake-

This boy probably went to the ballet as a kid and I mean western rich parents-gotham city- I don't think he knows anything about indian classical dance so when he sees it for the first time he is shocked

He Is so intrigued , It just makes you so much cooler. He will love dropping in the middle of his patrols to watch you train and bring you snacks

He also loves doing your makeup for you , and the whole outfit....it looks super complicated and he is good with assembling stuff so he'll be really into it.

He would tbh encourage you to use your skill to start and internet channel and use that to promote movements. Also if you are into the idea of teaching immigrant kids on how to dance, he'll help find the means because being connected to your roots are just so important.

Rather than boring ass ballet in galas , he will promote other styles of dance especially indian classical.

Will cheer like a madman after your performances , even if they are at rich gotham galas. "WOHOO THATS MY GIRL THATS REAL ART YOU SEE THAT YOU RICH PRICKS"

Yea just because you have this super serious super cool skill doesn't mean you both wont be sitting in a dinner eating greasy food in the whole costume+makeup after performances. Youre still teenage dirtbags after all

Damian wayne-

he will draw you . loves sitting and sketching you dance .

He too is really into strong women and appreciates the beauty and precise art of indian dance.

Itll remind him of his home, like up in the mountains. Maybe dance is taught as a way of developing balance and precision. So to him you look like a strong fighter.

It just brings nostalgia and you look so ethereal while you dance. I think out of all batboys he would be most appreciative of the art

these are comparatively shorter but i didnt have too many thoughts. hope its okay tho

[arkipelagic]

Asian slaves, indigenous Americans, and identity in colonial era Mexico

The Spanish Philippines had a diverse slave population for local labor and export, including Filipino Indians [i.e. natives; indios], Muslim war captives (moros), and foreign slaves from as far away as Portuguese India.

… Upon their arrival, chino slaves [i.e. any Asian slave, not just Chinese] were absorbed by the urban economy of Mexico City, where they mainly worked as domestic servants or in textile mills (obrajes) … For their part, working in the city provided chinos with some possibilities for manumission. Chinos in domestic service were especially apt to embrace the limited opportunities available to them and to experience some social mobility. In the obrajes, chinos had few of the freedoms given to domestic servants, but they did benefit from government oversight of the industry. During official visits, chino slaves appealed for protection from overt exploitation by claiming that they were Indians (even if they were from Portuguese India). Remarkably, visiting inspectors listened to their complaints, and they often responded by liberating individual chinos under the assumption that they were indeed native vassals and could thus not be held in bondage. The overall experience of chinos in the viceroyal capital confirms the benefits of living close to the center of colonial power.

The presence of free indigenous immigrants from the Spanish Philippines in Mexico reinforced the idea that all chinos were Indians. The complex governing structure of colonial Mexico involved two republics or political communities (the república de indios and the república de españoles); this organization separated the indigenous majority from everyone else to facilitate the collection of tribute and the ministry of the Catholic Church … [N]ative immigrants from the Philippines purposely sought to confirm their membership in the Republic because corporate status provided personal advantages. They asked to be tallied in tribute rolls in Mexico to benefit from concomitant privileges, such as trading rights and legal representation through the General Indian Court. At the same time, free Filipinos were frequently confused with chino slaves - a situation that had serious consequences for Filipinos' relations with colonial institutions and enslaved individuals. Some immigrants resented having their indigenous identity questioned and sought to maintain a sense of their Indian-ness by keeping their distance from chino slaves. The majority, however, expressed solidarity with chino slaves. Filipino artisans, for example, took on chino slaves as apprentices and taught them marketable skills. Similarly, Filipino traders incorporated chinos into their own credit networks to facilitate self-purchase.

Individual chinos who were manumitted also embraced an Indian identity, regardless of whether they were from Goa, Macau, or other places in South and Southeast Asia. In this way, chinos challenged official attempts to define them solely as former slaves. Instead, they sought to join the free republic. The possibility for this kind of social integration caused widespread concern among slave owners. To defend their property rights, masters started to brand chino slaves on the face, rather than on the chest or arm as they did with Africans, in order to dissuade them from fleeing and "passing" as free Indians. This horrifying development shows that Indian communities welcomed runaway chino slaves and, by extension, that slave owners sought visible markers of their slaves' status.

Excerpt from the Introduction to “Asian Slaves in Colonial Mexico: From Chinos to Indians” (2014) by Tatiana Seijas

[newspatron]

Unveiling Article 226: India’s Legal Powerhouse

Enjoyed the article? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Image Source – Newspatron Creative Team AI-Generated Image for representative purpose [Read About Us to know more] Dive into the depths of Article 226, a cornerstone of the Indian Constitution that empowers High Courts to uphold justice and protect fundamental rights. Explore its scope, significance, and the landmark cases that have shaped its application. Founder & Editor…

[minaloywhore]

hey, it's been a minute, but let's talk about dark academia that isn't as euro-centric cause i'm like, really sick of it lmfao

(also, i'm white and live in the US! people who aren't white and who don't live in the us, lemme know if there's anything I'm missing!)

yeah yeah, dark academia, learn a dead language. latin is good because of science, but have you ever considered learning arabic? lots of our math stuff comes from arabic and the scholars in the baghdad house of wisdom (hell, al-gebra)

or maybe learn sanskrit! like latin is an "academic language" in the west, sanskrit has similar connotations in the indian subcontinent, with many historical records having been written in sanskrit

hell, if we're talking liturgical languages like latin, why not try church slavonic or coptic?

please stop romanticizing only european architecture. its beautiful and stunning, and so is architecture from all over the world! just as a couple examples:

st michaels golden-domed monestary

 the bibi-khanym mosque in Uzbekistan

the tomb of askia in gao, mali

machu picchu

the iron pagoda in Kaifeng, china

etc etc etc!!

