#western development museum

[lasnevadaslaborunion]

It frightens and discourages me how pervasive "tribal" stereotypes and imagery are in the fantasy and adventure genres.

It's all over the place in classic literature. Crack open a Jules Verne novel and you're likely to find caricatures of brown people and cultures, even when the characters are sympathetic to the plight of the colonized peoples - incidentally, this is the biggest reason I can't recommend 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to everyone, despite Captain Nemo being one of my favorite fictional characters of all time.

You can't escape it in modern cinema, either. You'll see white heroes venturing bravely into jungles and tombs to steal from natives who don't know how to use their resources "properly." You'll see them strung up in traps, riddled with sleeping darts, forced to flee and fight their way out. Hell, Pirates of the Caribbean, a remarkably inclusive franchise in many other ways, had an extended sequence of the white heroes escaping from a cannibal civilization in the second film.

And when fantasy RPGs want a humanoid enemy, the "bloodthirsty natives" are the first stock trope they jump to. World of Warcraft is one of the most egregious examples, with the trolls - blatant racist caricatures with faux-voodoo beliefs, cannibalistic diets, Jamaican accents, and a history of being killed in droves by (white) elves and humans - being raided and slaughtered in nearly every expansion.

It doesn't matter how vibrant and distinctive the real-world indigenous, Polynesian, Caribbean, and African cultures are. It doesn't matter how much potential these real civilizations offer for complex and sympathetic characterization. Anything that doesn't make sense to the white western mind is shoved under the same "savage" umbrella. They're different. They're strange. They're scary. They have to be escaped, subjugated, eliminated, ogled at from the safety of a museum.

Modern writers, directors, and developers don't even seem to realize how horrifying it is to present the indigenous inhabitants of a place as "obstacles" for non-native protagonists to overcome. "It's not racist," they say, "because these people aren't really people, you see." And if you dare to point out anything that hurts or offends you as a descendant of the bastardized culture, you're accused of being the real racist: "These aren't humans! They're monsters! Are you saying that these real societies are just like those disgusting monsters?"

No, they're not monsters. But you chose to design them as monsters, just as invaders have done for hundreds of years. Why would you do that? Why can you recognize any other caricature as evil and cruel, but not this?

This is how deep colonialism runs.

[allisonreader]

[inkskinned]

in the time loop the only way out is to leave her there but you don't ever leave her there, never in the roughly one thousand years you have been in the same day. it is probably like "50 first dates" but you haven't stooped so low as to watch "50 first dates" yet. (but who is to say what another thousand years of the same media will bring to you, maybe you will develop a new taste).

you spent about 200 of these years sulking in a bathtub or on the couch or staring at the seaside. 300 of them have been spent slowly mapping the geographical distance you can actually get before the time loop restarts. you have a list of favorite places: one library in Western Massachusetts called "The Bookmill", which has weird hours and has never raised an eyebrow to you arriving out-of-breath and panting, asking to see a specific book on a specific shelf. There is one beach without a name in North Carolina; it is an accident of geography and ownership title disputes - and it is pristine, untouched, warm and cozy. you've taken her on a lot of picnics there. Acadia National Park. One specific birdhouse in the mountains.

you were stuck in the time loop with the money you entered it with: not enough to rent a private jet. you've robbed a bank a few times, you don't like the way it ends. maybe next century you'll get the hang of it. you don't like the look on her face when you say hang on i have to stop at the bank.

you just have to leave her, and you can go back to being a person again. you took 5 years just catching a flight and sitting in the Grand Canyon. if there's one thing you regret more than anything, it's that you hadn't gotten your passport renewed before this fucking time loop. maybe you should spend some time learning forgery - but also, like, you look like an english teacher. nobody is going to be cool about you asking to see their paper printing machines.

the world is very big. that is one of the things groundhog day gets wrong. there are no consequences, so you have literally all the time (or none of the time?) in the world. in groundhog day, he does a lot of very cool things, but in reality - your muscle memory never gets better. you can't necessarily learn how to play piano or sculpt ice, because your hands never remember the practice. but hey - maybe you'll try violin next. drums. synth.

you can open any door and walk into any conversation. money isn't really an object. you can try every meal off every menu, forever. take her on helicopter tours and into every museum and on every event that is happening right-now at-this-moment. parades and funerals and calligraphy classes.

but you are somewhat trapped by the limitations of your body. if you were reading a book, you still need to get up and go back to the library and find that book again when the day resets. (thank god for the internet). it still takes like 2 hours to board a plane, and then takeoff and landing and traffic. you've gotten off to run around on the freeway. one of the little thankful things: since your brain isn't actually developing (it's a muscle too), the days thankfully don't feel shorter to you. that would be agony.

all you have to do to leave the timeloop is let that man get away with it. that's all. in every version of yourself - forever - you have stopped him.

the problem is that this experience has convinced you of the existence of the human soul. after all, how else are you forming memories? your very cells reset. information has to be transferred somehow. and if timeloops are real, you can convince yourself other magic exists. so you have two choices here: this hell, or the next. there might be a millennia where you have been worn down to the point you can accept fate's decision. this is just not one of them. ironically - she is the one thing you have left.

and besides! if you can't always find something new in your partner, aren't you failing them? there is something new about her, every day with the same morning. every brutal day with the same orange sunset.

after all, you wanted to live with her in heaven, in eternity, and, well - isn't this second-best.

[wiisagi-maiingan]

Again, I strongly encourage people to do research on how the Nazi party explicitly attacked modern art as being pointless and a threat to "Western civilization" as a way to discredit Jewish artists and any artist who spoke against the regime and to push them out of society. Modern artists lost their jobs, were ostracized by the art community, and the few pieces that were kept on display in museums were often targeted in fascist and antisemitic attacks.

This isn't a conspuracy theory, it's a very well recorded fact and it had a huge influence on the development of modern art and society's view of it. You can't separate the current hatred of modern art from its origins in fascism and trying to just inevitably means that you're going to end up falling into that mindset.

[dresshistorynerd]

So I got this tag on my answer to an ask about when it became acceptable for western women to wear pants, and you know it's all I need to go on a tangent.

I think the short answer here would be men have worn skirts as long as people have worn anything, so pretty long tbh. But since I am incapable of answering anything shortly, I think we can re-frame this question:

When did skirts stop being socially acceptable for men?

So let's start with acknowledging that tunics, togas, kirtles and such men wore through history were, in fact, skirts. I think there's often a tendency to think of these as very different garments from those that women wore, but really they are not. Most of the time they were literally referred to with the same name. (I will do a very broad and simplified overview of men's clothing from ancient times to Early Middle Ages so we can get to the point which is Late Middle Ages.)

Ancient Greek men and women both wore chitons. Even it's length wasn't determined by gender, but by occupation. Athletes, soldiers and slaves wore knee-length chitons for easier movement. Roman men and women wore very similar garment, tunics. Especially in earlier ancient Rome long sleeves were associated with women, but later became more popular and unconventional for men too. Length though was still dependent on occupation and class, not gender. Toga was sure men's clothing, but worn over tunic. It was wrapped around the waist, like a dress would, and then hung over shoulder. Romans did wear leggings when they needed to. For example for leg protection when hunting as in this mosaic from 4th century. They would have been mostly used by men since men would be doing the kinds of activities that would require them. But that does not lessen the dressyness of the tunics worn here. If a woman today wears leggings under her skirt, the skirt doesn't suddenly become not a skirt.

