#Southern Regional Council

[workersolidarity]

Israeli Forces demolish a school in Masafer Yatta

Activists leave this message behind

“The Israeli occupation forces demolished a school while it was in session and students were inside,” the head of Masafer Yatta’s local council, Nidal Younis, told Al Jazeera.

“They used sound bombs to scare the children and get them out of the school,” he added.

“This occupation targets everything – it targets our homes, education, our water, solar panels,” said Younis, the council head. “They think this will pressure people to leave so that they can displace them, so that they can ethnically cleanse Masafer Yatta.”

[mapsontheweb]

Two years of Russian invasion of Ukraine

by theflagmapguy_2.0

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and instigated Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. About 8 million Ukrainians were displaced within their country by June, and more than 8 million fled the country by February 2023. After the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and Russian-backed paramilitaries seized the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine's Donbas region, sparking a regional war. In March 2021, Russia began a military build-up, amassing up to 190,000 soldiers at Ukraine's borders. Russian government officials denied plans to attack Ukraine until the day before the invasion. On 21 February 2022, Russia recognised the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, two self-proclaimed breakaway quasi-states in the Donbas. The next day, the Federation Council of Russia authorised the use of military force and Russian soldiers entered both territories. The invasion began the morning of 24 February 2022 upon Russian president Vladimir Putin's announcement of a "special military operation" seeking the "demilitarisation" and "denazification" of Ukraine. In his address, Putin espoused irredentist views, challenged Ukraine's right to statehood, and falsely claimed that Ukraine was governed by neo-Nazis who persecuted the ethnic Russian minority. Minutes later, Russian air strikes and a ground invasion were launched along a northern front from Belarus towards Kyiv, a north-eastern front towards Kharkiv, a southern front from Crimea, and a south-eastern front from Donetsk and Luhansk. In response, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted martial law and a general mobilisation.

[nohkalikai]

More areas and populations have been affected in Assam, which is the most populous state in the country’s northeast. So far, 11 people have lost their lives and 600,000 people including over 78,000 children across 11 districts have been affected. An estimated 68,600 people have sought refuge in 187 relief camps.

The southern districts of the state, including the Barak Valley, have suffered more than the other regions. Landslides, floods and erosion have been reported from here and nearly 250,000 people are affected. Several trains have been canceled due to the rising water level in the rivers across the state. Additional personnel from the NDRF have been airlifted to the Barak Valley region to bolster the rescue and rehabilitation operation.

Mizoram has been affected more by landslides and storms than flooding. At least 29 people have been killed there with the highest toll reported from the capital city of Aizawl. Local NGOs such as the Melthum Local Council and Young Mizo Association have joined hands with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for rescue and rehabilitation measures.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma has announced an allocation of 150 million Indian rupees ($1.8 million approximately) to the SDRF. Families that have lost kin in the disaster are being paid $4,792 each.

Meghalaya and Tripura have suffered less devastation compared to the other states in the northeastern region. Meghalaya reported five deaths and close to 5,000 people have been affected by storms and landslides.  A portion of National Highway-6 that connects the state to Assam has collapsed near Lumshnong as storms and rains caused landslides. Transportation in the region has been severely disrupted.  Vehicles were seen stranded in videos on social media.

In Tripura, around 2,500 people were rendered homeless and more than 550 houses were damaged due to the incessant rainfall, flooding and thunderstorms. Those rendered homeless have been lodged at 30 relief camps in different districts of the state. Sepahijala, Gomati, Dhalai and Khowai districts were affected the most by the cyclone.   According to an official estimate, about 397 hectares of cultivable land belonging to 1,764 farmers were submerged by the flood in different districts.

[whencyclopedia]

The Sixteenth-Century Massacre of the Waldensians of Mérindol

As the Reformation developed in France in the first half of the 16th century, there were several episodes of severe repression which preceded the Wars of Religion (1562-1598). These were times of great hardship and oppression against those who embraced Protestant teachings. One notable chapter of persecution took place in the Luberon region of France against the Waldensians (Vaudois), the spiritual descendants of Pierre Waldo, which led to the Mérindol massacre in 1545.

Early Persecution

Early in the 12th century, Pierre Waldo (l. 1140–1218) took a vow of poverty, confirmed by Pope Alexander III (served 1159–1181), and became the leader of a sect known as the Waldensians. Waldo was among the forerunners of the Reformation who sought to purify and reform the Catholic Church from within through a return to apostolic teaching. Initially, he did not seek separation from the Catholic Church or the establishment of a new sect. In time, partly due to their emphasis on preaching the gospel in the local language, Waldo and his followers were banned from preaching by Pope Lucius III (served 1181–1185). Waldo was excommunicated at the Council of Verona in 1184, and Waldensian teaching was condemned at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215.

Exiled from their city of Lyon, the Waldensians spread to the valleys of Dauphiné and the Alps of Piedmont, to Languedoc, and to Spain. The Inquisition failed to stamp them out and many of the exiles settled in the Luberon region in southern France. The Waldensians sought to live in peace in the sheltered valleys of the Luberon where they drained the swamps and cultivated lands belonging to Italian lords. It is said that people inhabiting the plains feared the Waldensians who had a reputation as sorcerers. At that time, they had spiritual leaders called uncles (barbes) in their language who had authority over the people. The barbes were considered wise and venerable, and mysterious powers were attributed to them. Their brothers in Dauphiné had previously suffered persecution and many had fled to Luberon for safety.

The archbishop of Aix feared that this concentration of heretics might embrace the Reformation. Around 1530, the inquisitor Jean de Roma was sent to investigate the Waldensians where he committed atrocities and enriched himself at their expense. As a result of this initial violence, two Waldensians, Maurel and Masson, crossed the frontiers to Alsace and Switzerland to confer with Reformed leaders in Geneva. They were persuaded of the need to reform their beliefs, to definitively break with superstitious practices, and were sent back with letters for their brothers in Mérindol. Only Maurel arrived home safely; Masson was arrested and burned alive at Dijon. A decisive meeting took place in Piedmont in 1532 with Waldensian leadership from different regions. William Farel (l. 1489–1565), over six days, convinced them to preserve only two sacraments, baptism and the Eucharist, without the mystical sense given by the Catholic Church. Farel welcomed them to the Reformed faith with enthusiasm and called them “the elder sons of the Reformation.”

