#African traditional house

[ourolite2]

You’re fucking embarrassing. Changing races of characters that have great representation in them and changing them to some random black race. Not everyone has to be fucking black and your blackwashing the shit out of them. If you want a black character, make your own oc. You’re a racist piece of shit, blackwashing characters that don’t need to be. Chongyun’s fucking chinese and your making him rcta by making him Caribbean and bahamian? Embarrassing.

If you want black ppl so much, go fly off to africa and get yourself a black dick there.

bro’s fr in our asks having an aneurysm about a character that is NOT REAL ☠️. crying over a nigga that has a big blue glowing sword… this is genshin bruh… do you understand the concept of r e p r e s e n t a t i o n? only a mf who breathes fan-fiction behaves this way.

btw you can’t be bahamian and caribbean. that’s like saying you’re south american and argentinian… does that make a lick of sense, sweetheart?

secondly, this has nothing to do with africa. the bahamas is NOT located in africa, so pls get your geographical prowess aligned before addressing my friend. also, there’s black dick… everywhere. NOT just in africa. pls be so fr for two seconds. there is also white dick in africa … africa is quite literally racially diverse ☠️

you’re in our asks crying about this when there’s black fanart of an asian character… everywhere. you’re mad at… headcanons… THIS is so embarrassing. needa address that ph balance before me cuh… leman making black hc’s (that aren’t canon btw) isn’t harming anyone but you. yet we’re racist? how? tell me? pls? pretty please 🥹? let me know?

besides, would you rather want us to easily and proudly represent a race that we’re completely familiar with or not? ‘cause it’s very much HARD to write chinese culture without making a mistake, no matter how much research you do. we want to creatively write properly. no one can write a better black character than a black individual.

and with that, we’re officially turning off anonymous asks. i’m not very fond of pussies… anyways, speaking of black ocs, Y’ALL WE GOT MORE OCS OTW ‼️‼️‼️‼️

anyway, moral of the story, 🎶he’s transracial, transracial🎶:

#anyways guys #itto is black and hispanic #kaveh knows so much about african culture and traditions #he even knows much about their traditional architectural house designs #ALHAITHAM LOVES BLACK WOMEN AAAAAAAAAAAA #he also likes hip hop #i mean look at those headphones #nigga listens to beats #cyno is black #that’s it #dehya is also black #not to mention candace #ei has black friends where the FUCK did she get PERIOD from #genshin impact #genshin #genshin imagines

[7oranges]

the playlist that’s saving my life this finals season

#orthography & polytheism paper is officially done . we go forward #featuring North African house music and polish traditional folk . and so much other shit. As promised

[peatmosses]

Random dude who I guess is a regular at the deli told me “you are Always welcome in my home :) I will invite you over at your convenience to have fufu and stew with me because I make the Best stew to go with fufu :)” cause I was the first person he found who knew what fufu was and I said I wanted to try it. The heavens opened up and shone upon me briefly in that moment.

#would I go to a strangers house alone to eat traditional African foods I’ve never had? yes #very cute moment. but now Im craving stew I’ve never had something TERRIBLE. lol

[wiiildflowerrr]

For the Macy's Fireworks performance, Luke wore a mesh, tattoo-print top by House of Aama ($390), under a blue velvet suit.

'The collection “SALT WATER” is inspired by the seafaring legacy and Black resort communities that flourished in the US in the early 1900’s. House of Aama’s SS’22 collection highlights Camp Aama, a fictionalized Black resort community, Black sailors and the water spirits of Yemaya, Olokun and Agwe that have served as spiritual anchors of African traditions in the diaspora. “Salt Water” as a term is an ode to the Africans who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and survived the middle passage to the Americas.'

#5sos #macy's fireworks #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #luke 5sos #fashion #stage outfits #tattoo print #house of aama #ss22 #black sailors #water spirit #olokun #agwe #yemaya #African traditions #african mythology #print #pattern #black resorts #the middle passage #us history #transatlantic slave trade #enslaved people

[celestial-kestrel]

It's that time of year again where Mari Lwyd starts to be talked about and shared around and an INCREDIBLY misleading post gets shared a lot. As someone who grew up with Mari Lwyd I wanted to clear some things up.

Also hello, if you are unaware who Mari Lwyd is. This is about the Welsh tradition of the horse skull who visits houses during the Christmas to New Years period in Wales asking for alcohol.

First off and probably the most important one:

Mari Lwyd is not a cryptid!

I can not emphasise this enough. She. Is. Not. A. Cryptid. There is no story or mystery about a ghost or zombie horse roaming the Welsh valleys. She's not even supposed to be a ghost or a zombie. It's just a horse skull on a stick with a guy under a sheet. She's a hobbyhorse and a folk character used to tell Welsh stories and keep songs alive. When people spread the misinformation that she's a cryptid, it's the equivalent of saying Kermit the Frog is a cryptid.

She is actually only one character in a wider cast of characters who go door to door or, in more modern times, pub to pub. The cast of characters can change town to town and village to village but there are some common ones I see time and time again. The Leader, the Merryman, The Jester and The Lady are just some I see regularly. Punch and Judy used to be more popular a few years ago but I haven't seen them in a while as their tradition has mostly fallen out of popularity. In most cases, almost the whole cast will be played by men. Even the characters are considered and referred to as female. Though this again depends and varies by which group is partaking in the Mari Lwyd tradition.

This point also goes onto my second point,

Mari Lwyd does not rap.

I think this comes from a very common misunderstanding of what rap is vs spoken word. Rap is a very specific style of music originating from the African American communities of the USA and has it's own structure and motifs unique to it. It's a lot more complex than people give it credit for as a style of music and just flippantly assign anything similar to it as being rap. If someone is talking fast or reciting poetry, it is not rap. Or anything that is an exchange of words between two people is not a rap battle. Mari Lwyd does not do rap, actually something that gets left out of these posts is the fact Mari Lwyd does not even speak. It's actually the Leader, who does all the speaking and song based banter between the house/pub owner for entry. Mari Lwyd just clicks her mouth, bites people and bobs her head around.

I think Mari Lwyd is a really beautiful and unique part of Welsh culture. She's not actually as wildly celebrated as a lot of the posts make her out to be. Actually, I think most Welsh people themselves learn about Mari Lwyd through the internet as well. Her popularity is increasing thanks to the drive of local groups wanting to keep the traditions alive and a renewed desire to document Welsh traditions before they're gone. Which is why it's such a shame that she's turned into something she's not to earn horror points on the internet. I think this is why it bothers me so much to see the misunderstandings of the culture and the folk tradition. Mari Lwyd's origin is very hot debated as well as how long it's been going on for. But I think it's thanks to a lot of traditions like this that the Welsh language and our stories weren't lost forever. Welsh culture is recovering as is the language. But it's still in a very fragile place. I think it's why it's important to document and correct information when it's spread.

Anyway, if you want to see the tradition in action, here's a lovely video from the Cwmafan RFC going to one of the pubs for charity. It includes the song exchange with the pub owner for entry and the whole pub singing and joining in once Mari Lwyd and the rest are inside.

