#polynesian cultural center

[teilorgrubbsfan]

Promo for the polynesian cultural center

[couponawk]

What’s the News about Polynesian Cultural Center Promo Codes?

Table of Contents

1. How to Find and Use the Polynesian Cultural Center Coupons?

2. What’s the Shipping Policy?

3. How About the Return and Exchange Policy?

4. What time does the Polynesian Cultural Center Open?

5. Are There Any Other Ways to Save Money?

If you are still looking for places to travel, the Polynesian Cultural Center is definitely a place worthy to recommend. Polynesian Cultural Center is a park with a Polynesian theme, located on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii, which has been one of the most popular tourist sanctuaries attracting more than 1000000 tourists every year. The center consists of 8 villages that simulate tropical styles, reconciling different kinds of cultures together in order to provide more diverse local customs and practices for incoming tourists. Other than a variety of performances and exhibitions during the day time, they also hold wonderful evening shows, which require extra charges for watching, which is a regularity similar to other entertainment items. However, there comes a piece of good news saying that Polynesian Cultural Center makes it possible for guests to enjoy the beautiful scenery and relaxing leisure time with Polynesian Cultural Center promo codes, which is out of practical concerns to reduce customers’ financial stress.

1. How to Find and Use the Polynesian Cultural Center Coupons?

As Polynesian Cultural Center is carrying out various activities recently, they provide customers with many coupons that can be found on couponawk.com, and most of the coupon codes are offered here as well, which could not be missed if you want to get the best price. You can figure out what tickets or items to buy in advance and then come to the couponawk.com to find the appropriate coupons and get the codes copied and then pasted for the price reduction. In addition, if you look through the homepage of the Polynesian Cultural Center, you will also be able to find that there are many big discounts on different packages when you book at least 10 days in advance. And they have issued a great offer, that customers can come back and visit Island Villages to meet with natives or enjoy interactive activities free of charge if they choose packages online.

2. What’s the Shipping Policy?

Standard shipping rates indicate that shipping is $10 when the value of the order is below or equal to $78.99, and no shipping charge will be asked if the value of the order is more than $79. it is used on domestic shipping and handling charges, which are based on the amount of your order. The value of the order above is net of sales tax and shipping charges. Moreover, it mostly takes 1 to 4 working days from ordering to arrival. On the other hand, for international shipping, freight surcharges will differ based on the size and the destination of the order, which might take 5 to 20 days to arrive.  

3. How About the Return and Exchange Policy?

If guests cancel their reservations during the period before 5 pm Hawaiian Standard Time the day before the activity date, there would be no penalty for guests. But no refund will be allowed when the cancellation or no-shows happens after 5 pm the day before the activity date. Guests need to cancel their tickets through the same sources if they purchase their tickets from travel agencies, for the sources have their own cancellation and refund policies. Customers who want to return the items bought from Hawaii Online store will be charged additional shipping unless the error is attributed to the store, and shipping charges will depend on the product. They allow you to exchange the damaged item with a shipping label sent contacting customers to decide between replacement and a refund, and refunds for damages will come out within 2 days during the operating hours. Additionally, a 25% restore fee is required on returns of Hawaiian Heritage Fine Jewelry, so the refund will be 75% of the purchase price.

4. What time does the Polynesian Cultural Center Open?

The Polynesian Cultural Center is open from Monday to Saturday, 11:45 am – 9:30 pm, while Sunday, Thanksgiving Day as well as Christmas Day are out of operation hours. As for Hukilau Marketplace, its working time also lasts from Monday to Saturday, but the time point has changed into 11:00 am – 9:30 pm and the hours out of operation are the same as the center. For more details about the special activities such as dining options, customers are suggested to negotiate with the relevant staff to confirm the available time period for each activity’ s holding time is different from one and another. However, as the Polynesian Cultural Center is simultaneously operating an online shopping website which can be found at the homepage, customers can go through the website and pick the suitable items.

5. Are There Any Other Ways to Save Money?

It’ s for sure! The Polynesian Cultural Center provides different kinds of packages, for instance, Super Ambassador Luau Package, Circle Island Ambassador Luau Package, and so on. These packages are composed of diverse activities including lunch, dinner, and leisure, which can then be chosen according to different customers’ own tastes with extra benefits. Although the activities can be purchased separately from booking online or through travel agencies, yet choosing packages allows guests to experience a typically satisfying holiday with a much lower price and can exempt from the struggle of choosing between many choices.

Since the center opened in 1963, it has received over 32 million visits, including parks and museums. As the prize winner of 2019 International Business Awards, Marketing Campaign of the Year – Travel/Tourism/Destination – Gold Stevie Award, Polynesian Cultural Center is worthy of the name. Based on the accolades and beauty, Polynesian Cultural Center continues to offer various degrees of coupons towards different booking orders and packages, which is a great chance for tourists and customers who are dreaming of a wonderful place to enjoy a holiday. Why don’t you give it a try to collect the coupon codes?

https://linkcoupon.wordpress.com/2023/06/12/whats-the-news-about-polynesian-cultural-center-promo-codes/

[oflgtfol]

the human cosmos was such a good book in terms of like, talking about how people have studied astronomy across human history, the interdisciplinary nature of both ancient astronomy as well as the study of ancient astronomy, and how it has all culminated into the modern state of the field. but then the final chapter starts talking about how like, The Mind is a fucking fundamental piece of the fabric of the universe akin to matter, or fucking something along those lines, and it's like girl what in the god damn are you talking about

[ellie-24]

Just A Fan

A/N: I recently saw all the 1977 Hawaii pictures again and oh they make me so soft every time. His health failed him, his personal life frustrated him, but he looked so happy and relaxed on this (last) vacation and really enjoyed himself.

Sooo I had to write a little something for dear Big Daddy Elvis. It's literally just horribly self-indulgent fluff. Enjoy!

This is also a veeeeery late response to the writing prompt: "Isn't that mine?"

Word count: 3.3 k

March 11th 1977, Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii

Cara noticed him right away. Of course, she's been looking for him. Word got around at campus that he would be here tonight and to say she was exited would be an understatement. Unfortunately she of course wasn't the only one who heard about it. She already dreaded the masses that would form around him, waiting to get a glimpse.

Others might say they wouldn't have recognised him right away when he entered the open-air pavilion. In fact, at first it seemed like nobody noticed him at all.

His jet black hair and sideburns more grown out and partly hidden beneath a white, frizzy bucket hat. The sparkly, heavy jumpsuits he usually wore replaced by a comfortable looking light track suit, emphasising the sight swell of his belly. Beautiful blue eyes hidden behind tinted glass. She hoped he'd take them off, even if just for a second so that she could see them. It's not like never seen his eyes, she'd stared at them longingly for hours and hours, never growing tired of them.

Whether she was staring at his face on one of the numerous records she owned, pausing his movies to fully take in a particularly cheeky expression that she loved so much or just sitting in front on the many, many posters on the walls of her dorm room, pretending he was looking right back at her.

He looked different. Different than he looked on stage, different than he looked on those posters, different than he looked 10 years ago. She was very well aware of that. The whole public was aware of it. Not only aware of it, but bothered by it, apparently.

The amount of mean spirited headlines she's read, plastered at the front of cheap tabloids at the gas station, at the supermarket, seemingly everywhere she went. Everywhere for the entire world to see. Surrounding, following, haunting her.

Cara never understood it. Her love for him never faltered, after obsessing over him throughout her whole childhood her fate was finally sealed when she saw him live for the first time in 1972. She was just 15 years old and she vividly remembered begging her parents for weeks, months to take her to the concert. Two more followed in 1974 and 1975 and each time she just fell in love with him more and more. Since moving to Hawaii for university she hasn't had the opportunity to see him again. But now he was here, closer than he'd ever been before and she felt like a giddy teenager again.

Cara pondered for a while, tugging at the hemline of her short sun dress, her eyes laser focused on him the entire time. The native dances presented on stage weren't the main attraction, at least not for her. There were of course whispers in the audience with most people risking a short glance towards the King of Rock'n'Roll sitting among them, but nobody really dared to approach him and instead appreciated the actual show. It was refreshing to see him as part of an audience enjoying other people's perfomances.