Continue reading...

[iwriteaboutfeminism]

The plans would see the construction of more than 1,700 new homes for Israeli settlers. There are already around 200,000 Israelis living in illegal settlements in Palestinian East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1967.

"If it weren't for the war (on Gaza), there would be a lot of noise. It's a highly problematic project for the continuity of a Palestinian state between the southern West Bank and east Jerusalem," said Hagit Ofran from the Israeli NGO Peace Now.

The move was condemned by regional states, with Turkey saying that settlements damage efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.

“It is completely unacceptable that Israel approved a plan to build approximately 1,800 settlements on 186 acres of land in East Jerusalem," Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

...

Egypt also slammed the move as a blatant violation of international law and UN Security Council resolutions, urging Israel to halt the construction of illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land in a foreign ministry statement.

[girlactionfigure]

🟧 AFTER YOM KIPPUR - Updates from Israel  

THANKS - special thanks to our valiant soldiers who spent their Yom Kippur keeping us safe instead of with their families or in synagogue.  Our prayers are in their merit.

⭕SUICIDE DRONES from HEZBOLLAH hit HERTZILYA on Yom Kippur night, hitting a NURSING HOME.  1 intercepted, 1 got through.  1 injury.

⭕HEAVY ROCKET BARRAGES across the north, hitting Haifa, Acco, Karmiel, Safed, Rosh Pina, and towns throughout the north over Yom Kippur.  3 people were slightly injured by a rocket falling in the Western Galilee and 12 were slightly injured on the way to a protected area.

⭕ROCKETS FROM GAZA on Yom Kippur, to southern Ashkelon.  No casualties, and the IDF continues a policy of forced evac of source areas of fire.

▪️YOM KIPPUR - medics treated 286 fainted, dehydrated or felt ill due to the fast, and took 146 women in labor to the hospitals, one who gave birth in the ambulance.

▪️A HERO SOLDIER HAS FALLEN.. in battle in Gaza before Yom Kippur.. Ittai Fogel, 22, from Yakir.  May his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem, and may G-d avenge his blood!

❗️On Yom Kippur the IDF had 1 serious injury in battle in Gaza, no others casualties.

♦️IDF airstrikes on 280 targets throughout the holiday, in Lebanon and Gaza.

♦️IDF forces eliminated 50 terrorists in face-to-face encounters and directed air force strikes, and destroyed more than 200 Hezbollah terrorist targets from the air and with artillery.

♦️IDF created a small border buffer into SYRIA, in the Alonei Habashan - Kwdana area.

🔹The Christian sectors in Lebanon are in talks to form a political alliance against the Hezbollah.

🔹Yemeni defense minister says an operation against the Houthi Rebels is "imminent”.

🔹Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi calls for Chapter VII of the UN Charter to be invoked to “force Israel to comply with international law and immediately end all its illegal wars” in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.  This framework allows the UN Security Council to impose sanctions or in extreme cases even military force to guard against threats to peace.

▪️Nicaragua announced the severance of relations with Israel "due to the attacks on the Palestinian lands".

▪️Speaker of the Iranian parliament arrived in Beirut and toured the area, leaving later in the day to Turkey.  This is the 2nd Iranian commercial-diplomatic flight to break the Israeli air ban.

Part 2

⚠️ CHANGES IN DEFENSIVE GUIDELINES, MILITARY ZONES DECLARED IN NORTHERN ISRAEL

⚠️ Following a situational assessment, starting today at 20:00, changes will be made to the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines. In southern and northern Golan, except for certain communities in the Emek HaYarden Regional Council, the activity scale will move from Limited Activity to Partial Activity, allowing educational activities subject to Northern Command's guidelines. In Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya in the Carmel area, the activity scale will shift from Partial Activity to Full Activity, with restrictions on gatherings of over 2,000 people. The rest of the country's guidelines remain unchanged. It is crucial to follow official Home Front Command channels and check updates on the National Emergency Portal and Home Front Command app.

🟥 As of 20:00 today, Zar'it, Shomera, Shtula, Netu'a, and Even Menachem in northern Israel will be declared a closed military zone. Entry to this area will be prohibited for security reasons.

🔷 For the first time in the Middle East war, the US intends to deploy its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-ballistic air defense system in Israel to prepare for a potential Iranian attack. This system is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles, providing a high level of protection.

◾The US has also announced new sanctions on Iran's oil sector in response to Tehran’s missile attack on Israel.

[fancy11schmancy]

Finally, after all this time, 1920’s AU Link’s Main outfit concepts are all done!!! It’s been a challenge traveling for work and having time to work on art, but I am slowly getting better at it! (Sorry this took so long ;;)

AU Main Summary:

Since travel has been restored between the light realm and the twilight realm, a newfound unity flourished between the two societies. New friends, new towns/cities to explore, never-before-seen technologies and fashions at their disposal- all seemed well...until nefarious rumors of a returning great threat started to spread... Brief Lore of Link’s Role In The AU: With the new alluring land of Twilight open for entry and for any and all visitors, Link jumps at the chance to visit the amber-hued and shadow-filled world as Zelda’s accompanying guard for the latest council meeting. What and who lies in wait for Link to meet in this parallel reality? A world far more alien and advanced than his own? Rumors of an ethereal beauty shrouded in shadow? ___________________________________________________________ Link, a kindhearted, brave and daring country boy, is ready to make a name for himself as Hyrule’s greatest explorer! He’s known across the land as the “one-man army” for being extremely adaptable and prepared for any situation at any time with his wide arsenal of tools at his disposal. Some may also call him the “evergreen mountaineer” being as there is no mountain or peak he cannot scale- and by the fact he is always seen donning his famous dark green field coat, cap and his pickax of legend. He always greets friends and acquaintances alike with a warm smile and a firm handshake with a hearty hello (or ‘howdy’) with a slight southern draw. (A trademark from those who hail from “across the field," the Ordon Region.)

