#yoruba school

[jjsanguine]

Manually pirating an 800 page dictionary by taking pictures of all the pages and colour correcting them so I can have a PDF which I will then have to manually retype into because OCR is going to dump all the diacritics and also because the guy who wrote it did some Pinyin level "I'm going to throw out the expected wrt how people use this orthography but it will also be simple and easy to use".

I have London's shakiest hands but typewriter fonts are like the non display version of Cooper Black, extremely legible even when warped or smudged. Also I'm borrowing J Florid's camera tripod

[divorcetual]

Kiss is so cool did u know she speaks FOUR LANGUAGES

[book-girl4evaaa]

Some of my Heathers head cannons!

(most of these will be for both movie and musical but i shall specify if otherwise)

Heather used to be a huge basketball player back in middle school (she was even on the school team), but her mom didn't like her playing it and wanted her to do netball instead. Heather stopped playing both sports but ended up playing volleyball, which she stuck with - but only did it for fun.

Heather was really mature for her age, even as a little kid. This meant she wasn't particularly popular in elementary school (apparently trying to referee tag-your-it and cussing out the other 7 year olds didn't make you cool), but once she got to middle school, everyone wanted to be grown up and Heather had a long head start.

Veronica (movie) used to be a really high acheiver at the beginning of high school, but as she got older, and became friends with the Heathers who didn't prioritise school, her grades dipped. Not enough to cause any damage to her future because Veronica's incredibly intelligent, but she would stress over them and get really annoyed at herself. After the events of the movie, Veronica and Duke make up and end up studying together.

When Heather first made friends with Heather, Duke was confident, self-respecting and in a good place about herself - not as in arrogant, just confident. Then as they grew up, Heather noticed Heather and other girls doing that thing where they complain about how ugly they look when they dont actually think they're ugly. This confused Heather a lot because she saw Heather as really pretty, prettier than her even. So then she started to think, "if Heather doesn't think she's pretty, then where does that leave me?" And thats when her insecurities started.

Heather's parents are from South Korea, Heather's father is Nigerian, specifically Yoruba (although she's white passing), Veronica's mother is south Asian and Heather's family is Irish

Heather's parents where pretty supportive of her and her education and didn't put too much pressure on her, but she wasn't as focused on as her older sister. Heather was still loved her parents, and she knew that, sort of, but as she got older, the second place treatment only made her more insecure.

Heather's father and mother split up when Heather was a sophmore but she didn't really like to talk about it. She's a lot closer to her father than her mother, becuase her mother used to drink a lot and was very difficult to deal with when she was drunk. Heather's dad was pretty supportive of her emotionally, and Heather was the same for him.

Heather's father had wanted a son, but gotten Heather as a daughter instead, and subsequently stopped caring about or loving Heather or Heather's mom. While Heather loved her mom, she was dissapointed by the way her mother still cared for her father dispite his obvious disinterest, so Heather decided she wouldn't date anyone who she actually felt anything meaningful for.

Veronica's childhood was mainly okay, until she was offered the oppotunity to move up into highschool early. While her parents and her decided not to, this then prompted her parents to put pressure on her to do amazing at her current level because "if Veronica could be passing 3 grades above her, then she sure as hell will excelling where she is." This was... a lot of pressure for a 12 year old but Veronica dealt with it pretty well until high school, at which point her parents layed off a bit.

ummmmm also, Veronica is bisexual, Heather is lesbian and demiromantic and asexual, Heather is bisexual with female preference (and possibly a demigirl) and Heather is lesbian :)

[readyforevolution]

𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗦

In the 1930s, dreadlocks were a fashionable hairstyle among Rastafarians. The Rastafarian movement, which originated in Jamaica, is based on a blend of Christian and African spiritual ideas. Rastafarians believe that their hair represents the power and energy of their African ancestors, and they wear dreadlocks to reflect this belief. Dreadlocks are religious, but they have also become a sign of defiance and counterculture.

In the 1960s and 1970s, hippies and other groups who didn't like mainstream culture liked to wear dreadlocks. People have used locs for a variety of reasons throughout history. The Maasai warriors of Africa, for example, are renowned for wearing long, thin red dreadlocks dyed with red root extracts or red ochre. However, in Nigeria, infants who are born with naturally locked hair are referred to as "Dada" by the Yoruba.

The Rastafari movement thinks that dreadlocks are a sign of the Lion of Judah, which sometimes shows up on the Ethiopian flag. Rastafari supporters believe that Haile Selassie is a direct descendant of King Solomon and Queen Sheba through their son Menelik I and that the Nazarites recorded in the Bible inspired them to wear dreadlocks.

People of all races and ethnicities now sport dreadlocks as a fashionable hairstyle in many parts of the world. While they have religious and cultural value for some, many individuals just wear them as a fashion statement. Despite their rising popularity, dreadlocks have caused controversy and prejudice.