As well with another video from St Fagan's showcasing the more traditional and door to door form with the larger cast.

#Mari Lwyd #Wales #Welsh #Welsh culture #Youtube

[saturngalore]

afrofuturism🪐

☆ one ~ solange hair by darknightt (tsr warning) ☆ two ~ loretta hair by @simtric ☆ three ~ bahati braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ four ~ isonoe hair by octetsica ☆ five ~ binah braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ six ~ cornrows & curls hair by @leeleesims1 ☆ seven ~ indie hair by @sashima ☆ eight ~ loc petals by @shespeakssimlish ☆ nine ~ mnemosyne hair by octetsica ☆

mini dedication essay to black simmers and ts4 creators below! pls read if you have the chance! <3

this edit is a small homage to afrofuturism and the various unique black hairstyles (and especially the black creators of most of these hairs) that i have downloaded and admired over the years! some of these are old and some of these are new.

to me, afrofuturism means constantly honoring/reclaiming/challenging the past while constantly creating/dreaming of a better society/world/future. a society/world/future that embraces and empowers all of our differences, ingenuity, aspirations, and unique lived/cultural experiences. a society/world/future that does not limit us through the various systems of marginalization and oppression (racism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, classism, colorism, etc.) that often affects how we, as black people, live today.

blackness is so diverse and intricate yet it's always been a struggle to find my culture within a game that's known for being so limiting, bland, and extremely eurocentric when it comes to hairstyles, clothing, food traditions/events, etc. black simmers have always had to figure out how to make this game more inclusive and make it resemble either more like how our ancestors lived, how our current lives are, or how we would want our lives (and even our children's lives) to look like in the future no matter how dystopian the real world look and feel now. fortunately, these hairs and their uniqueness bring a huge sense of culture and style to this game. they have always inspired me and made me feel extremely proud to a part of the lovely african diaspora (and the ever-growing black simmer community).

in a way, being a black simmer and cc creator usually means that we are often digitally creating our own worlds as afrofuturists to varying degrees (whether we know it or not) every time we open our game, make our sims, make houses, and/or make black cultural cc. also, now i know that cc making is not easy to do and is extremely time-consuming so this post is also just me giving all black cc creators especially those who create for free their well-deserved flowers! here are some other black cc creators who created cc that have greatly impacted my game since i first started playing sims 4: @/leeleesims1 @/simtric @/hi-land @/yuyulie @/sims4bradshaw @/ebonixsims @/xmiramira @/sheabuttyr @/qwertysims @/oplerims @/sleepingsims @/shespeakssimlish and so many more im forgetting probably (im too shy rn to tag ppl but i greatly appreciate y’all fr i hope y’all telepathically get this message somehow 😭).

last but not least, i am hoping that this inspires somebody to keep creating or start creating regardless of what they think their skill level is! somebody will absolutely fall in love with your work and/or your art/work will 100% change someone's game forever <333

#ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4 #black simblr #black simmer #ts4 edit #🪐 #🪐 black hair #soleil jones #xolani souza de oliveira #angela evans #leona morrison #chantelle diang #ayesha solomon #nylah rivers #something to end black history month with! #i really hope my essay make sense 😭😭😭 #i planned to this last year but hated the pictures i took so i scraped it and redid it #i couldn’t thank enough to all the black cc creators before me and hope to help/inspire new black cc creators 🙏🏾 #this is also kinda the updated version of my for the culture post…i made sure to include some familiar (but updated) faces 😭☝🏾💗🙈

[blackhistorystoryteller]

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HEAD OF OBA

THE BENIN KINGDOM

THE LOOTED TREASURES BY THE BRITISH EMPIRE

BLACK HISTORY IS DEEPER THAN SLAVE TRADE

The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin, also known as the Benin Bronzes, are a collection of intricate bronze and brass sculptures created by the Edo people of Nigeria. These sculptures typically depict the reigning Oba (king) of the Benin Empire and were produced over several centuries, with some dating back to the 13th century.

They are renowned for their artistic and historical significance, representing the cultural heritage and power of the Benin Kingdom. These sculptures often portray the Oba wearing coral beaded regalia, symbolizing his divine status and authority.

Many of these artifacts were taken from Benin during the late 19th century by British colonial forces, and they are now scattered in museums and private collections worldwide. There have been ongoing discussions and negotiations regarding their repatriation to Nigeria to restore their cultural heritage.

The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin remain a testament to the rich artistic and historical legacy of the Edo people and the Benin Kingdom.

HOW THE BRITISH STOLE FROM THE EDO TRIBE

1. British Punitive Expedition: In 1897, a British expedition, led by British officials and soldiers, was sent to the Benin Kingdom (in what is now Nigeria) with the stated objective of punishing the Oba of Benin, Oba Ovonramwen, for resisting British influence and trade in the region.

2. Sacking of the Royal Palace: During the expedition, the British forces entered the royal palace in Benin City, where many of these intricate bronze and brass sculptures were housed. The palace was looted, and numerous artifacts, including the Benin Bronzes, were taken.

3. Confiscation and Dispersal: The looted artifacts were then confiscated by the British authorities and later distributed to various individuals, museums, and institutions. Many of these artworks ended up in European museums and private collections.

The theft of the Benin Bronzes remains a contentious issue, as these artworks are considered cultural treasures of the Edo people and Nigeria as a whole. There have been ongoing discussions and demands for the repatriation of these artifacts to Nigeria, which has gained momentum in recent years as part of broader efforts to address historical injustices related to colonial-era looting.

The head sculptures of the Oba of Benin, like many traditional African artworks, hold deep symbolic significance within the context of the Benin Kingdom and its culture. Here are some of the key symbols and meanings associated with these sculptures:

1. Royal Authority: The Oba's head sculptures symbolize the authority and divine status of the reigning monarch, who was regarded as a sacred figure in Benin society. The elaborate regalia, such as coral beads and headdresses, worn by the Oba in these sculptures signifies his royal and spiritual power.

2. Ancestral Connections: The sculptures often depict the Oba with distinctive facial scarification patterns and detailed facial features. These features can represent specific ancestors or dynastic connections, emphasizing the Oba's lineage and connection to past rulers.

3. Historical Record: The sculptures also serve as historical records, documenting the appearance and regalia of the Oba during their reigns. This provides valuable insights into the history and evolution of the Benin Kingdom over the centuries.

4. Spiritual Protection: Some sculptures may incorporate elements like beads and cowrie shells, which were believed to have protective and spiritual qualities. These elements were worn by the Oba not only for their aesthetic value but also for their symbolic protection.

5. Cultural Identity: Beyond their specific symbolic meanings, the head sculptures are integral to the cultural identity of the Edo people and the Benin Kingdom. They represent the rich artistic traditions and heritage of the kingdom and its rulers.

It's important to note that the symbolism of these sculptures is deeply rooted in the cultural and historical context of the Benin Kingdom, and their interpretation can vary among different individuals and communities.

#life #animals #culture #aesthetic #black history #history #blm blacklivesmatter #anime and manga #architecture #black community #black heritage

[enbeeanon]

Masterlist of herbs and plants!