With his natural talent for exploring and his insatiable hunger for discovery and adventure, he’s charted vast ancient ruins, several dungeons of lore, and has uncovered a fantastic array of numerous treasures on both land and sea. Because of this, he’s occasionally seen as a young, irresponsible and reckless lad, especially due to the extreme nature of most of his exploration missions and his tendency to throw safety to the wind. He may seem like a “lone wolf” most of the time, but he always manages to bring along his dear friend Princess Zelda (and sometimes Midna) for any excursion he may be heading on…but in secret, of course. If the King of Hyrule were to ever find out about the “dangerous” adventures he’s been dragging Zelda onto, surely it would not go well…. Besides adventuring, Link spends his time helping his adoptive family back in Ordon with their expansive pumpkin farm and raising goats that are for producing the finest of goat cheese known region-wide. Any other spare time he has is at the right-hand side of Zelda, helping her with daily royal errands, solving mysteries, or just going out on the town to a local pub or to a delightful picnic in Hyrule Field. When he is at the pub, he can be seen boisterously playing an array of instruments, ranging from drums, stringed instruments, and most notably, his Ocarina (a very cherished gift from Zelda). While Link may be a bit of a country boy, he is no less capable of assisting Zelda in her pursuits of solving the various mysteries popping up around Castle Town, often providing a unique perspective from being the most skilled survivalist around. Once Midna arrives on the scene, she often enables Link’s craziest ideas- bringing out his secret (or not-so-secret) mischievous side. However, Link absolutely loathes Zant, Midna's towering Valet, due to his arrogant nature and his occasional mocking of Link’s short stature.

[palms-upturned]

Gaza’s Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital ‘severely damaged’ in Israeli strike

Oct 30th, 17:05 GMT

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has said that the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital has suffered severe damage in a fresh Israeli air attack.

The bombing hit the third floor of the hospital, with photos showing the impact of the strike.

(Link to tweet showing photos)

Israeli attack on cancer hospital is ‘first direct hit on medical facility’: Director

Oct 30th, 18:21 GMT

Ayman Nobani, reporting from Nablus, Occupied West Bank

The attack on a Turkish-funded cancer treatment hospital in Tal al-Hawwa, a district in Gaza City’s southwest, is the “first direct hit on a medical facility,” its director has said.

“The third floor, which is for administering anesthesia, was directly hit by Israeli shelling, which destroyed walls, windows, oxygen tank lines, water pipes and electricity lines, said Sobhi Skeik, director of the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital.

There were no patients or medical team on that floor during that time.

“The hit took place at 5:30pm local time but since yesterday, the environs of the hospital have been getting repeatedly struck by Israeli shelling,” he said.

In Gaza, there are 10,000 cancer patients. The hospital only has 156 beds, in addition to 100 beds for daily use, Skeik explained.

“We are worried that the hospital will be struck again and that our patients will get killed in their beds, and we are worried about the well-being of our staff, but we will continue to do our work. This is our duty.”

WHO unable to resupply Shifa and al-Quds hospitals, says official

Oct 30th, 19:25 GMT

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has not been able to resupply two hospitals in northern Gaza, Shifa and al-Quds, because the UN deemed the level of risk unacceptable.

“It’s a disaster on top of a disaster. Health needs are soaring and our ability to meet those needs is rapidly declining,” said Rick Brennan, WHO’s regional emergencies director, adding a ceasefire was needed to enable a larger humanitarian operation.

A third of Gaza’s hospitals and 71 percent of clinics are nonfunctioning, he said.

WHO is continuing to resupply hospitals and clinics in southern Gaza, but relief delivered so far overall in the Strip is a “drop in the ocean”, Brennan added.

‘Nowhere safe’ for Palestinian patients to go amid Israel’s hospital evacuation push: UN official

Oct 30th, 20:10 GMT

Lisa Doughten of the Office for the UN Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says “life hangs by a thread” for premature Palestinian newborns and patients relying on dialysis in hospitals in the Gaza Strip that are facing a lack of fuel.

“Some 9,000 cancer patients are not receiving adequate care,” she told the UN Security Council, expressing concern over the Israeli military’s warnings to evacuate healthcare facilities in the besieged enclave.

“There is nowhere safe for these patients to go, and for those on life support and babies on incubators, moving will certainly be a death sentence.”

[secular-jew]

In 1920, Syria Palestina was a Roman-named colony or region, not a country, (aka Palestine), stretching from Iraq to southern Syria, and of course, there was no country called Jordan. The word Palestine was 100% derived from the Hebrew name for the Philistines. There is no evidence of a written language left by the philistines and the only name that they were known by was the name given to them by the Hebrews at the time. The evolution of the word went something like this:

פלש—פלישתים—ארץ פלשת—סוריה פלסטינה/פלשתינה—פלסטין/פלשתין

PaLaSh—plishtim—the land of paleset—Syria Palestina (the name given to the land of Israel and Judea as a punishment by the Roman)—- Palestine

PaLaSh is the Hebrew root word for invade meaning we called the sea fairing invaders by their actual name, invaders

Important to know that the Arabs absolutely DENIED ANY RELEVANCE and would not ascribe and meaning re: "Palestine" for themselves.

Arab nationalists in the post-WWI period ADAMANTLY rejected the designation. Arab spokesmen continued to insist that the land was, like Lebanon, merely a fragment of Syria. On the grounds that it dismembered an ideal unitary Arab state, they fought before the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry and at the United Nations. The Arab historian Philip K. Hitti informed the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry that “there is no such thing as Palestine in history.”

In 1937, Awni Bey Abdul-Hadi, founder of the first Palestinian Arab political party, testified to the Peel Commission, "There is no such country as Palestine. 'Palestine' is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Bible. Palestine is alien to us."

In May 1956, Ahmed Shukairy, who became the first head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (at a time when Jordan had annexed the "West Bank" and Egypt controlled Gaza), declared to the United Nations Security Council, “It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but southern Syria.”

In February 1970, Prince El Hassan bin Tala of Jordan, stated to the Jordanian National Assembly that "Palestine is Jordan and Jordan is Palestine; there is one people and one land, with one history and one and the same fate." Seven months later, the PLO attempted to take over Jordan, lost, and were unceremoniously, kicked out.

