#tusk tyre

[head-post]

Polish farmers protest outside Tusk’s office in Warsaw

Thousands of Polish farmers protested outside the prime minister’s office on Wednesday, burning tyres and throwing firecrackers, demanding an end to cheap imports and environmental regulations.

Protesters blocked roads in other parts of the country. Tractors on the outskirts of Warsaw are prevented from entering the city.

Farmers across the European Union are calling for changes to the restrictions imposed on them by the Green Deal climate change plan. The protesters are also calling for the reinstatement of customs duties on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, cancelled after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The protests threaten the already vulnerable balance between addressing farmers’ concerns and supporting Kyiv. Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government faces both local and European elections this year.

Read more HERE

[worldhistoryfacts]

A German game piece carved from a walrus tusk around 1170 CE. The piece comes from a game called tables, which is similar to backgammon. It depicts part of the story of Apollonius of Tyre, which was a Greek myth that was turned into a very popular book in the medieval period. In the story, Apollonius’ wife and daughter both die and the are resurrected by the gods. Here, he lowers his wife’s coffin into the sea after she dies.

{WHF} {HTE} {Medium}

[hermetictardigrade]

“In everything one treads on, there is something that comes from so much farther back than mankind and which is also going so much farther.”—Arcanum 17 “It is new, indeed, for I made it last night in a dream of strange cities, and dreams are older than brooding Tyre, or the contemplative Sphinx, or garden-girdled Babylon.”—The Call of Cthulhu Against the heteropatriarchal nuclear family of the petrostate, where the most shattering and resplendent of scientific revelations is infantilized and repressively-desublimated into extraction-industrial spectacles of unearthing and devouring, we surrealists remain committed to the Eros of the antediluvian world. With the aid of invisible rays we find primal scenes hidden in the vanes of a petrified feather. We will enter our submersibles and sift the bones of our dream creatures from the silt of Challenger Deep, discover our Lascaux and Chauvet Caves within the concentric rings of the human peritoneum, and make airplanes and plague-deserted shopping malls rust in the indecent foliage of prehistory. Today is the day you discover a lost continent in the subway tunnels of your city, where stalagmites and mammoth tusks murmur their extinct languages. We strongly emphasize that the greatest scientific revolution of the end of the eighteenth century was not the excavation of a single “deep time”: indispensably, it simultaneously encompassed the beginning of the paleontology of psychic depth and the future permanent inscription of our own species in the fossil record. In addition to submissions explicitly envisioning the prehuman past, we encourage speculative explorations of the overlap of geological and archaeological deep time, Dreamtime, post-Capitalocene future deep time, the flora and fauna of your childhood doodles, the interval between falling asleep and waking, the suspended time of fossilization, and the interior archives and libraries of the hollow Earth. Let’s curl ourselves into the mane of a mummified dinosaur before the long-awaited glaciation of fatbergs consumes us all…

All media types accepted.

We also invite participants to answer the following Surrealist Questionnaire on Deep Time, open to interested members of the general public alongside already practicing surrealists: 1. Surrealists have often described their most convulsive experiences and experiments in terms of reaching different times or worlds. Do you find this to be true for you? To what extent (or in what sense) are we contemporary with other ages in Earth’s history? 2. Do you know how old the rocks are in your area, upon which you live? How does that affect your life and attitudes? 3. Are fossils surrealist objects? Are there any specific fossils that have made a great impression on you, now or in childhood? Do you have any favourite found objects that you have always interpreted as fossils, whether reasonably or not? 4. What extinct animal would you most like to reappear, and why? (Originally appeared in the first issue of Arsenal, 1970) 5. Have you ever dreamed about fossils, extinct life forms, or prehistoric landscapes? 6. Describe the primal scene. 7. Walter Benjamin referred to the arcades of Paris as prehistoric caverns containing the bones of “the last dinosaur of Europe.” Is there a specific structure, place, image, or other thing (found where you live, or that you have otherwise seen in person) that you find to be especially reminiscent of a fossil? Think of architectural details, ruins, and urban archaeological miscellanea. You may want to go out and look for one. 8. How important is the concept of humanity to your conception of surrealist activity? How does it relate to other life forms and evolutionary history? 9. What kind of fossils from our current life are we leaving behind, and for whom? How are they going to be interpreted? DEADLINE – JULY 31, 2020 Send submissions to: peculiarmormyrid@hotmail.com

[rider19660618-blog]

Cheap Fake Yeezys

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[lottiethemandalore]

This is Bazh Ghor, now Bazh is a relatively young orc who hasn’t had the best life nor has he had the worst. He grew up with only his mother around, after his father got ill and died. His mother was pretty great, an amazing cook, strong, stubborn, competent. But she also wanted him to fight his own battles…which was hard because growing up he was the scrawniest little orc, with a head bigger than his body, and an inability to grow more than peach fuzz.

Bazh got bullied. A lot. Nasty words about his small size, his smaller tusks, his less than orcish or manly physique. But Bazh used that as motivation, to get strong, to learn to fight, so that he could help other people who got picked on or hurt. He’s a sweetheart who could also break your arm quite easily.

Bazh loves cats, sweet foods, and the moon. He hates wasps, meat getting stuck in his teeth, and shitty people. Which he deals with frequently in his day to day life.

Ultimately Bazh is the type of person to see someone else in trouble and step in and help, and sometimes that’s carrying a bag and sometimes its punching a criminal in the face.

He is relatively handsome by orc standards but has absolutely no idea how to flirt or generally charm people. He is a blusher, a word stumbler, and at times rather clumsy guy. But he’s sweet and kind, and despite all the shitty people in his life he’s always tried to be better, to hold doors for everyone, to help people carry their things, to help someone change their tyre and so on.

Bazh’s mother unfortunately died when he hit adulthood and since then he’s been making his own way in life, helping who he can and earning his living as a builder…and petting every cat he comes across.

Bazh has since stopped in a little town called Harthorpe, he has stayed there for over a month…the prime motivator behind this is Bonnie who is a rather pretty tailor who fixes his shirts and flirts with him heavily. Despite his failure to flirt back (unless you consider blushing and stuttering flirting), he is determined to stick around until he succeeds in that department.