read academia from all over the world!! there are scholars in india and china and kazakhstan and south africa with wonderful writing about their own histories and cultures, you just have to do a little google scholar search to find it!

look at oral histories and folklore from all over the world! like blue from osp said, if people consider the witcher (which is just medieval poland) as exotic, what will they do when they read gilgamesh or the monkey king? look at the wonderful parallels between our bodies of folklore and mythology and oral history, like the floods in the bible and in gilgamesh!

that being said, look for sources written BY the people who are telling these stories. outsiders have their own biases and agendas, so read anything about different cultures than the author (especially ones that no longer exist) critically and biographically. looking at you, snorri

be more chill about people with bodies that you dont think are normal. be more chill about people with bodies that you don't think should be wearing DA clothing, or that you think are doing it wrong. they have every right to wear DA clothing, and they're doing it better than you are.

understand that if you're in a position to be enjoying DA, you're probably privileged. use that privilege for good, fight for what is right, and listen to marginalized voices. if you fuck up, acknowledge that you fucked up and work to right the wrong and not do it again, but don't take someone telling you you fucked up as a personal attack. it's not.

i acknowledge that the land i live on was originally stewarded and lived upon by a native american tribe that no longer exists because of european colonization. i acknowledge their (and the tribe that survivors of the colonization in my area went to)'s right to the land.

[whatisonthemoon]

A Summation of the Indian Church and its Controversies

The Unification Church has been active in India since at least the 70s, promoting the group's religious teachings and working on various social and political projects. While the Unification Church and UPF have been praised for their contributions to Indian society, they have also faced controversies and criticism in the country.

In India, the Unification Church has focused on promoting its core beliefs, including the idea of family values and interreligious harmony. The organization has established various religious and educational institutions in India, as well as promoted character education programs aimed at youth. The UPF, on the other hand, has been more active in promoting peace and interfaith dialogue in India, organizing conferences and workshops on these topics.

However, the Unification Church and UPF have also been criticized for their political activity in India. Some have accused the group of seeking to advance a conservative political agenda and of promoting a particular vision of traditional family values that is out of step with the values of many Indians. 

In addition, the UPF's South Asia Peace Initiative has been criticized by some as a tool for advancing the political interests of the Unification Church in the region, rather than a genuinely independent effort to promote peace and security in South Asia.

Some leaders of the Unification Church and UPF have also faced controversy in India. For example, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, was accused of making controversial statements about Hinduism and other religions, which were seen by some as insulting to the religious beliefs of many Indians. In addition, some UPF leaders in India have been accused of engaging in political activities that are seen as partisan and divisive.

The Unification Church and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) have faced accusations of land grabbing and tax evasion in India. In some cases, the group has been accused of using its religious and political influence to acquire land and properties illegally, or of evading taxes by misusing its charitable status. These allegations have led to widespread concern among local communities and have prompted calls for greater government oversight of the group's activities in India.

The controversy over land grabbing has been particularly contentious, with many accusing the Unification Church and UPF of using their political and religious influence to acquire valuable land and properties, often at the expense of local communities. In some cases, the group has been accused of using its charitable status to acquire land at below-market prices, or of using its political connections to circumvent legal restrictions on land acquisition.

The issue of tax evasion has also been a source of concern, with some accusing the Unification Church and UPF of misusing their charitable status to avoid paying taxes on their income and property. The group has been accused of funneling its revenue through various subsidiary organizations in order to avoid paying taxes, or of misrepresenting its financial activities in order to evade taxes.

These controversies have led to increased scrutiny of the Unification Church and UPF in India, and have raised questions about the group's commitment to transparency and accountability. While the group has dismissed the allegations of land grabbing and tax evasion as unfounded, many in India remain skeptical of its motives and activities, and are calling for greater government oversight of the group's operations in the country. 

The group has been praised by some for its contributions to Indian society and its efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia, but has also faced criticism from those who view its political activity as divisive and partisan. Nevertheless, the group remains a significant player in the religious and political landscape of India, and its impact on the country will continue to be a matter of ongoing debate and discussion.

[mapsontheweb]

The evolution of the Spanish West Indian Empire

« Atlas histórico de España », Jordi Induráin Pons, Larousse, 2021

by cartesdhistoire

In the 18th century, Spanish America was firmly established: the conquest phase having been completed, pacification opened the way to a reorganization of the administration of this immense territory. It was necessary to take into account the evolution of the population (since the law of 1514 allowing marriage between Spaniards and Indians, interbreeding was the central axis) and the rapid integration of the Río de la Plata to the south. Furthermore, the rise of the English and French Caribbean islands encouraged Spain to see its own islands as something other than naval relays to the continent.

The real administrative structure was the urban network, which allowed the Spaniards to immediately have control of the territory. Cities were political, administrative and religious centers, defensive sites and points of convergence for commercial and economic activities. They were created at the outlets of rich agricultural lands, most often at altitude to avoid tropical diseases, even if commercial necessities sometimes led to exceptions, as for Lima, built at sea level.

The plan of these new towns followed the same logic: a central square, with the church, the palace of the governor or viceroy, the town hall, seat of municipal power. The checkerboard plan structured the city. According to the Castilian model, the municipal power representing the local elites, the “cabildo”, was elected. Urban power was, throughout the colonial era, a center of passive resistance to distant injunctions from central power. Richly decorated, with public and private buildings of grandiose architecture, Spanish cities were incomparably more luxurious than their British or French counterparts in America. Montreal, Philadelphia or Cap-Français could not compare to the splendors of Bogotá, Caracas and even less so with Havana and Cartagena de Indias.

[siryouarebeingmocked]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: I may have activated my own trap card

Spoilers for a movie that's two months old and also out on home release.