All over Europe thorough the early Middle Ages, the clothes were very similar in their basic shape and construction as in Rome and Greece. In Central and Northern Europe though people would wear pants under shorter tunics. There were exceptions to the everyone wearing a tunic trend. Celtic men wore braccae, which were pants, and short tunics and literally just shirts. Celts are the rare case, where I think we can say that men didn't wear dresses. Most other peoples in these colder areas wore at least knee-length tunics. Shorter tunics and trousers were worn again mostly by soldiers and slaves, so rarely any other woman than slave women. The trousers were though definitely trousers in Early Middle Ages. They were usually loose for easier construction and therefore not that similar to Roman leggings. However leggings style fitted pants were still used, especially by nobility. I'd say the loose trousers are a gray area. They wore both dresses and pants, but still definitely dresses. I'd say this style was very comparable to the 2000s miniskirts over jeans style. First one below is a reconstruction of Old Norse clothing by Danish history museum. The second is some celebrity from 2005. I see no difference.

When we get to the high Middle Ages tunics are still used by both men and women, and still it's length is dependent on class and activity more than gender, but there's some new developments too. Pants and skirt combo is fully out and leggings' are back in in form of hose. Hose were not in fact pants and calling them leggings is also misleading. Really they are socks. Or at least that's how they started. As it has become a trend here they were used by everyone, not just men. During early Middle Ages they were worn often with the trousers, sometimes the trousers tucked inside them making them baggy. In high Middle Ages they became very long when used with shorter tunics, fully displacing the need for trousers. They would be tied to the waist to keep them up, as they were not knitted (knitting was being invented in Egypt around this time, and some knitting was introduced to Europe during middle Ages, but it really only took off much later during Renaissance Era) and therefore not stretchy. First picture is an example of that from 1440s. Another exciting development in the High Medieval era was bliaut in France and it's sphere of influence. Bliaut was an early attempt in Europe of a fitted dress. And again used by both men and women. The second illustration below from mid 12th century shows a noble man wearing a bliaut and nicely showing off his leg covered in fitted hose. Bliaut was usually likely fitted with lacing on the sides, but it wasn't tailored (tailoring wasn't really a thing just yet) and so created a wrinkled effect around the torso.

In the 14th century things really picked up in European fashion. European kingdoms finally started to become richer and the rich started to have some extra money to put into clothing, so new trends started to pop up rapidly. Tailoring became a thing and clothes could be now cut to be very fitted, which gave birth to fitted kirtle. At the same time having extra money meant being able to spend extra money on more fabric and to create very voluminous clothing, which gave birth to the houppelande.

Kirtle was once again worn by everyone. It wasn't an undergarment, for women that would be shift and men shirt and breeches, but it was an underlayer. It could be worn in public but often had at least another layer on top of it. The bodice part, including sleeves were very fitted with lacing or buttons (though there were over-layer kirtles that had different sleeves that changed with fashions and would be usually worn over a fitted kirtle). Men's kirtles were short, earlier in 14th century knee-length but towards the end of the century even shorter styles became fashionable in some areas. First picture below shows a man with knee-length kirtle from 1450s Italy.

Houppelande was also unisex. It was a loose full-length overgown with a lot of fabric that was gathered on the neckline and could be worn belted or unbelted. The sleeves were also wide and became increasingly wider (for men and women) later in the century and into the next century. Shorter gowns similar in style and construction to the houppelande were also fashionable for men. Both of these styles are seen in the second picture below from late 14th century.

In the very end of 14th century, first signs of pantification of men can be seen. In France and it's sphere of influence the skirt part of the kirtle became so short it barely covered the breeches as seen below on these fashionable musicians from 1395-1400 France. Long houppelandes, length ranging from floor to calf, were still used by men though (the second picture, 1414 France), as were knee and thigh length gowns of similar loose style.

The hems continued to be short through the 15th century in France, but in other places like Italy and German sphere of influence, they were still fairly long, at least to mid thigh, through the first half of the century. In France at some point in late 13th century the very short under-kirtle started to be called doublet and they are just getting shorter in 1400s. The showing underwear problem was fixed by joined hose and the codpiece, signaling the entrance of The Sluttiest Era of men's fashion. Below is an example from 1450s Belgium of doublet and early codpiece in display. As you can see from the other figures, the overgowns of the previous century were also getting very, very short. In the next French example below from 1470s we can see the skirt shrink out of existence right before our eyes.

The very skimpy doublet and it's accompanying codpiece spread to the rest of the Europe in the second half of 15th century and it would only get sluttier from there. The Italians were just showing their full ass (example from 1490s). The dress was not gone yet though. The doublet and codpiece continued to be fashionable, but the overdress got longer again in the French area too. For example in the second example there's Italian soldiers in a knee length dresses from 1513.

But we have to talk about the Germans. They went absolutely mad with the whole doublet and codpiece. Just look at this 1513 painting below (first one). But they did not only do it sluttier than everyone else, they also changed the course of men's fashion.

Let's take a detour talking about the Landsknecht, the mercenary pikeman army of the Holy Roman Empire. (I'm not that knowledgeable in war history so take my war history explanation with a grain of salt.) Pikemen had recently become a formidable counter-unit against cavalry, which earlier in the Medieval Era had been the most important units. Knights were the professional highly trained cavalry, which the whole feudal system leaned against. On the other hand land units were usually not made of professional soldiers. Landsknecht were formed in late 15th century as a professional army of pikemen. They were skilled and highly organized, and quickly became a decisive force in European wars. Their military significance gave them a lot of power in the Holy Roman Empire, some were even given knighthood, which previously wasn't possible for land units, and interestingly for us they were exempt from sumptuary laws. Sumptuary laws controlled who could wear what. As the bourgeois became richer in Europe in late Middle Ages and Renaissance Era, laws were enacted to limit certain fabrics, colors and styles from those outside nobility, to uphold the hierarchy between rich bourgeois and the nobles. The Landsknecht, who were well payed mercenaries (they would mutiny, if they didn't get payed enough), went immediately absolute mad with the power to bypass sumptuary laws. Crimes against fashion (affectionate) were committed. What do you do, when you have extra money and one of your privileges is to wear every color and fabric? You wear every color and fabric. At the same time. You wear them on top of each other and so they can be seen at the same time, you slash the outer layer. In the second image you can feast your eyes on the Landsknecht.

Just to give you a little more of that good stuff, here's a selection of some of my favorite Landsknecht illustrations. This is the peak male performance. Look at those codpieces. Look at those bare legs. The tiny shorts. And savor them.