In a motion she didn't quite register herself she got up and started walking. She wouldn't talk to him. No, she really didn't want to bother him when he was on vacation, with his guard down. He seemed so content not having to perform at the moment and she didn't want him to feel like he had to just for her. It's just that she wanted to see him up-close. And if she had to pretend to go to the bathroom to walk past him, coming as close as possible even if it was only for a passing glance, she'd do that.

"Hey, isn't that mine?" She heard him say when he was within earshot. He looked at the brown-haired man sitting next to him, who she quickly recognised as Charlie Hodge. Elvis snatched a glass of what looked like orange juice from his hand and laughed as he brought it to his lips, leisurely sipping on it.

Cara halted against her will, freezing at the spot. Seeing him like this, so relaxed and carefree was a wonderful sight and she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

He suddenly rose from his seat and she urged her body to move and not just stand there and stare at him like a complete lunatic. He had his head turned back towards his group as he walked nearly bumped into her, only catching himself last second.

"Oh sorry, honey, I didn't see ya there." He gave her a quick once over and promptly beamed at her, making a pleasant shiver run down her spine. "Ain't ya just a sweet little thing?"

Cara's eyes widened as she realised he just talked to her. He just talked to her. She wanted to say a million things but the words got stuck in her throat. This was it. Her chance to talk to Elvis Presley and she was about to mess it up.

It seemed like hours passed where she just stared up at him, not able to utter a damn word. Head spinning, she felt her knees going weak.

"Hey honey, ya alright?" His voice was now latched with concern and she continued staring up at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

Her mind raced, trying to think of something to say, preferably something smart. At least she managed to open her mouth now, but only a little squeal came out. It would've been better if she'd just kept her mouth shut entirely. The spinning got worse and her ears started ringing as the moment dragged on and on. His beautiful, more than familiar voice became a dull background noise and she couldn't make out what he said.

"Aww, you're a little nervous? Don't got no reason to, sweetheart, promise. I won't bite, okay?" He drawled with his signature charming half smile.

Cara has dreamed of embracing him her entire life. How many times she's pictured it, holding him, letting him hold her. Being so close to him, pressing her body against his, feeling his warmth. She's thought of this scenario at least a thousand times. Her arms around his neck as he kneeled over the edge of the stage, leaning down to give her a kiss.

Never in a million dreams it would've occured to her that the first time she'd hug Elvis Presley would be because her legs went limp and she had to physically hold onto him to prevent herself from falling as her vision blurred.

He momentarily grunted as she leaned against him for support. "Hey, hey, honey, careful. I gotchu, you're alright." His arms wrapped around her middle, holding her steady before moving her towards a cushioned seat. He sat down with her splayed sideways across his lap, her back resting against the armrest.

Once he had her settled on his sturdy thighs he extented one arm and gestured around as if shooing away somebody. "It's okay, Charlie, I got her." He rasped, sounding a bit winded.

His scent surrounded her as she was pressed against his soft, yet strong body. An immediate feeling of comfort and safety rushed through her and she subconsiously tried to get even closer to him.

His whole body vibrated when he cleared his throat and she gasped when he shifted again, adjusting his grip on her. Now her head rested against his shoulder, if she moved just a little bit lower she could probably feel his heart beating rapidly.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" His voice was calm next to her ear.

"Cara." She whispered, black spots still dancing before her eyes.

He nodded, his whole attention on her. "Cara, that's nice. I'm Elvis."

She blinked up at him. Had he really introduced himself right now? "Yes, I know that." She breathed, her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief and wonder and her eyes shining.

He chuckled softly and carefully brushed some strands of hair from her sweaty forehead. "Now, Cara, I want ya to take some deep breaths, okay?"

She did as she was told as best as she could and slowly her head felt a little less fuzzy. He's pulled down the zipper of his track suit somewhat, exposing his wide chest, golden chains resting over the thick, dark hair.

This had to be a dream.

"Honey, what are ya doin'?" He asked when he saw her fingers digging into her waist, his voice a bit alarmed. He removed his shades to give her a stern look.

Cara swallowed hard when she looked into his eyes and her voice trembled when she spoke up. "Pinching myself."

It took him a moment to register but then started laughing heartily, his belly shaking against her. "You're a cute little thing."

She's essentially passed out in Elvis Presley's arms. She wanted to die. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his whole entourage staring at her, assessing the situation. They must think she's completely crazy. "Oh god, this is so embarrassing."

"Nah, no reason to be embarrassed, little one." He murmured and threw a look over his shoulder, waving the curious onlookers off, telling them with a glare to mind their own business.

"I'm sorry." She attempted to get up, despite her ears still feeling like someone stuffed cotton in there, but he quickly tightened his hold on her before cupping her chin.

"Don't apologise, little. Ya just gonna stay here for just a minute."

She'd stay for the rest of her life if he'd let her. In theory. But she really didn't want to make this even more awkward and weakly shook her head. "Uh-"

"Those little legs and feet are still a bit weak." He interrupted her with his strong hand moving towards her thighs, rubbing and squeezing her softly, silencing her in an instant.

For a moment she just stared up at him, lost in the gentle and caring look in his eyes. She had to, she just had to do it, she thought as she reached up and gently cupped his cheek. The feeling of his soft skin against hers made her jump, still not quite believing that this was really happening.

His fingers moved to brush over her ankle, toying with the clasp of her platform sandals. "Gotta take these off, don't want you to fall the second I set you down again."

Cara just nodded and continued to stare up at him, her eyes moving rapidly as she tried to take in every little detail. The way his plush lips hung open the tiniest bit. The way his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as he worked on her shoes.

When he tilted his head slightly and offered her a view of his neck she could see black strands of hair sticking out from beneath the hat. Just as she wanted to start playing with them he turned his head back and looked down, catching her studying him. From that angle she could see his small double chin.

"Not even close." She whispered to herself, barely audible.

"What's that, honey?" He asked and briefly leaned over her to put her shoes aside.

"Not even close." She repeated and blushed as she realised she had to explain her thoughts now. "I mean, uh, seeing your face on screen, or from a distance when you're on stage." She shrugged. "It doesn't even come close."

"What, the wrinkles so bad?" He joked, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Cara shook her head. "Doesn't come close to how beautiful you are."

He leaned in closer with his lips pursed and brushed through her hair as if inspecting her scalp. "Ya sure ya didn't hit your pretty head somewhere?"

"No, I didn't. I really mean it." She whispered with a frown, not liking his self-depracating comments.

He paused and looked down with a bashful smile after a few seconds. "Oh, thank you, sweetheart, that's, uh, a-awfully kind of you."

"Just honest." She shrugged and carefully ran her fingers over his cheek again, through the course, yet soft hair of his thick side burns and wiped away some of the sweat that had gathered there.

"Stop, honey, it'll go to my head." He gently chided her as she kept complimenting him.

"I hope so."

He averted his gaze and resumed to stroke her ankle, gently massaging it now. There was a bit of pink on his cheeks and Cara marveled at the fact that she was able to make him flustered.

"You know, when I was at one of your concerts two years ago a girl next to me passed out as well and I had to take care of her for like twenty minutes. I was so angry at her." She let out a small laugh at the chaotic memory.

"You've been to one of my concerts?"

"I've been to three." She nodded with a proud smile.

He raised one eyebrow. "Three? Lord, should have saved that money for college, little one."

"It was worth it..." She trailed off, not sure if she had the nerve to continue talking.  "I always hoped to get a kiss, at least a scarf. Each time... But I never quite made it to the front."

"Aww, honey." He cooed ruefully as if he was personally responsible for her bad luck. As if it truly bothered him.

It was only a second later that she felt his pillowy lips against hers. Butterflies erupted in her stomach and she froze while he casually made her biggest dream come true. He didn't just peck her lips, instead he lingered, even added a bit more pressure until she closed her eyes with a sigh.