So, Miles, Gwen, Pavitr (Spider-India), and Hobie (Spider-Punk) all seem to have modern left-wing politics, though Gwen's got edited out. Hobie's introduction specifically says he hates "fascists", which carries over from the original comics.

By the time Hobie came around, I assumed he was just another poser, cooler than the hero rival character, expressing generic leftie politics, and his punk ethos wasn't sincere.

Which is exactly what the writers wanted me to think.

Not only is Hobie perfectly sincere about being anti-authoritarian, but he's been helping Miles since before they even met. He's been blatantly stealing junk from the Spider Society to build his own universe-jumping watch, and disguising it as petty vandalism.

He even tries to talk Miles out of trying to join the Spider-Society before the reveal that Miles himself is an anomaly, and the SS (geddit?) tries to detain Miles.

When Hobie says he's against authoritarianism, he really means it.

Speaking of the left-wing politics, Miles has a "#BLM" pin on his bag. It's very visible while he sits next to his dad.

Who's a cop.

(TANGENT: A few years ago, someone drew a stupid, very bad comic where Spider-Man (Peter Parker) was a) black, b) hated cops, and c) assaulted and subdued riot cops when they asked him for help.

That the comic didn't even show the riot cops were wrong. We were just supposed to assume they deserve to be left to the mercy of an angry mob.

Also, in this comic, Uncle Ben was killed by a cop, not a random thug who Spidey could've stopped but chose not to. Which makes me wonder how that would shake out.

It's kind of weird for someone to look at a character who's about personal responsibility to an unhealthy degree, and use him to express their collectivist anti-cop terrorism fantasies. That, or they didn't think through their fantasies.)

During Spider-India's opening, Miles says "I love Chai Tea!" And Pavitr goes on a rant about how "Chai" means "tea". Later on, The Spot says he's been on a "journey of self-discovery", and Pavitr basically says he's racist.

Which is a tad ironic, because Spot is literally white. And also because Pavitr is the one making the racist assumptions.

And I personally go to a church - in England - that has a lot of non-white non-British people. Mostly Africans. And me, of course. I wonder if any Asians ever went on a journey of self discovery to South London.

And I don't just mean as a cab driver.

"Wait, SYABM, didn't you move to the UK for self-discovery?"

W-well, yes, partially.

Aside: I made the mistake of watching a Youtube video with the Chai Tea joke, and then I looked at the comments.

One guy said "tfw when Twitter users write a movie". An idiot (with much more upvotes) said "bro out here wanting blatant racism in movies".

...When the whole point of the joke is that the racism is not blatant.

It's only "blatant" if you're insufferably Twitterized. There are loads of redundant phrasings in English, like "ATM machine", and words often shift when they're adopted from other languages.

Also, "I dislike this joke" is not the same as "I want racism in this movie", when the "racism" in the movie is only there so it could be mocked.

One of the issues with putting real world movements in worlds that are drastically different - it's one of the main selling points of the franchise - is that it may seem odd that those movements exist in very similar form to the IRL version.

For example, Miles supports BLM in both his video game, and this. Which makes me think "did Trayvon Martin get shot in Florida? How about Mike Brown? Wouldn't the existence of supervillains throw things into a new perspective?"

Did I mention the giant George Floyd-style "REST IN POWER" mural to Miles' dead uncle? I cringed at that in the Wakanda Forever trailer, and I rolled my eyes at it here.

Floyd wasn't a saintly martyr, he was an unlucky violent thug.

Also, Aaron was a supervillain killed by another bad guy who nearly destroyed the city, not a cop.

Also, this is at a party to celebrate how Miles' dad is about to be promoted. Assuming Floyd died and the 2020 protests/riots also happened in Miles' universe, then it seems a tad tasteless to have a mural inspired by an anti-cop movement overlooking it, even if the party is not full of cops.

Spider-India lives in "Mumbattan".

The people who settled the Manhattan area were originally Indian. But the other type of Indian. The Indians we're not supposed to call Indians anymore.

The name "Manhattan" is even Native American.

The first permanent settlement was Dutch. Then the English got it. I guess the English could've shipped Indians to the other side of the world and eventually ceded the area to them, or maybe in this world India was a world-conquering superpower and Mumbattan is the result of...importing Native Americans?

Which would make Pavitr's complaint that "the British stole all of our stuff and put it in their museums" seem a tad hypocritical.

Of course, since I wrote all that, someone reminded me that Pavitr explicitly says the joint is in India.

"SYABM," you say, "you're overthinking this."

Yes, I am. Because the filmmakers didn't think it through. If you want to use ha-ha-funny to make a serious point, you invite examination of that point.

Miles (as Spidey) now works with his dad, though he disguises his voice. At one point, Miles tells his father that men bottle up mental health issues.

This is true (and ironic, considering Miles is hiding who he is from Jeff), but it's not the first time I've seen some progressive work try to address men's issues in an very awkward way. At least here, it's played for comedy.

Also, seems a tad hypocritical coming from a guy who wears a "#BLM" pin in the presence of his cop father.

Also, if you work the timeline, that would mean Miles was about 7 or 6 when BLM started. Which means he's gone most of his life knowing nothing else.

There was a controversy over a "protect trans kids" trans flag in Gwen's room, which was apparently edited out.

IMO, it seems a tad strange for a girl who feels estranged from everyone in her world to join a social movement, but what do I know? Maybe it was there before then.

Some people came to the extremely logical conclusion that Gwen herself is trans. Even though she's distinctly physically feminine and possibly too young for puberty blockers depending on Earth 65′s laws.

Like the "oh great, it's Liv" shippers, people are reaching really hard to see what they want to see.