The Landsknecht were the hot shit. Their lavish and over the top influence quickly took over men's fashion in Germany in early 1500s. Slashing, the technique possibly started by them, but at least popularized by them, instantly spread all over Europe. That's how you get the typical Renaissance poof sleeves. They at first slashed the thighs of their hose, but it seems like to fit more of everything into their outfits, they started wearing the hose in two parts, upper hose and nether hose, which was a sort of return to the early Medieval trousers and knee-high hose style. The two part hose was adopted by the wider German men's fashion early in the century, but already in 1520s had spread to rest of Europe. It was first combined with the knee-length overdress that had made it's comeback in the turn of the century, like in this Italian painting from 1526 (first image). At this point knitting had become established and wide-spread craft in Europe and the stockings were born, replacing nether hose. They were basically nether hose, but from knitted fabric. The gown shortened again and turned into more of a jacket as the trunk hose became increasingly the centerpiece of the outfit, until in 1560s doublet - trunk hose combination emerged as the standard outerwear (as seen in the second example, 1569 Netherlands) putting the last nail on the coffin of the men's dress as well as the Sluttiest Era. The hose and doublet became profoundly un-slutty and un-horny, especially when the solemn Spanish influence spread all over with it's dark and muted colors.

Especially in Middle Ages, but thorough European history, trousers have been associated with soldiers. The largely accepted theory is that trousers were invented for horse riding, but in climates with cold winters, where short skirts are too cold, and long skirts are still a hazard when moving around, trousers (with or without a short skirt) are convenient for all kinds of other movement requiring activities like war. So by adopting hose as general men's clothing, men in 1500s associated masculinity with militarism. It was not a coincidence that the style came from Landsknecht. I may have been joking about them being "peak male performance", but really they were the new masculine ideals for the new age. At the time capitalism was taking form and European great powers had begun the process of violently conquering the world for money, so it's not surprising that the men, who fought for money and became rich and powerful doing so, were idealised.

Because of capitalism and increasingly centralized power, the feudal system was crumbling and with it the feudal social hierarchy. Capitalism shifted the wealth from land ownership (which feudal nobility was built upon) to capital and trade, deteriorating the hierarchy based on land. At the same time Reformation and centralized secular powers were weakening the power of the Church, wavering also the hierarchy justified by godly ordain. The ruling class was not about to give up their power, so a new social hierarchy needed to form. Through colonialism the concept of race was created and the new hierarchy was drawn from racial, gender and wealth lines. It was a long process, but it started in 1500s, and the increasing distinction between men's and women's fashions was part of drawing those lines. At the same time distinctions between white men and racialized men, as well as white women and racialized women were drawn. As in Europe up until this point, all over the world (with some exceptions) skirts were used by everyone. So when European men fully adopted the trousers, and trousers, as well as their association to military, were equated with masculinity, part of it was to emasculate racialized men, to draw distinctions.

Surprise, it was colonialism all along! Honestly if there's a societal or cultural change after Middle Ages, a good guess for the reason behind it is always colonialism. It won't be right every time, but quite a lot of times. Trousers as a concept is of course not related to colonialism, but the idea that trousers equal masculinity and especially the idea that skirts equal femininity are. So I guess decolonize masculinity by wearing skirts?

[deliciousangelfestival]

His Silly Princess | Bucky (Oneshot)

Character: Bodyguard!Bucky Barnes x Princess!Reader

Words Count: 1,671

Summary: A modern royal love story. A naive princess who wants to get away from an arranged marriage. She never knew that her guard had loved her since the beginning. 

Main Masterlist || support me: Ko-fi

Thank you to anyone who gave a like, reblog, and left a comment. It motivated me to write more. 

Zylovia is a country where monarchy still exists. It’s a developed country located near Western Europe. 

It’s a prosperous country, and the number of unemployed is also the lowest. Tourists love coming here for the casino, race car, and music festival. 

But this country has one outdated rule. It didn’t apply to the citizens. Only for the royal family. 

“If the female royal member marries a commoner, she will lose her status."

You learned that rule when you were 12 years old as the youngest siblings and Princess Zylovia. You didn't put a deep thought into it. 

But now, when you are almost 30 years old, and your older siblings are already married, you think this is good for you.

Because you realize you’re not fit to do the duty as a princess. 

Your oldest brother has prepared since he was a kid to be the king. When he reaches the age of 40, he will be crowned as the king. Your second brother will be the second commander in the military. 

While you have a job as a painting conservator at the museum, your duty as a princess is to welcome the official foreign guest at the castle. You learned some languages, but you’re not allowed to give any opinion on politics.

You don’t hate being a royal, but sometimes you feel like living in a golden cage. 

And finally, you had enough because, on your recent birthday, your parents talked to you about marriage. 

The king and queen don’t want to be separated from their youngest daughter, but they hint that they wish for her future husband from the royal circle. In other words: arranged marriage. 

You clenched your jaw while smiling at your parents. If the man from the royal circle is a real gentleman, you wouldn’t mind. 

But the problem is, please pardon the harsh language; none of the men from the royal family are your type. 

Your type of man must have a stable job, look good in suits, and have a nice body. 

That’s why, for a couple of days, you’ve made a list of potential future husbands. After you write it, you realize most of the men are from the knights. Perhaps because you always went to meet your second brother at the military training ground, so you know some people. 

Steve Rogers

[Friendly, not married, nerd, loves to paint like me]

Ari Levinson 

[Funny, beautiful hair, handsome]

‘Knock, knock!’ Suddenly, someone knocked on your door.

“Come in.”

You didn’t have to turn around to see who it was. You have known him for years, and your ears are familiar with the sound of his footsteps. 

The person who walked into your room has been your exclusive bodyguard for years - James Barnes, but you always call him Bucky his nickname. 

Bucky is a commoner and an elite soldier. If there’s a shooting competition, he will be in the top three. Your second brother always hates him. 

He has received many medals of honors, but he rejects a knight title from your father. You don’t understand why he declined the offer. If he received it, he could enter politics, and he doesn’t have to follow her around anymore. 

He’s tall, handsome, with perfect blue eyes and has fine muscles on his body. Bucky also has a primarily female fanbase when he wears the military uniform and rides a horse at the independence ceremony. 

He became a celebrity overnight.

But you have never seen or heard any rumor about him with a woman. 

“Your highness, in two hours you are going to attend the tennis tournament.” 

You dropped the pen and dropped your head to the table. “Urgh. Do I have to?”

Bucky chuckled when he saw you unwilling to go. One thing you hate about your duty is to be the guest at the tennis game. You prefer to watch the race car, but it's reserved for your brother's. 

Even though you didn’t want to go, you still dragged your feet to the dressing room to grab your coat. 

When you were searching for the right outfit, you suddenly remembered. “Oh no!” You didn’t hide the potential list that you just wrote. You wish you could dig your own grave and disappear. 

And you were right; Bucky saw your writing. He furrowed his eyebrows while he read your paper. “What’s this? Potential man for marriage?”

You stand beside him; you don’t know why you feel scared. This is the first time you have seen him like this. 

His slender, pointed fingers scratched the two names with his nails. There’s a big X on your paper. 

“Don’t marry any of those men.”

“Why?”

A small smile appeared on his lips, along with a soft voice, “Steve hasn’t moved on from his last girlfriend, and Ari, he loves to drink alcohol. I know you hate the smell of alcohol.”

You felt disappointed; you crumpled the paper and threw it into the trash.

“Marriage? Why all of a sudden?” There's an annoyed tone in his voice.

You rubbed your head and muttered, “I need to get married sooner, or my parents will arrange marriage for me, their friend's kid. And you know the truth, I had enough of being a princess.”