They have been outlawed in several businesses and schools, and some people have encountered prejudice due to their haircut. In the end, the history of dreadlocks is long and varied. They have deep roots in ancient cultures and are still important to culture today.

[bodiedbyteecosplays]

Modern!Human Hantengu Brothers headcanons

Heeeyyyy babiesss!!! I’m sorry it’s so late but I FINALLY GOT MY HANTENGU BROTHERS HEADCANONS DONE 🥹🥹!! I sincerely hope y’all enjoy them!

Alright so, The headcanon came from the roots in the manga. Hantengu (the demon) was known to have multiple wives and children and he killed every last one of them. After Muzan’s defeat & Hantengu was reborn, he sadly abandoned his wife and his two children because he still had his memories from his past life and felt guilt & fear. His son grew a bit of resentment for him and promised that when he became a father that he would be there for his children through and through. He met the Brothers’ mother because she was visiting Japan from Nigeria and fell absolutely head over heels in love with her. They soon started dating after getting to know each other. Then married later on and their first born son, Sekido was born, then came Karaku, Aizetsu, Urogi , & Zohakuten.

Their Mother, Dr. Kehinde Adeyinka- Hantengu is a OBGYN & their father Urami Hantengu is a co director for a very big movie production company. ( my boys came from riches but still humble )

Their parents come from different cultures so they always brought them up in a way where they were exposed to both equally. They know Japanese (that does include how to write in Japanese too), Yoruba, Nigerian Pidgin, English, and Swahili.

SEKIDO

• Much like his past life, Sekido still remains the oldest. His birthday is September 3rd, 1995 making our angery baby a Virgo ♍️.

• When I tell yall he is nonchalantttt!! Whew! He literally says the first thing that comes on his mind. His mom always told him that he was like his father in that regard.

• Also much like his past life, he always looks angered (Resting bitch face go brrrrrrr) Most people are kinda afraid to approach him.

• Definitely gets annoyed by his brothers antics (mostly Urogi and Karaku playing pranks on him and pissing him off and Aizetsu constantly second guessing himself)

• Loves the rain and finds it peaceful when it’s thundering outside.. it sets the mood when he’s by himself playing the piano (one of his hidden talents)

• He works as a Auto mechanic at his own shop. (which explains how he knows to keep his cars in perfect condition)

• He is most DEFINITELY a cat person. He has a Black Maine coon mix named Zeus. He found him just laying on top of one of his cars one day as he was getting ready to go get groceries and when he came back from the store, he was sitting in front of his apartment and he started growing fond of him and took him in. Zeus is spoiled rotten so I can only imagine when Sekido gets a partner 🫠.

• Is a greeeeeaaaaattttt cook! Other than their mother, his brothers usually latch on to his place when he does cook. (He definitely has a special apron on when he cooks too) He learned from his momma 🤩

• Has a giant dragon tattoo on his back that was drawn by Zohakuten and tattooed by Managi (Modern Human Gyokko. In my headcanon, he’s a famous Tattoo artist that grew fame from TikTok)

• Definitely is a Heavy sleeper but don’t let that MF Fan Turn off. He gonna wake up PISSED.

• Academically speaking, Sekido is extremely intelligent. He graduated top of his class in High school & has a degree in Engineering (he also graduated top of his class in college too)

• BLACK COFFEE ADDICT! Can’t stand overly sweet coffee or sweet ANYTHING. Likes really savory foods! Lots of meat but not too too much. Also loves vegetables, stews, curry’s, and etc. The only thing he can tolerate that relates to sweet foods is dark chocolate.

• Definitely the type to go to bed by 10 pm (grumpy old man 😂😂)

• LISTEN! My baby is BUILTTTTTTT. He definitely hits the gym after work He’ll OCCASIONALLY go with Karaku if he doesn’t have to work. He’s also tall (he’s 6’3 1/2 and the tallest out of the brothers)

• He adores his family and anyone he deems close although he does get annoyed with their shenanigans he will always and forever care.

• y’all know that bath & body works scent “ Mahogany Teakwood” yeah, literally smells like that plus Shea butter & mint.

KARAKU

• Karaku is the second Born like his past carnation. He was born on October 4, 1996 making him a Libra baby.

• He’s literally a big kid at heart but he’s really chill and down to earth.

• Much like his past life he’s really playful and loves a good thrill. It makes his blood pump lol.

• Loves teasing his brothers (mostly Sekido and Aizetsu) One time he played a prank on Sekido while he was asleep by putting a realistic looking robotic spider on him (poor Seki has arachnophobia 🥲) & when he woke up all hell broke loose and when he finally caught Karaku, he put him in a chokehold and it took Urogi and Aizetsu to get him off of Karaku. 😂😂😂 and you’d think after that he’d learn his lesson (he didn’t)

• He works as a Bartending Manager for a big club and always makes good money in tips because one he loves serving the drinks and seeing people’s reaction to his drinks and they all love him dearly.