Some people have said that Gwen's issues with her dad and herself seem awfully similar to the issues LGBTQIA2S+ kids go through.

Gee, it's not like, y'know, feeling estranged from one's family is a common theme in fiction about teenagers and superhero, and the whole "superpowers = minority" thing has been done to death for most of the past century.

Perhaps most notably - and clumsily - in X-Men.

I'm not saying this wasn't the intended subtext. I'm saying if it was, it would just be really, really cliche.

There's this recurring theme of people telling miles "how [his] story is supposed to go".

When he's at a meeting with his parents and his guidance counselor, the lady says his story of being a black-Latino son of an immigrant would sound great in the college application letters. His mom is a tad miffed, given that they're a) solidly middle class, and b) as a Puerto Rican, she considers herself American.

Miguel (Spider-Man 2099) doesn't want Miles in the multiversal council of Spiders, because Miles was bitten by the radioactive spider from a different universe. Which is why his local Spider-Man died, and the spider's home dimension has no Spider-Man.

Also, Miguel is fixated on "canon events". The idea that there are certain things, especially tragedies, that have to happen to Spiders, or their entire universe falls apart.

And he knows this, because he tried to take over for a version of him that got shot dead by a thug. Tried to raise his daughter.

And he watched as the universe collapsed in front of him.

So he's projecting his own guilt onto Miles, a tad.

According to TVtropes and other sources, this was actually about the people who didn't accept Miles as a replacement Spidey, possibly out of racism.

Yeah, that's real hard-hitting topical meta-commentary about a character who debuted 12 years ago. 8 years when the first movie came out.

I'd also like to point out that despite stereotypes of comic book fans, certain minority successors to banner superheros have been fairly well-received. Like Jaime Reyes, or Cassandra Cain.

(Note: I wrote that before the Blue Beetle movie came out. And flopped.)

And, of course, loads of people like Miles specifically because he's a minority Spidey, which is also racist, just from the other direction. In fact, a lot of his fans seem to forget the "Latino" part of "Afro-Latino". From what little I've seen of Miles early comics, they did actually put strong emphasis on his race.

I also suspect the filmmakers may be misinterpreting the usual successor knee-jerk reactions

as racism. If you're using an established brand name for your new hero, you're creating some expectations.

Also, you know the most popular meme about regular Spidey that I see? That Marvel's writers just keep making him suffer and don't want him to actually develop. Which would kinda make Marvel closer to Team Miguel than Team Miles.

Miles also gripes that Miguel is letting "some algorithm" tell him what to do. While I agree with the sentiment, I'd like to point out that, again, Miles supports BLM.

A movement popularized by an algorithm.

A movement made up of narratives and assumptions.

A movement which has never proven a single incident was because of racism.

During the big chase scene, we see a Spider girl in a wheelchair, aka Sun-Spider. She's from the comics. Same initiative that gave us "Web-Weaver".

Who is, of course, an extremely effete gay fashion designer Spidey. I kinda like his outfit, though the Spider-eyes with eyelashes is a little too far.

And Sun-Spider seems exactly like a character a stereotypical 90s executive and focus group would come up with. Down to the backward baseball cap.

(Turns out she's Dayn Broder's actual Spider-Sona.)

Also, while I was looking up that one black and white Spider who said "nowhere to run" (Metro-Spider, played by record producer Metro Boomin [/sic]), I found out that Aunt May's full name is "Maybelle", not just "May". TIL.

There's a bit of a double standard with this version of Spider-Woman, who's black and pregnant. -People in the movie - including Peter B - regularly point out how Peter B endangering his infant daughter Mayday by taking her along with him. But for some reason, nobody says a word about Jessica, who's an active-duty stunt-biking superhero.

Even regular motorbiking can be dangerous for pregnant women.

In fact, the movie portrays this as heroic and impressive. When Gwen sees  Jess is preggos, she asks if Jess can adopt her.

Not to mention the whole "afro and hoop earrings" thing, which seem like a bad idea for a type of hero who often gets into melee combat, even with Spider-Sense.

Yes, I'm aware that female heroes, including the Spider-Ladies, often have exposed hair. It's a genre convention. Incidentally, it was nice to see Batwoman wore a detachable decoy wig in the comics. Some bad guy tries to grab it in a fight? It comes right off.

Also, Jess doesn't have much actual character.

Being pregnant is not a character trait. In fact, her only real traits are basically "cool but stern sassy mentor", to contrast with Peter B. -Incidentally, someone on TVtropes pointed out the double standard. And when I saw the page again, a page-camper had deleted it, with no explanation.

Guess they couldn't stand someone pointing out the flaws of their waifu.

(One) Spider-UK in this movie is Muslim. I know she's Muslim because she wears a Spider-themed headdress. Note that regular Marvel 616 has a muslim lady Spider-UK, but her name is Zarina Zahari and she doesn't wear a hijabi.

(Also, she could be mistaken for Ms. Marvel.)

ms marvel.jpg

You might be thinking "wait, isn't a headdress impractical in a melee fight? Doesn't it give your enemy something to grab?" Yes, it is.

But so are Jess's earrings, afro, and being pregnant, so clearly there's a lot of artistic license going on.

Maybe it's partially tearaway, like Batman's cape.

I gotta wonder about the religious rules of wearing a head covering over a mask that *already* covers your entire head. Did she go see her imam and go "Okay, I have a really weird question..."

Come to think, Spidey is usually slim, but a lot of lady Spideys in this movie seemed to have wide hips. Including muscular ladies. Kris Anka's concept art goes really hard on wide hips. I don't know why. Stronger, faster character reads during the big chase?

I guess Spiders could be expected to have strong legs.

BOTTOM LINE:

I liked the movie overall, though the progressive bits made me roll my eyes a little. I...want to see the third one, with reservations.