Bucky crossed his arms. “But, why them?”

“What?”

He clenched his fist; Bucky stared at her with an annoyed expression. “Why didn't you put me on the list?”

“....”

You waved your hand. “It doesn’t matter, as long as I got married.”

“So, would you like to marry me?”

Are you having hallucinations? Did Bucky just propose to you?

Bucky got on his knees. “Let’s get married.”

You still haven’t come to your senses. Bucky started talking again. “Think about it. Both of us have known each other for a long time. We’ve known each other's likes and dislikes. We’ve been through many things together.”

He’s right. He’s the safest choice if you want to marry someone. You shrugged your shoulders and accepted his hand. “Alright.”

Bucky's beautiful smile appeared on his face. Before he shook your hand, he felt you slightly pull his hand. When you saw him smile, your heart raced. “But, if in the end, we don’t like each other, please wait after three years, then we could get a divorce.”

Bucky chuckled; his attractiveness is not just in his physical appearance but also in his ability to manage his emotions gracefully and restraintfully. He leaned closer to you, and his hands gently grabbed your chin. 

As his calloused hand touched your skin, a subtle warmth spread on your cheeks. You could feel you're blushing. “Silly girl, it will never happen.”

#######

[Bucky P.O.V]

Then he rests your arms on his. “Then you have the excuse to skip the tournament.”

“Hmm?”

“We should inform this first to His Majesty and Her Majesty.”

“Oh, right.” You nodded, then looked straight into his blue eyes again. “This soon?”

********

When both of you walk through the hallway to meet the King and Queen, Bucky tries his best to calm down. He almost lost his common sense when he saw you write another man's name, and there’s a word of ‘potential husband.’

He looks at you and thinks ‘his silly princesses didn’t realize his feelings for her.’ 

Didn’t she know he declined the offer to be a knight so he could be her guard?

If he became a knight, he would work with her second brother. That’s the last thing he wants to do. 

“So, Bucky, don’t worry about money. When I resign as a princess, the kingdom will give us money.”

Bucky chuckled, seeing his sweet princess worried about their future, “That’s so sweet of you. But you don’t need to worry about that.” He gently patted her arms. He wants to tell you that he owns the famous casino in this kingdom and 5-star hotel chains in a few countries.

When both of you are married, Bucky will ensure you don’t have to work anymore. He is pretty sure that her parents will give their blessings even though he’s a commoner (and he’s super rich). The royal family has outdated rules, but because of it, he could marry you. 

Both of you arrived at the king's office room. The guards bowed their heads to greet you. Then you said, “Princesses Y/N and her guard. Wait… and her future husband, James Barnes wants to meet the king.”

The guards and the butler who opened the door lost their composure. They should have known from your body language walking here together hand in hand when usually Bucky always stands behind you. 

This news is shocking compared to the crown prince, who got caught partying too hard and the second prince, who had a messy love life before he got married. 

It seems like your father, the King, hears your voice. Before the castle butler tells him, you hear the gentle voice, “Come in.”

########

[2 years later]

<Former Princess of Zylovia Y/N, blessed with male twins>

It's the biggest headline in the country after you gave birth. You feel overwhelmed; you can't believe that you're parents now. 

The King and Queen hold your oldest son, while Bucky has the youngest son in his arms. 

Bucky's eyes are full of love, looking both at his sons. He was almost scared to death since you gave birth one month early. But the doctor assured both of you this is normal since you're pregnant with twins. 

Even though you're not a princess, you're still surrounded by your family. 

And Bucky still treats you like a princess. You almost lost your mind when he told you his business, which turned into your parents, and your brothers already know it, too. 

You want to knock your head; you didn't even know Bucky's business helped increase the country's GDP. 

Everyone said Bucky was the lucky guy to marry the former princess, but they were wrong. It's you who is lucky to marry him.

-End-

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[chinesehanfu]

[Hanfu · 漢服]Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 A.D.) Hanfu-Military Officials Hanfu Based On Han Dynasty Relics

【Historical Reference Artifacts】:

Refer to the picture below to distinguish between 【civil officials(Black)】 and 【military officials(Red)】 in the Eastern Han Dynasty

Civil Officials[Black]:Murals from the Zhucun tomb in Luoyang, Henan/ 東漢晚期河南洛陽朱村墓室壁畫

For information about Eastern Han Dynasty civil servants, please refer to the following link: https://chinesehanfu.tumblr.com/post/718472603917025280/reference-artifacts-chinese-western-han

Military Officials[Red]:Portrait bricks in Beizhai, Yinan, Shandong/山東沂南北寨東漢畫像磚

Eastern Han Dynasty- Stone figure holding a shield in the pavilion,Beijing Stone Carving Museum.

【History Note】

【武弁大冠Wubian Daguan/Military Officials Crown】

Also known as Wu Guan, He Guan, 鶡冠，鶡（pronounce：hé） is a warrior crown with "tail-feather of a brown longtailed pheasant". It was the crown of warriors from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties. During the development process, the shape of the crown changed with different periods.

※鶡（pronounce：hé）：Crossoptilon mantchuricum,a bird that resembles a pheasant and is good at fighting,is one of the rare endemic animals of China

A military officials crown was unearthed from Xinmang Tomb No. 62, Mozuizi, Wuwei, Gansu Province. The crown was wrapped with thin bamboo tendons, supported by a bamboo ring on the top of the head, and lined with a bow. It is a complete example of what a military officials wore.

________________

🙋‍♂️Model & Recreation Work：@柿子菌stargazer

📸Photo： @张宇莹-小花

🎨Illustration Artist:@白人阿又

🔗Weibo：https://weibo.com/1812652835/NtJb89gIi

________________

[kingkenzieofmold]

The Jewelled Maverick AU: ‘Pink Starlight’ Ashley Jang

Hi, I have a habit of yoinking other peoples characters and making them into Alternate Versions of themselves. I have created many and have gotten the green light to show off and talk about! This is my Role Swap AU that I made with @mai-mai-lim characters! Ashley Jang and Henry Stickmin [Min Seung-Jae] have Swapped Roles.

Mentioned Characters belong to Respective Creators: Brutus - @smoresthehalloweenqueen Cameron Copperbottom - @rarestdoge

Ashley went on to be a Dazzling Thief Named ‘Pink Starlight’ or ‘Starlight’. She failed at breaking into the bank and was arrested. It took her too long to pick pocket a guard of a phone but she eventually lawyer up!

She heard about the diamond and was not about to fail again. looking into it she discovered the Toppats Plans to steal it and executed the plans before they could. Successfully stealing the diamond and picking up a Mary Popins bag from the museum old movies section.

The government impressed kidnapped her to inflate the airship. Offering her to pardon of her crimes, which is rude cause she worked hard on her criminal record and instead asked them to add more crimes after she done. She gets onto the airship pure blood thief and private Investigator style, heading to the records room she meets Brutus and they have awkward moment. Ashley disguised as a Toppat gets Brutus to help her find a file on the newest heist. He does and she has her file for Galeforce.

Eventually she makes her way to the cells which lead to the vault room. As she wants to rob the Toppat of their Ruby on top of their files. She kidnaps Dave by lock picking his cell and making him get into her Mary Popin’s bag of holding. Fiddling with the door, she can’t get it open and ops for the vents.