• Speaking of, he Is a masttttterrrrr at creating drink recipes and has a miniature bar at his place. He’s also a fairly decent cook but still annoys Sekido because he likes his better 😂.

• Like I’ve said before, mans is a seriously talented dancer & he effortlessly woos people with his moves ever since he went viral online & has a lots of fans (no pun intended).

• He also posts videos of him making drinks on TikTok too and always picks the best songs but people mostly like when he does voice overs of what he puts in drinks.

• He also does Twitch streams from time to time playing games( likes games like FNAF, Dead by Daylight, or any kind of scary games.)

• I also headcanon that he loves Halloween mostly because it’s during his birth month.

• Has one tattoo on his arm of his moms first name. His mom always told him that he reminds her of herself back in her youth.

• Loves all animals but is more so a Dog person.

• HE DOES SMOKE WEED & VAPE!

• Academically he made A’s & B’s in high school so he is quite smart but still goofed off in class though 😂. He has a Bachelors Degree in Communications and is also apart of a Fraternity.

• DEFINITELY A GYM BRO BUT NOT THE TOXIC KIND. Takes his physical health and physique seriously but never ever talks bad about how anyone else chooses to do with their body. If they are happy, he is as well. He’s definitely not a bodyshamer & will put someone in check if they talk bad about someone around him.

• HES A LIGHT SLEEPER. Any little sound will wake him up instantly. One time he came home from work so tired that he forgot that he connected his phone to his big bluetooth speaker while he took a shower & also forgot that he set an alarm to wake him up in the morning for the gym and damn near had a heart attack when his alarm went off. 🥲

• Loves energy drinks and coffee but knows his limits on his intake and that too much caffeine isn’t good. DEFINITELY MEAL PREPS! Has meats, vegetables, and fruits.

• Like I Said, he takes his personal physical seriously. He has a skin care routine and he also smells really good too .. it’s like a Citrusy and warm vanilla type scent mixed with hints of his favorite cologne.

• He’s also fairly tall too standing at about 6’2

• He’s heavily into zodiac signs and reads his horoscope on the daily! Got the rest of his brothers into it. Sekido & Zoha thought it was stupid until they both did some research and it started singling out their individual character traits & that’s what sparked their interests in it.

• He’s a lover at heart so anybody that he loves he has them near and dear to his heart. If he loves you then you’re a 4LIFERRRRR.

AIZETSU

• So he’s the middle child! His Birthday is February 20, 1998 making Zetsy a Pisces baby!

• Much like his past incarnation he’s quiet & monotone if he’s not comfortable around you but once he is comfortable he becomes relaxed and more expressive. Is very introverted.

• He was kind of bullied in school due to his quiet and timid behavior but when asked his opinion on something, much like his older brother Sekido he wouldn’t hold back the truth (it’s always the quiet ones)

• I would like to think that Aizetsu is heavily into meditation because it calms his anxiety and his nerves.

• PLEASE GIVE THIS BABY WORDS OF AFFIRMATION AND REASSURANCE!

• Aizetsu works as a computer tech and is very good with technology. He’s been very tech savvy since he was a kid always learning how it functions and knowing the ins and outs of it. He also works part time as a Lyft driver.

• His hidden talent is singing! Like I said in my last post, Aizetsu is a hellllaaaa talented singer but he only does so in private but if he sings around someone that means he’s comfortable with them.

• He’s into Zodiac signs thanks to Karaku. He’s a water sign (Team waterrrr) so he’s really good at seeing through people and strays away from those who he determines to be not good people.

• Doesn’t really go to the gym. He thinks it’s way too many people. Instead he finds alternatives at home and he was blessed with a high metabolism too so that’s a W for him. But don’t let that fool you, under what he covers up, he’s still buff. He is about 6’2, same height as Karaku.

• Made excellent grades in school. Mostly all As and graduated top of his class like his brother. He is currently in college pursuing software engineering and is still doing excellent academically!

• Is a good cook at best. Only sticks to simple stuff and doesn’t really like to go all out. Not particular about food but in the same breath, he does lean towards savory foods.

• Doesn’t have any tattoos but low key wants a treble clef tattoo on his chest or something small.

• Has a pet Bearded dragon named Toothless.

• Smells really good! I think he would smell like Cinnamon. Skin does get irritated during the summer time but it’s not severe. Does get tips from Karaku about skin care.

• Is much more of a tea kind of person and loves herbal tea (chamomile is his favorite)

• Not really much of a sweets kind of person.