In 1977, PLO Executive Committee member Zahir Muhsein stated, "The Palestinian people do not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for our continuing struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. … In reality there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese."

One might argue that this particular group of Arabs established, sometime in the mid 1960s, a political identity as "Palestinians," when Arafat returned from strategic partnership meetings with the Soviets communists who were attempting to gain a larger foothold in the region, and advised him how to use "Palestine" identity as a cudgel against Israel.

What they are NOT is "ancient" inhabitants of the region which, under Ottoman rule, was also dubbed "Syria-Palestine." What they are NOT is any sort of distinct ETHNIC group—like the Judeans (Judea/Samaria/Israel), the Phoenicians (Lebanon), the Kurds, the Druze, or the Circassians. They are Arabs, sharing the language, culture, religion, cuisine, ethnic group, etc. of the people of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Prior to the 1960s, before the PLO was created, there were ZERO Arabs self-identifying as Palestinians. During the 19 years that Jordan controlled the so-called "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria, which had been cleansed of Jews by the Jordanians) and when Egypt controlled Gaza, there was no movement to create a "Palestinian" state.

Attached is a photo of the Palestine Symphony Orchestra in 1936, which consisted of 73 jewish musicians, and conducted by none other than Arturo Toscanini (born in Parma, father was a tailor). Toscanini was the music director at La Scala, before spending spent 7 years conducting the New York Metropolitan Opera (1908-1915) and the New York Philharmonic (1926-1936). He lived out his latter years in NYC, about a 1/2 mile from where I lived for a decade from 2005-2015 in Riverdale (Bronx), which is now called Wave Hill, a non-profit cultural institution and botanical garden, located on 26 acres adjacent to the Hudson River.

[agentrouka-blog]

I'm curious, do you think Jon or Bran will be king at the end? I find Jonsas tend to be more receptive to the idea of King Bran, even if they don't think its endgame since Jon and Sansa can still be together in Winterfell, unlike the Jonerys side of the fandom who accept Queen Dany as the only possible satisfying endgame. I'm kinda torn between the two, I think grrm could make either work, though Bran would be the more subversive option than the secret prince of an overthrown ancient dynasty. But on the other hand I feel like there won't even be an Iron Throne/7 united kingdoms by the end, so for a King in the North, my #1 pick would always be Jon (alongside his Stark Queen of course).

Oh, I am 100% on board with king Bran! <3

My specific scenario is that he will be an unlikely selection voted in by a Great Council for the new political system in the South of Westeros, which is a parliamentary monarchy of a voluntary union of the Southern regions. There's a permanent Great Council, presided over by a much less powerful figurehead king (hereditary or not) at Harrenhal, which is centrally located in the South and big enough to house that kind of institution, plus symbolically close to the Isle of Faces.

(The Iron Throne and KL being roasted and destroyed, there's need for a whole reassassment of the political future of the continent.)

Bran would be chosen based on his maternal ancestry line (Tully-Whent) connecting him to Harrenhal, through an effective but stealthy election campaign by his aquaintence Samwell Tarly, and probably influenced by Tyrion Lannister in some way. His disability and extreme youth would be considered a plus in this scenario, ensuring the inability to increase royal power beyond the bare minimum through charismatic war mongering for the foreseeable decades. Bran would shine through his intelligence and his ability successfully negotiate political decisions as this proto-democratic institution finds its feet.

I don't think GRRM would ever contemplate putting a Targaryen descendent into a position of ultimate power over Westeros in the end. It would validate the entire dynasty in a way that entirely undercuts the point made by the descent into villainy for literlly everyone actively pursuing that same throne. It would also define Jon's place in the world through the Targaryen line instead of the Stark line, which is.... improbable, given his lack of personal ties to the South and his deep thematic and emotional connection to the culture, landscape, people and politics of the North. The perfect match to Queen in the North Sansa.

[sotwk]

Historical Event in the SotWK AU:

The (Non)Involvement of Thranduil in the Sack of Erebor

Could Thranduil have helped kill Smaug and save Erebor?

Disclaimer: The content in this post is mostly headcanon created for the SotWK AU, founded on canon details from the books and movies.

Context: Timeline of Thranduil's History in the Third Age

c. TA 1000-2000 - Thranduil, his family, and their people spend one thousand years fighting and enduring against the rise of Dol Guldur and the darkness and evil creatures that have infested and overrun the southern regions of Greenwood the Great.

Alas, by TA 2000:

Nearly all the woodlands south of the Old Forest Road had been abandoned.

The Woodland Realm's population had been reduced to nearly half of the great number it reached during the Golden Age of Thranduil's rule.

Many Silvans were killed by the onslaught of spiders, orcs, and other dark creatures or poisoned by the sick forest itself (air, water, food). A few even faded from grief and despair, which never before happened to the resilient Silvans.

The Silvans' famously high birthing rate dropped to nearly zero, leading to a "lost generation" and fears of gradual extinction.

TA 2063 - Crown Prince Mirion dies in direct combat against the Necromancer, resulting in Thranduil's vengeful razing of the fortress (SotWK HC), and the Council of the Wise's investigation (through Gandalf), all of which forces Sauron to abandon Dol Guldur. This begins the period known as the Watchful Peace. 

During the 400 years of the Watchful Peace, the Silvans regain hope and courage, and with that, their ability and desire to have children again.

TA 2210 - Thorin I abandons Erebor to join his kin in the Grey Mountains in TA 2210. The Lonely Mountain is abandoned for three-hundred and eighty years. 

TA 2460 - The Watchful Peace ends. Sauron returns with increased strength to Dol Guldur.

TA 2509 - Princess Itarildë’s mother, Nimeithel (oc), dies trying to defend her cousin Celebrían from the Orcs. Lady Celebrían sails to the Undying Lands the following year, and Queen Maereth is devastated by the loss of her two dearest friends.

TA 2589 - When their halls in the Grey Mountains come under attack by Cold-drakes, Prince Arvellas dies attempting to aid the Dwarves (defying his father's orders for the only time in his life). Dáin I and younger brother Frór are both slain, and Thrór inherits the kingship.