They were complete strangers, yet the connection between them was very palpable as he kissed her slow and gentle, his finger grazing along her jaw. His breath fanned over her cheek and tickled her slightly, causing her to squirm a bit in his arms, but his soothing touches on her body calmed her down somewhat. When he finally pulled away from her the dizzy feeling returned and she squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again, blinking a bit disoriented.

Elvis saw the colour draining from her face again for a second and let out a small laugh. "Stay with me, sweetheart." He softly patted her cheek.

"Uh-huh." She responded, waving away. "No, yeah, I'm good."

He looked back to Charlie on instinct, his head whipping around, before turning back to her. With a frown he slowly scratched his neck, looking regretful. "I don't have a scarf, little. Uh, I-I'll give you this. That okay for you?" He removed one of the golden rings he was wearing, pulling it from his ring finger and holding it out to her.

"Oh, no I can't take it." Her eyes widened and she raised her hands in protest.

"But now I want ya to have it." He slipped it onto her thumb, and gently held her clammy hand in his, completely engulfing her.

Cara stared at the glittery piece of jewelry on her hand, the metal still warm, wondering what she'd done to deserve this. "Oh, thank you." She choked out, tearing up a little.

He drew circles over her temple in a calming way. "You're welcome, sweetie."

"I'm a mess." She laughed nervously and closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing. "I'm talking to Elvis Presley and I'm a mess."

"Shush, little, you're not a mess. I don't wanna hear any of it."

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head and ran his thumb over her lips, making her breath hitch. "Now, what are ya being sorry for? Quit apologising, okay? I get to hold a pretty girl in my arms. Made it worth to come here in the first place." He chuckled in an attempt to cheer her up, to make her smile.

Now it was Cara's turn to blush furiously and his grin widened. "Finally got some colour in your face again. You're feeling a bit better, honey?"

That was a good question. Was she feeling better? She wanted to weep, laugh and yell at the same time, but he didn't need to know that. Instead she just put a hand to her burning forehead and smiled a little. "I think so." Her voice sounded a bit hoarse, the emotions still overwhelming her.

Elvis made no attempt to get up however, let alone loosen his grip on her and continued to gently massage her bare calf, apparently not yet ready to part with her. Luckily she felt the same. So they just enjoyed the feeling of being close to each other, a mutual understanding between them.

"Ya, ya wanna come and see my next show?" He suddenly asked out of the blue.

She nodded so quickly, she almost hurt her neck. "I'd love to. But-"

He brushed through her hair. "I'll make sure you're gonna sit in the first row. I'll arrange it. Then I'll give ya a scarf."

"You already gave me this." She pointed to her thumb.

"But you wanted a scarf, honey, it's that simple. And you'll get a scarf, you'll see." He insisted as he grasped her hand pressed a few kisses to her knuckle.

"Elvis." She paused and bit her lip. The amount of times she said, cried, screamed his name, one should think she's used to it. But using it to adress him directly felt incredibly strange.

He continued toying with her fingers. "What's on your mind, honey? You want another kiss?" He drawled with a small smirk, making her tummy flip.

What she wanted to say to him is that he was too kind. Way too giving. That he shouldn't be so worried about pleasing her, she was just a fan. That she enjoyed kissing and hugging more than anything else. But by the genuine and earnest look in his eyes she realised how much he needed it for himself. Doing everything in his power to make her happy, to satisfy her like they were old friends or possibly lovers, even though his girlfriend Ginger Alden only sat a few feet away from them.

She pressed her lips together, deciding not to voice her thoughts and just said the two words that came to mind, that she'd wanted to say to him all these years. "Thank you."

He furrowed his brows and licked his lips. "What for?"

She held his gaze and put a hand on his chest, feeling the thick patches of hair under her fingers. "For being you."

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down and he sniffed once, his nose scrunching up. That tender look on his face nearly made her melt as they just looked at each other, forgetting the world around them and all its problems. Then he nudged her with a lopsided smile. "Ya want that kiss now or what?"

A smile tugged at her lips as well and she managed a small nod, mentally preparing herself. She was sure that if she continued talking she would just start crying hysterically so she just grabbed onto the soft fabric of his track suit, slightly pulling him down.

He started to lean down, but before he could touch her lips again he opened his eyes with a playful twinkle. "Just don't pass out on me again, little one."

She could do that for him, she knew she'd do anything for him. Just like he did everything for her, driving her crazy and keeping her sane at the same time. And she knew she'd treasure that moment forever. She had a feeling he'd treasure it as well.

..................................................................................

Thank you to my lovely sister wives @be-my-ally @thatbanditqueen @vintageshanny @whositmcwhatsit @missmaywemeetagain @peskybedtime @from-memphis-with-love @shakerattlescroll

[manda-kat]

Souvenir Role Call!

I'm home! I'm sleepy, but as promised, I'm gonna show you guys everything I got. I ended up with lot of items, but honestly a lot of these were either free gifts or my mother bought them for me. Also, I'm more a fan of cheep thrills. I'll include prices if I can remember them. Now let's a go!

The first thing I got was this San Francisco pin. It was 5.95. I had a lot of options of tourist attractions to choose, but since I didn't see any of those on my doomed trip to San Fran, I just got a liscense plate. I saw plenty of those.

(The next things will not be in chronological order. I'll post them in order of what I unpacked first so I can sort through them easier.)

This mermaid doll was from a store called Kawaii Kawaii Hawaii, which is the cutest name for a Japanese/Hawai'ian shop. (There is a LOT of Japanese stuff in Hawai'i. Apparently more Japanese Americans live on Oahu than Native Hawai'ians or White Americans) It had a bunch of nick nacks but I was enamored by this mermaid. The doll is super cheap and feels like a rip-off of a more popular brand, but her face is so cute! Her hair's pretty natty though when you look closely. She was fifteen dollars, which is hard to find a basic doll for nowadays, so I'd consider it worth it since I had never seen a doll like this before. Then literally two doors down we found a store selling these exact mermaid dolls, but with added angel wings for the same price. I wasn't about to buy two, but I was tempted.

A seashell lei given to hotel guests at the Waikiki Sunset. It was a nice pistachio green hotel only a few blocks from the beach. The people were super nice and the amenities were pretty good. I've been at a better hotel, but that one was because I had a discounted rate on the room, so this was a great option. I really wanted to stay at the pink palace just because of how cute it looked, but that was out of the question. It was very closeby though and I was able to see it when we went to the beach. The pistachio palace ended up being just right.

At the Polynesian Cultural Center I found one of these wooden frog guys. I think he was seven dollars or something. He's one of the frogs that you can run a stick down his spine to make a lovely noise. What I didn't know is that he makes every sound echo. The hollow body means that even gently bumping the side with your finger will make a dreamy little sound. A fine addition to my frog collection.

Not really souvenirs, but hey look. Wristbands. Perfect to say I'm gonna put them in a photo album and then forgetting to do so.

I got this pin at the ABC store. It was about five dollars. The lady at checkout was surprised to see it and told me a lot of people were looking for this one specifically and she thought they sold out. I can't imagine that considering how many of these I saw.

Dole Whip pin! In Hawai'i if it can be flavored with pineapple, it will be. The ice cream was good, but I feel like it was a bit overhyped. There was a line out the door for it and honestly I feel like it might have just been the summer vibes making everyone crave ice cream. I would definitely have another bowl if someone offered. I had the soft serve, so I'm not sure if there's a more popular way to prepare it that makes people go wild, but it was definitely good.

We shall be continued with more photos in a bit! Stand by!

[twoseparatecoursesmeet]

The Polynesian Cultural Center, 1971

[inspofromancientworld]

Tattooing in the Far East and Oceania

Since preserving skin takes mummification, without direct effort, a dry climate, whether hot or cold, is needed to create them, so we don't have a complete history of tattooing in many cultures, or even back as far in history as we have evidence of humans. But, there are locations that have preserved skin or customs for us to learn about ancient practices.

Source courtesy Victor Mair, Culture: Unknown, Location: Tarim Basin, China, Date: 1000-600 B.C.