[princesssarisa]

In Cinderella Tales From Around the World, I've now reached the versions from the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia: Iran, Palestine, Nigeria, Angola, Sri Lanka, India, and Kashmir.

*The Iranian variant, The Story of Little Fatima, starts out much like the Italian La Gatta Cenerentola, but then turns into a "mother as animal helper" variant, with a middle section like the Portuguese The Hearth Cat. At the beginning, Little Fatima's female teacher tricks her into murdering her mother (!!!) so she can marry her father, then abuses her. But the mother's spirit comes back as a cow and shows her daughter unconditional love by magically aiding her chores. One day the cotton she's supposed to spin falls down a well, and the cow-mother advises her to go down after it, where she'll meet a div who will urge her to do bad deeds, but to only do good deeds instead. She obeys, and the div gives her a glowing moon on her forehead and star on her chin. The stepmother wants the same for her own daughter, so she sends her into the well, but Little Fatima lies to her stepsister that she should do all the bad deeds the div orders. As a result, the div gives the stepsister donkey ears and a tail. From then on, the story becomes a standard Cinderella, with the cow providing Little Fatima's finery, except instead of a ball, festival, or religious service, the special event is the wedding of a princess, the sister of the prince who falls in love with Little Fatima.

*The Palestinian variant, Thaljiyeh ("Snow-Maiden"), starts out like Snow White, with the heroine named for her skin white as snow, and her mother dying in childbirth. As Thaljiyeh is abused by her stepmother, a kindly jinniyah (female jinn) in a well takes pity on her and fills her bucket with jewelry, but when her two stepsisters draw water from the same well, the jinniyah fills their buckets with mud, stones, and insects. So they take Thaljiyeh's jewels and finally throw her out of the house. Fortunately, she comes to the home of a poor old woman who turns out to be her maternal grandmother and who takes her in; but unfortunately (so it seems), on the way she loses a red leather shoe that was a gift from her dead father. But of course a prince finds the shoe, and we all know what happens.

*The Tender-Hearted Maiden and the Fish from Nigeria is much like the Portuguese Maiden and the Fish – the heroine gets her finery from a fish that was meant to be cooked but which she set free. But in this version, unlike the Portuguese version, there is a wicked stepmother, and the fish really is a fish, not an enchanted prince. The heroine's love interest is a king, and the festival where he falls for her is a celebration of Eid al-Fitr. After her marriage, the stepmother and stepsister sneak into the heroine's bedroom at night and cut off her hands (!), but the fishes magically restore then. When the stepmother and stepsister try to publicly mock the new queen for having no hands, they only make fools of themselves.

*The Angolan variant, Fenda Maria and Her Elder Brother Nga Nzua, is very unusual. The heroine is an orphan who lives with her older brother, but when he marries the Lord Governor's daughter, his wife turns her into a slave. But in a forest she meets an old woman with leprosy and nurses her, and as reward, the old woman gives her boxes full of riches and dresses. The ending is unusual too: the heroine doesn't marry. Instead, when the Lord Governor discovers that the elegant lady who came to church is his son-in-law's sister, he punishes the couple (at the heroine's request) by dissolving their marriage and giving his cruel daughter to another man. From then on, the heroine and her repentant brother live together in prosperity, thanks to her magically-given wealth.

*As for the Indian versions, they vary widely:

**One is basically Finette Cendron without the ogres – a poor man abandons his daughters, they find a deserted wealthy house and take up residence there, and the oppressed youngest finds finery to wear to church in the house – but with a post-marriage ending. The sisters' steal the heroines babies and make her husband think she gave birth to inanimate objects, which drives him to lock her in a dungeon, but years later her children come back as beggars, and milk miraculously flies from their mother's breasts to their mouths, revealing the truth and leading to a happy ending.

**In another, the heroine is a princess who lives happily with her father and younger brother, until a seemingly-kind widow neighbor persuades her to persuade her father to marry her. The king resists a long time, but finally gives in, yet he warns his daughter that if her stepmother mistreats her, he'll do nothing about it. Sure enough, the new stepmother sends the prince away to boarding school and treats the princess like a slave. But the princess is helped both by a cow, who secretly feeds her, and by her dead godmother's spirit, who brings her finery for a dance at another king's palace. After the princess marries and gives birth to a son, her stepsister drowns her in a well and takes her place, but as in the Grimms' Brother and Sister, the princess's spirit comes back every night to nurse her baby, and when her husband finally sees her and catches her by the hands, she comes back to life. The stepsister is brutally executed and the stepmother driven away.

**The Kashmir variant follows the "mother turns into an animal" formula, but with a few differences from the norm. The mother turns into a goat when she thoughtlessly breaks a magical taboo against eating when her husband isn't home, the Cinderella character is just one of several siblings who are all mistreated by their stepmother, and instead of losing a shoe at a special event, she loses a nose ring while washing herself in a river. The ring is swallowed by a fish, which is caught and cut open by the king's cook. The king searches for the ring's owner and marries the girl, which lets her support her siblings and free them from the stepmother.

*@faintingheroine – I think Nihal would like some of these variants. Especially the Indian one where the heroine is neglected by her father and her little brother is sent away to school, since it parallels her own situation, and the Angolan one where the heroine doesn't marry in the end but gets her brother all to herself again.

*It seems strange that this book includes so few Cinderella stories from Africa. There must be more that exist!