[loveofyhwh]

November 29: Ezekiel 27–28; Revelation 22:6–21; Psalm 119:169–176; Proverbs 28:21–22

New Post has been published on https://loveofyhwh.com/november-29-ezekiel-27-28-revelation-226-21-psalm-119169-176-proverbs-2821-22/

November 29: Ezekiel 27–28; Revelation 22:6–21; Psalm 119:169–176; Proverbs 28:21–22

Old Testament:

Ezekiel 27–28

Ezekiel 27–28 (Listen)

A Lament for Tyre

27 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD:

  “O Tyre, you have said,     ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ 4   Your borders are in the heart of the seas;     your builders made perfect your beauty. 5   They made all your planks     of fir trees from Senir;   they took a cedar from Lebanon     to make a mast for you. 6   Of oaks of Bashan     they made your oars;   they made your deck of pines     from the coasts of Cyprus,     inlaid with ivory. 7   Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt     was your sail,     serving as your banner;   blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah     was your awning. 8   The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad     were your rowers;   your skilled men, O Tyre, were in you;     they were your pilots. 9   The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you,     caulking your seams;   all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you     to barter for your wares.

10 “Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor. 11 Men of Arvad and Helech were on your walls all around, and men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they made perfect your beauty.

12 “Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14 From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares. 15 The men of DedanHebrew; Septuagint Rhodes‘>1 traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby. 17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, meal,The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown‘>2 honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus did business with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon and wool of Sahar 19 and casks of wineProbable reading; Hebrew wool of Sahar19and Dan and Javan‘>3 from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise. 20 Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you. 22 The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24 In your market these traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored material, bound with cords and made secure. 25 The ships of Tarshish traveled for you with your merchandise. So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

26   “Your rowers have brought you out     into the high seas.   The east wind has wrecked you     in the heart of the seas. 27   Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,     your mariners and your pilots,   your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,     and all your men of war who are in you,   with all your crew     that is in your midst,   sink into the heart of the seas     on the day of your fall. 28   At the sound of the cry of your pilots     the countryside shakes, 29   and down from their ships     come all who handle the oar.   The mariners and all the pilots of the sea     stand on the land 30   and shout aloud over you     and cry out bitterly.   They cast dust on their heads     and wallow in ashes; 31   they make themselves bald for you     and put sackcloth on their waist,   and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,     with bitter mourning. 32   In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you     and lament over you:   ‘Who is like Tyre,     like one destroyed in the midst of the sea? 33   When your wares came from the seas,     you satisfied many peoples;   with your abundant wealth and merchandise     you enriched the kings of the earth. 34   Now you are wrecked by the seas,     in the depths of the waters;   your merchandise and all your crew in your midst     have sunk with you. 35   All the inhabitants of the coastlands     are appalled at you,   and the hair of their kings bristles with horror;     their faces are convulsed. 36   The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;     you have come to a dreadful end     and shall be no more forever.’”

Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre

28 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD:

  “Because your heart is proud,     and you have said, ‘I am a god,   I sit in the seat of the gods,     in the heart of the seas,’   yet you are but a man, and no god,     though you make your heart like the heart of a god— 3   you are indeed wiser than Daniel;     no secret is hidden from you; 4   by your wisdom and your understanding     you have made wealth for yourself,   and have gathered gold and silver     into your treasuries; 5   by your great wisdom in your trade     you have increased your wealth,     and your heart has become proud in your wealth— 6   therefore thus says the Lord GOD:   Because you make your heart     like the heart of a god, 7   therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you,     the most ruthless of the nations;   and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom     and defile your splendor. 8 �� They shall thrust you down into the pit,     and you shall die the death of the slain     in the heart of the seas. 9   Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’     in the presence of those who kill you,   though you are but a man, and no god,     in the hands of those who slay you? 10   You shall die the death of the uncircumcised     by the hand of foreigners;     for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.”

A Lament over the King of Tyre

11 Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: 12 “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD:

  “You were the signet of perfection,The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain‘>4     full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13   You were in Eden, the garden of God;     every precious stone was your covering,   sardius, topaz, and diamond,     beryl, onyx, and jasper,   sapphire,Or lapis lazuli‘>5 emerald, and carbuncle;     and crafted in gold were your settings     and your engravings.The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain‘>6   On the day that you were created     they were prepared. 14   You were an anointed guardian cherub.     I placed you;The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain‘>7 you were on the holy mountain of God;     in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15   You were blameless in your ways     from the day you were created,     till unrighteousness was found in you. 16   In the abundance of your trade     you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned;   so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,     and I destroyed you,Or banished you‘>8 O guardian cherub,     from the midst of the stones of fire. 17   Your heart was proud because of your beauty;     you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.   I cast you to the ground;     I exposed you before kings,     to feast their eyes on you. 18   By the multitude of your iniquities,     in the unrighteousness of your trade     you profaned your sanctuaries;   so I brought fire out from your midst;     it consumed you,   and I turned you to ashes on the earth     in the sight of all who saw you. 19   All who know you among the peoples     are appalled at you;   you have come to a dreadful end     and shall be no more forever.”

Prophecy Against Sidon

20 The word of the LORD came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her 22 and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

  “Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,     and I will manifest my glory in your midst.   And they shall know that I am the LORD     when I execute judgments in her     and manifest my holiness in her; 23   for I will send pestilence into her,     and blood into her streets;   and the slain shall fall in her midst,     by the sword that is against her on every side.   Then they will know that I am the LORD.

24 “And for the house of Israel there shall be no more a brier to prick or a thorn to hurt them among all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.

Israel Gathered in Security

25 “Thus says the Lord GOD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”

Footnotes

[1] 27:15 Hebrew; Septuagint Rhodes [2] 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown [3] 27:19 Probable reading; Hebrew wool of Sahar19and Dan and Javan [4] 28:12 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain [5] 28:13 Or lapis lazuli [6] 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain [7] 28:14 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain [8] 28:16 Or banished you

(ESV)

New Testament:

Revelation 22:6–21

Revelation 22:6–21 (Listen)

Jesus Is Coming

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes,Some manuscripts do his commandments‘>1 so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.Some manuscripts all the saints‘>2 Amen.