One of those deserts is in China, the Taklamakan Desert, which shows that tattoos were used around 1200 BCE, but during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 BCE), tattoos were used to mark criminals. These mummies were discovered in the Tarim Basin (which contains the Taklamakan Desert) from what are thought to be the ancestors of Uyghur people today, looking more Caucasian than Asian, were decorated with several motifs, such as crescent moons, suns, and other intricate designs, which may show their primary god and indicate they were a shaman. This interpretation is based on the evidence from near-by cultures. They also tattooed their face at times, which indicated pride in and the importance of the tattoos.

By anonymus - Mann und Weib.III. page 458, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15174677

In Japan, men started wearing elaborate tattoos in the late 3rd century CE, though there is also evidence for tattooing going back to the Joumon (or paleolithic) period given that there are figurines with cord patterns on them. In the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) tattoo designs on Chinese visitors in Kyushu were documented on, with speculation about them being spiritual or for status. In the 8th century CE "Records of Ancient Matters", tattooed people were considered outsiders, denying a history of tattooing in Japan. The Ainu people, the indigenous group of northern Japan, however, have a tradition of tattooing for decoration or status, or as protection against disease.

Te Ara The movement of peoples around the Pacific and from Asia into the Pacific over the last 6,000 years.

The Polynesian cultures of Oceania have a very long history of tattooing, developing over thousands of years and through the cultures that developed on the various islands they inhabited. The word 'tattoo' comes from the Tahitian islander's term 'tatatau' or 'tattau', as reported by James Cook's expedition in 1769.

By Louis John Steele - bwEy48meVL_AzQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21871113 and By Louis John Steele - bwEy48meVL_AzQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21871113

One of the most well known Polynesian cultures is the Māori of what is now New Zealand. Their tattoos, called 'tā moko' (the art of tattooing), are marks of high status and survived European attempts to eliminate them. Each moko is designed specifically for the person since it conveys much about who that person in, from their family to their accomplishments. On women, these tattoos are centered around the mouth and chin, while men often have tattoos around their whole faces and bodies. To receive a moku, generally certain milestones or accomplishments need to be reached and the recipient needs to have the right social status.

By Thomas Andrew (1855 - 1939) - National Library of New Zealand, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10113865 and By RunningToddler - Bits & Bytes, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3148860

Another well-known Polynesian culture with a rich tattoo history are the Samoa. In Samoa, men receive a 'pe'a' tatto, which covers their lower back and legs, and women receive a 'malu' which covers the legs from below the buttocks to below the knee. Malu tend to be more delicate and less covering than the pe'a, and are focused around a particular motif (called the malu) which is tattooed in the popliteal fossa (back of the knee), and has suggestions of shelter and protection. Sometimes, women are tattooed on their hands and lower abdomen as well. These tattoos are a sign of cultural pride, status, such that when a man completes his tattoo, he is called a saga'imitti and respected because he underwent the painful ordeal. A man without a tattoo is called telefua or telenao, meaning 'naked', and a man who hasn't completed the tattoo process because of the pain (or not being able to pay) is called pe'a mutu, a mark of shame. The tattooists (called a tufuga ta tatau) are revered as well. Modern Samoan tattoo artists continue to practice their art in the same way as they did prior to European contact, with serrated bone combs tied to tortoise shell fragments, tied to a short wooden handle and then tapped with a mallet. The ink is made from candlenut soot and stored in coconut shell cups. A length of tapa cloth (a barkcloth) is used to wipe blood from the skin and tools.

By Thomas Andrew (1855-1939) - http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Search.aspx?page=8&imagesonly=true&term=Thomas+Andrew, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10113825

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Resources:

The Beauty of Loulan and the Tattooed Mummies of the Tarim Basin

Pacific voyaging and discovery

Tāmoko | Māori tattoos: history, practice, and meanings

[deke-rivers-1957]

Paradise Hawaiian Style Review

This is the final Elvis film that takes place in Hawaii. In fact, this could be considered one of the first Elvis film "remakes" as it's been claimed Colonel Parker wanted to recreate the success of Blue Hawaii. Similar to Blue Hawaii, real locations in Hawaii were featured during the film such as Coco Palms Resort and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

We immediately jump into the action by having Rick Richards on a flight. He was fired after flirting with a flight attendant. Since he has a bad reputation, he was only able to get a job in Hawaii. We immediately get the titular song, Paradise, Hawaiian Style over the opening credits. It's a quintessential song in any Elvis travelogue movie.

I absolutely love the shots of Hawaii. You get the idea that this actually has relevancy to the plot. Danny, played by James Shigeta, is actually Hawaiian. The use of a mixed race couple is accurate for Hawaii. There was no law against it, so it wouldn't have been controversial for Danny to marry a white woman.

While Rick is playing with Danny's kids, we get the next song, "Queenie Wahine's Papaya". This isn't Elvis' best work, but at least there's an established relationship with Danny's daughter, Jan. She actually gets to sing along with Elvis and does a pretty good job of keeping up with the fast paced song.

We get to see more shots of Hawaii that reflect the use of air travel. Even though Elvis himself doesn't fly the plane, we do see interior shots of the plane and Rick landing it. Unfortunately there are times where you can tell Elvis isn't on location. He just doesn't blend in with the background compared to on location shots.

One thing that shocked me is how this movie seemed to openly talk about how Hawaii is seen by Americans as such a tourist attraction. The natives who lived there would've had to appeal to these big businesses to make money. Even though this cultural talking point isn't the focus of the film, you can still see its influences by having Rick and Danny go into business themselves.

When they get to the club, I swear Marianna Hill playing Lani is dubbed by another woman. Her audio just doesn't sound like it was recorded at the same time as Elvis'. Also when she duets during "Scratch My Back (Then I'll Scratch Yours)" she doesn't sound good. The song in general just isn't good and grinds the film to a halt. I know Lani works at a club, but she just sings one song and then leaves with Rick. You can cut that whole song and nothing would be lost.

So by now we've established that Rick loves women in a distracting way. I admit that I appreciate how they made that such an integral part of his character that it actively influences the plot. If he didn't have such a bad reputation of flirting with flight attendants on the clock, he would've never been in Hawaii. It's unfortunate that he doesn't have any real character arc that addresses that.

It's clear that he wants to only hire a secretary because she's hot and not because she's qualified. Danny hiring Judy is a clear sign that he actually believes in her skills and wants Rick to stay focused. Danny cares about his business and wants to have people who can actually do the job.

More shots of Hawaii and this is the best part of the film. We get vocals from the Polynesian people as Rick travels. You really get the idea that Hawaii is important. You couldn't get these shots anywhere in the continental US. Of course there are goofs such as dialogue being clearly dubbed in. Like so bad that Rick is waving while saying "Hi" with Elvis clearly not moving his lips.

That being said, you immediately stop caring with the best song in the entire movie, "Drums of the Islands". My god. The visuals of Rick on a canoe just riding along the river as he sings is just beautiful. The land/seascapes are prominent and the Polynesian culture is heavily featured. Elvis isn't shoved in front of the performers. He's integrated into their act and letting these people perform an art that's been passed down for generations.

"A Dog's Life" is a song that exists. I have no idea how Elvis could possibly lip-synch all this having those dogs jump on him. Easily one. of the most stressful scenes in an Elvis movie. He lets go of the controls so many times, the dogs jump right in his lap as he's singing. A completely chaotic moment. If this wasn't a movie, these characters would most likely be dead. In universe, it's actually a testament to Rick's piloting skills that no one did die. Not just the passengers but literally everyone on the ground.

Naturally the one time Rick flies recklessly, he runs into the car of a government official in charge of aviation. Regardless of what actually happened, this guy's well within his rights to complain about what happened to him and his wife. These dogs weren't properly contained and that helicopter likely wasn't suitable for Rick to transport all of them anyway.

We get a Red cameo at the restaurant and a pointless fight scene. The tourist flirting with "Friday" was bad, but Rick sticking up for her makes no sense. Based on his actions in the movie, he's not that morally upstanding to be above unwarranted flirting.

As of this point, he has no actual chemistry with any women. He has more of a relationship with Jan (who is a child) than anyone else. Unfortunately, their 2nd duet, "Datin" is awful. It feels weird to watch a grown man explain dating to a child that isn't his. And in general, Jan's singing isn't that great compared to their first duet.