Coming up next: tales from East Asia, beginning with what may be the very first complete Cinderella story, Ye Xian.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @adarkrainbow, @themousefromfantasyland

[aimeedaisies]

The Princess Royal’s Official Engagements in October 2023

02/10 As President of the Riding for the Disabled Association visited Avon Riding Centre, to mark its 40th Anniversary. 🐴🥳

03/10 Held two Investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle. 🎖️

With Sir Tim As Patron of the Minchinhampton Centre for the Elderly, visited Horsfall House, Minchinhampton. 👵🏻👴🏻

04/10 In Cornwall Princess Anne visited;

Origin Coffee in Porthleven. ☕️

Camborne School of Mines at the Penryn Campus of University of Exeter, in Penryn. 🔨

St Ewe Free Range Eggs Packing Centre in Truro. 🥚

05/10 As Colonel of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), attended a Household Cavalry Medal Parade at Powle Lines, Picton Barracks in Wiltshire. 🫡

07/10 With Sir Tim Attended the Scotland vs Ireland Rugby World Cup match at the Stade de France in Paris. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇫🇷🏉

09/10 As Patron of Livability, visited Livability Millie College in Poole. 🏫

As Patron of UK Youth, visited Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Activity Centre in Bransgore. 🧗‍♀️

10/10 Attended a Future of UK Food Systems Seminar held by Crops for the Future at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany in Cambridge. 🚜

As Commandant-in-Chief (Youth) of St. John Ambulance, opened the new Ambulance Hub in Castle Donington. 🚑

11/10 Held two investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle. 🎖️

Unofficial, Sir Tim attended the opening of the New Zealand Liberation Museum, Te Arawhata, in Le Quesnoy, France. 🇫🇷🇳🇿

As Patron of Scots in London Group attended a Reception at St Columba’s Church of Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Attended a Blue Seal Club Dinner at the Cavalry and Guards Club in Piccadilly, London. 🤵‍♂️

12/10 As Patron of the Campaign for Gordonstoun, chaired a Cabinet Meeting at the Lansdowne Club, London. 🏫

As Patron of English Rural Housing Association, attended a Parish Council Rural Housing Conference at Eversholt Hall, Bedfordshire. 🏡

Visited the Aircraft Research Association in Bedford. ✈️

As Grand Master of the Royal Victorian Order, attended Evensong and a Reception at The King’s Chapel of the Savoy, London. 🎶

14/10 Sir Tim represented Princess Anne, Patron of the Wiltshire Horn Society, at a dinner on the occasion of their centenary. 🐑

15/10 As Member of the International Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Members Election Commission, attended the first day of the 141st International Olympic Committee Session in Mumbai, India. 🇮🇳

16/10 As Member of the International Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Members Election Commission, attended the second day of the 141st International Olympic Committee Session in Mumbai, India. 🇮🇳

Attended an IOC Reception at Jio World Centre. 🌏

17/10 As Member of the International Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Members Election Commission, attended the third day of the 141st International Olympic Committee Session in Mumbai, India. 🇮🇳

Visited the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Bombay 1914-1918 Memorial at the Indian Sailors’ Home, in Mumbai. 🪖

Attended a reception at the residence of His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and Deputy High Commissioner for Western India in Mumbai. 🌏

Unofficial Sir Tim attended a memorial service for Lord Lawson (former Chancellor of the Exchequer) at St. Margaret’s church in Westminster ⛪️

19/10 Hosted a Reception with the King, Queen and the Duchess of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace to thank those who contributed to and were involved with the State Funeral of The late Queen Elizabeth II and with the Coronation of Their Majesties. 🥂

With Sir Tim, As Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps attended the launch of the Corps History Book at the National Army Museum in London. 📚

With Sir Tim, As Patron of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, attended the Trafalgar Night Dinner at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London. 🤵‍♀️🤵‍♂️

20/10 Opened Cutbush and Corrall Charity almshouse accommodation in Maidstone.

Opened the Royal British Legion Industries Centenary Village, Greenwich House, in Aylesford, Kent.

As Patron of the Butler Trust, visited HM Prison Elmley.

24/10 Held an Investiture at Windsor Castle. 🎖️

As President of the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth, delivered the Evelyn Wrench Lecture at Dartmouth House in London. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

25/10 In Scotland Princess Anne visited;

The International Society for Optics and Photonics Photonex Exhibition at Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. 🔍

As President of Victim Support Scotland, visited the National Office-West in Glasgow. 🫂

Peter Equi and Sons Limited Ice Cream Manufacturer. 🍦

26/10 Opened the National Honey Show at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey. 🍯 🐝

As Royal Patron of the Security Institute, this afternoon attended the Annual Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. ⛓️

With Sir Tim As President of the Royal Yachting Association, attended a 50th Anniversary of the Yachtmaster Scheme Dinner at Trinity House, London. 🛥️🍽️

27/10 Held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace. 🎖️

31/10 In Scotland;

As Patron of the Moredun Foundation, attended a Conference at Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, in Penicuik. 🧬

As Royal Patron of the Leuchie Forever Fund, attended a Reception to launch Leuchie House’s new strategy in Edinburgh. 🏡

As Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, held a Chancellor’s Dinner at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. 👩‍🎓

Total official engagements for Anne in October: 47

2023 total so far: 400

Total official engagements accompanied by Tim in October: 6

2023 total so far: 81

[that-one-i-think]

My Tu'la and Liochant Messy Summary post!

@anonmothgod chatted with me a bit and gave me the idea to do a little summary post! This will be long and messy

KEY ELEMENTS BEFORE WE GET STARTED

Temple of Menphia - Menphia is the major divine of Tu'la so she is the center of worship. Unlike the Irene churches, they do not have priest, nuns, or really a clergy, instead they train lawyers, judges, and more importantly warriors. The goal of the church is to be the embodiment of righteous fury while protecting people from mistreatment.

Another part of it is also killing shadow knights, with members of the church being given magical tattoos that prevent them from turning into shadow knights/making it incredibly difficult to do so. They are given tattoos of the sun on the palm of their hands and one covering their back, for the sun cannot get to the nether. Essentially, they aren't nuns but religious warriors.