TA 2590 - King Thrór returns to Erebor with the Arkenstone to re-establish the Kingdom under the Mountain. Thrór's younger brother Grór leads others to the Iron Hills.

TA 2601 - Prince Turhir leaves Mirkwood, unable to cope with the trauma and guilt over his brothers' deaths. (Further details withheld to avoid fic spoilers.) His departure strains Thranduil and Maereth's marriage in a way it has never suffered before.

TA 2746 - Thorin (Oakenshield) is born in Erebor. Maereth sends gifts to honor the birth of the new prince, in an attempt to heal the friendship with the House of Durin that was broken after Arvellas's death. The gifts are accepted, but the rekindled friendship remains tenuous, especially since Thranduil has lost his desire to remain allies with the Dwarves he holds responsible for Arvellas's death.

TA 2760 - The continuing strain on their marriage forces Maereth and Thranduil to agree they need time apart. Maereth leaves Mirkwood to reside in Imladris for several years. (This is the only separation they have in the 2,900 years of their marriage.)

TA 2765 - Thranduil (trying to prove to his willingness for peace with the Dwarves again, as Maereth wants of him) commissions the jewel-smiths of Erebor to make a necklace from the White Gems of Lasgalen. However, when he comes to claim the finished necklace, he is turned away by Thrór, who (under the influence of dragon-sickness) claims that the gems were ill-begotten treasure from Khazad-dûm, and belonged to the Durins by birthright. Thranduil holds in his anger at the insult and does not press the matter, not wishing to completely sever the alliance that means so much to his wife.

TA 2770 - Smaug lays waste to the town of Dale and captures Erebor with all of its treasure.

tldr: Thranduil was not at his best when Smaug came to attack Erebor. He had many problems of his own, and he had very legitimate grievances against Thrór and his kin.

Unfortunately, Thrór was never forthcoming with his grandson, Thorin, about the deep history between the Durins and Thranduil's family, so as far as Thorin and his people believed, the Elvenking and his family just "lacked all honor". Nothing could have been further from the truth.

How did Thranduil react upon hearing of the attack?

The Elvenqueen was still in Imladris during the attack, and was therefore not present to give Thranduil council. Because of their separation, Maereth's mind was closed off to Thranduil's, and so she could not be reached through ósanwe. The younger princes, Gelir and Legolas, lacked the ability to telepathically communicate across that great a distance.

It was Gelir and Legolas who pushed their father to ride out with their army to help the Dwarves. Even though the bitterness of Arvellas's death still remained, Thranduil heeded his sons.

They had a solid plan to kill Smaug.

Thranduil had fought against fire-breathing dragons during the War of Wrath, and he knew what it would take to kill one: nothing short of a hero's self-sacrifice.

There was one weapon in Mirkwood that was surely powerful enough to pierce dragon hide and flesh: the great broadsword (or claymore) of the late Crown Prince Mirion.

Mirion's sword was forged by the prince himself (he was the best bladesmith in the realm), and was made from a special steel sourced from Khazad-dûm centuries before its fall. (Thranduil's sword was made from this same steel, which was also crafted by Mirion and given to his father as a gift.)

The sword was so large and heavy, only three people were known to be able to wield it: Mirion, Thranduil, and Turhir. Only Mirion had the strength and sufficient practice to wield it single-handed when needed.

Therefore, any attack using the sword would have to be carried out by the Elvenking himself.

For reference, Mirion's broadsword is about as massive as "Ice", Ned Stark's Valyrian sword from Game of Thrones.

In order to defeat Smaug, Thranduil's strategy would have been to attack the dragon himself with the sword. Gelir, Legolas, and the rest of his army would provide enough diversion to allow the Elvenking to get close without being burned by dragonfire.

What actually happened during the attack?

Thranduil was gripped by indecision and did not act as soon as he received the news of Smaug's descent. He already knew that any action they take against the dragon would mean loss of life for his people, and that made him hesitate, which caused some delay.

But he DID gather his army, his last two sons (who refused to be left behind), and marched out with the intention of engaging.

However, once Thranduil saw with his own eyes he fiery wrath of Smaug and the destruction he was capable of, and sensed the dragon's greed and evilness, the reality of the situation and the weight of old memories crashed down on him full force.

He remembered how he almost died from dragonfire, how painful those burns were, and how long it took him to recover from the physical and emotional scars. (And he only survived due to Valinor-level healing!) Did he want his soldiers to suffer the same, even if they survived?

He remembered that he had already lost one son (Arvellas) to dragons, who gave his life to help these same Dwarves, and received little gratitude for it in return. Was he ready to risk his last two sons?

And lastly, Thranduil realized, with almost full certainly, that killing Smaug would cost him his life. Was he ready to leave his wife a widow, his sons fatherless, and grandson saddled with the burden of kingship in such dark times?

The answer to all those questions was NO. So he made the difficult decision to turn back.

Thranduil's real mistake (that you can fault him for. Maybe.)

An argument could be made that even if Thranduil didn't want to directly engage with Smaug, he could still have sent his army to shield the Dwarves of Erebor and the people of Dale and help them get to safety. Less civilian lives could have been lost.

They didn't have to completely turn around and go home. They could have still tried to to something--as his sons (especially Gelir) would argue later on.

However, at that point, Thranduil choked on his reluctance to risk anything any further, after everything his family and kingdom had already been through. His sons were especially chomping at the bit to slay the dragon, and things could have easily gotten out of hand if they stepped into the same field as Smaug.

By retreating completely, Thranduil eliminated all risk.

And yes, the bitterness of Thrór's treatment (those damn jewels), and the way Arvellas's death was handled (the Durins never properly honored the prince's sacrifice) still lingered. It certainly factored in the decision to (selfishly?) leave the Dwarves to their fate.

Thranduil HAD warned Thrór "of what his greed would summon", especially after the fatal attack of the cold-drakes on the Grey Mountains. And Thrór certainly did not listen.

What was fair, then? How much responsibility still fell on Thranduil to help the Durins, given all these facts?

Aid was delivered in the aftermath; but the Dwarves considered it "too little, too late".