Footnotes

[1] 22:14 Some manuscripts do his commandments [2] 22:21 Some manuscripts all the saints

(ESV)

Psalm:

Psalm 119:169–176

Psalm 119:169–176 (Listen)

Taw

169   Let my cry come before you, O LORD;     give me understanding according to your word! 170   Let my plea come before you;     deliver me according to your word. 171   My lips will pour forth praise,     for you teach me your statutes. 172   My tongue will sing of your word,     for all your commandments are right. 173   Let your hand be ready to help me,     for I have chosen your precepts. 174   I long for your salvation, O LORD,     and your law is my delight. 175   Let my soul live and praise you,     and let your rules help me. 176   I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,     for I do not forget your commandments.

(ESV)

Proverb:

Proverbs 28:21–22

Proverbs 28:21–22 (Listen)

21   To show partiality is not good,     but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong. 22   A stingy manHebrew A man whose eye is evil‘>1 hastens after wealth     and does not know that poverty will come upon him.

Footnotes

[1] 28:22 Hebrew A man whose eye is evil

(ESV)

[nottoolateforthegame]

Because I need a strong dose of laughter, and in honor of April Fool’s Day, April’s fic rec lists will be mostly crack! Some fluffy, funny works that aren’t crack might work there way in here, too!

Make it Go Away, John! by sherlockian4evr Rated Mature: Sherlock is not happy with the fleshlight John brings home (until he is).

Nutella by ceywoozle Rated Teen: When John gets “the headache” Sherlock comes up with a plan.

Good Boy by ceywoozle Rated Teen: A talking bird at 221B?

Of Tusks and Tyre Levers by hubblegleeflower @hubblegleeflower Rated Mature: Sherlock is concerned he has made a miscalculation. 

By the Pale Moonlight by alexxpheonix42 @alexxphoenix42 Rated Explicit: John has a secret. It involves the full moon. Its not what you think!

[utvlift]

The Tusk UTV lift is a robust and reliable tool designed to elevate utility task vehicles (UTVs) effortlessly for maintenance, repairs, and customization. Engineered with sturdy materials and a user-friendly design, it provides a safe and stable platform to lift various UTV models, ensuring convenient access to the undercarriage and components. The lift's adjustable features accommodate different UTV sizes and weights, offering flexibility and ease of use in both professional and DIY settings. With its durable construction and practical functionality, the Tusk UTV lift is an essential accessory for enthusiasts and mechanics alike, enhancing efficiency and safety during maintenance tasks.

[rachelsiwafan]

Good morning 🇹🇿🇬🇧🌏#Cupoftea☕️Lamentation for Tyre 1 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 2 “Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre, ‘You who are situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD: “O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ 4 Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty. 5 They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast. 6 Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks With ivory from the coasts of Cyprus. 7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you. 8 “Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; They became your pilots. 9 Elders of Gebal and its wise men Were in you to caulk your seams; All the ships of the sea And their oarsmen were in you To market your merchandise. 10 “Those from Persia, Lydia, and Libya Were in your army as men of war; They hung shield and helmet in you; They gave splendor to you. 11 Men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, And the men of Gammad were in your towers; They hung their shields on your walls all around; They made your beauty perfect. 12 “Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. 14 Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, steeds, and mules. 15 The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment. 16 Syria was your merchant because of the abundance..#Ezekiel‬27:1-36#PraisetheLord#WordofGod#wordoftheday#versesoftheday#bibleverses#biblestudy#qoutesoftheday#beblessed🙏 #Shalom#anzanamiBwanaYesu#biblia#NenolaMungu#Nenolaleo#Ezekieli#barikiwa🙏 #eastafrica#tanzania🇹🇿 #asubuhinjema#chai#Coventry🇬🇧#lifestyleblogger#vlogger #mswahili🇹🇿#rachelsiwa🙏🏽❤️☕️ https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MVXhiHHFE/?igshid=1o2rei7i5p1md

[andrew-mason]

(The following took place this past Sunday)

He watched the women leave almost immediately after the apparition had vanished— Quai had told him via hand signal that the room was bugged. Let's see what you make of these, he thought as he dipped his hand into his bag next to the couch. The bowl of pastries hovered near his head.

He withdrew a handful of tiny black, beetle-like creatures and tossed them into the air: they flew in a chaotic blur until each one had found a suitable hiding spot in the opulent room. Andrew swung his legs to the floor, picked up his bag, and strode purposefully towards the balcony doors.

"Down we go," he said to the hovering pastry bowl as he grabbed it and shadow-stepped to the cobblestones below. The pastries appeared unbothered by their sudden physical displacement.

Andrew slung the strap of his bag across his chest with his other hand and slipped into a door across the courtyard, which led to an alleyway. Across the alley was a grate in the shape of a Dalaran eye set into the wall, with a large padlock on it.

"Bugger that," he muttered as he set the pastry bowl down in the air beside him, where it hovered patiently as he withdrew a set of tools from the inner pocket of his cloak and made quick work of the lock.

"C'mon, then," he said to the bowl, which followed dutifully as Andrew slipped into the darkness beyond. He reached a hand out through the grate and pulled it closed, then set the lock back in its place and turned towards the dark tunnel. He took tight hold of the bowl once more and started to sprint down the tunnel.

His feet knew where to go, even in the near-total darkness: eight steps, turn left. Twenty-two steps, another left. Six steps, right. The torchlight reached into the shadows and pushed away the darkness the closer he got to his destination. Once he'd reached the end of the tunnel, he stepped out into the crowd as if he'd been there the whole time. Nobody seemed to notice.

He wove through the throngs of people: all races of all shapes and sizes, each of them with a purpose in the underbelly's less-than-reputable marketplace. A dwarf and a goblin squabbled over the price of a few jars filled with a dubious-looking red liquid next to a guard who appeared disinterested. Nearby, several humans and a couple of sin'dorei in emerald green robes exchanged coin for a cage stuffed with live rats, and two gnome magi hovered in a corner, deep in argument over the most efficient way to properly curse a pocketwatch. Andrew pulled his collar up and smiled to himself as he ducked down another tunnel.

Twenty-odd minutes and several confusing turns later, he arrived at his destination: a shack on the second level of the marketplace, rickety and tucked away in a corner. He pounded on the door frantically.

"Drog, open the fuck up! It's your bookie!" he yelled in a deep voice.