This is a list that I have in my Book of Shadows, typed up so that you can use it, too!

Do not consume those with an asterisk (*) next to them. Some are edible in certain forms, but consult a qualified herbalist before you use them

Absinthiumn*

Healing, maintained good health, fighting off disease

Acorns*

Good luck, fertility, spiritual growth, prosperity

Acacia*

Prosperity, money, success, love, psychic powers

African Violet*

Protection, healing, spiritual growth

Amber*

Happiness, love, friendship, comfort, reassurance

Agrimony

Protection, removing negative energy and bad vibes, helping to remove hexes

Aletris root*

Feminine magick, protection, prosperity

Almond

Prosperity, wisdom, success

Aloe

Spiritual growth, luck, success, protection, love, barrier against unwelcome things

Angelica root

Protection, exorcism, removes negative energy, boosts feminine energy

Anise/Aniseed

Spiritual growth, dreams, sleep, protection

Apples

Love, luck, longevity

Arrow root

Purification, cleansing, healing

Ash*

Divination, luck, prosperity, protection

Aspen*

House and item protection, healing, psychic growth

Avocado

Youth, beauty, love, lust, healing

Azalea*

Happiness, uplifting, full of life

Bamboo*

Wish magick, luck, protection

Banana

Fertility, passion, success

Basil

Home and business protection and blessings, warding off negative energy, purification, cleansing, divination, exorcism, prosperity, love

Bay leaves

Warning: if burned, ensure the area has ventilation!

Protection, psychic power, divination, success, money, wish magick

Beech*

Wish magick, happiness, divination, spiritual growth

Belladonna*

Astral projection, psychic powers, boosts spell's power, healing, helps to forget past loves, protection

Bergamot*

Success, psychic powers, fertility, mental clarity, sleep, protection, prosperity

Birch*

Protection, purification, cleansing, removing negative energy and hexes

Blackberry

Protection, healing, prosperity

Black pepper

Banish negativity, warding off bad energy, protection

Blueberry

House protection, home blessing, legal matters, luck, prosperity, protection

Brazil nut

Protection, prosperity, love

Brimstone powder*

Used to remove hexes

Burdock root

Protection, purification, healing, cleansing, self acceptance

Buckthorn bark*

Exorcism, wards off negative energy, removing hexes, aids legal matters

Cabbage

Fertility, luck, prosperity

Calendula (Marigold)

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, happiness, protection

Camellia*

Love, protection, healing, prosperity

Chamomile

Sleep, calms nerves, prosperity, luck, purification

Caraway seeds

Helps children stay safe from illness and general harm, protection, clarity of mind, passion, healing

Cardamom

Courage, love, passion

Carnation*

Protection, inner strength, healing, creativity

Carrot

Lust, fertility

Cashew

Prosperity

Catnip

Courage, beauty, love, used in magick surrounding cats

Cayenne

Aids separation (such as divorce), emotional heartache, a traditional offering in Wicca (I'm not wiccan but that may be helpful for any of you who are)

Cedar*

Protection, purification, removes negative energy and hexes, prosperity

Celery

Mental clarity, psychic powers, aids sleep, lust, passion

Centaury

Psychic powers, protection

Cherry bark*

Love, romance, passion, divination, clarity of which path to take

Chervil

Helps to contact spirits, used to help people find deities

Chestnut

Love and peace

Chrysanthemum*

Healing and protection

Chives

Protection, used in dieting spells

Cinnamon

Promotes dreaming, business success, healing, psychic powers, love, purification, protection, spiritual growth, adds power to any spell

Cloves

Adds power to spells, speed up spells effects and manifestation

Clover*

Mental clarity, protection, love

Coltsfoot

Prosperity, peace, calms nerves, love, psychic powers, dreams

Coriander

Love, healing, passion

Cucumber

Fertility and healing

Cumin seeds

House protection, home blessings, general protection, exorcism, wards off negative energy

Daffodil*

Luck, love, fertility

Daisy*

Innocence, spells for children

Dandelion

Contacting spirits, dreams, healing, purification, clairvoyance

Deadly Nightshade*

Astral projection, psychic powers, adds a boost of power to spells, healing, protection, helps to forget past loves

Dill

Protection against hexes and curses, mental clarity, luck, love, wisdom, enhances magickal knowledge

Dock leaf*

Prosperity, success in business, fertility, healing

Dragon's blood*

Increases power and boosts spells, banishments, exorcism, strong protection, love, energy, purification

Echinanea

Inner strength, physical strength, healing, prosperity

Elderflowers/Elderberries

Exorcism, protection, house protection/blessings, healing, love

Eucalyptus*

Healing, purification, cleansing, protection

Evening primrose

Healing, purification, creativity, protection

Eyebright

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, mental clarity

Fennel

Protection, purification, healing, passion, courage, strength

Feverfew

Protection against accidents, clumsiness and illness, helps with colds and fevers

Frankincense*

Protection, purification, healing, cleansing

Fumitory

Protection, purification, cleansing, consecrating tools

Galangal root*

Protection, prosperity, psychic powers, lust, passion, legal matters

Garlic

Protection, healing, exorcism, inner strength, family bonding, home and business blessings

Geranium*

Healing, protection, love, meditation

Ginger

Protection, prosperity, healing, luck, love

Heartease*

Aids healing from heartache, love, friendship

Hibiscus

Dreams, divination, love, lust

Holly*

Protection, love dreams, good marriage

Honeysuckle*

Prosperity, luck, peace, inspiration

Horseradish

Purification, protection, exorcism

Hyssop*

Protection, purification, cleansing, consecration, positive blessings

Jasmine

Love, dreams, spiritual growth

Juniper berries

Protection, exorcism, healing, calming nerves, love

Ladies Mantle*

Aids sleep, love, purification, beauty, inner calm, fertility, luck, protection, happiness

Lavender

Purification, healing, cleansing, home blessings, protection, calming, sleep, love

Lemon

Uplifting, mental clarity, healing, psychic powers, friendship, contacting spirits

Lemon balm

Healing, psychic powers, spiritual growth, divination, love, success

Lemongrass

Mental clarity, psychic powers, love, lust

Lemon Mint

Healing, love

Lemon Verbena

Purification, protection, cleansing, love, passion, adds a boost to other herb mixtures

Lettuce

Divination, sleep, protection

Lilac*

Past life regression, protection, love, luck, exorcism

Lily*

Removing love spells/enchantments, protection

Lily of the Valley*

Healing, uplifting, happiness, inner calm

Lime

Protection, healing, love

Liquorice root

Love, romance, fidelity

Liquorice stick

Love

Magnolia

Good marriage, love, passion

Mandrake*

Protection, exorcism, home and business blessings, divination, luck, prosperity

Maple

Luck, prosperity, love

Marjoram

Inner balance, psychic powers, spiritual growth, happiness, love, prosperity, protection

Marshmallow root

Love, protection, removing negative energy

Meadowsweet

Happiness, love, divination, inner calm, peace

Mint

Prosperity, psychic powers, spiritual growth, travelling, exorcisms, healing, protection

Mistletoe*

Youth, beauty, love, healing, prosperity, protection, fertility

Mugwort

Warning: can cause drowsiness and vivid dreams. Do not consume if pregnant.