• IS A VERY LIGHT SLEEPER. Imagine Karaku x10!! Will wake up if he hears the smallest sound or if the temperature is not to his liking (he keeps his place on 64 degrees AT ALL TIMES).

• Aizetsu is a very gentle, understanding, sweet, and thoughtful person and he has times where he second guesses himself but he definitely has a good crowd of people around him to keep his head held high.

UROGI

• Like his past incarnation he’s the second to last born. His Birthday is January 4th, 1999 ( he’s only 11 months younger than Aizetsu)

• He is most DEFINITELY a wild child lmao! He’s like Karaku x3000 when it comes to getting a thrill out of doing some shit. As a child he used to like to jump off of crazy shit and oddly would not get hurt 😅

• Has always been hella adventurous since he was a young lad. Always loved being outdoors and being in nature and still does in his adulthood. Likes going hiking & climbing. He feels at peace outdoors.

• He once climbed a whole fucking billboard and sat there for like 10 minutes ( Karaku and one of their cousins has a recording of him climbing it)

• Not only is he super flexible and athletic but he’s also very musically inclined too. His singing voice is on par with Aizetsu and he can read and write music (to an extent).

• Urogi works at the same bar as Karaku (Yes they work together) literally trouble but make it double 😂😂. Much to anyone’s surprise they don’t cause THAT much chaos. If Karaku is thing one then Urogi is thing two!

• He also loves coming up with different type of recipes and they are all a hit. Him and Karaku compete to see whose drinks are the best at work but it’s all brotherly competition and never any hard feelings.

• Heavily into gymnastics too & have been since he was little! So you know he keeps his body in great condition and goes to the gym everyday! He is about 6’1 1/2.

• Academically he made a mixture of A’s, B’s, and some C’s. Never went below a C. Is very smart but is whole ass class clown. It only took one time for his parents to get onto him and he never caused any significant distractions again lmao. Did not want to attend college but chose to follow what he felt was good for him. At first his parents were a little mad but they let Urogi decide what was best for him and supported whatever he decided (WE LOVE GOOD NON TOXIC PARENTING 🥹).

• Can cook but absolutely hates doing it. Prefers takeout instead and only cooks when he is in the mood to do so.

• Very much a HEAVY ASS SLEEPER & SNORES. Can probably sleep through a loud ass storm.

• Smells very earthy but not in a bad way. Like a combination of Pine and Sandalwood. (His favorite body wash is Dove Sandalwood for its earthy tone) Has seasonal breakouts but worst during winter (poor baby)

• He definitely smokes weed but by himself or with Karaku.

• His weakness: HE LOVES SWEETS & JUNK FOOD. Mans can literally eat a XL pizza by himself.

• Urogi is all together a very friendly, eclectic, and outgoing person and everyone can’t help but love him (even though he sometimes drives them crazy) 😂

ZOHAKUTEN

• He’s the last born baby of the brothers! He was born July 21st, 2007 so he is a Cancer baby!

• Like Sekido and Aizetsu, Zohakuten is a rather quiet, reserved person. But he is hellllaaaaa blunt. Zohakuten’s tone may come off a bit direct and blunt and a little harsh but I think he means well. (Sometimes)

• INTROVERTED.

• Also like his brother, he DEFINITELY has a resting bitch face and is his dads literally mini me.

• He is very much into art and loves graphic design. He’s also a very skilled digital artist as well.

• As a matter of fact, he drew the dragon design that Sekido has tattooed on his back for his birthday last year.

• He is still in high school and is very close to his senior year!! He makes excellent grades in school with straight A’s and has always.

• He is also a band student too! He plays the snare drums.

• After Highschool he does hope to help his dad out at the studio and work to save up for college. He wants to pursue a career in art.

• Since he still lives at home of course he gets spoiled by his parents but I don’t see him being the petty type like rubbing it in his brothers faces. Hell they be spoiling him too.

• He hits the gym with his brothers when they go. It’s like part of a bonding experience.

• He is about 5’9 ( his mom thinks that he’s on the brink of a major growth spurt.) For more context, their mom is 5’11 (momma a stallionnnn) and their dad is 6’7.

• HE HATES SWEETS! Prefers spicy foods though! Literally will go through a family sized bag of hot chips in 30 minutes and nobody knows how. (Not even me.) 😂😂😂.

• HEAVY ASS SLEEPER! That’s it that’s the post.

• Is willing to learn how to cook but only trusts his mother or Sekido to teach him.

• Karaku got him into zodiac signs too. He didn’t understand the concept at first until he read further and started seeing his attitude traits in what he read on Cancers.

• Not a people person but it is not as bad as his past incarnation where he bathed in hatred. Is willing to make some changes to his attitude and approach especially pursuing a career that deals with customers commissioning him for his arts but PLEASE do not piss him off or rush his work.

• He may not show it but he lovvvveesssss and adores his family!