She in counters Cameron on the way and after some convincing they head to the vault. Cameron who is really suspicious of her is ready for if she try’s anything. Ashley tricks him and lipstick tasers him, yoinking the ruby making a get away. You see, Ashely did grab the headset for PI. She just never put it on but now in the dark photo room she does. Charles is asking and Galeforce is demanding what’s happening she explains that she needs a distraction and ask if Charles can hack into speaker.

He can and so she makes her move. Heading to the Cargo bay she encounters Cameron again pissed the fuck off and ready to kill her. Speaker hacked they end up in a Friday Night Funkin’ inspired battle. Ashley ends up winning and dipping out of the cargo bay doors. The files she grab were not the correct ones but she did kidnap Dave and handed him over to the government as a witness.

Of course the add crimes made her a prime Wall target and she gets captured by them. Without her bag she has no way of getting out just yet.

In the background between Infiltrating the Airship and Fleeing the Complex both Ashley and Cameron developed a rivalry to have as many articles written about them in comparison to the other. They are determine to be the better thief and have been creating elaborate heists. Sabotage each other’s heists and Cameron has been trying to learn ‘Pink Starlights’ Identity as he doesn’t know it yet.

When Ashley is captured by the Wall it is posted all over the News ruining Camerons mood, so he spends a week planing a heist to break into the wall and Rescue all the Toppats there. Brutus has to convince him not to bust in and they sneak into the facility. They get to the control panel of all the cells and Cameron being impatient key smashes the panel, freeing everyone including Ashely.

Running out of her cell she find the room where her bag is being stored and cartoon style climbs in and charges into her normal thief outfit. Running to the exit she is in a western face off against Cameron and the Toppats. About to have a face off, to which Brutus interrupts and yells at them that they have to do that later cause the Wall is about to be on their asses. Ashley and Cameron give each other the ‘I get you next time’ look before awkwardly exited out the same doors.

The Toppats make their escape towards there stole truck before Brutus gets grabbed by Dimitri, Cameron flipping off Dimitri distracts him and they get away. Cameron about to enter the trucks get pulled out by Dimitri, who is pissed the fuck off by Cameron. Ashely seeing this is not letting it slide and drives up on the motorbike slamming Dimitri with a roundabout sign. Silence before Ashely and Camron start arguing again before Brutus grabs him again and forces him into the truck. Ashley drives out to the small bar and ask Charles for a pick up leading us into Completing the Mission.

The space station launch site is a battle felid when Charles and Ashely arrive. Fighting their way through the chaos they mange to make it to the Space Station just as Cameron Launches it into the air. Managing to grab hook her way onto the cargo bay she climbs in. Charles yelling into her ear that she is going to high altitude and to abort mission looking into the cargo bay determined. She see him.

Seung-Jae, her cousin, who she has not talked to for nine years.

“Ashley?” He whispered unsure whether it’s her or not.

“actually, its Starlight now.” Smiling she jumps from the cargo bay doors pulling out an umbrella and floating down grabbing onto Charles Helicopter rails. Upon Climbing in Charles asks her what happened and she smiles a wide sly grin.

“meet an old acquaintance again.”

On the cargo bay Seung-Jae is stunned not expecting to see his cousin after everything. Brutus in the background looks startled at the realization that Henry Stickmin Knows who ‘Starlight’ actually is. This changes everything.

I hoped you enjoyed my little role swap AU I made from my friend’s characters. I have some more but want to wait to ensure I get the green light on them! I had to leave out a lot of details, as this was meant to be a synopsis. Still ended up way too long so if you made it this far… Hi! I wish you a wonderful day and hope you enjoyed!<3

Any further questions ask maimai please!

Bonus Art

✨Sly Starlight Emote✨

[calabria-mediterranea]

Occitan is still spoken in Southern Italy's Calabria

Blessed with one of the most beautiful languages, Italy is also home to a plethora of linguistic minorities, twelve to be precise, across fourteen regions, with almost three million speakers. The Occitan linguistic minority of the Alpine valleys of Northern Italy's Piedmont and Liguria is probably one of the most well known, also because of the importance the language had in the history of European culture and literature: the Langue d’Oc and its poetry inspired the troubadours of Provence, in Southern France. In those days, Occitan was spoken in the South of France, from the Atlantic to the Alps, but today only small pockets of Occitan-speaking people exists, mostly across the Alpine valleys of France, Liguria, Piedmont and in thr town Guardia Piemontese, in Southern Italy's Calabria. 

How did Occitan speaking people end up from the mountains of Northern Italy to the southernmost region of the Italian peninsula?

It’s a long story, one that brings us back to the 13th century, to a religious minority called Waldensians and to the fact Calabria is known for being a welcoming land for all those seeking refuge, from Greeks to Albanians and Jews.

The Waldensian movement had developed in the Cottian Alps between France and Northern Italy towards the end of the 12th century, most likely thanks to the contributions of Peter Waldo (from whom the movement took its name). Waldensians lived a life of asceticism and poverty, but some of their more extreme views — lack of faith in transubstantiation and having associated the Catholic church with the “harlot of the Apocalypse” — turned them into religious pariah and victims of persecution across Europe.

A considerable group of Waldensians moved to Calabria in the 13th century to escape persecution in Northern Italy and the land of Calabria proved to be a blessing, because its fertile soil allowed the development of a prosperous community.

Guardia Piemontese is a town on the Western coast of Northern Calabria.

The date of Guardia's foundation is unknown, and the name of the place has changed several times in history. "Guardia" means watch or lookout, and this name is probably related to a lookout tower built in the 11th century. Such lookout towers were built to warn against Arab pirates, then called Saracens, ravaging the coast.

For the first century, the community of Guardia cohabited peacefully with their Catholic neighbors, but things tragically changed when the Waldensians decided to join the Protestant Reform: then, they became the enemy and victims of a religious persecution that was to obliterate them in the early summer of 1561. Those tragic events are still remembered today in Guardia Piemontese, thanks to a monument called La Porta del Sangue, (the Gate of blood), a memento to the violence that killed so many and forced many others to conversion.

Despite the suppression of their religion, the people of Guardia, or La Gàrdia, as they call it, have continued to use their distinct Occitan dialect, Gardiòl. Not surprisingly, it has been influenced by the speech of their neighbours in Calabria. For example, Gardiòl has adopted the use of retroflex consonants, common in Sicily and southern Italy.

The traditions that the Waldensians brought from Piedmont to Calabria, such as the Occitan language and certain customs, have survived over the centuries right through to the present day.

In 1863 the name Guardia was changed to Guardia Piemontese, to honor the geographical origins of the Waldensians.

On 5 June 2011, 450 years after the massacre in Guardia, the Waldensian Church opened a museum and cultural centre in the town. The museums tells the story of how the Waldensians arrived all the way in Calabria and preserves agricultural tools, the traditional clothing of Guardia Piemontese, made with a particular yarn of broom and the famous hurdy gurdy, an French instrument of medieval origins. In the Occitan valleys in Italy, the hurdy-gurdy was the traveling companion of buskers.