Dreams, astral projection, psychic powers, healing, inner strength, visions, protection

Myrrh*

Protection, purification, cleansing, exorcism, spiritual growth, helping relieve sorrow after tragedy, healing

Neroli*

Inner calm, sleep, peace, meditation, inner confidence

Nettles

Protection, healing, removing negative energy, exorcism

Nutmeg

Prosperity, divination, love, luck, mental clarity, protection, uplifting, healing

Onion

Protection, purification, healing

Orange

Peace, calm, love, luck, lust

Orchid*

Calming, dissolving anger, beauty, love, peace

Oregano

Happiness, protection, prosperity, healing, love

Parsley

Psychic powers, spiritual growth, luck, uplifting, healing

Passionflower

Home blessings, friendships, sleep, inner peace, emotional balance, love, family bonds

Peony*

Natural lucky charm, healing, prosperity, protection, exorcism, removes hexes

Patchouli*

Used to break a spell, exorcisms, removes hexes, mental clarity, passion, prosperity, contacting spirits, divination

Pennyroyal*

Purification, protection, home blessings, inner calm, aids calm in arguements, helps prevent travel sickness

Peppermint

Psychic powers, calming, healing, aids rest, mental clarity, dreams, love, purification

Periwinkle*

Good marriage, mental clarity, purification, protection, love

Pine*

Protection, purification, cleansing, prosperity, inner strength, grounding, healing, fertility, success, home and business blessings

Pineapple

Prosperity, luck

Pink rosebuds/petals

Friendships, love, romance, self acceptance

Plum

Healing, love, peace, inner calm

Pomegranate

Divination, wish magick, protection, prosperity

Poppy/Poppy seeds

Happiness, love, lust, luck, sleep, prosperity, fertility

Potato

Healing, luck, prosperity

Primrose*

Love, luck

Pumpkin/ pumpkin seeds

Healing, divination, honours the moon

Raspberry leaf

Protection, sleep, dreams, healing

Red rosebuds/ petals

Passion, love, romance, psychic powers, healing, protection, divination

Red sandalwood*

Trance work, divination, meditation, consecration, purification

Rosehips

Love, luck, healing, invoking positive spirits

Rosemary

Purification, healing, sleep, mental clarity, psychic powers, spiritual growth

Rowan/ Rowan berries*

Protection, home and business blessings, success, psychic powers, healing

Rue*

Exorcism, protection, luck, removes hexes, love, mental clarity, healing, home and business blessings

Saffron

Psychic powers, healing, love, lust

Sage

Purification, cleansing, mental clarity, psychic power, spiritual growth, home/general protection, wisdom, knowledge

Sandalwood*

Cleansing, purification, protection, removes negative energy, protects against psychic attacks

Sea salt

Purification, cleansing, casting circles

Slippery elm*

Protection, stops gossip and rumours

Spearmint

Protection, protection during sleep, clarity of mind, healing, love

St. John's wort*

Protection, healing, love, happiness, divination

Tea tree*

Healing, peace, harmony, mental clarity

Thyme

Psychic power, spiritual growth, love, stopping nightmares, divination, courage, purification, restful sleep, healing, inner calm, balance

Valerian root

Sleep, purification, cleansing, protection, dreams, love

Vervain

Inner calm, harmony, peace, protection, purification, divination, consecration, prosperity, love, creativity

Walnut

Healing, mental clarity, wish magick, fertility

Willow*

Divination, protection, love, healing, relieve sorrow

White willow bark*

Protection, love, healing, divination, luck, inspiration, psychic power

Witch hazel*

Protection, healing, charm

Yarrow

Exorcism, protection, love, removing hexes, dispels fear, promotes calm, inner strength, psychic powers, courage

Yew*

Removes negative energy/hexes, protection

Ylang Ylang*

Inner calm, brings peace to situations, love, happiness, tranquility

This took me two hours to write up, but hey! Hope this helps!

#paganism #hellenic pagan #pagan #pagan blog #pagans of tumblr #witchcraft #baby witch #herbs #herbal magick #grimoire #book of shadows #information #education #masterlist

[marauderstars]

Ways J.K Rowling did poc dirty in canon:

Making the last name of one of her most powerful black characters “Shacklebolt” - a crude af reference to slavery and just in very poor taste.

Naming her only east Asian character “Cho Chang” - a Korean surname as a first name for a Chinese character - proving she did no research whatsoever into Chinese naming traditions.

Cho’s characterization also leans in to the trope of tragic Asian female characters being defined by their romantic connections to white men, as in “Miss Saigon” or “A Quiet American.” Cho’s storyline centers on her romantic involvement with Cedric, Harry and Roger Davies. She gets no meaningful arc of her own.

The sidekick-ification of Lee Jordan.

Michael Corner being referred to as “the dark one” which is bad enough, and then him being whitewashed in the films.

Pansy Parkinson’s comment about Angelina Johnson’s braided hair looking like “worms” goes completely unpunished. Rowling treats this as standard bullying instead of a racially-charged comment. Rowling clearly didn’t understand the serious implications of this comment and its rooting in deeply-ingrained discrimination against black hairstyles, or she would have written a similar reaction to this as she did to that of Hermione being called a “Mudblood.”

House Elves as a metaphor for slaves is highly problematic because they are depicted as “liking” their enslavement and being complicit in it, much like the black slaves in “Gone With The Wind.” Despite Dobby being a beloved character, he is also seen as an anomaly for desiring freedom, and many other House Elves are depicted as grotesque, fawning, ridiculous or sinister. Pretty garbage metaphor for black slaves.

In Goblet of Fire Rowling describes a group of “African” wizards wearing “long white robes” and “roasting what looked like a rabbit on a bright purple fire.” This is just… *sigh* The way this is worded is very clearly just token exoticism and includes no genuine detail about their clothing, cultural food or nationality. It’s just “wow those zany rabbit-eating Africans and their purple fire.” Once again black characters are being used as examples of otherness rather than shown as human beings.

Rowling has openly admitted that she created a detailed backstory for Dean Thomas, one of the series’ few black characters, but did not include it in the books and included the backstory of Neville Longbottom, a white character, instead.

Approving the casting of a white actress in the role of Lavender Brown in the films, a character the majority of readers assumed was black.

The portrayal of Blaise Zabini’s “famously beautiful” black mother who was known for offing her husbands and taking their money. Like. Come on. Tbh she sounds like a queen but violent woc gold digger is still a shit trope.

Just the entire treatment of the Patil twins at the Yule Ball, the way Harry and Ron treated them and Rowling’s garbage attempt at describing their traditional clothing.

Padma Patil’s portrayal in Cursed Child as the stereotypical controlling Indian wife. The idea of ending up with her instead of Hermione being positioned as some kind of horrible alternate reality for Ron had very xenophobic undertones, and while Hermione is portrayed as black in the play, I don’t believe that Rowling originally intended her to be a black character nor that casting directors deliberately set out to cast a black actress as Hermione in Cursed Child initially.