I genuinely hope you all enjoyed my headcanons. I had been putting it off and putting it off and making revisions but I think that I love my headcanons for them. There are of course some more to come though so keep your eyes peeled. I will eventually start writing for more fandoms but I gotta let this Hantengu clone brainrot out somehow lmao.

I tag: @i-karaku-swear-i-dont-smoke-weed @ch3rriiii-bunn @hakujisstuff @bbkook @its-freaking-jordan @yunaarts

[kindatired]

The more I learn about Genshin’s Ororon the more I roll my eyes because by default he has the worst character design in the game.

However his drip art was released and I found something interesting

Before I dwell into the post, if there’s someone who is more informed about Mesoamerican and Yoruba culture, please correct me if there’s anything incorrect in this post. As I only read a few articles online and I’m not someone who went to school to study these cultures.

“Shadow of the night-wind”

“Shrouded Bat of Mictlan”

“Vampyrum spectrum”

From what I read about the god, Olorun, bats and night isn’t his territory. He’s worship as an omnipresent god so he isn’t tied down to a specific theme other than creation.

“Mictlan” is interesting because it’s a setting that take place in Aztec culture and not Yoruba.

Bat themes and taking inspiration from mesoamerican culture…

They were aiming to create their own version of Camazotz, huh?

Camazotz is a bat spirit that reside in the underground world in Mayan mythology. The spirit is often associated with death, night, and sacrifice.

A interpretation of Camazotz is featured in Fate/Grand Order specifically in Lostbelt 7 and is one of the most popular characters in the game with many fans want the NPC to be a playable character in the game.

“Mictlan” is the underground world in Aztec culture and it’s also one of the settings that take place in Fgo story specifically in Lostbelt 7.

Here’s a picture of the Fgo’s Camazotz:

So here’s two conclusion as to why we have the “Ororon” design as we have today.

A). I haven’t reached Natlan yet but from what I heard names play a big part in the region so maybe the “Ororon” we met isn’t his actual name.

B). They’re trying to not get hit with the “Genshin is copying F/GO” allegations.

Either way, no matter what’s his real name is, his design is horrible and doesn’t even reflect the culture he’s trying to represent. I don’t even know what’s going on in the writers room because who’s decision was it to use three different cultures for one character…

[chu-diaries]

100 days of mental healthcare: day 97/100

I slept badly and woke up before dawn. It had been a long time since I woke up in the dark like this. The air was very humid and cold and I smelled a nostalgic scent in the breeze that reminded me of when I used to walk to school as a child. Although I was sleepy, I didn't go back to sleep. I spent some time on Pinterest researching some references to create the photos I'm going to take of my scented candles.

I worked hard today and my eyes hurt from all that screen time. I know I should’ve done my daily outdoor run but it was cold and rainy and I just felt too lazy to leave my house. I also know I ate poorly today. My husband went out to shop groceries after lunch and he bought me this delicious doughnut, which ruined my appetite for the rest of the evening (but boy was it yummy 🤤).

Overall it wasn’t the best day for my mental health but I was so so productive. Should I start a productive challenge when this one ends? I’m not really into it but I want to start something workblr related (and if I’m lucky I’ll be able to do studyblr stuff once again since I miss keeping up with my studies).

💥: day 16/29

💧: 1 L

🏋🏻‍♀️: 🚫

🏃🏻‍♀️: 6325 steps

📝: journaling (10 min)

📖: attended an amazing (and really long) discussion circle at night on Yoruba festivals (6 h)

🇰🇷: I basically sang kpop out loud all day while working and payed attention to all those 시 that I always heard as “she” 🤪

🎧: what a life (live at the exploration) - exo-sc

📺: rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympic Games

📚: 🚫

🛑: 5 days pick-free

💊: took all my vitamins

[myfckingnameisnuwanda]

Yinyin, Glase and Kon always fall asleep pretty fast. Kori, on the other side...

Ben is so tired. He has help as a hero from Gwen and Kevin, and help with school from Julie and his parents, but who helps him raise his children, when they are a secret he can't bring himself to let go?

This is set in my Snowflakes AU, where four of the Necrofriggian children come back to earth a few days after "Save the Last Dance". Ben decides to tell no one, for a series of reasons, and suffers in silence while he tries to care for them.

Their names all mean "Ice" in different languages (Yinyin: Yoruba, Glase: Lingala, Kon: Lao and Kori: Japanese)

Being a single parent is no joy ride. And at fifteen years old, with four kids, I imagine it cannot be any easier.