The Waldensian Church and the municipal authorities now collaborate closely in cultural affairs. Numerous ecumenical events have been planned together with the local Catholic community to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Follow us on Instagram, @calabria_mediterranea

[eretzyisrael]

The US Holocaust Museum's article on the mobile killing units, the Einsatzgruppen who murdered up to two million Jews, describes how the shootings morphed into the initial gassings: "The mass shootings were resource-intensive, requiring many shooters and escort guards as well as guns, ammunition, and transport. Concerns about the inefficiency of the shootings and their psychological impact on the shooters led to the development of special vans outfitted with engines that pumped carbon monoxide into sealed passenger compartments. " 

The only psychological impact we have seen in the Arab world to the deliberate slaughter of hundreds of innocent Jews in a single day is an overflow of happiness and glee.

The German people and other antisemites in Eastern Europe who enabled the Holocaust with their centuries-old hate of Jews were not, on the whole, gleeful about the killings (unless they could directly profit by stealing the Jews' possessions.)  They looked at murdering Jewish children the same way they looked at someone exterminating rats and mosquitoes - a dirty but necessary job. The gas chambers murdered the Jews while protecting the ":civilized" Germans from having to witness their deaths. 

The Arabs, on the other hand, revel in trading videos of dead Jews like baseball cards.

Germans didn't hand out sweets on the street corners for every dead Jew. The Palestinians do - and not one of them says publicly how disgusting this is.

The Palestinians aren't embarrassed at their glee. Much of the larger Arab world is gleeful as well. People have rightly noted that Simchat Torah was Israel's 9/11 - but this is not only true from the victims' side but from the attackers' side as well. The same spontaneous celebrations that broke out in Arab capitals on September 11, 2001 are being seen from Muslims living in Western capitals, today, because so many Jews were slaughtered. As I noted earlier today, one Al Jazeera columnist said that the entire Muslim world was celebrating, saying the massacre and rapes "inspired hope in the hearts of the Palestinians at home and abroad, and in the hearts of the Arab and Islamic peoples, in an unprecedented way."

Palestinians will be writing poems and songs celebrating their murder of Jews for years and decades to come.

[fatehbaz]

While sugarcane has defined Caribbean islands since the onset of European settler colonization, a little-known African species, guinea grass, has invaded sugar plantations from within. Cultivated to intensify sugar production, guinea grass ironically became a weed of the plantations while providing material and spiritual resources to enslaved and marooned Africans and their descendants. [...]

While sugarcane was imported from Austronesia, guinea grass hails from the western coast of Africa. Sugar was the principal crop of many Caribbean plantations; guinea grass was imported as fodder for the oxen that labored in the fields and for the cattle that fed the planters. [...]. A 1707 account by Hans Sloane, whose collections would form the core of the British Museum, describes the grass (then known as “Scotch grass”) as widespread in Barbados and Jamaica [...].

The imported grass was celebrated by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century planters for its high grazing quality. Bryan Edwards sang its praises in Jamaica, writing that it may be considered as next to the sugar-cane, in point of importance; as most of the grazing and breeding farms or pens throughout the island were originally created, and are still supported, chiefly by means of this invaluable herbage. For Edwards, guinea grass had an almost equal status to sugar cane because it could feed “the plenty of horned cattle both for the butcher and planter.” [...] By 1786, the African grass had become naturalized in Guadeloupe, and, by 1813, it had reached Mississippi, writes Parsons. It spread widely throughout Central and South America [...].

Indeed, one observer in New Granada (modern-day Colombia) was so enthusiastic as to argue that whoever had introduced the plant deserved a statue “as high as New York’s Statue of Liberty” [...].

In Cuba, the grass appears in an 1816 report of José Antonio de la Ossa, the first director of the Botanical Garden of Havana, who wrote: “It is an abundant and convenient pasture grass, because it multiplies its stalks in the same way as Sugar cane[.]” 

Like Sloane and Edwards, Ossa compares guinea grass to sugarcane. The two foreign grasses seemed to them similar in morphology and function, because they both [...] promoted the economic development of the islands’ cash crop societies. [...] While sugar was introduced to Cuba long before guinea grass, it was guinea grass that allowed for the intensification of Cuban sugar cultivation with large herds of oxen.

---

Yet something strange happened in the history of this ostensibly symbiotic relationship. 

Although guinea grass was meant to support the sugar economy by feeding its beasts of burden, ironically, it became a virulent weed to the sugarcane plants. By 1977, guinea grass was rated the number one weed to sugarcane in Cuba. In 2012, the journal of the National Botanical Garden of Cuba (Revista del Jardín Botánico Nacional) listed it as [...] an invasive species of greatest concern. In this way, the two imported grasses became stalky antagonists in the daily competition for light, water, and soil nutrients.

Their cultural meanings, however, had long since diverged. If sugarcane supported the economic interests of European planters, guinea grass was appropriated by enslaved and marooned Africans across the Caribbean for practical and religious purposes. 

Diasporic Africans in the Virgin Islands used the dried grass to make masquerade costumes for Carnival and other festivals. In Cuba, priests used it to make omiero, [...] of the Afro-Cuban Reglá de Ochá religion. 

Moreover, some of the enslaved canecutters used an ancestral West African technique to thatch their mud huts with guinea grass. [...] In fact, the famed maroon Esteban Montejo described using this method of thatching during his escape from a Cuban sugar plantation in the late nineteenth century: [...] I had never left the plantation before. I walked uphill, downhill, in every direction. [...] My feet were blistered and my hands were swollen and festering. I camped under a tree. I made myself a shelter of guinea grass in a few hours and I stayed there four or five days. [...]

Guinea grass has continued to take on new meanings for Caribbean writers in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In Alejandro Aguilar’s 1997 short story “Landscape of Clay,” [...] [t]he untamed grass, like the cadets’ expressions of sexuality, subverts the rigid structure of the institution.  Likewise, the storyteller in the 2002 play In the Time of the Revolution by the Guadeloupean writer Maryse Condé bemoans the fact that “people’s dreams are not made to grow freely like guinea grass on the banks and highways. Some people try to pull them up, to mow them down, to dry them out, to burn them and see them go up in smoke.” [...] In undermining the economic ambitions of the plantation system, guinea grass has come to represent acts of subversion [...].

---

All text above by: Hannah Rachel Cole. “Plant of the Month: Guinea Grass.” JSTOR Daily. 1 December 2022. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

hi fellow bsd enthusiast ? in the most respectful way possible because i don't know how to start this normally

would you like to help an artist out of an art block? just a small personal project.

if so, what flowers do you consider most suitable for your favorite bsd characters?

based on your own preferences. for example: flower symbolism, colors, scenarios you've been thinking about , or from said character's backstory ( or general development ).

though i'd like you to explain if it's a little complicated so i can capture it accurately.

if i manage to finish it, i'll be sure to give credit.

if you're ok with it, thank you. if you aren't, feel free to ignore this ask.

Hello hello! I'd love to help if I can!

Ahaha you know anon I regularly check out flower meanings and stuff like that so this was really fun. I did a selection of characters for you to pick and choose from if you'd like (ones who are on the brain right now) but if this list doesn't include a character you really love and want to draw, then please leave a comment here or send another ask and I'll pick a flower for that character too!