#feel free to add on #harry potter #anti jkr #jkr mention #tw jkr #harry potter books #canon #hp text posts #hp memes #hp marauders #marauders era #marauders #hermione granger #dean thomas #angelina johnson #lavender brown #cho chang #house elves #s.p.e.w #race in literature #poc #poc representation

[typhea]

✮﹒❄️﹐RANDOM CHARACTERS + ‘BLACK GIRL’

﹐♡﹒featuring : midoriya izuku, sero hanta, jaëger eren, todoroki shoto, bakugou katsuki, tsukishima kei.

﹐♡﹒infos : fluff, black!fem!reader, reader has 4c hair :D, i think reader is african.. 😨🤭

﹐♡﹒summary : how my boys would be with their black girl ♡

──﹐MIDORIYA IZUKU

he is in love with your natural hair. he braids your natural hair whenever you need to. he practiced multiple times on his mom to be good enough on your 4c hair. he just love having you between his legs (not in the dirty way 😭) and taking care of your hair. he knows your arms gets tired at some point and he takes over. he even let you braid his hair. you tried once he looked cute but it was weird to see him like this.

“thereee you go! i’m done, you look beautiful darling!”

──﹐SERO HANTA

obsessed with your waist beads, they just look so good around your waist. he always smile whenever he sees you with cycling shorts and a crop top, seeing your waist beads falling onto your hips. ahh.. his favorite view. he loves to see you dance and roll your hips, he always hold them tight and follow your moves. you listen to the same type of music, so when it comes to singing some wizkid or rema’s songs, he will know the lyrics perfectly.

“i bought you the one with yellow and orange beads. it would look good on you, princess.”

──﹐JAËGER EREN

he was made for black women, especially you. everything about you looks so perfect to him. he just loves everything you do. but when you put you cultural dress/clothes? nahh, he goes feral. head over heels for you! the way the wax fabric hugs your shape, he’s a drooling mess. he just sees you as the mother of his children. he’s in love with your culture and tradition, he finds it so interesting and beautiful (which is true). will take 100 pics of you.

“you lookin’ so hottt right now, ma’. yeah, yellow is definitely your color.”

──﹐TODOROKI SHOTO

he is very caring, he will pamper you and spoil you whenever he gets the chance. when he step outside the house, he will come back with a gift. it’s his love language, he will spend his whole money on you. he will pay for your braids whenever you need to, your wigs and hair care. he will pay for your nails, he just loves to take care of you. he is your #1 fan, he will never fail to praising you. you’re hesitating between 2 hairstyles? he will choose for you, and make an amazing choice.

“i like the one with the curls, bohemian braids isn’t it? they would look amazing on you, my love.”

──﹐BAKUGO KATSUKI

he’ll never admit it but he is obsessed with the food you make. he always ask for more, he loves it. you were now cooking the kind of food your grandma made to your mom, and what your mom made to you. plantains are definitely his favorite, he always eat the whole thing. he’s himself a great cook, when it’s his turn to make dinner he never disappoint. but your foods are somehow different, and that is what makes it interesting. sometimes you both would even cook together, one teaching the other.

“yeah it tastes good, but i can do better than that. is there any left?”

──﹐TSUKISHIMA KEI

whenever you’re taking care of your hair, he’s always there for you. he knows how tired it can be when you wanna brush your hair, or straighten it. he will always help you. washing your hair? he is there when you can’t reach the back of it. loves to kiss your forehead as a reward and tells you that you did a good job. he always helps you take your box braids off too, watching a movie at the same time. he got his full attention on you, he knows whenever you need a break.

“you’re hungry, princess? let’s take a break and order something to eat.”

thanks for reading darlin! don’t forget to like and leave a comment :)

m.list | request here!

#☆．bnha #★．sero hanta #☆．fluffy #☆．hcs #☆．hq #★．tsukishima kei #★．midoriya izuku #★．bakugou katsuki #★．jaëger eren #★．todoroki shoto #☆．aot #bnha izuku #izuku x black!reader #mha x black female reader #eren x reader #eren fluff #izuku fluff #bakugou fluff #katsuki fluff #bakugou x reader #bakugo x black reader #todoroki x reader #shoto fluff #shouto fluff #shouto x reader #shoto x reader #anime x black!reader #tsukishima imagine #haikyuu tsukishima #tsukishima x reader

[evilthotiana]

I hate Abstract Hip Hop African Music Afrobeats Alt-Country Alté Alternative Dance Alternative R&B Alternative Rock Alt-Pop Ambient Ambient Dub Ambient Pop Ambient Techno Americana Art Pop Art Punk Art Rock Avant-Garde Jazz Ballroom Baltimore Club Bedroom Pop Blues Boom Bap Brazilian Music Breakbeat Breakbeat Hardcore Bubblegum Bass Caribbean Music Central African Music Chamber Folk Chamber Pop Chicago Drill Chillout Chillwave Classical Music Cloud Rap Conscious Hip Hop Contemporary Folk Contemporary R&B Country Country Soul Dance Dancehall Dance-Pop Deconstructed Club Deep House Detroit Techno Disco Downtempo Dream Pop Drill Drill and Bass Drone Drum and Bass Drumless Dubstep Dub Techno East Coast Club East Coast Hip Hop Electro Electroacoustic Electronic Electronic Dance Music Electropop Emo Emo Rap Experimental Experimental Hip Hop Experimental Rock Film Soundtrack Folk Folk Rock Footwork French Hip Hop Funk Funk brasileiro Funk Rock Future Garage Gangsta Rap Garage Punk Garage Rock Ghetto House Ghettotech Glitch Glitch Hop Glitch Pop Grime Hard Bop Hardcore [EDM] Hardcore Hip Hop Hardcore [Punk] Hardcore Punk Hip Hop Hip Hop Soul Hip House Hispanic American Music Hispanic Music Horrorcore House Hyperpop Hypnagogic Pop IDM Indie Folk Indie Pop Indie Rock Indietronica Industrial Industrial & Noise Industrial Hip Hop Industrial Techno Instrumental Hip Hop Jamaican Music Jangle Pop Jazz Jazz-Funk Jazz Fusion Jazz Rap Juke Jungle Krautrock Math Pop Math Rock Memphis Rap Microhouse Midwest Emo Minimal Synth Minimal Techno Minimal Wave Modern Classical MPB Neo-Psychedelia Neo-Soul New Wave Noise Pop Noise Rock Northern American Music Nu Jazz Outsider House Plugg PluggnB Plunderphonics Political Hip Hop Pop Pop Rap Pop Rock Pop Soul Post-Bop Post-Hardcore Post-Industrial Post-Punk Post-Punk Revival Post-Rock Power Pop Progressive Breaks Progressive Electronic Progressive Pop Psychedelia Psychedelic Folk Psychedelic Pop Psychedelic Rock Psychedelic Soul Punk Punk Rock R&B Reggae Regional Music Rock Shoegaze Singer-Songwriter Slacker Rock Slowcore Smooth Soul Sophisti-Pop Soul Soul Jazz Sound Collage Soundtrack South American Music Southern African Music Southern Hip Hop Southern Soul Spiritual Jazz Spoken Word Synth Funk Synthpop Tech House Techno Traditional Folk Music Trap Trap Soul Trip Hop UK Bass UK Funky UK Garage UK Hip Hop West African Music West Coast Hip Hop Western Classical Music Wonky