When Smaug had finally locked himself up in Erebor with his precious treasure, Thranduil did send out aid to the refugees of both Erebor and Dale. When Elvenqueen Maereth finally returned from Imladris, she spearheaded this effort.

Mind you, it's not like Mirkwood was swimming in excess resources at this time. But they still gave whatever they could to the thousands displaced, including medical aid, food and clothing, and even temporary shelter.

The men of Dale accepted the aid and help in finding new dwellings, including resettling in Esgaroth.

The Dwarves accepted the Elves' aid, but only to some extent.

Thrór wanted Thranduil to prove his allegiance by helping them to force Smaug out of the mountain, which of course Thranduil flatly refused to do.

The proud and angry Durins therefore declared him and his people faithless, and chose to move south to Dunland, instead of accepting Maereth's offer to help them rebuild near Mirkwood.

The Elvenqueen's final attempt to reconcile her family and people with the House of Durin would be during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs (TA 2793). However, her tragic death only worsened the divide between Thranduil and the House of Durin; we see this in Thorin's anger during his capture in the events of The Hobbit.

It all ends happily.

Healing and reconciliation would finally be achieved a century and a half later, during the Battle of Five Armies (TA 2941), where the Elves of Mirkwood play a role in saving the lives of King Thorin and his nephews. Once Erebor is reclaimed by the Durins, the two kingdoms become fierce allies and remain so for the rest of their histories.

(Yes, the SotWK AU is proud to be a Durins Live AU. &lt;3 )

This HC post was written in response to an Anonymous request for a "Family Historical Event" submitted back in July 2023.

For more Thranduil/Mirkwood headcanons: SotWK HC Masterlist

Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @acornsandoaktrees @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @conversacomsmaug @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @fizzyxcustard @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @quickslvxrr @spacecluster @stormchaser819 @talkdifferently6 @tamryniel @tamurilofrivendell

Other useful links:

Introduction to SotWK

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[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 Scenes from the violent firebelts rocking the Shaboura Refugee Camp, in the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, following bombing by the Israeli occupation forces on Friday morning. ]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🏘️💥🚑 🚨

DAY 231 OF ISRAELI OCCUPATION GENOCIDE IN GAZA: U.S. TO BE INVOLVED IN GAZA SECURITY PLANS AFTER WAR, BORDER CROSSINGS REMAIN CLOSED, HUMANITARIAN AID DELIVERIES SLOW TO A DRIP, TORTURE WIDESPREAD IN ISRAELI PRISONS

On 231st day of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 9 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 91 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, while another 112 others were wounded over the previous 24-hours.

It should be noted that as a result of the constant Israeli bombardment of Gaza's healthcare system, infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, local paramedic and civil defense crews are unable to recover countless hundreds, even thousands of victims who remain trapped under the rubble, or who's bodies remain strewn across the streets of Gaza.

This leaves the official death toll vastly undercounted, as Gaza's healthcare officials are unable to accurately tally those killed and maimed in this genocide, which must be kept in mind when considering the scale of the mass murder.

The Biden administration intends to appoint a "civilian advisor" to oversee a "mostly Palestinian" peacekeeping force after the Israeli occupation's genocidal war in Gaza comes to an end, suggesting the administration intends to be deeply involved in Gaza's affairs long after the end of the war. That's according to four American officials speaking with Politico, an American online newspaper, under the condition of anonymity.

According to Politico, an American civilian advisor based in the Egyptian Sinai or Jordan would "advise" the commanding officer of an interim peacekeeping force composed of Palestinians, but also forces from local Arab countries such as Egypt, Morrocco and the United Arab Emirates, which would work to "maintain security and avoid an insurgency that could plunge the enclave into more turmoil."

The coded language of the Politico piece seems to suggest the United States would use the proxy of a potential peacekeeping force to suppress the Palestinian resistance in order to bolster the defenses of the Israeli occupation.

The US would help protect the Israeli entity's internal security within the borders of occupied Palestine, while the Israeli occupation could refocus on potential external threats such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Kataeb Hezbollah in Iraq, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

At the same time, the United States would work with regional players to create a "Palestinian Council", made up of "Palestinians from Gaza," to "serve as an interim governing structure."

Politico says fierce debates are raging within the Biden administration, and with America's regional partners, about the makeup of such a peacekeeping force and what authorities it might be given, as well as intense debates over the governing structure of Gaza and what level of US involvement there would be following a potential end to the war.

“We have talked about a number of different formulas for some kind of interim security forces in Gaza,” a senior administration official told Politico, “and we have talked to a lot of partners about how the United States could support that with all of our capabilities from outside Gaza.”

Any potential force comprised of Palestinians would also face intense push-back from the Israeli occupation authorities, particularly Netanyahu's far-right regime, which opposes any kind of scenario that gives recognition to a Palestinian State.

In other news, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, said she has received information about the torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians detained in prisons overseen by the Israeli Prisons Authority and also in Israeli occupation army camps, according to reporting published in the Palestinian media.

According to local reporting, Edwards, who has been conducting a ""thorough review over the past two months," discusses information she received describing cases of Palestinian prisoners who "were beaten and detained while blindfolded and handcuffed for long periods in cells, in addition to being deprived of sleep and threatened with physical and sexual violence."

Edwards said the information she received also included details suggesting that Palestinian detainees were subjected to "degrading treatment," including photos taken of them in "offensive positions."

Edwards, an independent human rights expert previously appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, said she raised her concerns for the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees with the Israeli authorities, asking them to investigate and to give herself, along with "international human rights monitors and humanitarian observers" access to Palestinian prisoners.

Edwards said It was "very important that there be independent inspections," and urged the occupation authorities to "investigate all complaints and reports of torture or ill-treatment promptly, fairly, effectively and transparently."

She also added that officials from all levels of the Israeli occupation's prison system "must be held accountable."

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation continued its mass murder campaign across the entirety of the Gaza Strip, slaughtering dozens of Palestinians, including large numbers of women and children.

At the same time, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued its closure of the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem border crossings for the 18th consecutive day, further preventing thousands of humanitarian and medical aid trucks, along with fuel deliveries, from entering the Gaza Strip, while also preventing hundreds, if not thousands, of severely sick and wounded Palestinians from leaving Gaza for medical treatment abroad.