Not long after they land we get to yet another song, "House of Sand". If we cut "Datin" and went to this that would be fine. Unfortunately, this happens barely two minutes apart from each other. It feels so shoved in now because of how badly spaced they are. Also a problem with these types of songs is that they have no build up. There's no reason for these songs to be made other than fill up a quota. Elvis just bursts into songs at the most random intervals. If you cut them from the film literally nothing would change. With "House of Sand" you go right back to Rick flying in the air with one of his "love interests".

So we get a swimming scene where Elvis is conveniently covered up by a towel. It's so weird how he's covered up when both of the girls aren't. It's almost like the producers wanted to hide something. Yeah, it's obvious at this point that Hollywood wanted to hide Elvis' weight. The way they try to hide it is just so bizarre as you can still see his stomach anyway.

I hate Lani's character. She actively decides to mess up Rick and Jan's lives by throwing away the key in the sand. Lani literally got them stranded on an island with a child. If they never found the key, and Danny never knew where they ended up, they could've died. Rick's womanizing ways on top of her individual actions could've literally killed them. She is lucky that Danny didn't charge her and Rick with the endangerment of a child.

Sure she didn't know she would lose the key that way, but that was such a dumb and dangerous decision just because she wanted some sugar. As for Friday sticking up for Rick, I have no idea why she would do that. She knows first hand what his flirting ways are like. Just because he stood up to one tourist doesn't negate the fact that he's irresponsible. Danny if anything is the reasonable one and has the patience of a saint that he didn't press charges. They were out overnight and could've easily been out for longer if he didn't rescue them.

Friday chastising Rick is well deserved and if anything serves a bigger reason as to why their relationship makes no sense. Rick wanting to rescue Danny and risk losing his license for good, isn't enough of a reason to think that he's changed. As much as it shows that he can think of others it still doesn't change his womanizing ways. Compared to the dog scene from earlier, this rescue doesn't feel so tense.

All helicopters should have a first aid kit in the event that there's a crash, so it makes no sense for Danny to not have one. Even if Jan's only a child, he can still tell her how to make a splint. If this was such a tense moment as the movie wants it to be, the danger would be greater than this. There's more instances of dubbed in dialogue with 0 lip movement such as the end of this hospital scene.

Jan's solo song "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home" is easily her best song. It's quite refreshing to have someone who isn't Elvis get a song all to themselves. And again Rick's flirting ways is getting the better of him. Even if he wants to be with Friday (which he never indicates more than any of the women he was with) he still needs to show that his flirting ways are over.

"Stop Where You Are" while shot differently than most Elvis songs, is also visually a nightmare. If you're watching this movie on a buggy site like DailyMotion and watch this movie for the first time, you wouldn't know if it's pausing on purpose or if it's the lag. I also have no idea why Rick's singing anyway since if he wanted to hide from the women, he did a terrible job. He was right on stage front and center. Naturally Rick's flirting ways catch up to him. He only gets away with it by paying them off. What a wonderful message/s. If you get in trouble with women you just promise to pay them off. Why does Friday like this guy?

We get an unedited shot of the different acts at the Polynesian Cultural Center and I love it. If a film was given permission to use that building, actually use it and the people who belong to that culture.

I also love how the government official is portrayed as a reasonable man. He knows that Rick saving Danny was necessary and is willing to make an exception. Now him being with Friday at the end makes no sense. It was so rushed that I don't think they even kiss at the end. The actual romance felt like so much of an afterthought almost like they knew we wouldn't care because the ending songs would be our last impression of the film.

"This is My Heaven" is a song that perfectly depicts Elvis' love for Hawaii. It's so beautiful and when combined with a reprise of "Drums of the Islands" makes it one of the best ending scenes in any Elvis film. The showcasing of the actual Polynesian performers will never get enough praise from me.

Like we actually get a break from Elvis singing to listen to them sing in their language. It's so beautiful to see them depict their culture without seeing Elvis shoehorned in the frame. The wide shot of the entire entourage performing is just so beautiful. It showcases that Elvis at this point isn't important, the people of Hawaii and the island nations are.

This film is so visually stunning that it makes the production errors even more noticeable. That being said, the amount of effort put into showcasing Hawaii and the Polynesian culture is incredible. Hawaii is an island state that doesn't have a White majority. For the movie to showcase this demographic breakdown in such a casual way for the time period is impressive.

There are flaws with this film that can't be ignored. However, when you have scenes that fully embrace the Hawaiian culture, that's a sign that this film actually tried. Because of those efforts, I'm giving this film a 7/10. If you like Elvis films, I would recommend watching this independent of Blue Hawaii so you don't compare the two. Even if you're not an Elvis fan, this movie still serves as a good insight of how Hawaii was viewed by Hollywood at the time.

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Thank you so for much to @georgefairbrother for requesting this review. I know you also requested that I review Clambake as well and I will do that next. If anyone else would like to request an Elvis film or a film in general, please send them in.

[mueritos]

(different anon) u don’t see how it’s inappropriate be drawing western usa “cowboys and indians” genre romance art?? and with the fake polynesian tattoo on the white guy,,,,,

i understand being detribalized as so am i, but we still have to be careful about how we’re interacting w current native communities especially those to whom we are outsiders

thank you for clarifying you're a different anon and this one i'll respond to with care, and thank you for sending this because it is a genuine critique. I drew that header after finding a western/cowboy artist that I liked, and I wanted to draw something t4t centered. After finding the artist again (linked above), yes he is not indigenous, but in the article he describes his work with the Wampanoag community in MA. But you're right; there is a fine line between depicting western/cowboy culture that doesn't negate the colonization/manifest destiny of its time. I believed I made the image more "contemporary" (both have punk/lgbtq patches in the full image), but if that's not clear because the man on the left's patches are cut off from the header, then that's on me.

as for the white dude, I wasn't clear on either of their races, but both of the men in the photo are drawn from the indigenous people in my life. When i think of dark haired dark skins indigenous folks, I think of my long time best friend who is Nahuatl and detribalized, and for the "white man", I based him off myself and other detribalized/mixed folks who are paler and look "less native". Obviously none of this is clear because the image is just there, but these were the thoughts that went into that drawing. It was all based on the Mexican culture around me in terms of vaquero, because I associate the masculinity that I am comforted by with vaquero culture.

as for the tattoo, I made it up on the spot. but you're right, it does look similar to indigenous communities' like the maori or polynesian/samoa. I'll be more careful about that and I have not drawn any tribal like tattoos on anyone else since that drawing (the drawing is from 2019).

and you're right about your last point. I have been thinking of changing the header, but it has also been there for several years so I don't know what to change it to and I have had many folks in my inbox say they were comforted/affirmed by the header. at the same time, I don't want to drive off any folks who don't know im detribalized and may think i'm just randomly drawing indigenous people because I am like, fascinated with them.

i'll be more careful from now on, but thank you for sending this and feel free to lmk anything else, or if any indigenous folks want to add any other points feel free to do that in the notes!

[kbandtrash]

Hey so um before my sungjin fic goes up tomorrow there’s probably something I should let you guys know 😅

This is the last fic I’m going to post for a pretty long time. I’ve actually known this was coming for a while now (officially about six months, unofficially about a year) and some of you may have caught this from my tags every once in a while. Starting next Monday, I’m going to be gone for about a year and a half with no real access to the internet or social media.

Why? I’ve accepted a call to serve a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ☺️ I put in my papers in October, and I received my call about a month later. I’ve been called to serve in the Hawaii Laie Mission, where I’ll be working at the Laie Temple Visitors Center, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and around the BYU-Hawaii campus. If you decide to visit the island of Oahu between May and next August, you should also make a stop along the north shore in the little town of Laie and look for a tallish redhead girl with a Korean name tag (probably—I haven’t gotten my tags yet, but I assume since I’ve been called to serve Korean-speaking, I would get Korean tags).

I know very well that the Church has different reputations around the world for different reasons, many of them positive and many of them negative, but please know that I would not be making this decision if I didn’t have full certainty that this is where God wants me to be.