The door swung open to reveal an orc holding a tyre iron. Three jagged scars—claw marks— came across his bald head and ended just above his brow. The surly expression on his face turned to a toothy smile as he saw that it was not, in fact, his bookie. Silver rings dangled from his lower tusks.

"Throm-Ka, Mason," he said with a chuckle. "You're lucky I like to look people in the eye before I kill them."

"Ah, you wouldn't kill me, Droggy ol' buddy. I'm too handsome, see." He grinned up at the orc, who rolled his eyes.

"Even by orcish standards you need work," Drog responded as he used his hand to gesture to the burnt side of Andrew's face. "What brings you here? I thought you were off living fancy on Stormwind's dime."

"I need the old place for a few days, bud. Someone was paying too much attention to us upstairs. It'll be me, Q...Let's say eight of us, I think, and six will be staying. Gwen's here," he added with an eyebrow waggle.

"The Gilnean?" Drog asked as he unconsciously straightened his posture. Andrew smirked.

"Yeah, that one. Maybe she'll help that disaster of a garden you tried to keep up on the surface—"

"MY GARDEN WAS THE ENVY OF ALL OTHER GARDENS!" Drog yelled suddenly, his chest puffed out. "I SIMPLY BECAME TOO BUSY TO MAINTAIN IT." His eyes flashed menacingly in the torchlight.

Andrew put his hands up, palms facing forward. "Alright, buddy, alright," he said gently. "In through the nose, out through the mouth..." Drog exhaled and then breathed in through his nose. It made a whistling noise.

"There's a boy," Andrew said calmly. "So, can I get—"

"Yeah," Drog interrupted, exhaling, "key's in the tin, let me get it." He turned around and set his tyre iron up against the wall by the door, and beckoned Andrew inside.

"You want any tea? I lifted a couple of bricks from some crates down at the harbor," the orc said as he rummaged through a tin filled with keys of all shapes and sizes. Andrew gave a nod and plopped himself into a recliner, arm still protectively around the bowl of pastries.

"Sure, mate. Pastry?" Andrew asked as the door swung shut behind him.

(Mentioned/relevant; @quai-mason @monettemason @brian-wellson @juniper-rose-blower @justinegrotius @killerkyara @gwen-oconnell @blackbay-wra )

[motherofadamsfamily]

Nepal 2020 - Chitwan

Day 8 Chitwan 15 Mar

Leopards and Rhinos and Bears - Oh My!!!

Today was massive – we drove in and through the Chitwan jungle for roughly 11 hours! Som picked us up at 7.30, and we proceeded to the lake for our canoe transfer to the other side of the river, where our jeep safari would begin.

A misty morning stillness hung over the lake, as we were silently paddled over the glassy surface of the water. Gomez and I remained seated in the narrow canoe, while Som showed off by balancing on the bow. It only took a couple of minutes, and we were greeted on the other side by our safari driver, Babu. Settled in to our seats at the rear of the open-top jeep, and we were off. This is different to our African safaris – the jungle here is like dense bush scrub, overgrown with a tangle of vines and lantana, whereas Africa was largely on the open savannahs. I also don’t think we would have ever had an open-top jeep in Africa (that’s a separate blog to come!)– hungry lions would have put paid to that!

As we trundled along, we saw many deer, antlers blending in to the surrounding bush, peeking nervously through the trees, only to gallop away as we approached. Male peacocks abounded, performing their mating ritual ‘dance’ for their prospective partner. Sadly, many ‘invitations’ were declined – we grinned at the stunned looks on the faces of the males, after strutting around confidently, fanning their plumage to the peahen, only to have her turn away in disinterest. Babu stopped the jeep under a particular gnarled tree – we didn’t understand why at first, until he pointed among the leaves. ‘Black face monkeys’ Som informed us. Sure enough, cheeky faces peered down at us, as they swung from limb to limb through the branches, in search of the perfect berry. We watched in delight, but they made it hard to get a photo as they leapt overhead.

We spied numerous termite mounds, about 2-3 feet high. Som proudly shared his knowledge - yes, they were amazingly intricate formations of natural housing, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him how large our termite mounds grow back home!

Apparently there has been a fair amount of rain lately, as the tracks were extremely muddy. The jeep squelched through these tyre-track puddles with ease. Until, that is, we spotted a leopard on a track to the left of us, about 50 metres away. Som told us that there was less chance of spotting a leopard than a tiger, so we shared his excitement as Babu turned the jeep and made to follow. You guessed it – in his haste, Babu got bogged in one of these swampy puddles, and at one stage we thought we would be stuck there indefinitely as the jeep failed to find traction. The leopard was startled (obviously!), took a look at us, and disappeared into the bush. Dammit! We missed a perfect photo opportunity, but I’ll always have the memory of that moment, and the exhilaration of the rare find.

We stopped for a picnic lunch beside a marshy mangrove, where we were assured a rhino was resting in the water. Sure enough, as we sat to eat, we could hear him ‘blowing bubbles’ in the water below. Whether from his mouth, or somewhere else, I’m not sure! We chatted in hushed tones as we ate, along with other safari groups, and watched as distant rhinos wandered down to the opposite river bank, drank, and returned to the shadows of the jungle. But ‘our fellow’ refused to stir. Som told us to be patient, and that he would ‘wake him up’ once the other parties had left. Sure enough, once we were on our own, he clapped his hands loudly, making barking sounds all the while. Success! But not for long – the rhino jumped up in surprise at the sound, looked at us, shook his head at the interruption, turned around and plopped back into the water. He was so comical, we couldn’t help but laugh.

Gomez had fun snapping shots of a wild boar that wandered near to our picnic spot. He actually came very close to Gomez, but was unconcerned with the proximity – I would say because of the ruddy great tusks that protruded from either side of his snout! He trotted away snuffling for more jungle treats, and I could only think how lucky we were – not only to have seen him, but to have him show no interest in us whatsoever!

We bounced and jostled in the jeep over the rutted tracks for a long while, unable to discover anything new. But it was so wonderful just to be out and about in this glorious weather, feeling like Sir David Attenborough, on the prowl for our next great find.