[propheticeve]

"Holiness Hoodoo: Rediscovering Ancestral Roots Without Jesus"

The term "Holiness Hoodoo" may leave some people puzzled, so allow me to clarify its meaning. In my view, Holiness Hoodoo represents a return to the traditional practices of my ancestral lineage, a way to decipher who I am and what my purpose entails. Many of our forebears were devout Christians, and this undeniable fact forms the backdrop of my spiritual journey. Despite the complex relationship that many Black Americans have with the Bible due to the scars of slavery, it's essential to remember that it wasn't the Bible itself that caused harm, but the people wielding it as a tool of oppression.

As I delved deeper into the realms of ancestral magic, I began to notice striking parallels with church practices. To some, I seemed too "churchy" for hoodoo, and to others, too "hoodoo" for the church—there appeared to be no middle ground. However, I've come to understand that my connection to my ancestors is the cornerstone of my spiritual practice. I've realized that perhaps the reason some individuals struggle to communicate with their spirits is that they try to venerate them through African traditions, tarot, or other methods their ancestors might not recognize.

The Bible, as a potent tool in hoodoo, is not revered because we live by its teachings but because it contains powerful scriptures. My mother, for instance, believed in Jesus, yet she was a practitioner of hoodoo—a tongue-speaking, spirit-conjuring woman. Her approach, which I now embrace, is what I refer to as "Holiness Hoodoo."

So, what does Holiness Hoodoo look like for me?

1. Setting the Atmosphere:

I play inspirational or gospel music that resonates with my specific needs, allowing it to fill my home as I clean, pray, or perform spiritual work. Gospel music serves as a direct conduit to my ancestral spirits, and sometimes, when I hear a song I haven't listened to in a while, an ancestor's presence is assured.

2. Keeping a Bible on the Altar:

While I don't read the Bible frequently, I keep it open to the Psalms as an offering to my spirits. The Bible also serves as a powerful tool of protection, and specific verses and pages can function as talismans and petitions.

3. Baptisms:

Baptism, in my lineage, is a ritual practice to wash ourselves of sins and start anew. It's not just for babies; it can also cleanse generational curses and traumas passed down from parents.

4. Shouting:

Listening to gospel music, I engage in the practice of shouting, a form of ecstatic dance that connects me with my spirits. This practice fills me with light and often results in downloads of ancestral wisdom.

5. Laying of Hands:

I perform the laying of hands, a practice I'll discuss in more detail in the future. It's distinct from Reiki and is a significant part of my spiritual tradition.

6. Fasting:

Fasting is a part of my spiritual practice, serving as a means of both elevating my spiritual consciousness and cleansing my body. I firmly believe that one's health plays a pivotal role in their spiritual journey.

Holiness Hoodoo is about preserving the traditions of our ancestors and finding connections with them. It doesn't rely on dogma or strict religious doctrine; instead, it is a pathway to tap into the wisdom and spirituality that has been passed down through generations. In this practice, there is no room for being "too churchy" or "too hoodoo"—it's about embracing the rich tapestry of our heritage and harnessing it for a profound and authentic spiritual experience.

Please make sure you SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! For more if you enjoyed this post.

Don’t forget My MInd and Me inc is still seeking donors for The Peoples Praise House! Even if you cannot donate, SHARE ! Thank you !

@conjuhwoeman on twitter

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#hoodoo #medium #ancestor veneration #witch #rootwork #black women #conjure #prophet #tutnese #luxury #traditional hoodoo #holiness

[talonabraxas]

Rainbow Serpent

African Spiritual Tradition teaches that all aspects of nature have consciousness or spiritual energy. This energy can be found in a blade of grass, a stone or a bird. Consequently, even the Rainbow possesses consciousness.

The spirit of the rainbow is referred to as Orisha Osumare. In this episode of Foundational Friday, Chief Jegna Yuya provides listeners with an overstanding of what Osumare represents.

Osumare or Osunmare, as it is sometimes spelled, is a very special Orisha. For it is very rare to find an Orisha with the suffix "mare". Typically one only finds the suffix "mare" in the title Oludumare. Oludumare is the supreme energy of the universe i.e. God.

One may also notice that Orisha Osun's name is present in the title. Chief breaks down the name as follows. The letter O represents the ownership or spirit of something. Osu means the source, the moon, or the spirit of the source. Osun is also related to the menstrual cycle.

"Mare" has several meanings attached to it including serpent, deepness, the essence and the immensity of power. Great feminine energy is represented in the term Osumare.

Osumare, the rainbow serpent is only possible when 2 elements are present. These elements are water and sunlight. When the sun's rays hit water at an angle of 42 degrees a rainbow is manifest. The colors of the rainbow actually represent the colors of the chakras.

In essence, Osumare or the rainbow is an external archetypal representation of kundalini energy. Kundalini is the unobstructed flow of energy through the chakras, from the root to the crown. We are not meant to linger in any one chakra house, they are stepping stones and should be viewed as such.

Osumare is the roadway to unleashing divine consciousness. The divine rainbow serpent provides us with the opportunity to connect with our destiny by traveling through the inner self. This powerful Orisha provides an infinite gateway of immense power.

How does one connect with this Orisha? How does one encourage the rising of the serpent? Chief instructs listeners that kundalini is raised through the divine breath of life. Breathing exercises are the key to raising chakra energy and to connecting with Osumare.

Our destiny is a journey and it is the bridge within that we must travel.

[metamatar]