I'm using a mix of hanakotoba and western meanings here.

Yosano - Red Spider Lily (death, abandonment, never to meet again, but can also be a sign that celebration will soon occur - Yosano is drawn with these flowers on the cover of the volume containing her backstory... the number has escaped me sorry. You could also give her the Red Poppy for the wartime connotation if you want extra pain.)

Aya - Black Eyed Susan (the flower of justice! also it's bright and cheery and I thought they suited her)

Wells - Begonia (they are a sign to take caution or warning, much like Wells is a similar sign - they are also associated with deep thought, something that suits her intellectual nature)

Atsushi - Hibiscus (there's a lot I could do for Atsushi but I like this one - these flowers represent a person who is gentle, welcoming and friendly, which reminded me of the way he is usually the one to reach out to people who remind him of his younger self and "welcome" them into a new chapter of their lives)

Kyouka - Violet (I am unsure what the flowers are in her hair exactly, and while Kyouka loves hydrangeas the meaning doesn't apply to her - I picked violets as they mean honesty, watchfulness and loyalty, things that apply to her quite well, but also because the Japanese word for violet is "sumire"... which is the same name as her seiyuu :D)

Akutagawa - Hydrangea (oof this was a hard one. These flowers have wildly contrasting meanings, ranging from pride, to gratitude for being understood, to a cold person. All of which I feel represents him fairly well. Their flowers can also change colour depending on the pH of the soil in which they were planted - something that calls to mind Akutagawa's differing paths in canon vs beast depending on where he was "planted".)

Higuchi - Yellow Tulip (one-sided love. rip girl. can also mean sunshine-smile and a trustworthy person though so it's still sweet and suits her character.)

Mushitarou - Aloe (Associated with grief and affection, but outwardly it looks spiky and rather unfriendly (well I suppose. I think aloe plants are cute personally). Has a nice green colour and is cultivated and used for all sorts of practical purposes, much like Mushitarou is constantly being captured and sought after for the use of his ability. Sorry lol)

Jouno - Dahlia (another tricky one... dahlias can have negative meanings such as dishonesty and instability, but largely the positive ones overtake that - being symbols of positive change, dignity, and inner strength. They can also symbolize having good taste, something I'm sure he believes he has, at least over Tecchou lol)

Chuuya - Peach Blossom (I could've gone the official skk route and said red camellia... but I like the meaning of momohana much better for Chuuya, and it's also the flower people send to the real poet's museum - I believe he liked them. They represent the transience of life and the importance of every moment. They begin to grow in winter and bloom in the spring - symbolizing the transition from hardship to growth. They are also apparently considered somewhat protective against evil spirits, which fits well into his role as protector)

Teruko - Larkspur (symbolizes commitment to responsibility and duty, as well as pride and the capacity to face challenges directly. They can also be used to symbolize youth as well as remembrance - which I think captures that age ability she has. Once we learn more about her I might be able to find a better flower, but I wanted this to go by what we know so far, not my own headcanons about her for which I have several).

Nikolai - Strelitzia (Meaning joy, freedom and immortality, also known as the Bird of Paradise flower. It's a very striking and unusual looking flower that I'm sure Nikolai would enjoy. I had wanted to give him a flower that's important symbolically in Ukraine, but I didn't feel the meanings of the ones I found made a lot of sense... unless you'd like to get ironic with it and give him the Mallow, which symbolizes love and attachment for family, homeland and potentially a lover - like the way he has yet to fully break free from these tethers, hard as he tries)

I have images for reference here and here. I hope this helps!

[tokidokitokyo]

福島県

Japanese Prefectures: Tohoku - Fukushima

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

福　フク　blessing, fortune

島　しま、トウ　island

県　ケン　prefecture

東北　とうほく　north-east, Tohoku (northernmost six prefectures of Honshu)

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Fukushima (福島市)

Fukushima is the third largest prefecture of the 47 prefectures of Japan and stretches between the mountainous interior of Northern Honshu to the Pacific Ocean. Like most of the other Tohoku prefectures, Fukushima boasts expansive natural beauty, relaxing hot springs, a rich history, and excellent ski resorts. The feudal Aizu Clan, of the still-standing castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu, remained loyal to the shogun, even after the shogun was removed from power during the Meiji Restoration. This loyalty led to the Aizu area becoming a battleground of the Boshin War in 1868, where those loyal to the shogun were pushed northwards into Tohoku and Hokkaido as they resisted the reformers and those loyal to the emperor. The Aizu area boasts the post town of Ouchijuku, with buildings retained from the samurai era; Tsuruga Castle; hot springs; and a famous sake brewery.

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami devastated the coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture and caused a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. Tens of thousands of residents were evacuated and a no-entry zone was set up around the nuclear plant. The no-entry zone makes up less than 3% of the prefecture's area, and even inside most of the no-entry zone, radiation levels have declined far below the levels that airplane passengers are exposed to at cruising altitude. Thus Fukushima has been deemed safe for tourists to visit. Wide areas of western Fukushima, in particular, escaped much contamination, including the mountainous interior around the historic city of Aizu-Wakamatsu. And even in most of the eastern parts of the prefecture, radiation levels have by now decreased to pre-2011 levels due to natural decay and decontamination efforts.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット

Ouchijuku - 大内宿

Photo by JR Times

If you want a taste of Edo Period Japan, Ouchijuku is the place for you. This is a former post town along the Aizu-Nishi Kaido trade route, which connected the centers of Aizu (a former castle town to the north in Fukushima) and Nikko (to the south in Tochigi prefecture) during the Edo Period. Restrictions set by the shogunate required travelers to make the journey on foot, and thus post towns such as Ouchijuku developed along the route to provide food, accommodation, and rest. Ouchijuku has been restored to look as it did in the Edo Period, with thatched roof buildings that house a variety of shops, restaurants, and minshuku (small traditional Japanese inns).

The former Honjin, or principal inn for high ranking government officials, is currently a museum, offering an example of elegant traditional housing interiors of the Edo Period and includes a collection of dishes, clothing, and other artifacts.

The Takakura Shrine is a five minute walk off the main path and hosts a unique purification fountain in the midst of a stand of Japanese cedar trees, and was dedicated to Prince Mochihito, who died in June 1180. Near the beginning of the Genpei War (1180-1185) during the Battle of Uji, the prince fled to the Phoenix Hall of the Byōdō-in temple, where he was later captured and killed at the torii gate of Kōmyōsan. It was said that he managed to escape, and hid in Ouchijuku.

Shohoji Temple is located at the end of the main street and up a steep flight of stairs. At the top of the path visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Ouchijuku and its surroundings.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理

Kitakata Ramen - 喜多方ラーメン

Photo by JR Times

Kitakata ramen is a gourmet specialty from Kitakata, Fukushima prefecture. The origin of these noodles is said to be from Chinese noodles sold in stalls by young people who had come from China from 1920-1930. The noodles are thick and flat with a firm appearance and texture and a relatively high moisture level. The soup is a soy base, with flavors varying depending on the shop, from miso to salt. To determine where to eat, there is a Ramen Map located at the tourist information center in Kitakata.