[saintsenara]

I really want to hear your thoughts on the wizarding world. So I have a question about British wizards' language skills. Canon tells us very little about British wizards and their relationship to languages. We know that Fleur, Victor and Madame Maxime can speak more than one language. (They are not British). However, we do know that there is at least one British wizard who speaks several languages. Percy and Ludo say that Barty senior speaks over a hundred languages. So, do you think British wizarding society has a general opinion about learning languages or is it more about what class a wizard is born into or what their future career plans are? After all, Hogwarts doesn't teach languages to students. I'd also like to hear your thoughts on these characters and their language skills. Do you think they can speak more than one language? Voldemort (parseltongue doesn't count), Dumbledore, Barty jr and Bill Weasley.

thank you very much for the ask, anon! and what an interesting question!

in harry potter, language-learning is one of those things which - since it's not a key aspect of the story - ends up not having any specific worldbuilding. and so it's one of those parts of the books in which the wizarding attitude towards foreign languages just seems to be exactly the same as the real-world british one.

which is - like everything in britain - enormously rooted in social class, and in things [like race and ethnicity] which intersect with this.

you will often hear, for example, that the working-classes don't bother learning foreign languages - but what is meant by this is that working-class people don't choose in large numbers to become proficient in the specific western european languages [french, german, italian, and spanish] which signify that someone is well-educated, culturally-sophisticated, and mentally non-parochial to the british cultural and intellectual elite. working-class people may very well speak one of these four languages - especially african and caribbean dialects of french - as native or heritage languages, and they may very well speak urdu, yoruba, albanian, polish, turkish, and so on for the same reasons... it's just that this isn't recognised as something impressive.

but it is certainly true that language-learning for reasons other than heritage generally isn't considered to be particularly important in class-brackets below a certain threshold in the middle-middle- to upper middle-classes.

partially this is for boorish, parochial reasons which align with certain strains of political and social conservatism. uncle vernon, for example, would regard language-learning as woke nonsense and be horrified if dudley came home from school and asked to be given loads of italian novels for his birthday... he would have a similar reaction if his son announced his intention to start playing the violin, take ballet, write poetry, become interested in impressionist painting, or eat the local food while on holiday.

[the grangers, in contrast, appear to come from the europhile wing of the upper-middle-classes - and would, therefore, regard it as horribly parochial to only speak english. we know they go on holiday to france in prisoner of azkaban - and i think we can imagine that this isn't the first time they do so, and that hermione and her parents can all speak conversational french. indeed, if hermione was privately educated prior to starting hogwarts - and all signs point to yes - she would have studied french at prep school.]

but british monolingualism is also partially because the global hegemony of english means that being able to speak anything else isn't crucial for travel, employment, or - indeed - emigration, since brits who aspire to move abroad often want to go to places like australia and new zealand.

and so language-learning has become - like music - an academic subject which seems to be thought of by many brits as "not a key skill" - unlike, for example, something like maths. nice to have if you've got a grip on everything else, but not a necessity... and so, for british children who are educated in state schools [public schools in the us], foreign languages are only compulsory for three school years [years 7-9, the equivalents of years 1-3 at hogwarts]. some schools insist on a language being taken at gcse [exams taken at the end of year 11 - hogwarts year 5, what owls are a pastiche of], but this is not mandatory.

[although it was at my school. slay.]

so it makes sense within this cultural context that there are no languages on the compulsory hogwarts curriculum - the intended audience isn't expecting there to be.

[although it's worth saying that ancient runes - while i know it has a whole fanon surrounding it which makes it a sort of spellcasting system - is a pastiche of latin/classical greek as school subjects, so there is at least one elective language students can study].

of course, it makes less sense that this is the case when we remember that jkr did french at university... and it also makes less sense that this is the case because hogwarts is based on real-world institutions - britain's elite boarding schools - which do prioritise language-learning, since the students come from class-backgrounds which value multilingualism as a signal of cultural status.

[seriously - while i accept that this is anecdotal - it was so striking to me when i was at university that all but three of the thirty-or-so people i ever met doing a degree in a foreign language, whether a european language or not, was privately educated. add in classical languages and that ratio gets worse.]

but i think we can get around this by noting that hogwarts is set up in a way which presumes that its entire student body has had a wizarding primary education - and not only that, but an elite one [since hogwarts does, even if this isn't the doylist text's intention, seem to apply some sort of selection process which means that students who aren't from well-heeled backgrounds stand out enormously]. and then by presuming that the primary curriculum which someone like draco malfoy would have studied [at home, probably with a governess] would have included some sort of language tuition.

i imagine that this tuition would be in a muggle language - non-human languages [like mermish or gobbledegook] seem to be regarded as sufficiently "niche" in the eyes of the population that they wouldn't be taught as a general skill, but either learned in one's own time or as part of the training for specific careers, such as goblin liaison; the fact that barty crouch sr. speaks so many just for fun is a way canon hints at him being a bit... weird - and i imagine that this muggle language would be french.

this is not, however, because i go in for the fanon that all purebloods are of recent french heritage and retain close family connections in france [names like malfoy and lestrange are anglo-norman - which means they arrived in britain a thousand years ago with william the conqueror, and are as meaningfully english as the word "beef" or "monarchy...], but because french is generally considered the most "useful" language to learn in britain because france is literally next door.