We visited the jungle crocodile conservation centre. Though it was closed for maintenance, they were quite happy to let us stroll around, viewing the various stages of crocodile growth. There are two types of croc here - the Gharial, which has a very long, very narrow snout, and can only shuffle slowly along on its’ belly, which makes it relatively harmless to humans. Sadly, the snouts of the Gharial are so long and brittle, they appear to snap quite easily (the lower jaw in particular), by the appearances of the ones we saw. Maybe that’s why they live here – they’re unable to fend for themselves in the wild?

The other is the broad snout croc, which is like ours back home, can move at speed both in and out of the water, and it’s not fussy about what it eats. OK – so we don’t necessarily want to come close up to one of THOSE during our safari!

Given the shadows were starting to lengthen, Babu decided it was time to head back to the park entrance. We’ve had to show our permits to rangers more than once, to prove we weren’t there to cause any harm to the animals, and Som informed us that we were meant to be out by 6pm. Uh-oh – it was already nearly 5 o’clock!

We hustled along at a fair pace, keen to exit the park. Gomez glanced to the left upon reaching an opening in the foliage, and yelled “Stop!” To the side of us, a rhino was quite happily wallowing in the waters of a small pool. He ducked his head intermittently, munching on the weeds growing at the bottom of the pool, rolling along in his search. It was wonderful to see one at such close range, but we couldn’t spend too long enjoying the spectacle, as we had a deadline.

Babu increased the speed once we departed the rhino, and we bounced around in the back seat, the now-cool air starting to bite at our faces. Again – a sudden stop, this time at Babu’s command. He pointed silently to the roadside to our immediate left, where we could hear snorting and scratching in the undergrowth. We peered closely and spied black fur amongst the greenery. A few moments later, a small black bear ambled out on to the road behind us! Oh, wow! He was gorgeous – he gazed at us curiously, decided we obviously meant no harm, and waddled on his way.

By this stage, it was past 6 pm, and Babu was flying along the track. We turned and watched as the suns’ last rays fell across the jungle landscape – another beautiful sunset. We finally made it back to the riverbank in the dusky gloom, to be greeted by another wild boar! I wasn’t going to get out of the jeep, but Som rooted around in our food sack and found some scraps, and threw them to the boar. “Quick” he called, and, while the boar was distracted, I hobbled as fast as my little legs could carry me to the waiting canoe. Apparently Som and Babu are in a bit of trouble, as it was 6.30pm by this stage, and our hotel manager had been calling the rangers to ask where we were. Som very cheekily made up a story about us being delayed due to being bogged (well –that was SORT of true, only much earlier in the day!), and we were paddled at haste back across the river.

We thought that we had only just made it back to the hotel in time for dinner, only to find that two plates had been made up for us, waiting for our return. What a bunch of sweeties! We ate, and as we walked back to our room, I noticed the mural at the top of the staircase. My gosh – true to his word, the artist had succeeded in completing his work! Well done, I must say!

[jesusloveslucifer]

THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL President, Donald Tusk, has called on Russia, the US and China not to start trade wars, as worldwide tensions continue to escalate, and has called on the superpowers to reform the World Trade Organisation (WTO).[07-16-2018] HKT 11:21國家統計局：中美貿易戰對下半年中國經濟影響仍有待觀;美俄领袖会晤前瞻：特朗普或让步谈美军撤离叙利亚![人正說平安穩妥的時候][07.15.2018.]7年多战乱回归原点:美放弃盟友 叙政府军收复德拉;戈兰高地指日可待！叙利亚德拉西关键重镇叛军接受协议投降!P民的烦恼：贸易战会让全球贸易体系“一夜回到解放前”吗？[07.13.2018.]商務部：美國打貿易戰將把世界經濟拖入危境;陸商務部：中美貿易戰影響將於下半年逐步顯現[中美貿易戰全面��打]特朗普：将同普京商叙乌局势 及俄干预美选举问题;[07.01.2018.]外媒：多国对美征收报复性关税,贸易战反令美企受困;叙利亚南部多地反对派武装同意与政府和解![帖前5:2-3]因為你們自己明明曉得，主的日子來到好像夜間的賊一樣。 3 人正說平安穩妥的時候，災禍忽然臨到他們，如同產難臨到懷胎的婦人一樣，他們絕不能逃脫。[06.21.2018.] Economists say expansion could slow by up to 1 percentage point in a tariffs battle – but if dispute spirals it will be ‘like putting a price tag on  a world war’[贸易战->關稅壁壘->貿易保護主義->通貨膨漲->經濟蕭條->(WW3)前奏曲->][耶穌降臨的預兆]耶穌在橄欖山上坐著，門徒暗暗地來，說：「請告訴我們，什麼時候有這些事？你降臨和世界的末了有什麼預兆呢？」4耶穌回答說：「你們要謹慎，免得有人迷惑你們。5因為將來有好些人冒我的名來，說：『我是基督』，並且要迷惑許多人。6你們也要聽見打仗和打仗的風聲，總不要驚慌，因為這些事是必須有的，只是末期還沒有到。7民要攻打民，國要攻打國，多處必有饑荒、地震，8這都是災難的起頭。[彼後3:10]但主的日子要像賊來到一樣。那日，天必大有響聲廢去，有形質的都要被烈火銷化，地和其上的物都要燒盡了。Gog and his multitude, of the land of Magog, are NOT the Russians. Gog is the Assyrian chief prince of Nimrod. Assyria is located in the earth’s mantle and in the sea of the Earth, which is the blessed work of the Lord Jesus’ hands for obliterating Israel on the Day of the Lord, just in a moment after the Syrian peace treaty is suddenly signed and fully implemented for the political settlement.[但以理書 9:26][the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city]必有一王的民來毀滅這城和聖所。[MICAH 3:12]所以因你們的緣故，���安必被耕種像一塊田，耶路撒冷必變為亂堆[heaps of ruins]，這殿的山必像叢林的高處。[JOEL 2:20] THE NORTHERN ARMY.[以西結書 38:6]歌篾人和他的軍隊，北方極處[the far north]的陀迦瑪族和他的軍隊，這許多國的民都同著你。Gog is the blessed prince of the northern army of Assyria for obliterating Israel on the Day of the Lord. Some of the Tyrians [the people of the Unidentified Submerged Objects] of the northern army of Assyria are living in the East Siberian Sea, who are 3-meter tall in height. [Zechariah 9:4] Tyre’s power in the sea [of the Earth]. [Nahum 3:8-9] Whose rampart was the sea? Whose wall was the sea.And, hey, fat cat chimpanzee hackers and conspirators with the remote neural monitoring system are all gotta be slain by those giant Assyrians living in the earth’s mantle and in the sea of the Earth as Ethiopia starts filling her Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam during the Nile flood season for generating hydroelectric power. Ethiopia’s filling her GERD during the Nile flood season is gotta suddenly plunge the Nile Delta into a parched state, which is gotta suddenly trigger riots and social unrest in Egypt, Egypt rapidly spiralling out of control into brutal social protest movements that no regime, no matter how powerful and aggressive it is, can stop.And, on the Day of the Lord and through the most apocalyptic fervent heat of solar superstorm of magnetic reconnection, the Lord Jesus is gotta suddenly and utterly consume the whole human race that is currently dwelling on the face of the whole earth, suddenly triggering the most powerful geomagnetic reversal, disrupting the earth’s core and crust, super volcanic eruptions and mega-thrust earthquakes and mega tsunamis suddenly sweeping across the Earth, ripping split open the earth, annihilating the land of the whole earth, putting a sudden end to all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth, the mass extinction event of the Lord Jesus’ Judgement, just in a moment after the Syrian peace treaty is suddenly signed and fully implemented for the political settlement.