If you believe that my membership in the Church means that I would discriminate against you for any reason, I really want you to know that that’s not true on my part. To put it simply, I believe that we’re all children of God, and I’m determined to love and respect everyone as such. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I can only answer for another week, but if questions come after that, I bet Megan would be willing to be a messenger.

Speaking of, hopefully Megan will take a more active role in running the blog while I’m gone? You can ask her for updates if you want, or if you really really want, you could ask to be put on my email list. (I try to keep my main blog separate from this one, but you can message me @dumbledavisjr if you want to talk for the next couple days)

Aloha and 안녕히 계세요!

See you on the flip side 🤙😉

[nerdygaymormon]

Gather Conference

This looks like it will be very good! It is for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and those who love them. September 15-16th in Provo, Utah.

I’m really impressed at the group of people they have involved in this.

Here is a list of presenters:

Steve Young - famous football player, stood against Prop 8 in California and for the LDS Church being more loving & inclusive of the LGBTQ community

Darius Gray - a Black man who joined the LDS Church in 1964, one of the first Black students at BYU, one of the founders of the Genesis Group, involved in the "Race and the Priesthood" essay, a supporter of LGBTQ rights and the church expanding to fully include them 

Charlie Bird - gained fame as the BYU mascot Cosmo the Cougar who publicly came out as gay, author of the books “Behind the Mask” and “Expanding the Borders of Zion”, co-hosts the podcast Questions from the Closet, is an active LDS church member and public about having a boyfriend

Ben Schilaty - co-hosts the podcast Questions from the Podcast with Charlie Bird, they are the two most well-known gay men still active in the LDS Church. Ben wrote the book “A Walk in My Shoes: Questions I'm Often Asked as a Gay Latter-day Saint”, and works for the BYU Honor Code Office

Tom Christofferson - older brother of the LDS apostle Todd Christofferson. Is best known for leaving his long-time partner in order to rejoin the LDS Church and writing “That We My Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith and Family”, then publicly announced that he has begun dating

Allison Dayton - is founder of Lift+Love which seeks to provide a positive, uplifting space for LGBTQIA+ LDS church members and their families & friends

Liv Mendoza Haynes - best known from the 2021 BYU Women's Conference when Sharon Eubank presented her and Liv announced she is queer and that she once left the LDS Church but returned and shared the story of a bishop who made her feel welcome and asked how to make the ward a safe space. Liv is married to a husband and is a busy mom

Meghan Decker - is married to a husband, loves being a grandma, but she also is attracted to women, wrote the book “Tender Leaves of Hope: Finding Belonging as LGBTQ Latter-day Saint Women”

Michael Soto - a trans man who grew up LDS and spent the last 25 years being an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, including co-founding the Equality and Fairness Coalition, former CEO of Equality Arizona, and now is Chief Advocacy Officer for One Community

Iese Wilson - best known for his work of building bridges at BYU-Hawaii, where he publicly came out gay. His efforts include co-founding Hawaii’s first LDS LGBTQ+ support group off campus for students and staff of BYU-H, helped create and host the first LGBTQ+ fireside on the BYUH campus, and offered the first LGBTQ+ awareness training for the Guest Services Department at the Polynesian Cultural Center

Richard Ostler - host of the podcast Listen, Learn and Love and author of two books, “Listen, Learn and Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints” and “Listen, Learn and Love: Improving Latter-Day Saint Culture”

These individuals aren’t listed as presenting at the Gather Conference, but are shown to be involved in some way:

Bree Borrowman - a science teacher in Bountiful, UT who transitioned during the pandemic and provides a safe space for students, co-hosts the Lift+Love Adult Gender Identity support group. Bree is an active member of the LDS Church and is helping her stake and ward move towards being more inclusive & accepting

Jess Case - a clinical psychologist who identifies as gay and is married to a woman, an active member of the LDS Church. His work focuses on helping youth and adults feel safe in their communities and suicide prevention

Clare Dalton -  a seminary teacher and CES employee. She came out as lesbian in 2021 and is open about her faith, her orientation, and her career as a way to exemplify that Christ meant everyone when He said, “Come, follow me” 

John Gustav-Wrathel - Was raised LDS, married his husband, raised children, and then decided to return to church where because he is excommunicated he attends each week as a visitor. He is a former president of Affirmation and co-founded Emmaus LGBTQ Ministry which aims to works for the safety, well-being and happiness of LGBTQ people in and adjacent to the LDS Church

Ally Isom - a public affairs professional who has worked for LDS Church as head of global branding, in 2021 ran against Senator Mike Lee to be the  Republican nominee for senate, known for her work for gender equity. In 2017 she helped the church restructure the mormonandgay website by changing the language to be less divisive and to include videos of queer members sharing their stories. She works to improve understanding between the Church and the LGBTQ community

Erika Munson - in 2012 she co-founded Mormons Building Bridges which is most famous for having LDS people dressed in their Sunday best march in Pride parades, and in 2019 co-founded Emmaus LGBTQ Ministry which provides affirming monthly devotionals and events to LGBTQ people and their families in and adjacent to the LDS Church

Austin Peterson - a gay member of the LDS Church who works in IT at BYU and serves in a bishopric

Jordan Sharp - VP of Marketing & Communication at Utah Tech University, active member of the LDS Church, and father of a gay son. Jordan wrote a Facebook post about the LDS Church needing to be more loving and accepting of LGBTQ individuals

David Smurthwaite - co-hosts the Lift+Love Adult Gender Identity support group, identifies as gender expansive, active member of the LDS Church, married to a wife and is father to 4 children

[silvernyxchariot]

Some Teyvat thoughts that the hamster keeps going around in my head:

Teyvat and its people are lucky Anemo users chose peace/freedom. Forget lore accurate Venti cutting down mountains, people are lucky Anemo users don't go, "I'm taking away your breathing rights *suffocates an entire room of people to death*." Or a city is one sonic scream away from being blown to bits by a petty Anemo user throwing a tantrum. (Refer also to Zahir from Legend of Korra and Yangchen from ATLA for the potential of those who manipulate wind and air.)

I am one of those people who wanted to see Natlan as the country of war. While also still colorful, vibrant, and beautiful. And I like the battle area we saw Mavuika MCing in. But, girl, Hoyo could've done better. I showed someone a video of Mualani dancing, and they said she seemed Mexican/Native American. I told them, "Mualani was supposed to represent the peoples of Hawaii." 😬 Said person was also born and raised in Hawaii for most of their childhood. Yikes.

Based on leak vids, each "tribe" has an element theme, but Hoyo couldn't do that with Latin American, African, and Polynesian cultures 🤨. Instead of putting different groups into a blender, indecernable from one another, they could have taken inspiration from sun iconography, a source of energy and life, specifically making Natlan's geography one nation surrounded by smaller islands connected by bridges. Like a wheel of sorts; a wheel of fire. Its battle arena: a center of unity, culture, and communication. Separate, but still functioning and running together despite their differences. And yes, the lack of melanin is still disappointing. "Diversity," Hoyo doesn't know who she is.

[elijahhendley]

7月17號 Day 6: The timeline

Greetings! After yesterday's late night basketball I was so tired. But still, I woke up early this morning to meet with a guy from the church. But before we talk about that lets talk about why I named this post timeline. Today we got to learn more about a potential future and also the past of Taiwan.

To start off the day, we went to the fulbright center. Now fulbright is an organization that gives scholarships for students to study overseas longterm and to experience a new culture outside their own. It is very important these days that we truly get to understand other cultures and the best way to do that is to live in them. It is more important than ever because today we live in a world that is greatly connected via the internet. Now I did not know what to expect to do when we got there, but it was actually really cool. We learned a lot about the fulbright program specifically for taiwan. One thing I enjoyed about the presentation they gave us was the amount of different masters programs they have. They cover everything from semi-conductors to teaching. Speaking of teaching what I also found intriguing was the video they showed us of many fulbright scholars teaching students english and sharing their experiences.

