Happy New Year!
After posting the summary of my favorite photography series of 2017 a few days ago, I got so much positive feedback, that I decided to start the new year with a new pair.
Heaven and Earth
This series deals with heavenly and earthly topics and the unity of both. Because I noticed, that these are often just two sides of the same coin.
Hope you like it!
Fireworks
The traditon of lighting fires on New Year's Eve dates back to Germanic times. They expelled demons and evil spirits with deafening noise at the turn of the year. They used rattles, (threshing) flails and even whips. Later in the Middle Ages, people used timpani, trumpets, and bells to protect themselves from the devil's evil spirits and evil spirits in the New Year.
Since 1420 black powder was used when rifle shots were fired and firecracker were detonated. However, firecrackers were only detonated in the Barrock for entertainment. These so-called "Lustfeuerwerkerei" (fireworks for pleasure) were celebrated at the German princely courts in pompous festivals and were intended to showcase the wealth and power of the aristocratic house.
A Canadian-Indigenous Mask
This mask by the Canadian-Indigenous chief and artist Beau Dick was exhibited at documenta 14 art fair last year. I wrote an in deep posting about the masks of Beau Dick here.
Beau Dick's carvings often feature Dzunuk’wa, the “wild woman of the woods,” and her counterpart, Bakwas, “wild man of the woods.”
Bakwas is a stealer of souls. He lures his victims with poisonous food—toads, snakes, lizards, and maggots. Those who consume his offerings become Bakwas, forever trapped in the house of spirits. Dzunuk’wa is a cannibal. She lumbers through the woods, plucking out disobedient children and putting them in her cedar basket for later eating.
Here is an overview of part 1-16 of the series.
Thanks for watching!
@shortcut - art, photography and more
The history of fireworks and New Years was new to me. How very strange our world has become, nowadays the firecrackers and rockets are used by the mean spirits to drive the good spirits away...
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True, but it's also interesting to notice, how the definition of "mean" and "good" changes depending on our own age. I remember that my parents used to call the music, I listened to when I was younger, also called "evil" because it was loud and noisy. And I remember that I used to fire a lot of firecrackers when I was younger and nowadays celebrate New Year's Eve way calmer ;-)
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So true about music. When you're a teenager, your parents yell at you, "Turn that crap down!!!" Then when you grow up and play your music, your own teenage kids might ask you to "Turn that crap down!" :-)
About the firecrackers and rockets, in the hands of the vast majority of people it is a celebration and fun.
Just before I read your post I saw a couple of troubling headlines which prompted my comment about the irony of how thing have changed: "40 bis 50 Randalierer haben im Leipziger Stadtteil Connewitz Polizisten mit Böllern und Steinen beworfen." And also read about the police woman in France who was kicked repeatedly in the head as a crowd cheered.
I think I need to avoid the news for a couple of weeks and play guitar instead ;-)
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We had some a*hole shooting firecrackers at passersby, in Bonn too. I guess, there are always some idiots doing crazy sht but definitely mobile phones and social-media have a share in this development.
I mostly avoid the news since a few weeks and feel much better now... Enjoy playing the guitar!
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Ich finde es spannend, wie solche und ähnliche Traditionen weltweit ihre Adaption fanden. Masken, laute Geräusche, wiederkehrende Rituale zur Vertreibung böser Geister.
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Das Thema ist wirklich sehr faszinierend. Es gibt in der vedischen Lehre den Glauben, dass das gesamte Universum aus einem Ur-klang (dem Om) entstanden ist. Darunter stelle ich mir einen harmonischen und wohlstruktuierten Klang vor, während die "bösen Geister" eher durch Disharmonie gekennzeichnet sind. Dass man in dem Fall also die Disharmonie mit chaotischen und lauten Klängen (wie einem Knall) vertreiben kann, erinnert ein bisschen daran, den Teufel mit dem Beleub auszutreiben. Scheint aber irgendwie zu funktionieren. (-> Minus mal Minus gibt Plus...)
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Good to see you continuing the series!
A remarkable similiarity again (and I feel like I'm stretching my neck again for both of the images!), and an interesting read about Bakwas and Dzunuk'wa - never heard about those!
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Haha, trying to keep you stretched ;-)
The story behind these Canadian-Indigenous spirits is really interesting. If you want to dig a bit deeper into this you should read the original post.
The Kwakwaka'wakw people had some interesting habits and philosophy:
Source
The masks are really interesting, too. I particularly like their transformation masks:
"Kwakwaka'wakw transformation mask".By Photo: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
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Such a great idea! - Happy new year!
Sehr Interessant zu lesen, dass die form von Feuerwerk Demonen verjagen soll und das eine solche Form, wie bei der Maske, bei vielen Völkern das Böse vertreiben sollte. :?
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@sumsum i am new here how caan i find the chat option i mean here is none
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https://steemit.chat/
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@shortcut thanks i dont know which language this is but thanks again
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I‘m sorry, @sumsum and I both speak German, so sometimes it‘s easier for us to share some quick thoughts in German.
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@sumsum @shortcut try share with us too so we get something new thanks
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Google translate gives you some idea of what we were talking about. In my comment I said:
"It is rather the loud bangs that should drive away the evil spirits and the colors and shapes should rather attract the good spirits of the new year. The mask is about the representation of a "bad" spirit, which was also "tamed" by the associated rituals."
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@shortcut i am new here sorry if you mind i want to make relations here new friends and thats set
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Danke, wünsche ich dir auch!
Es sind eher die lauten Knalltöne, die die bösen Geister verjagen sollten und die Farben und Formen sollten eher die guten Geister des neuen Jahres anlocken.
Bei der Maske geht es um die Darstellung eines "bösen" Geistes, der allerdings durch die damit verbundenen Rituale auch "gebändigt" wurde.
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interesting, i did not know any of that background for the fireworks. i like this format you have going, I look forward to reading more!
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Thanks, appreciate your feedback :-) I'm glad, that I could provide some new infos about that.
It's interesting to see, how many people are doing things without knowing the background ;-)
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Wow. I always thought fireworks were symbol of warfare (gunshots, cannons, explosions or what have you). Didn't realize they were to expel demons!
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Thanks for your comment! I‘m happy, that I was able to give you some new infos then ;-)
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great art and lovely photography,i like this post
thanks for sharing
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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Thank you! Happy new Year!
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keep sharing @shortcut
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Indeed ;-)
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They looks almost the same wow two different things but still very identical great photography Thanks for sharing
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Yes, I like finding these kind of combinations. Thanks for your feedback :-)
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heaven and earth the perfect combination its wow
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Thanks for your appreciation :-)
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How cool is that looking so nice
Thanks for sharing :)
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You're welcome! Gald you like my post.
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Ein netter Vergleich :)
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Danke dir :-)
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nice one..amazing photography..
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Thanks. I had to lend the firworks photo from the public domain, but the photo of the mask is my own work. The real deal is to puzzle these photos together.
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most welcome
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hapy new year and keep continue this catagory is a brilliant idea.
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Thanks and happy new year, too! I will certainly continue this ;-)
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wow this series is a rocking one thanks for sharing :)
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Thanks a lot for your feedback ;-)
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