The two kingdoms of Tu'la - I refer to them as North and South for ease

North Tu'la: The Toraichi Dynasty - Belonging to the northern jungle and plains area of Tu'la, with the royal family all being tiger meif'wa (allegedly). The Toraichi family was originally known to be kind before the head family all died due to a plague that ravaged the kingdom 30 years ago. The leader of the branch family who was deemed the "Last Royal Tiger" took the throne because he was the only viable candidate due to being a tiger, allegedly. He quickly became power hungry and sought to not only take over all of Tu'la but Ru'aun as well. (It's giving england.) The capital of this place is Havas and the region is based on China and Japan.

South Tu'la: The Desert of Sa'Haresha - This area is almost completely desert and savannah, the dryer half to the norths hot and humid climate. Due to the location, this area had a high sense of community and while they did have a royal family, one composed of lion meif'was , they were more symbolic since a lot of desert villages kept to themselves. This area has the highest amount of Menphia temples The considered capital was Solspear, and region is based on India. The Tu'la continent meaning to represent Asia to Ru'auns Europe.

POPULATION/Big Cat Meif'was - Big cat meif'was are to meif'wa what werewolves are to the weredogs of mystreet. Just bigger breeds than the domesticated ones who can turn into a big animal. ~55% of the population of Tu'la is meif'wa, 32% humans, 12% werewolves, 1% others/werewolf-meif'wa hybrids. The majority of the human population in Tu'la are part meif'wa in some capacity and 15% of the population are big cat meif'was. (cheetahs, leopards, lynx, and lions being the most common). Non-ears and tail half meif'wa and called Sphinxes after the hairless cat, and werewolf and meif'wa mixes are essentially were-hyenas cause hyenas look like dogs but are closer in the cat family than canine.

NOW ONTO MORE LORE! This will kind of be a mess so bare with me. (Broken up into parts for ease)

LIOCHANT EARLY LIFE

Liochant was born to a young couple composing of a human mom and a cheetah meif'wa father. He didn't inherit his fathers meif'wa features but his eyes can slit and he is a lot more agile than most humans. For the first 3 years of his life his parents did try to raise him but since they only had him at 17, they have found that they weren't suited to be parents at the time and gave him up to his mothers temple in Bronze Peak. From there he was raised by the temple and show to have great promise as a warrior.

(Around this time, Aph and the gang are now in the irene dimension)

At the age of 7, Liochant earned his first tattoos, being the sun on his palms and back, by successfully winning a spar with a teacher. (Not a prodigy, teacher was meant to pose a challenge but able to be defeated). From there Liochant managed to continue his training and pass it with flying colors, having gained a large affinity for the khopesh and spear. He was not all tough warrior child though, because he had a large affinity of trying to pet snakes, getting bit, and then having to be healed. He was a kid with spear skills who liked to pet things he shouldn't and he had a normal childhood until he was 10.

THE MASSACRE OF SOUTH TU'LA

During Liochant's time at the temple, a year and a half after aphmau and her gang were trapped in the Irene Dimension, Garte descided to contact the Northern King of Tu'la and they struck a deal. Garte would provide some troops to help the Tiger King invade the south and the king would provide Garte troops to invade Ru'aun. They planned for 2 and a half years, with one of the most instrumental parts being the nephew of the Tiger King, Kai (Yes like Mystreet!) who had been placed with the South Tu'la royal family as an advisor and a peace offering since he was 15. Kai fed information in the belief that it was going to be a peaceful takeover, believing that the poison he was giving the royal family would make them sick enough to give up, he was not expecting to be responsible for a massacre at the age of 20. (Kai lore here if you want to check that out! Do it after reading this)

The invasion and massacre started with the death of the royal family, using the shock to have both northern tu'la soldiers and O'khasis knights invade and slaughter people. Their main focus being the Temples of Menphia given how they contained the strongest warriors. Whoever they didn't slaughter they captured for the purpose of recruiting more soldiers, leaving any children left in the temples to either live on the streets or burn along with their temples.

THE NEXT TWO YEARS

Liochant's temple was one of the first to be attacked since Bronze Peak was one of the closest villages to the capital, so at the ripe age of 10, not only was Liochant now a fully blown orphan but homeless. He had to live on the streets and stole to survive, his training in agility being the only thing keeping him alive as he evaded soldiers. He did managed to keep up with his training, as unconventional as it was, because it was the only thing he had left of home.

While Liochant was on the streets, the Tiger King was dealing with the problem of the fact that none of the captured warriors were turning to his side, so he found another use. Solspear was home to many training pits so he turned what was once a form of worship into his personal entertainment. He made gladiator pits and forced the remaining warriors to fight for his, and all of the nobles of North Tu'la, entertainment. Creating betting rings and turning it to a hunger games esc thing.

Since all of the warriors were no longer on his side and now dying in the pits the King had to come up with a new solution for power. So he descided to take it from Ru'aun. He gathered up all of the remaining O'khasis guards in Tu'la and slaughtered them all. WIth the fact that O'khasis was practically defenseless, he slowly started the process of taking them over. Succeeding after two years, and taking Garte to his new palace in Solspear to rub in his face his success.

LIOCHANTS START OF BEING A GLADIATOR

After taking over O'khasis, the Tiger King was running out of entertainment for the gladiator pits so he descided to turn to a new source of fighters. Criminals. Anyone in South Tu'la who was caught of a crime was now sentenced to being in the gladiator pit, regardless of age or severity of the crime. Crimes as simple as stealing, or "agression" if you are a werewolf were sent to the pit. That is how Liochant, who was caught stealing some fruit at the age of 12, was sentenced to the pit.