[irish is sobbing.]

when it comes to the characters you specifically asked about...

lord voldemort's pre-hogwarts education is a bit of a mystery - in that the fact that the text isn't concerned about fleshing it out means that he ends up being far better educated than would normally have been the case for a child of his background [simply by virtue of not being functionally illiterate...].

even if he went to a moderately well-resourced school by random chance, though, he's extremely unlikely to have formally learned any foreign languages. but the fact that the most common fanon locations for the orphanage are parts of east london which had historically large jewish communities in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries means that he'd have had a fair chance of picking up snippets of yiddish while he was wheeling and dealing around each day. east london also had a large irish community, and if the orphanage is a catholic one [which doesn't really work canonically but which is a headcanon i'm nonetheless wedded to], then he'd probably also have a bit of latin.

once he's at hogwarts, i presume he must take runes [since he's heavily implied, like all male characters the series considers to be intellectually brilliant, to have taken twelve owls]. nonetheless, while he's clearly a nerd - and while he loves a language puzzle, since he spends his teenage years coming up with an anagram of his own name [...] - he has a slightly harry-ish preference in canon for only enjoying lots of flicking-through-books research if it's for a tangible goal [i.e. opening the chamber of secrets]. i can't see him scouring textbooks in an effort to teach himself the european languages his posh friends would have learned at home unless he thought doing so would be unequivocally beneficial to him.

indeed, we canonically know that voldemort can't speak german, since when he's on his hunt for gregorovitch in deathly hallows a woman speaks to him in that language and he just defaults to the british standard of speaking louder in english... and i think we can reasonably assume on these grounds that he can't speak french either.

but he must be able to speak albanian fluently - simply out of necessity, since he spends so much time in the country.

and it's also interesting to me that during his ten years in europe after murdering hepzibah smith [so c.1955-1965], he is implied to spend a lot of time in communist europe, even if not in countries which were fully behind the iron curtain [he must, for example, meet karkaroff - and potentially dolohov - in some part of the eastern bloc, and the bulgarian delegation at the quidditch world cup know who he is]. i think it's entirely reasonable to suppose, then, that he must also be able to speak some level of russian.

dumbledore - on the other hand - can probably speak french, german, and italian, which would have been expected of the sort of late victorian young man who was preparing to embark on a grand tour, and which he undoubtedly taught himself in order to keep up his correspondence with the "most noted magical names of the day" [including grindelwald, to whom he probably spoke german].

i also quite like the idea of him as the sort of late victorian orientalist who crops up again and again in british history, who speaks a language like hindi, arabic, or ottoman turkish with a cut-glass english accent.

the various non-human language he speaks in canon - such as mermish - are presumably also self-taught, and the question which preoccupies me the most in relation to these is whether dumbledore can speak parseltongue?

after all, we know it's a language which can be learned by non-parselmouths - since ron manages to speak it in deathly hallows - and so it must have an actual structure rather than just be vibes. and if dumbledore can't understand it, then what the hell did he think was going on in the memory of the gaunts he shows harry?

barty crouch jr. was definitely forced to have endless lessons with tutors hired by his father, who wanted him to match his two hundred languages, but then forgot everything he knew about mermish the second he started school.

i am sure that - even if he doesn't seem to be able to during the canon timeline - bill weasley learns how to speak french fluently the second the war's out of the way. since this is a basic courtesy if your partner and her family is from france.

i am also sure that the three delacour-weasley children are raised to be bilingual, and that they take great pleasure in bitching about the three potter-weasley children to their faces.

the more interesting question, though, is whether bill can speak any gobbledegook.

it's implied that he might through his job - and he's asked in order of the phoenix about whether there's any pro-voldemort talk among the goblins at gringotts, which suggests that he's known to be able to understand any gobbledegook chit-chat he overhears. but it still always strikes me in deathly hallows that the imperialism really jumps out when bill's speaking to harry about griphook:

“I know goblins,” said Bill. “I’ve worked for Gringotts ever since I left Hogwarts. As far as there can be friendship between wizards and goblins, I have goblin friends - or, at least, goblins I know well, and like.”

this really doesn't sound like a man who takes the time to speak to his "friends" in their own language...

the fact that even the good guys treat non-human magical communities with - at best - paternalistic contempt is a really noticeable theme in the series [and, crucially, something which the series doesn't seem to think is a particularly bad thing]. and so i quite like the idea that someone like bill would have a lack of ability to communicate in gobbledegook, and that this would never be something he interrogated.