Literature produced in the ex-colonial countries but produced directly in languages which had been imported initially from Europe provides one kind of archive for the metropolitan university to construe the textual formation of ‘Third World Literature’; but this is not the only archive available, for the period after decolonization has also witnessed great expansion and consolidation of literary traditions in a number of indigenous languages as well [...] Not much of this kind of literature is directly available to the metropolitan literary theorists because, erudite as they usually are in metropolitan languages, hardly any of them has ever bothered with an Asian or African language. But parts and shades of these literatures also become available in the West, essentially in the following three ways. By far the greater part of the archive through which knowledge about the so-called Third World is generated in the metropolises has traditionally been, and continues to be, assembled within the metropolitan institutions of research and explication, which are characteristically administered and occupied by overwhelmingly Western personnel. Non-Western individuals have also been employed in these same institutions – more and more so during the more recent, post-colonial period, although still almost always in subordinate positions. The archive itself is dispersed through myriad academic disciplines and genres of writing – from philological reconstruction of the classics to lowbrow reports by missionaries and administrators; from Area Study Programmes and even the central fields of the Humanities to translation projects sponsored by Foundations and private publishing houses alike – generating all kinds of classificatory practices. A particularly large mechanism in the assembly of this archive has been the institutionalized symbiosis between the Western scholar and the local informant, which is frequently re-enacted now – no doubt in far more subtle ways –between the contemporary literary theorist of the West, who typically does not know a non-Western language, and the indigenous translator or essayist, who typically knows one or two. This older, multidisciplinary and somewhat chaotic archive is greatly expanded in our own time, especially in the area of literary studies, by a developing machinery of specifically literary translations – a machinery not nearly as highly developed as the one that exists for the circulation of texts among the metropolitan countries themselves, but not inconsiderable on its own terms. Apart from the private publishing houses and the university presses which may publish such translations of their own volition or under sponsorship programmes, there are state institutions such as the Sahitya Akademi in India, as well as international agencies such as UNESCO, not to speak of the American ‘philanthropic’foundations such as the Rockefeller-funded Asia Society, which have extensive programmes for such publications. Supplementing these translations are the critical essay and its associated genres, usually produced by an indigenous intellectual who reads the indigenous language but writes in one of the metropolitan ones. Some of this kind of writing becomes available in the metropolises, creating versions and shadows of texts produced in other spaces of the globe, but texts which frequently come with the authority of the indigenous informant.

Aijaz Ahmed, In Theory: Nations, Classes, Literatures

#colonialism #post colonial lit #indian literature #aijaz ahmad #readings

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Hii ik saw me many times but i love your blog so much about hobie and Miguel i have questions have any hc hobie being west African hc of that been there since watched movie i cannot get it out

I AM GOING TO SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM AT THIS BECAUSE YES YES I CAN

(also sorry if this is kinda Yoruba centric!! cause that's the area I know the best - for reference I myself am Bajan/Quechua (West Indies - Barbados / Indigenous Peruvian))

West African!Hobie Headcanons:

And because I'll never get a chance to talk about this again I'm gonna start off with the one I love most and the one people know most about (and that is demonized - literally - the most)

Hobie and Vodou (aka VooDoo):

Yeah, I said it. Hobie can work. He got juju. He rootworks. He conjures. Whatever iteration, whatever title - if Hobie followed any religion it would either be Buddhism, which some argue that some sects can double as a moral philosophy,

-If he'd respect any religion. It'd be a Traditional African one and I'm putting money on Vodou.

[And heads up, I am not an initiate of Vodou, but I do actively practice African Traditional Spirituality (HooDoo/Rootworking) and Ancestral Worship. So take from that what you will.]

First of all - how punk would that be??? A West African religion demonized by the western world for centuries from Africa to Haiti to Louisiana - that praised ancestral worship and community first???

YES PLEASE. Some people might not really understand all of this but:

First things first, yes, he speaks Yoruba and if you call it 'Speaking African' he's going to flay you alive.

Like????? Hobie sweet talking in Yoruba??? I'll throw my self on the floor right now!!

Hobie practicing ancestor worship - and thanking all the oppressed people who gave their lives and suffered daily so he can live his life?

He'd have an altar in his house, a small one he keeps out of sight, even to Gwen.

Leaves offerings and bits of his meal on the altar. Cause he was once food insecure, but now that things are a little better, he can do that

Like even if he practiced a form of HooDoo or another sect that derives from Traditional African Spirituality (that doesn't involve initiation)

He'd want to give back to his ancestors, learn how to use natural herbs and work them, learning how to make powders, doing floor washes, sweeping a certain way

And having all of these routines related to his African spirituality that are so subtle but he thinks about always

Prays to his ancestors to give him strength when he's struggling with being Spiderpunk

BUT IMAGINE IF HE WAS INTITATED THO ????

Hobie in all white during ceremony???????

HOBIE BEING A CHILD OF SHANGO??????????

NAH THEY AINT READY FOR IT

But even so -whatever Orisha got that boy head be putting in WORK.

And you know he keeps his beads on forever and always even under the suit!!!!

And the style!!! Hobie AfroPunk?!!!

I don't know if they have this elsewhere, but in NYC there's a music festival called AfroPunk - and it's full of black artists, and black people come out in these amazing outfits - and the goal is to incorporate as much African influence as possible

HOBIE WOULD EAT THIS UP.

The inside of his vest being lined with African textile!!

He takes it off in front of you and you see that little pop of that of classic orange-gold color

You just know he's wit it!!!

And the BEADS

(He should wear beads he's royalty compared to the raggedys at HQ)

[Cough] red and white shango beads [Cough]

Imagine Hobie giving his girlfriend a coral bead bracelet too AWWW

And telling them the significance??!!

He loves a woman in a headwrap. GELE ESPECIALLY but any type

And if you wear waistbeads UMMMMMMMM

As soon as he sees it peeking from under your shirt - IT'S GAME OVER

He's gonna wanna test if they working how they supposed to IF YOU KNOW YOU KNOW.

AND The FOOD!

First of all - Hobie hates that British manners shit.

Was raised eating with his hands and loves it

He hates old white people who wanna stare cause he eats with his hands

He loves goat. Not me projecting he LOVES goat.

He really appreciates rice based dishes because they can fill you up - and you can't just buy them anywhere

Prefers Waakye to Jollof Rice but still loves Jollof

With FUCK UP some Fufu if he can get it

I say he eats standing up so he's just there at his kitchen counter eating Fufu and the most random shit in his fridge???

Like he'll be eating left over KFC with fufu - like what are you doing??? Thats - not a meal bro

He loves Okra (ew nasty ass) and he'll eat it all the time.

Especially fried okra but okra soup is cool too he's fine with that

His fried plantains go INSANE. They go SO HARD. They're to die for

He always picks the sweetest ones and it cooks them till they're all caramelized and shit YUMMMMM

(can you tell I like my plaintains sweet and soft cause I DO)

Extra Headcanons

He was not playing that when Gwen first came over - as soon as she stepped on the houseboat with shoes he was like "Girl-"

The first time Peter B. heard him speaking Yoruba he went "Wow, Hobie, Your Nigerian is great!"

Hobie, who already hates Peter B, looked at him like he was the dumbest mfer on earth like

'Right, and you speak American, right? Fucking bellend. I hate you. 'Nigerian'. It's Yoruba.'

(He's only saying that cause he hates Peter personally and wants him to have a bad day)

Meanwhile Gwen was nice enough to just ask "What language is that?" (The correct way to do it, do not assume language names like Peter)

First time he went over to Peter B.'s place (on Gwen's insistence), Mary-Jane accidentally swept over his feet before setting her purse on the floor

and in the moment he knew he had to leave.

He's a streetkid, but since he's in the neighborhood so much he has like 45 different women he calls auntie - and they make sure he has good food to eat because 'you are so skinny! you need to eat more.'

He does that auntie shit where you're walking with him and you see someone you know and now they're in a long ass conversation

Or when he says 'goodbye' then stands by the door having a conversation and you're standing there in your coat like....'fam are we out or not cause i can sit back down'.

He always goes to meet the elders of whatever house he's in to introduce himself, very respectful of black elders and enjoys helping old the older black folk in his neighborhood.