Also at the center we had lunch which was pretty good and we also had taiwanese snacks/drinks. They had Taiwanese rootbeer, milk tea, mint tea and asparagus juice. I personally tried all of them but mainly stuck with the tea because I thought it was the best. I am not a big snack person, so I did not really care for them but they were also pretty good(the only ones I can remeber were the oyster chips and the milk puffs).

Then we took the train and, the first time as a group, took the BUS. I LOVE the bus because it is very convienent here and the system is very well. But this day the bus was not the greatest. The AC was broken and we were all sweating really bad. But we finally after a long sweaty ride, reached our destination: the Museum of Formosan Aboriginal Peoples. We were able to see and learn about the people that lived on this island before it was colonized and modernized. The island was inhabitated by people who belong to the Austronesian Language family. This language family is associated with the polynesian and oceanic languages that are mainly found on the islands in the indian and pacific ocean. It was not until the 17th century when Taiwan was begining to be colonised first by europeans who originally named the island Ilha Formosa(Beautiful island) in passing. Ming dynasty loyalist then setted on the island and the island was under chinese mainland influence until the 20th century when Chiang Kai Shek came into power. Many changes have happend since then, but their seemed to be a misbalance in the way indigenous people were treated vs the multitudes of Han Chinese that migrated into the nation. Whether it was battling racism or cultural extinction, the indigenous people in taiwan have lasted thus far and many things are being done to improve their general well-being in today's society without drastically changing their original culture. So it was awesome to go to the museum today and experience many aspects of the culture of the aboriginal people in taiwan.

Also, at the meeting I had this morning with the guy from the church, he also taught me a lot of this information which was cool. He also taught me a lot about different religions in the region of south/southeast asia.

Until next time, 再見！

[alex-the-nonsensologist]

Disney Dreamland - Part 2: Adventureland

Due to my quirk of wanting each land’s name to reflect a broad genre, Frontierland was basically merged into Adventureland (I know westerns are their own genre, but I felt it too niche compared to the other genres I picked). I tried my best not to be stereotypical in regards to certain areas. Cultural experts would be consulted (both native to their country and diaspora). 

Also, I should mention, I friggin' love carousels. I put at least one in each genre land. I'm just that nuts about them.

Imperial Courtyard

This area would be similar to the China Pavilion in EPCOT, but more focused on fiction and mythology. Includes a lovely lotus pond garden to sit and relax in. Would have Lunar New Year celebrations in the winter. Disclaimer: I may be a child of Hong Kong immigrants but I grew up a full westerner New Yorker. Please consult cultural experts.   At the moment, my mind’s eye is picturing this area neatly tucked away in a corner between World Galleria and the rest of Adventureland.

Sun Wukong the Monkey King / Journey to the West: Dark ride. I only recently learned that despite Sun Wukong being a popular character, he is not in fact the protagonist of Journey to the West. I think centering it on either Sun Wukong’s life and backstory, or the actual journey to the West with the other characters could work. The art style would resemble Chinese calligraphy paintings come to life. I would also love an original song that ties the entire ride together, in the same manner as “Compass of Your Heart” from Sindbad's Storybook Voyage in Tokyo DisneySea.

Mulan stage show: Would contain well-choreographed martial arts stunts, alongside musical performances, with “Make A Man Out of You” being the big showstopper combining both. For the design aesthetic, I’m thinking of something similar to Mulan’s float unit in Shanghai’s parade.

Zodiac Carousel: Under a lovely red and gold Chinese pavilion roof. Features twelve rows of animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Could be located inside the garden.

Jade Phoenix Tea House: Chinese tea, pastries, and dim sum.

Golden Dragon Restaurant: Table service.

Equatorial Tropics

Blends from Polynesia to Africa. 

The Enchanted Tiki Room : The only thing I’d change is have a new cast of host birds, to make it unique. Maybe there could also be a temporary Lilo and Stitch / Moana overlay during the summer months. 

Polynesian Terrace restaurant: Table service.

Jungle River Cruise: Obviously would not include condescending stereotypes of natives. Otherwise, I would like it to be distinctly unique from other versions of the ride with a new storyline and skipper commentary.

“Treetop Village” : My park’s equivalent of the Swiss Family Treehouse. I wanted to have a suspension bridge entrance like Anaheim’s version used to have (as Tarzan’s Treehouse), which I thought looked so cool, and then I thought about putting my treehouse on an island in the Jungle River Cruise, like Hong Kong’s, with the bridge crossing over the river from the walkway entrance. Then I thought, why not make it a whole village of treehouses on the island, all connected by suspension bridges? It would be limited to a handful of trees so as not to disrupt the Jungle Cruise ride too much, but would still have plenty of scenic views for guests to see. There could be a few interactive elements for guests to play with, such as rope and pulley systems, to simulate the illusion of functioning living quarters. Maybe even include a couple of swings.

Tales of Anansi: Dark ride. A stylized retelling of the Anansi stories with a unique art style, in the same manner as how Lion King was adapted for stage. This is partially to look cool and unique, and partially to avoid Anansi looking too creepy for anyone afraid of spiders. Please consult cultural experts.

Circle of Life buffet: Cuisine from Kenya and Tanzania, the countries of inspiration for The Lion King. But just for fun, one of the desserts could be Timon and Pumbaa’s Chocolate “Mud” and Gummy Bugs. 

Disney Dreamland Railroad Adventureland station: Styled after a jungle trading post

Pirate Cove

Visually based off the Adventure Isle area in Paris’s Adventureland. Includes a walkthrough ship, a restaurant ship, a small island (Skull Island), and a picturesque waterfall. This area would probably be outside the railroad perimeter, accessible through a mountain tunnel.

“Pirates Ride” : I think Pirates of the Caribbean is a very neat ride. I have a lot of mixed feelings regarding *ahem* certain scenes, but that’s a lot to unpack for another time. I do not want this version of Pirates to have anything to do with the movies, which while entertaining, I feel have overstayed their welcome (but I will admit the scenery in Shanghai’s version of the ride is breathtaking, both real and digital, and the battle climax is definitely exciting). Rather than copying the classic ride, I would love it if Imagineers would come up with a brand new story with a brand new set of pirates in another part of the world. That said, I have no issue with Jack Sparrow being a walk around character in the area.

“Pirate Explore Zone”: Inspired by the various walkthrough ships in Disney Parks. Could also extend to Skull Island, which includes caves you can wander around, inspired by Le Ventre de la Terre underneath Paris’s version of the Swiss Family Treehouse.

“Pirate Stunt Show”: An action stunt show on the water utilizing floats.

“Pirate Ship restaurant”: Quick service.

X Marks the Shop: Pirated themed merchandise.

Wild Western Frontier

The start of “Frontierland”. Part typical Wild West town, part Native community featuring adobe pueblos, part Grand Canyon-style rock formations. Please consult cultural experts.

Western River Expedition: Based on the never-built attraction by Marc Davis. Would be tweaked to avoid any stereotypical portrayals of Native peoples. Please consult cultural experts. The river flume would be crafted to intertwine with Big Thunder’s railroad. Also includes a snapshot photo-op at the final drop, like Splash Mountain. 

Big Thunder Mountain: Mostly the same, but I would rearrange to have the train pass through the underground Rainbow Caverns at the end before the unloading dock. Story could go that in trying to find the last motherlode of gold, you accidentally trigger explosions that nearly trap you, but end up unearthing the caverns; pretty much like the Mickey Mouse short Nature's Wonderland that homages this ride and its predecessor. Lesson being that in life, you may not always find what you want, but sometimes you find something else just as valuable. 

Cowboy Carousel: Would appear to be built out of wood. Could resemble a farm enclosure. Horses in cowboy hats and bandanas. This is not really a necessary addition to the area, but as I mentioned, I LOVE carousels and could not resist putting it on this list.

Golden Horseshoe Revue restaurant: American cuisine and BBQ and saloon stage show. Table service. (I have yet to experience this in the existing parks, but I’d like to some day.)

General Store: Cowboy-themed merchandise.

“Native Legends of the West” / “Legends of Coyote”: Dark ride designed in a Native art style. Please consult cultural experts. Could retell various legends of the region, but for a more unified story it could focus on the trickster character of Coyote. 