The popular Kitakata Ramen Burger is made from baked and hardened noodles together with pork, menma, and green onions. Kitakata is also known for its unique culture of eating ramen early in the morning. People who started work very early in the morning at sake breweries and on farms would eat ramen early in the morning, and thus the habit began. "Morning ramen" is available at many shops in the area.

Fukushima Dialect・Fukushima-ben・福島弁

Fukushima-ben or the dialect of Fukushima is similar in some ways to the other Tohoku (or North-East Japan) dialects, but also has some key differences. Here are some interesting phrases I found.

洗濯物をおっこむ (sentakumono o okkomu)

Standard Japanese: 洗濯物を取り込む (sentakumono o torikomu) English: to take in the laundry

ぶっちめた (bucchimeta)

Standard Japanese: ぶつけた (butsuketa) English: to hit (e.g. one's head)

すっぺったこっぺった (suppetta koppetta)

Standard Japanese: ごちゃごちゃ言うな (gocha gocha iu na) English: don't complain about it

うっちしい (ucchishii)

Standard Japanese: うるさい (urusai) English: noisy, annoying

[satoshi-mochida]

Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case Files coming west in Q1 2024 - Gematsu

Gematsu Source

Nicalis will release point-and-click adventure game collection Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case Files for Switch in Q1 2024 in the west, the publisher announced. It will be available both physically and digitally.

Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case Files first launched for Switch on October 6, 2022 in Japan. It includes all three mainline Touch Detective games, plus two bonus scenarios and an extensive in-game gallery with over 500 images of rare artwork, development, sketches, and comic strips. The western localization marks the first time that Touch Detective 3 will be localized and officially released in English.

Here is an overview of the collection, via Nicalis:

About

This jam-packed adventure-game collection features Touch Detective 3, the biggest and best adventure of junior detective Mackenzie and her faithful sidekick Funghi, playable in English for the first time. With the arrival in town of the highly competitive detective Norman Touche, the pressure’s on Mackenzie to solve cases before her rival does! Touch Detective 3 + The Complete Case Files also includes the entire original Touch Detective and Touch Detective 2½ games, plus two bonus cases starring Funghi, and an extensive museum of artwork and music from the entire Touch Detective series. Help Mackenzie and her friends as they search for clues, interview suspects and get to the bottom of one zany mystery after another!

Key Features

Enjoy Touch Detective 3, fully localized in English for the first time.

Play through the complete series, including Touch Detective and Touch Detective 2½ with improved localization (and more hints!).

Use the touch screen or standard controls to explore the town and examine clues.

Help Mackenzie to complete her Touch Lists and Investigation Reports in all three games.

Meet colorful and eccentric characters like bubble-headed daydreamer Penelope, self-proclaimed “super sleuth” Chloe, genius inventor Cromwell, and many more.

Try bonus scenarios: Funghi Breaks Out! and Funghi: The Interviews.

View over 500 digital materials from the Touch Detective series, including concept art, sketches, character art, and even localized comic strips.

Listen to all the music from all three Touch Detective games via the Jukeboxes.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first English screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Trailer

[genderkoolaid]

Hey. I saw your post calling out Armenophobia, (especially regarding recent developments in Artsakh), Anti-Assyrian bigotry and genocide denialism.

I personally think more countries and the media in general should be giving Azerbaijan no end of hell for their bullshit. I mean they’ve been doing it to Russia for their recent fuckery in Ukraine (putin’s latest blood soaked vanity project), so why shouldn’t they hold Azerbaijan accountable? I seriously think they should. Not saying anybody isn’t, but that it should be made much more visible. Same for Turkey’s fuckery in Syria with the Assyrians and Kurds. Sorry, went on a ramble. What I’m saying is I agree with you. Idk what else to say for now…I just set my account up the other day.

I’m not Armenian or Assyrian myself (I’m Irish (from the northern but still stuck under the British)), I just don’t like seeing smaller countries and unrepresented peoples and nations being bullied by larger rogue states is all. I’m sure you’ll agree.

Right?

Oh absolutely. I can't let myself think about how ignored Assyria and Armenia are for too long or I start getting really angry but god yeah. I see Kurdistan brought up on occasion, but virtually never hear about Armenia, Artsakh, or Assyria unless its Assyrians and Armenians talking about it. The only times you hear about it are when Western Christians are using them as puppets to justify their own insane victim complexes, as if indigenous Christians that have been subject to genocide and land theft are equivalent to white Christians living in predominantly Christian countries that appeal to Western Christianity constantly. There's also the fact that Rojava also has issues with poor treatment of Assyrians, but western leftists never talk about that when they do bring up Kurdistan.

Artsakh is going through hell and has been, Western Armenia is still under Turkey's control and people constantly refer to it as Turkey, Assyrians are being driven out of their indigenous lands through violence and poverty (and were also promised their own country by the British, which they were never given because of fucking course), and its never talked about by western leftists. The same goes for other marginalized groups in West Asia like Ezidis.

Like Azerbaijan literally set up a fucking wax museum to show off racist depictions of Armenians and encourage children to pretend to kill them, is literally starving Artsakh right now, not to mention all their acts of horrific violence. And yet you don't hear any sort of widespread outcry against Azerbaijan. Because I guess it wouldn't be beneficial enough for the US to make a big deal out of it.

Anyways time to plug some places you can donate to Assyrians, Armenians and Artsakh:

Assyrian Aid Society of America

Shlama Foundation

Armenia Fund

Armenian General Benevolent Union

The Artsakh Relocation Project

Post on different ways to donate to Artsakh + photos

Also: book pdfs on the Armenian Genocide, the Assyrian Policy Institute pdfs on the Assyrian Genocide, and the Greek Genocide Resource Center

[acti-veg]

People on tumblr like to treat native people as a painting of someone hunting a buffalo rather than like... my mom making chili with beans because meat is too expensive for YEARS and then still doing it now that money's less tight because I'm vegan so she wants me to be able to eat it too.

It's a weird one. Every culture is allowed to change and develop except for indigenous Americans. We've got to be museum exhibits for everyone else to look at when they feel like it and otherwise ignore.

Colonialism and the monarchy are part of the culture of England, but we don't see tumblr leftists saying that has to stay. When parts of your culture hurt others, it's okay for it to change. It's still you. It's still there. The history doesn't go away just because things are different now. Me owning a bike isn't an insult to my ancestors just because they didn't have one.

As an outsider, most of what I see on tumblr is essentially weaponisation of the ‘noble savage’ stereotype. There are of course wider issues with the misunderstanding and especially the homogenisation of indigenous culture, but most don’t want to understand or acknowledge the complexity of a group that includes radically different and changing traditions, they want a stereotype they can point to and use in their arguments.

It’s a shallow representation of what it is to be ‘native’ to them, based on little more than western novelisations and films. It’s the same as their understanding of farmers as local, benevolent small land owners and vegans as rich white people. It doesn’t matter that it flies in the fact of the reality, one dimensional stereotypes are neater, easier to understand and serve their arguments better.

Whether right or wrong about the sacredness of things like hunting and sacrifice, nobody from outside any community should be telling those inside it what their culture is ‘supposed’ to be. They especially shouldn’t be using groups they don’t belong to as essentially ammunition to defend their own, completely unrelated choices - which is usually the case.