[folukeifejola]

On the 20th of May 2018, I was invited by the Bristol Museum to give a museum talk about the Benin bronzes on display there. I was specifically asked to bring my expertise and personal experience to the conversation of why the destruction and looting of the king’s palace in Benin in 1897 is still such a problematic subject. I appreciate everyone who came to listen, there was real engagement with the issues and lovely conversations after the talk. The text of the talk titled ‘Benin Bronzes – a controversial past and present,’ is reproduced below:

According to legend the first rulers of Benin descended from the sky. These godlike beings were the sons of Osanobua – the Almighty, and were asked to bring forth a great land out of sand in a cowrie shell. The story goes that when they came down to earth and poured the sand onto the waters that covered the earth, dry land emerged, beautiful red and fertile soil, tall lush green palm trees, warm air soft as warm blankets… so soft that you could forever sink into it as it wrapped you in its humid embrace.  This beautiful land became Edo. And the youngest son of Osanbua founded the Ogiso dynasty that reigned there till the 1300s.

But then the dynasty faltered. Oranmiyan, who was the Ooni – ruler – of Ile Ife, and also a descendant of Osanobua, was sent to rule at Benin city. His rule was resisted ferociously by the Edo chiefs. So, Oranmiyan left Edo land in anger, calling the place Ile Ibinu – land of anger. And so Bini got its name when the people of Edo corrupted Ibinu into Bini. When Oranmiyan departed Bini, he left his son, a child at the time, to rule in his place. His son was called Owomika (I can handle this) by the Yoruba. Owomika became Oba Eweka I of the Edos. And thereafter, the rulers of Benin lived at the palace at Benin city and were called Obas. The Obas of Benin have many titles, e.g. Omo N’Oba N’Edo – “A child who shines for the Edo people.” A constant reminder and reference to Oba Eweka I who was a child and a symbol of redemption of the dying Ogiso dynasty. They are also called Uku Akpolokpolo – “The mighty one who rules.” The Oba of Benin was and still is revered as a divine leader. He is a god. And so the people of Bini hail their king. OBA GHA TO KPE RE!! and the people’s response is ISE!! O king may you live forever, it is so.

The Benin Empire became one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the world. The walls of Benin City and its surrounding kingdom were the world’s largest earthworks carried out prior to the mechanical era. Benin City’s walls were at one point “four times longer than the Great Wall of China, and consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Khufu” Beyond the city walls, numerous further walls were erected that separated the surroundings of the capital into around 500 distinct villages. The walls of Benin are said to be the largest single archaeological phenomenon on the planet. Benin City was also one of the first cities in the world to have a semblance of street lighting; Benin city had street lamps fuelled by palm oil.

The Benin Empire traded and had diplomatic relations with many African states, but was not really known to Europeans. The Portuguese were said to be the first  Europeans who “discovered” the city in 1485, though, of course, the people of Benin had not declared it missing. The Portuguese were amazed at the beauty, order and prosperity of the Empire. In 1691, a Portuguese ship captain, Lourenco Pinto observed:

“Great Benin, where the king resides, is larger than Lisbon; all the streets run straight and as far as the eye can see. The houses are large, especially that of the king, which is richly decorated and has fine columns. The city is wealthy and industrious. It is so well governed that theft is unknown and the people live in such security that they have no doors to their houses.” [Koutonin: 2016]

Benin was famous for its craft workers. Specialists in a craft formed groups called guilds whose members lived and worked together. There were more than 40 guilds in Benin City and each guild had to perform a special duty for the Oba. These guilds and their crafts played specific roles in the cultural life of the Benin. People believed that brass had the power to drive away evil. It was so special that it could only be used in the royal court. Though these brass pieces are often called ‘Benin Bronzes’, most are actually made of brass rather than bronze. Other materials also had special significance. Ivory was seen as a symbol of purity and strength. Carved ivory tusks stood by the Oba’s throne and ivory bracelets and pendants were worn by the Oba and important chiefs. Coral was also thought to have magical powers. It was seen as a gift from Olokun, god of the sea. Chiefs were allowed to wear coral necklaces, bracelets and anklets, but only the Oba could dress completely in coral. His people believed that when he wore his coral robes all his curses would come true!

By the 12th century, the kings and nobles of Benin City started patronising craftsmen and lavishing them with gifts and wealth, in return for their depiction of the kings’ and dignitaries’ great exploits in intricate bronze sculptures. These sculptures were their way of recording history. Not with books. Not with marble statues, but these sculptures and plaques which were a lasting record of the lives lived by the people of Bini. They are reminders, and in them the memories of the Benin people are stored. From the beginning of their time. From the time when, according to legend the first rulers of Benin descended from the sky.