At the same time, the Israeli occupation continues to deliberately put Gaza's hospitals out of service, launching violent raids of hospitals and medical centers, while also cutting off their supply of fuel for electricity generators.

According to local medical sources, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, one of the largest hospitals in the Strip, has lost power due to running out of fuel, portending a healthcare catastrophe for the Palestinian population of central Gaza.

Similarly, the Kuwait Specialized Hospital in Rafah City is also facing a potential shutdown due to continued attacks by the Israeli occupation army, along with a shortage of fuel for generators.

Occupation forces are also advancing towards Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza, while all the remaining hospitals still functioning in Gaza are operating well beyond their capacities.

Gaza's healthcare system is also being overwhelmed by the dead and wounded in the Israeli occupation's ongoing bombardment.

In just a few examples, occupation warplanes bombed a residential apartment last night belonging to the Al-Ayoubi family, in the Shabiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 civilians, including women and children, while a number of others were wounded in the strike.

In another war crime, Zionist fighter jets bombed a warehouse for the distribution of humanitarian aid in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, leading to the deaths of no less than 12 civilians, mostly women and children, while dozens of others were wounded.

Another series of occupation airstrikes targeted house in the Al-Fakhoura neighborhood, west of the Jabalia Camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, murdering another 5 Palestinians and wounding several others.

The slaughter continued when Zionist air forces bombarded a residential home belonging to the Al-Masry family, in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, killing two citizens.

IOF artillery detatchments also shelled several neighborhoods of Gaza City, including the Al-Zaytoun, Tal al-Hawa, Al-Rimal, Al-Janoubi, Al-Sabra, Sheikh Ajlin, and Juhr al-Dik neighborhoods, while occupation soldiers and armored vehicles continue advancing towards Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya where they surrounded some medical staff and patients.

In another criminal assault, IOF warplanes bombed another residential apartment belonging to the Abu Al-Laban family on Al-Nafaq Street, north of Gaza City, resulting in a number of casualties.

Zionist soldiers and armored vehicles also fired machine guns in the vicinity of the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque and Street 8 in Gaza City, while occupation gunboats fired missiles towards the coast of the city.

Two more civilians were killed in yet more occupation airstrikes along the coast of the town of Al-Zawaida, in the central Gaza Strip.

South of Gaza, Israeli occupation quadcopters fly near the European Gaza Hospital, while at the same time, Israeli Merkava tanks advanced from neighborhoods east of Rafah towards the central areas of the city, and along the outskirts of the Shaboura Camp, coinciding with the firing of IOF missiles, shells and hails of gunfire.

In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, at least four Palestinians were killed after an Israeli quadcopter drone dropped a bomb on a group of civilians, while occupation aircraft bombarded Al-Rashid Street, adjacent to Al-Nuseirat, with no casualties were reported in the strike.

Occupation bombing and shelling also targeted the Juhr al-Dik area north of the Bureij Camp.

Israeli warplanes also participated in the assassination of Major General Diyaa Al-Sharafa, the Assistant Commander of the National Security Forces in the Gaza Strip, with four other officers wounded in the strike as Al-Sharafa conducted an inspection tour near the Saraya junction in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, for the 13th consecutive day, the Israeli occupation army continued its incursion into Jabalia, in the north of Gaza, coinciding with intense volleys of missile and bomb strikes.

Communications with staff at Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia continued to be cut off as medical personnel and patients were forced to evacuate after IOF soldiers stormed the hospital.

In Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, large explosions continue to be heard in neighborhoods east of the city, along with downtown Rafah and south of the city.

At least one civilian was killed, and others wounded, following an Israeli bombing in the vicinity of the Kiir Junction in central Rafah, while occupation artillery shelling and gunfire from drones and helicopters continue intermittently in central Rafah and east of the city.

As a result of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the death toll has risen once again, now exceeding 35'800 Palestinians killed, including over 15'000 children and upwards of 10'000 women, while another 80'200 others have been wounded since the start of the current round of Zionist aggression, beginning with the events of October 7th, 2023.

May 24th, 2024.

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@WorkerSolidarityNews

[eretzyisrael]

by Morton A. Klein

Moreover, Hamas terror attacks on Israelis increase Palestinian support for Hamas. For example, Palestinian support for Hamas increased dramatically after Hamas launched 4,500 rockets at Israel in May 2021.

Second, Gazan civilians actively participated in, aided, abetted, and celebrated the Oct. 7 massacre.

“Ordinary” Gazan civilian workers in Israel (thousands of whom were allowed into Israel due to the Biden administration’s pressure) collected detailed intelligence on every home and citizen in southern Israeli towns and drew maps for Hamas to easily locate Jewish nurseries and families to murder and kidnap.

Then, after the first wave of Hamas terrorists slaughtered more than 1,400 Jews, huge waves of “ordinary” Gazan civilians, armed with knives and screaming “Allahu Akbar,” flooded into southern Israel, and joined in the Hamas massacres and kidnappings. Mobs of Gazan civilians killed and gang-raped innocent Jews, chopped off innocent Jews’ heads, took hostages, entered and burned down massacred Jews’ homes, and ransacked and looted everything in sight — televisions, automobiles, jewelry, children’s bicycles, etc.

Israeli Telegram Channel South First Responders reported: “The assault on Southern Israel was not carried out exclusively by Hamas. It began with the entry of hundreds of heavily armed terrorists and was followed by waves of Gazans who looted the communities.” The mayor of the regional council encompassing most of the Gaza border explained: “The second wave of Arabs who came into the country were just as cruel as the terrorists of the first wave.”

Throngs of Gazan civilians then cheered the ghoulish site of Hamas parading bloodied, captured, and dead Jews’ bodies through the streets. Gazans beat the Jews as they passed by.