He enjoys giving them respect and hearing their stories, helping around the house. Plus he gets great food out of it

ANNDD That's all of them I think!! Sorry if any of these were off the mark - a lot of these are from personal things I know about West Africa and things learned through Spirituality. I hope I got everything okay!

Thanks for this by the way I LOVE Hobie and culture you know he'd be SO proud!!

[If you've read this far - maybe take some time out to learn a bit about African religions - they're beautiful practices (open to black people - we're worshipping black ancestors) - but you can still learn about them and understand how modern culture often demonizes these types of religions. If anything, I hope you learned a little from this! Hoodoo, Vodun (VooDoo), and Santeria (Latino witchcraft) are not scary, dark practices!] And because I spoke about spirituality, imma put this here cause DO not be playing yknowwhatimean

🧿

#I love talking about African Spirituality I hope I did it alright and justice #Most Vodou practitioners I know are Haitan so excuse any differences #no proofread as usu #hobie brown #hobie brown headcanons #spider punk #spiderpunk #across the spiderverse #atsv #across the spider verse

[blueiskewl]

Why These Imperfect Korean ‘Moon Jars’ Sell for Millions

Old, round, imperfect and beautiful — that’s how fans of Korean art describe the moon jar, or “dalhangari.”

These unassuming, plain white pots have entranced everyone from rapper RM, of K-pop sensation BTS, to philosopher Alain de Botton.

The former director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, Beth McKillop, has called the moon jar an “icon of Korean identity.” And if price is any indicator of popularity, one recently sold for over $4.5 million at a Christie’s auction.

This month, a rare example from the late 17th or early 18th century will go on sale at Sotheby’s in New York, where it’s expected to fetch more than $3 million.

“A large moon jar has always been expensive, but I think the big uptick in prices and value is… because their appeal is now global,” said Angela McAteer, Sotheby’s international head of Chinese art for the Americas and Europe, over video call. “You’ve got an international cohort of bidders competing for them, so it’s gone beyond the traditional connoisseur collecting community of Korean art.”

Huge price tags also result from the jars’ rarity. Although made for over a century in the royal kilns of Korea’s last kingdom, the Joseon dynasty, few are thought to exist today. Estimates for the number of larger ones (those more than 40 centimeters, or 15.7 inches, tall and wide) that have survived over the years range from 12 to 30.

Having passed through auction houses and antique dealers across the world, several of these are now in the collections of institutions like the British Museum and Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, as well as in the hands of private collectors.

‘Owning a piece of happiness’

The first moon jars were created in the royal kilns in Gwangju (a city just outside Seoul, not the larger southern city of the same name) from 1650 to 1750. They were made from pure white porcelain and kaolin clay, and, following the neo-Confucian fashions of their day, the pots reflected values such as propriety, humility, frugality and purity. They were likely used at court and in upper-class homes as containers for food and liquids, or as decorative vessels.

In the mid-20th century, moon jars began gaining international appreciation thanks to influential admirers such as Japanese folk crafts scholar Yanagi Soetsu and British potter Bernard Leach, who bought one from a Seoul antique store in 1935. Leach once said that having a moon jar was like “owning a piece of happiness,” and would later give his to fellow potter Lucie Rie for safekeeping during World War II. It stayed in her studio until her death and was later acquired by the British Museum.

Charlotte Horlyck, lecturer in Korean Art History at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, wrote in the Art Bulletin journal that after World War II the moon jar “caught the attention of an early generation of postcolonial Korean artists and scholars who sought to restore Korean art history and national identity,” as the pieces “resonated with the visual language of international modernism and minimalism of the mid-20th century while remaining a distinctly Korean work of art.”

The moon jar’s allure

When Sotheby’s announced its forthcoming sale, the auction house described its 44-centimeter (17.3-inch) moon jar as an object that inspired, astounded and soothed those who “stand in its presence.” It’s a funny thing to say about a pot, to speak as if it’s alive, but the jars’ visceral, emotional impact on people is something that comes up time and time again in the literature.

Choi Sunu, a former director of the National Museum of Korea, has described the museum’s moon jars as being like companions, or muses that have inspired his writing and stirred his creativity. Bernard Leach admired the pots for their “natural unselfconsciousness.” In 2012, South Korea’s then-Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik used the pot as a metaphor symbolizing a reunified Korean peninsula (moon jars are created in two hemispherical pieces and joined in the middle).

More recently the rapper RM, of K-pop group BTS, posted a picture of himself hugging a modern-day moon jar on Twitter, telling fans that the pots made him feel calm.

“It’s hard for someone to really comprehend how a pot can make you feel that way,” said McAteer. “It has this real meditative presence. If you’ve sat in front of a great (painting by US artist, Mark) Rothko and you feel this kind of palpable energy emanate from it, and you could sit for hours and just feel something in its presence — the moon jar has that too.”

“The more you look at it, the more there is to see. It looks different from every angle,” she added. “We had real issues with the photography and the catalog because it looks like a different piece every time you rotate it, or you change the lighting. The surface is just alive, you know.”

“You can see how the glaze coalesces; you see these spontaneous bursts of this blush color that’s happening in the firing. You can lose yourself in its surface.”

Modern masters

Modern Korean potters have been inspired by the jars, and a number have come up with their own homages. Ceramist Kim Syyong covers his pots with a black glaze, while Yun Ju Cheol’s versions look spikier like a pufferfish and Choi Bo Ram’s unvarnished, textured blue vases have a denim-like quality.

Others, like Kwon Dae Sup, have looked to closely recreate the process used by the potters of yore. The 71-year-old ceramist produces unadorned white jars and allows for all the beautiful imperfections produced to shine through. He works out of a studio in Gwangju, where the royal kilns that produced moon jars were once located.

There’s a great deal of preparation that goes into making a moon jar traditionally. It’s labor-intensive: washing, sifting impurities from the clay, kneading and rolling it to remove air bubbles, carrying around these large hunks, not to mention hand throwing the clay itself to that oversized bowl shape without collapsing, and the work keeping a pine wood fire burning for 24 hours while the pot hardens in the kiln. Kwon also built his own kiln to replicate the old process as closely as possible.

“I do this because it’s fun,” he said in a phone interview. “Every time I make something, it’s novel … The quality of the material is different every time. The conditions in which I make the pots is new every time.”

Kwon said he also feels an emotional connection to the moon jar. As a student he was so moved by a one he saw in a Korean antique store that he decided they would be his life’s work. “They feel alive,” he said.

In a 2019 book on his work by Axel Vervoodt Gallery the potter is quoted saying he tries to produce art that needs no addition or subtraction. “I wish to create work that has an imposing presence but harmonizes with its surroundings regardless of where and when it is displayed. It should give peace of mind and a sense of comfort to all who look at it.”

By Christy Choi.

#Moon Jars #Why These Imperfect Korean ‘Moon Jars’ Sell for Millions #Dalhangari #Joseon dynasty #pottery #porcelain #Bernard Leach #Lucie Rie #Kwon Dae Sup #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #korean history #korean art #art #artist #art work #art world #art news #long reads