At the centre of the city stood the Oba’s palace, from which extended 30 very straight, broad streets, each about 120-ft wide. The Oba was the spiritual, economic, administrative and political focus of the empire. Oba Uku Akpolokpolo is everything. OBA GHA TO KPE RE!! and the people will respond ISE!! O king may you live forever, it is so. Hundreds of men and women lived at the royal court, and devoted their lives to looking after the Oba and his family. Some people at court had very special jobs, working as acrobats, sorcerers or leopard hunters. At night, especially under the light of the full moon, when the air is cool, and the birds have gone to sleep, the smell of palm oil heavy in the air, sounds of crickets punctuating the night, the drummers would play softly on the agogo, stories would be told in the deepening dark. And sometimes the people would dance and sing by firelight. The sounds of their songs, rolling off on the wings of the air, carried through the branches of the 40 foot palm trees, flowing off, lost into the forest. You can almost hear them now…

  Around 1440, Ewuare became the new Oba of Benin.  He was known as Ewuare Ogidigan – loosely translated to mean Ewuare the Great. Oba Ewuare was the first of five great warrior kings.  His son Oba Ozolua was believed to have won 200 battles. He was succeeded by Oba Esigie who expanded his kingdom eastwards to form a massive empire and won land from the Kingdom of Ile-Ife. Ozolua and Esigie both encouraged trade with the Portuguese. The Obas used their wealth from trade to build up a vast army. The fourth warrior king was Oba Orhogbua. During his reign, the empire reached its largest size. It stretched beyond the River Niger in the east and extended west as far as present-day Ghana.

From the 15th to the 17th centuries merchants from England, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain all traded with Benin. They returned home with amazing stories about the great Empire. Many of the Obas were fluent in Portuguese. The Portuguese had an Embassy at Benin city. The Obas had a good relationship with merchants from Europe until the 1800s… and then everything changed.

Benin kingdom fell into decline in the 1800s. Revenues from trade rapidly decreasing. This was against a backdrop of increasing European political influence over Africa. Remember that in 1865, the states of Europe met in Berlin to carve Africa up between each other, with not a single African voice taking part. By 1860, the British wanted to gain control of Benin so they could control the trade in palm oil and rubber. Especially for the British tyre market. The Oba at the time Oba Adolo, tried to stop all contact with Britain, but the British insisted on their right to trade.

In 1892, the Galway treaty was allegedly signed by Oba Ovonramwen. The treaty put the Kingdom of Benin under the authority of the British as a protectorate. There is a strong suggestion that the Oba never even met with Galway, and if he had done so, Ovonramwen would have had no logical reason to sign a one-sided treaty, which ceded all his power to the British and gave absolutely nothing in return. Nevertheless, the British attempted to enforce the terms of this treaty.

In 1894, the British removed Nana Olomu, the leader of the Itshekiri people and sent him into exile to the Gold Coast (Ghana). The Itshekiris were a republican state and neighbours of the Benins. Nana of Itshekiri’s fate, brought fear to the heart of the Oba of Benin.

In 1897, a group of British officials tried to visit Benin to enforce the Galway treaty. They were sent away because Oba Ovonramwen was busy with a religious ceremony, but they decided to visit anyway. As they trespassed onto the borders of Benin, a group of warriors drove them back and several British men were killed. In many history books this is called the Benin Massacre of 1897 and it made the British furious. They sent 1200 soldiers to invade Benin. After 10 days of fighting on the outskirts, they got to Benin city. Homes, religious buildings and palaces were deliberately set on fire. On the third day of fighting at the city, the blaze grew out of control and engulfed most of the city. Monuments and palaces of many high-ranking chiefs were looted. Machine guns and canons were fired on civilians living in Benin city. The British had at the time started using the expanding/dum dum bullet, specifically for colonial warfare, because it could do the utmost damage to the human body and was deemed appropriate for ‘savages.’ The bodies of children, men, women, the old and those less able to flee torn apart by mushrooming wounds. In many history books this is called the Benin expedition of 1897.

Eventually, the city was utterly destroyed by British soldiers – looted, blown up and burnt to the ground. Some people fled through the back paths of the city into the forest, but many were killed in the fighting, men, women, children, old and young. The city burnt to the ground, totally destroyed, reeked of human blood, spent gun and canon fire, smoke and palm oil. The earth mourned the city and those that died in it. A great dirge arose from the surrounding villages, a lamentation of the fate of Benin, an awaiting lament of the future fate of their neighbours. They wept for the dead, they wept because they knew they were next. The sorrowful sounds rolling off on the wings of the air, which was still and silent, except for the distant wails, carried through the trunks of the 40 foot palm trees, flowing over the ruins of a once great city.

https://soundcloud.com/foluke-ipinyomi-adebisi/aja-ku-bo-sung-by-foluke

2,500 religious artefacts, Benin visual history, mnemonics and artworks were sent to England, auctioned to pay for the costs of the conflict. So Benin Bronzes can be found in museums and collections worldwide. The wealth of Benin sits in glass cases while we talk of African poverty and how to help Africa. In 1990, one single Benin head was sold for US$2.3 million by a London-based auction house.

There is no record of the dead. There is no record of the number of Benin people who died in the invasion of 1897.

Oba Ovonramwen was taken out of the city by his soldiers. He spent 6 months evading capture in the forest, but returned to the ruins of his city to surrender to the Consul General, Ralph Moor. Oba Ovonramwen offered to pay Moor for his freedom. He offered Moor 200 barrels of oil worth, at the time, £1500 [£183, 000.00 today] and he also offered to disclose where his 500 ivory tusks were buried [today’s value: Up to £275,625,500.00] however this offer was dismissed by Moor as Moor has already discovered the treasures. Oba Ovonramwen was then exiled to Calabar. However…the kingly lineage remains. Ovonramwem was succeeded by his son, who ruled as Eweka II, who was succeeded by his son who ruled as Akenzua II, who was succeeded by his son who ruled as Erediauwa, who was succeeded in 2016 by his son who rules as Ewuare II.

This is the story of how these controversial pieces came to be here. There has been much talk of return, But I think the question of return is superseded by the question of ownership. Who do the bronzes belong to? The Benin bronzes without a doubt belong to the Benin people. Legal title does not pass by theft. Title in the stolen bronzes remains that of the Benin people to do as they wish. Their once great city is no more. The riches of the Benin are no more, their history and heritage is scattered across the seven winds, locked in glasses cases.