Overjoyed Palestinian Arabs in Judea/Samaria (the “West Bank”) also cheered the massacre, dancing in the streets. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Palestinian Arabs routinely joyously celebrate when Arab terrorists murder Jewish children.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

The United States, France and some of their allies call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah while also expressing support for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to a joint statement of the countries released by the White House following an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Lebanon. “The situation between Lebanon and Israel since October 8th, 2023, is intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation,” says the statement, citing the date Hezbollah began launching attacks on northern Israeli communities and military posts following its ally Hamas’s October 7 massacres in southern Israel. “This is in nobody’s interest, neither of the people of Israel nor of the people of Lebanon,” continues the statement. “It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety.” The statement goes on to say that diplomacy “cannot succeed amid an escalation of this conflict,” before urging “an immediate 21 day ceasefire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy towards the conclusion of a diplomatic settlement.” “We call on all parties, including the governments of Israel and Lebanon, to endorse the temporary ceasefire immediately… and to give a real chance to a diplomatic settlement.” “We are then prepared to fully support all diplomatic efforts to conclude an agreement between Lebanon and Israel within this period, building on efforts over the last months, that ends this crisis altogether,” concludes the statement. The statement’s other signatories are Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The White House also releases a separate statement from Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, who met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, urging “broad endorsement” of the joint statement and “for the immediate support of the governments of Israel and Lebanon.” “It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes. The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians,” the two presidents say. “We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border.” Neither of the statements mention Hezbollah or Hamas at any point.

They are so f***ing terrified Israel might destroy Hezbollah and Hamas. Where has the concern by these governments been over the past 11 months while Hezbollah has rained 10,000 missiles on Israel causing the displacement of 60,000 Israelis? The hypocrisy, cowardice, hatred for the world's only Jewish state, and genuine support for evil is mind boggling.

[whencyclopedia]

Glanum

Glanum, located near St-Rémy-de-Provence in southern France, was a Greek and then Roman town which prospered due to its location on trading routes between Italy and the Rhodanus (Rhone River). The town benefitted from a large building project in the Hellenistic period and another spree during the reign of Augustus which furnished Glanum with temples, a theatre, basilica, monumental arch, and Roman baths, amongst other amenities. The town was abandoned in the 3rd century CE but today offers the modern visitor an impressive array of Greco-Roman ruins.

Historical Overview

Glanum was first settled by the Celts, specifically the Salyans (Salluvii), from the 7th to 6th century BCE. Indeed, the town's name derives from Glan, a Celtic spring deity who continued to be worshipped at the site into the Roman period. The town grew following an influx of colonists from Massalia (Marseilles) in the 2nd century BCE. Flourishing as a trade centre and noted as a place of healing, Glanum began to mint its own silver coinage (with a bull and a Glanic mother goddess design) and benefitted from a Hellenistic building programme which included a peristyle building, ornamental spring, temple, bouleuterion (public assembly theatre), and several large private villas. The town spread to cover some 20 ha in this period and was protected by a circuit wall.

The Romans took an interest in the town from the 1st century BCE following the Second Salyan War (90 BCE) when the consul Caecilius quashed what would be the last Celtic revolt in the region. The town was razed, but during the reign of Augustus, Glanum once more benefitted from a programme of rebuilding. New monumental structures included an agora, forum, theatre, a curia (council building), basilica and various other public buildings, temples, Roman baths, a triumphal arch, and mausoleum. Outside the town, two aqueducts were built to regulate Glanum's water supply. In addition to new buildings, the town was granted certain Latin privileges, made a full Roman colony in the 1st century CE, and continued to prosper as a trading stop near the Via Domitia.

Glanum's glory days came to an end when it was destroyed by the Alemanni c. 260 CE. The site was then abandoned by the local people in favour of a new location at nearby St-Rémy-de-Provence. Glanum was first excavated in the early 20th century CE and work continues today with some of the temples undergoing restoration.

Continue reading...

[reasonsforhope]

In southern Africa, leopards have long been harvested for their beautiful spotted furs. These coveted furs are often used in ceremonial regalia by cultural and religious groups in the area, making it difficult to address the dwindling wild cat population in the area.

Bridging the gap between animal conservation and cultural heritage, Panthera — a global wild cat conservation organization — has partnered with area communities and world-class designers to instead distribute synthetic furs for ceremonial garb.

This approach is ground-breaking and shows potential to be replicated in other areas of the world. In fact, new data shows that these initiatives have tripled the leopard population in the region. 

Pictured: Two wild leopards are spotted in southern Africa. Photo courtesy of Panthera.

It started in 2013 when Panthera began its Furs For Life program when it was discovered that members of the Shembe Church were using as many as 15,000 leopard furs during religious gatherings. 

Working with the Shembe community, Panthera created high-quality (and affordable!) synthetic leopard fur capes — amambatha — known as Heritage Furs. Since then, more than 18,500 capes have been distributed. 

In 2019, Panthera extended these efforts with the Saving Spots initiative. The program was created in conjunction with the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi people with the mission to preserve rich cultural traditions and declining wild cat populations.

Every year, hundreds of Lozi community members wear lipatelo, elaborate full-length skirts made of leopard and other animal furs, as well as mishukwe, lion-mane trimmed berets, as they gather for the Kuomboka Festival...

Pictured: Paddlers on the Nalikwanda Royal Barge wearing Heritage Furs.

Since implementing the Saving Spots program, the Barotse Royal Establishment has switched to over 1,350 synthetic fur lipatelo and 600 synthetic fur mishukwe. At a recent Lozi gathering, nearly 70% of participants wore garments of synthetic furs. 

The idea was to maintain the sacred relationship the Lozi people have with these animals. By using a high-accuracy design, these synthetic furs have become trusted regalia to pass through future generations — all without causing harm to the animals they revere.

“It is important to conserve nature. If you don’t take care of nature, then you are headed for doom,” Lubinda Nyaywa, the chairperson of the Mwandi Council District said. “It’s a learning process for our young generations, teaching them that they must preserve, one, their culture, and, two, their natural resources.”

With the support of both the Lozi and Shembe leaders, affordable synthetic furs are gaining increased acceptance and popularity as alternatives to authentic furs. Some groups have even banned the use of authentic wild cat skins at future gatherings.

This, in turn, majorly contributes to the protection and stabilization of wild cat populations in the region.

As mentioned, new data suggests that Saving Spots has helped triple leopard densities in the southern region of Kafue National Park. 

-via Good Good Good, May 4, 2023