Native-owned shops: Authentic Native American artisan crafts. Shout-out to @disneylanddilettante for the idea. Could feature live demonstrations and workshops for kids, along with guides to explain the cultural significance. 

Land of the Dead restaurant: Mexican cuisine. I wanted a place that could be themed as a nod to Coco, my favorite Pixar movie, without being heavily IP themed. Actual Día de Muertos celebrations would only happen in the fall; this restaurant would basically allude to the daily lives of the inhabitants of The Land of the Dead the rest of the year outside of Día de Muertos. Please consult cultural experts. Would include a live mariachi band.

Rivers of America

Embodies the calmer aspects of Frontierland, however I still think they fit neatly into Adventureland if you think of life itself as an adventure, with this area being the "take it easy" part. The northern coast of the river would be on the edge of Mysteryland, part of that land’s city themed area, but with the buildings facing the river themed to New Orleans.

Fort Wilderness Island: Themed to a summer camp.

Fort Wilderness River Rafts: Transport to and from the island.

Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

“Tall Tales Campfire”: Stage show retelling of classic American tall tales. Does not have to be a literal campfire, as that would limit the shows to nighttime only, not to mention be a hazard. 

Camp Woodchuck Kitchen: Based on the restaurant of the same name from Tokyo. Quick service. Waffle sandwiches and s’mores brownies. The original three flavors of waffles sandwiches were Fried Chicken and Maple Sauce (Huey), Bacon and Vegetables and BBQ Sauce (Dewey), and Shrimp and Avocado (Louie).

Johnny Appleseed stand: Apple tarts, apple fritters, apple fries, caramel apples, and apple cider.

On the coast of the river:

Mark Twain Riverboat

“Musical Americana Animals”: Animatronic stage show inspired by The Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings.

Tiana’s Palace: New Orleans cuisine. Tiana’s signature beignets and swamp gumbo are a must. Jazz band playing live music, with appearances by Louis the alligator and performances by Tiana and Naveen. There could even be a short Mardi Gras show every hour.

Other parts:

World Galleria

Mysteryland

Fantasyland

Create-It-Land

Discoveryland

[more-than-a-princess]

" i do not wish to see a citrus colour, ever again. " a fact that he would argue to be an understatement, perhaps, as the conglomerate heir chooses to step outside the far too crowded hall, once blank features scowled into something less opportunistic. he hadn't imagined finding such a familiar face within the crowd, hadn't been so sure on how to react towards such a discovery, either, but now it remains the two of them does he take it a fine opportunity to voice his true opinion. the base of this years theme feels rather similar to the bowl of oranges he passes every morning in the academy's dining hall, yellows clashing with lemons that rest in glasses to the point he considers excusing himself for their brightness giving him a headache. still ... he supposes that is only his opinion, something that no doubt could be either shared or denied by the princess he finally classes a glance back to, scowl only tightening at the flash of orange he catches behind her. hopefully such a trend would no doubt end soon. / from byakuya! <3

Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 starters - Accepting!

For all the merriment and levity centered within the elegant Tokyo hotel's grand ballroom, Sonia had needed a respite from the constant activity and cheer. Truly, she hadn't thought a retired Japanese politician's 90th birthday to be quite so lively, but she'd been proven wrong: what she'd come to learn, as briefed by her private secretary earlier that day, was that as a young man he'd spent his early years of adulthood, of wealth and privilege from family money well before he served in the Japanese Diet, traveling the world with a distinct interest in other cultures. And none had made quite such an impression as the South Pacific, the Caribbean, Hawaii. Places both tropical and with a good reputation for frivolity and relaxation, to the point that when his eldest son and a politician in his own right asked his father what sort of occasion he wanted to commemorate such an important birthday, the man had shot him a toothy grin and had apparently uttered a single word: tiki.

The result was a curious mishmash of upperclass sensibility and a luau. Real palm trees had been brought in alongside various artifacts from Polynesian Islands and every tiki bar in Japan (all four of them). The guests were instructed to wear colorful black tie and had been given leis or flowers to wear in their hair upon arrival. The live band switched between a string quartet, soft rock, and a ukulele soloist. But despite silver trays filled with crab rangoon, chicken satay skewers, and fruity cocktails topped with small paper umbrellas being offered by suited waitstaff, some things hadn't changed despite the cheerful decor. Namely how many people quickly made themselves known to the Princess of Novoselic upon her arrival: even her security detail seemed surprised by how many prominent Japanese families had swarmed one of the few, yet very prized, foreign party guests. From other politicians to prominent CEOs in an array of businesses, Sonia had given the nod twenty minutes ago that she was in dire need of a break. And a drink.

To her dismay, she'd been handed a virgin mai tai. One she sipped nevertheless in a quiet, yet elegant, hallway a short distance from the ballroom itself. She would have much rather preferred one with rum, or at least a glass of Veuve Clicquot off the trays going around. But it was to her surprise though that her solitude was to be interrupted, and by someone familiar at that.

The one person who would look most out of place at such an occasion: Byakuya Togami. It wasn't unheard of to appear at the same social events. Out of everyone at Hope's Peak Academy, it was his social circles that had the most overlap with her own. But it was unexpected to see him at this sort of party: with plenty of drunken, partying adults and no business deals to be made in sight. 

"Citrus colors?" She repeated, tilting her head and glancing at the very citrus drink in her hand before looking up again to meet his gaze. "I suppose you chose not to 'get lei'd' upon arrival, then: most of them seemed to be predominantly citrus colors." 

In her own attempt to be part of the fun, she'd accepted a white hibiscus flower with a deep pink center, tucked behind her right ear. It was the offering that clashed the least with her dress: an off-the-shoulder gown made of layers upon layers of seafoam green silk organza and lined in duchesse satin, to support the weight of the petticoats. Green tourmaline and akoya pearl jewelry adorned her ears, neck, and wrist: gifts from the man celebrating his birthday to her grandmother, when she'd been queen. She looked like she'd stepped out of a tropical ocean shore. Citrus colors, her mother had insisted, clashed with the platinum shade of her hair and her blue eyes, and she would not be wearing them.

She set her half-finished drink to the side: without food, it tasted too sweet on its own. "Are you taking a respite from the party as well?" She asked, giving him a small smile. Truthfully, he looked nearly ready to tear someone's head off from the way he scowled, and she was already treading in dangerous waters by attempting to start up a conversation with him. Good thing then, that Byakuya Togami didn't intimidate her in the least. "I found it a little enthusiastic upon my arrival and I needed a moment to breathe." And not commit herself to dancing to every single song that night with every man who asked: from boastful college boys to men twice her age or more, if they were single and came from a prominent family, they were quick to chat her up and ask for her undivided attention for a dance. Sonia supposed it was one of the few things money couldn't buy for them: connections to royalty, if not a title of their own in the future.

As much as she liked to dismiss romance novels featuring princesses and balls, there was some truth to them: the marriage market was still thriving in the upper classes, despite it being the twenty-first century.

Still, she didn't necessarily dislike the theme. It made the party far more interesting than the usual elegant fare she was invited to and expected to attend. Togami, from the way his scowl tightened, didn't agree with her, but at least he was looking over her shoulder.

"What in the-" She asked, turning her head in the direction of his disdain. The youngest granddaughter of the guest of honor, a fourth year student at Bunka Fashion College, was making her way towards them both in an orange beaded and sequined ballgown that, with her coordinating high, tight ponytail, rather made her resemble a sparkly pumpkin. Clearly one of her own designs. "Oh. I understand."

Sonia swiftly turned back to face him. She didn't owe him any sort of favor and he'd certainly never thank her, but as someone so often caught in a similar situation, she felt it wrong to let it slide. "If you do not wish to dance with her," She whispered, barely audible as the girl came closer and closer, an eager expression on her face where Byakuya was concerned. "You must ask someone else instead. It would be ungentlemanly to refuse her otherwise."

[generalgemini-booknerd]

Scenes from a Hawaiian vacation. Spent last week on vacation on the North Shore in Oahu. Sunset on Sunset Beach, hiked the falls in Waimea Valley, visited the Byodo-in Temple, and went to a luau at the Polynesian Culture Center.