His first "benefactor" or owner was a former high ranking soldier of the North Tu'la army. An old man who was essentially given Liochant as a form of payment, a train it so it can become an investment, situation. A do with it what you will. The man was not upper class and was only being treated as such because of his military position, so he made sure to train Liochant so he could rise above. The benefactor wasn't kind nor was he incredibly unkind to Liochant he punished Liochant when he lost but made sure Liochant could always practice his religion. A basic right that someone of Liochant's position wasn't able to have.

Liochant fought and won many fights, mostly against feral animals or others his age or slightly older. He lost a few but never lost his life which was something he was grateful for. The fight that put Liochant on the map though happened when he was 14, where he had to face off a one armed man who had never lost a fight before. It was supposed to be a massacre but the man refused to kill a child and instead requested Liochant to mercy kill him, a request Liochant couldn't deny because of his religion. This win garnered another benefactor to buy him.

HIS MIDDLE CAREER

Liochant was then bought by a former O'khasis noble who had helped in the invasion of O'khasis for money. He married an "exotic" white cat lady from North Tu'la, a gift to him from the king. This man was particularly cruel to Liochant, whenever Liochant lost he made sure that his punishments would hurt but never injure him enough to make it so he couldn't fight. It is also where Liochant recieved the most food insecurity has his meals were often withheld. The only benefit that came from that man was Liochant learning some of the Ru'aun language.

The mans wife, Lady Kanika, was as nice as she could be to Liochant. She was a former priestess of Menphia, though from her northern temples and was a taleneted seamstress and tattooer. She allowed Liochant to practice his religion and gave him the tattoos of protection given to most Menphia warriors after their first kill. The biggest thing she helped Liochant with was his marketing, for she knew that he wasn't just a warrior but had to be entertainment. Made sure that the crowds ate up the "Young teen underdog who fights for his Divine" angle and dressed him up

When Liochant was 17 he had the biggest fight, for the first time the gladiator pit managed to get a fully turned shadow knight. Red eyes and all. The shadow knight has blazed through other warriors until Liochant was sent it. It was another thing of Liochant supposed to be massacred but the entertainment value was higher for it was a Menphia warrior against their sworn enemy, a Shadow Knight. The thing it, Liochant won because he was specifically trained to defeat them. After a long battle, one lasting much longer than the crowd expected, he had lost his weapon but like a snake, he lunged and wrapped himself around his opponent and choked them out before slitting the throat.

After that fight Liochant was bought by a new benefactor who forced him to get two new tattoos, snakes running up his arms before their heads meat on his chest, his symbol of Menphia and protecting tattoo between them. He gained the name Pit Viper and his new benefactor ran wild but it wasn't all fun and games, for while Liochant was being shown off the man was cruel. A noble whose trade was in medicinal herbs and poisons who wasn't at the pits to make money but for the pure enjoyment of bloodshed had his hand on Liochant.

THE END OF HIS GLADIATOR CAREER

(At this point, the gang is now out of the Irene dimension)

When Liochant was 20 he was finally put in a fight he refused to participate it. A small child, no older than 14 who had just been turned into a shadow knight was against him. While Liochant knew that he didn't have to kill them in order to win, the child was shaking so much that the idea of knocking them out was vile. Thus he let himself lose, and that is when his owner descided to give him the worst possible punishment.

After Liochant's back was torn to shreds, the large sun now covered in crisscrossed wounds, he had scorpion venom poured onto his back, the venom causing him not only extreme pain but not allowing his back to even close for six months, and during this time he was still forced to fight. When his benefactor got bored with him, he was then pawned off to his last benefactor, the Scorpion of Tu'la, Kai the Traitor.

After Tu'las invasion of O'khasis, guilt started eating Kai alive so he made it his mission to help free gladiators. So he started gaining the reputation of his gladiators and servants "disappearing", so when people were sick of their gladiators, they would send them to him so they would die. Liochant was no different so after a year and a half of Kai playing the role of cruel owner and Liochant earning him more money in the pit, he managed to send Liochant off to Ru'aun with a khopesh, some money, and a shit ton of clothes because Kai had no idea how a poor person survives. FASHION! (For expanded, check out Kai lore)

(During this time, Lilith is found and Garroth is freed)

LIOCHANT IN RU'AUN

So after coming to Ru'aun at 22 and a half Liochant had to find work but his only skills were "fight good" and he had no formal education nor did he understand the language so he turned to the guard academy. Since it was rather normal for 20-24 year olds to be entered into the guard academy if they already had fighting experience, nobody batted an eye at him unless he talked. Something he never did much since becoming a gladiator.

From their, Liochant managed to learn the language and make his way through the academy rather quickly. Having 10 years of battle experience proved him incredibly beneficial but not too beneficial as Liochant had found a love of losing. Since his life wasn't on the line he found losing not be a big deal. He also started cooking because while he cooked often with one of the Temple Maidens when he was young, his history of food scarcity made him obsess over it.

Soon Liochant became part of the dragon ward and was assigned to watch over Alina and Lilith, as he was the most patient. By this time Liochant gained a better grasp on the language and kept his history hidden enough. The biggest benefit of now guarding children is learning to reading with them, for he still can't read much of the language. Seriously, the now 26 year old man has a sad history but the patience of the saint, which is why in my fic he and Garroth are getting shipped because I need Garroth to have his ass handed to him. And boy does he.

SIDE BAR: Liochant's full name is Lais Ravanah Havilah, meaning Lion's Chant of the Sands. He was asked to provide his name when entering the guard academy and he thought he needed to translate it. The guard who was listening to him barely understood him due to his accent and quiet voice so he thought his name was Liochant Sands. Lions Chant of the Sands, he has been too anxious to correct people and thus his name has been Liochant for the past four years.

[historysideblog]

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