But what matters most is the people. The people of Benin now call themselves Nigerians. They are bankers, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, professors. They live in towns and cities across the world. Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Paris, London, New York. They never forget that they were Bini first. And everyday they remember, who they were and who they have been. They remember their great city, they remember the lamps lit with palm oil, they remember the wide open roads, they remember their heritage was burnt to the ground. Looted. They remember that there is no record of the dead, except in the earth that swallowed them. They look on the kingly remnant and they remember… that according to legend the first rulers of Benin descended from the sky.

OBA GHA TO KPE RE!!

ISE!!

Special thanks to my friend Dr Eghosa Ekhator, a lawyer and very proud Bini man, for allowing me to pick his brains relentlessly as I wrote this. Uwese!

Bibliography

Adebisi, Foluke. 2017. “Why All The Fuss About Cultural Appropriation?”. Blog. Foluke’s African Skies.

BBC Bitesize,�� Kingdom of Benin, KS2 History

Hamilton, J. B. “The Evolution of the Dum-Dum Bullet.” British Medical Journal 1, no. 1950 (1898): 1250.

Hodgkin, Thomas Lionel. Nigerian perspectives: an historical anthology. No. 283. Oxford University Press, 1975.

Koutonin, Mawuna. Story of cities #5: Benin City, the mighty medieval capital now lost without trace, The Guardian, 18/03/2016

Onwubiko, K. B. C. “School Certificate History of West Africa: AD 1000–1800.” (1967).

Wagner, Kim A. “Savage Warfare: Violence and the Rule of Colonial Difference in Early British Counterinsurgency.” In History Workshop Journal. 2018.

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Museum Talk: Benin Bronzes – a controversial past and present. On the 20th of May 2018, I was invited by the Bristol Museum to give a museum talk about the Benin bronzes on display there.

[cj-lane]

Creative Methods - Making a mark

In these classes we looked at the different ways of making a mark from scratching a piece of film to drifting a car. We started with a mark making alphabet We brought some objects from home to use as tools and some from university and each letter was a different feeling or way of making a mark and we had to make a mark with paint that represented that. We did a few letters. Alphabet A - Angry

B - Bright              

C - Considered          

D - Deep                 

E - Electric               

F - Fog                     

G - Gravel                 

H - Happy                  

I - Indecisive             

J - Jumpy                                

K - Knitted                 

L - Lumpy

M - Musical.                               

N - Nihilistic

O - Obvious

P - Precious

Q - Quick

R - Romantic                                      

S - Slippery

T - Tyre

U - Undercurrent

V - Vicious

W - Weepy

X - X-Ray

Y - Yo Yo

Z - Zigzag   

Unfortunately I could only find a few, when I find more I'll put them in.

This is Angry, I chose a bright passionate colour and smeared it on with my fingers, If I had the space I would have preferred to do a pollock style piece for this emotion.

This is what I did with the word considered, I had an old textured diary that I brought in which I painted and stamped down on to a sheet of paper, The print didn't turn out as good as I'd hoped I think it would look better with a more textured stamp and a thicker medium like printing ink.

We also took out some sheets of paper and some chalk and did some rubbings around university but unfortunately the paper was a little too thick so not all of them turned out too great.

This texture is from a board in the graphic design and architecture room that had laser cut pieces stuck on it, some where words that where cut out so it came out like an engraving like the word Warrington that you can see and some parts where raised like an embossing and they look a little bit like a boot print.

Black and blue chalk on white paper, the texture comes from the wall by the lift.

Blue chalk on black paper, texture is from the floor tiles in the corridor.

As a class we visited the Whitworth art gallery to get inspiration and recreate the artists work. Whilst ther was an exhibition of an artist called  Raqib Shaw, His work is like east meets west, it seems to take influences from more Eastern Religions like hinduism and western Satanic beleifs, The exhibition was very eclectic with huge what seemed to be enamel on embosed metal pieces in bright colours depicting wealth but there’s always something off about it like the people have animalistic Hyena or  reptilian heads or they’re blue like many hindu gods and their skin is coming away, There’s small skeletons crawling all over the place begging and staring into mirrors which I think refers to one of the seven deadly sins pride and the wealth could depict greed and the food could be glutony, one of them is wearing a crown so that could show the sin of worshiping false gods. Going back to hinduism you could say that the people with animal heads could link to that because of hindu gods like Ganesh the Elephant god or Hanuman the monkey god.

The walls were pasted with strange wallpaper which looked quite whymsical and playful of fairies and nymphs playing in some trees but when you looked closer it wasn’t quite what it seemed.

The creatures have horns and look demonic, they look like theyre stealing the fruit and hurting the trees, the trees look twisted and in pain their faces look tortured it’s like the trees are the creatures prisoners.

There where also what i think where brass sculptures

They are wearing modern shoes but nothing else, they have what look like very angry bat heads and their genitals are sharp teeth, It looks like a still where they are attacking each other.

There was also this peice of what looks like half man half sea creature, what caught my attention in this picture was actually the man beating himself on the back it reminded me of a ritual done by Shia Muslims on the tenth day of Ashura, a month where they mourn the death of Muharram the prophet  Muhammads grandson, the men whip themselves, whip and cut themselves often on the back in the streets.

From this exhibition as a group we came up with an idea to make a small model with an elephants head and a human skeletal body and photograph it on a beautiful background, unfortunately we didn’t have many materials so it didn’t go as well as hoped.

It is mostly made from white tack, wire and has a rib cage made out of a plastic bottle with a straw holding it up for support, I made the head and the body and if i could do it again I would try to make the head out of clay then paint it and make the body of wire but solder it together and use thicker wire.

As an individual project stemming from this one I decided to make a digital illustration Taking it a little further by making its tusks rams horns as the ram is often associated with satanism and adding in a satanic symbol, I made it like a tattoo design and took out the skeleton body.

I probably enjoyed this project the most as I love learning about different cultures and beleifs and trying to find hidden meanings in work, If I where to improve on it I would have used better materials for the figurine in the group project, I really like how it turned out but would love to make this into a sculptural peice out of clay or metal, I think it would look amazing.

I don’t know what I would name this I think if I where to come up with a name it would be something to do with either hinduism, Satanism, elephants or something in a different language but as Satanism is western and Hinduism is eastern I think I’d struggle to find a language that connects the two.