[jjsanguine]

Saw an article and was like that looks cool so I looked for the source and it was a chapter from an out of print book so was like ok let me try to find a PDF of this book or borrow it from the internet archive or something, didn't exist. Once again I have to take a like 2 hour round trip for research. No wonder people just make stuff up, citing things properly is exhausting

[koko-canie]

James hcs because I'm bored and he's been on my mind all week

- when he was younger he used to get into fights at school alot , it lead to him being homeschooled as a result

- James speaks Yoruba because of his father , he often curses or insults others in said language

- James is Nigerian ( he literally speaks a west African language )

- his hatred for humanity stems from mistreatment in his family and from others in his life , the only things he's doesn't hate are nature , animals and on occasion children

- it takes James a long time to trust anyone , if he doesn't already hate you that is

- The dog he owned was a Great Dane

[lavful]

My hcs for the Ninjas’ Backgrounds

(I don't have explanations for these, they just live in my head.)

Kai and Nya: Korean/Vietnamese (Maya) and Chinese/Spanish (Ray) - Only speak a few words of each language because they grew up without their parents. Trying to learn Mandarin and Spanish with the other ninja.

Jay: Scottish/English (Libber) and Puerto Rican (Cliff) - Speaks some Spanish from school. His adoptive parents are White Canadian, so they couldn’t help him much on that front, maybe some French.

Zane (if he was human): Kenyan/Dutch - Speaks both Swahili and Dutch fluently due to his studies. Also studying other common languages (Spanish, Mandarin, etc).

Cole: Samoan (Lou) and Indian/Thai (Lilly) - Knows a little Samoan, Bengali and Thai, mostly food related words. Lilly taught him a lot while she was alive but he’s forgotten much since then. Started re-teaching himself after MotM.

Lloyd: Japanese (Garmadon/FSM side) and French (Misako) - Knows a few Japanese words from Garm and Wu, learned French at Darkley’s.

P.I.X.A.L. (if she was human): Nigerian/Laotian - Speaks both Yoruba and Lao fluently due to studies.

Bonus:

Skylor: Chinese (Chen) and Brazilian (her mom) - Speaks Mandarin fluently and knows a little Portuguese.

Harumi: Japanese/Korean - Speaks a little of both.

Vania (if she was human): Swiss/Mongolian - Speaks German, French, Mongolian, and Mandarin due to her royal studies.

Benthomaar (if he was human): Native Hawaiian - Speaks fluent Hawaiian.

[kemetic-dreams]

  The Igbo in the Atlantic slave trade

Bussa, Barbadian slave revolt leader of Igbo descent

Edward Blyden, Americo-Liberian educator, writer and politician of Igbo descent

Paul Robeson, American actor and writer whose father was of Igbo descent

Aimé Césaire, Martiniquais poet and politician who claimed Igbo descent) argues that many of the slaves taken from the Bight of Biafra across the Middle Passage would have been Igbo. These slaves were usually sold to Europeans by the Aro Confederacy, who kidnapped or bought slaves from Igbo villages in the hinterland. Igbo slaves may have not been victims of slave-raiding wars or expeditions but perhaps debtors or Igbo people who committed within their communities alleged crimes. With the goal for freedom, enslaved Igbo people were known to European planters as being rebellious and having a high rate of suicide to escape slavery. There is evidence that traders sought Igbo women. Igbo women were paired with Coromantee (Akan) men to subdue the men because of the belief that the women were bound to their first-born sons’ birthplace.

It is alleged that European slave traders were fairly well informed about various African ethnicities, leading to slavers targeting certain ethnic groups which plantation owners preferred. Particular desired ethnic groups consequently became fairly concentrated in certain parts of the Americas. The Igbo were dispersed to colonies such as Jamaica, Cuba, Saint-Domingue, Barbados, Colonial America, Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, among others.

Rihanna is also Igbo

Colonial Nigeria

The establishment of British colonial rule in present-day Nigeria and increased encounters between the Igbo and other ethnicities near the Niger River led to a deepening sense of a distinct Igbo ethnic identity. The Igbo proved decisive and enthusiastic in their embrace of Christianity and Western-style education. Because of the incompatibility of the Igbo decentralized style of government and the centralized system including the appointment of warrant chiefs required for British system of indirect rule, the period colonial rule was marked with numerous conflicts and tension. During the colonial era, the diversity within each of Nigeria's major ethnic groups slowly decreased, and distinctions between the Igbo and other large ethnic groups, such as the Hausa and the Yoruba, became sharper.

The establishment of British colonial rule transformed Igbo society, as portrayed in Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart. Colonial rule brought about changes in culture, such as the introduction of warrant chiefs as Eze (indigenous rulers) where there were no such monarchies. Christian missionaries introduced aspects of European ideology into Igbo society and culture, sometimes shunning parts of the culture. The rumours that the Igbo women were being assessed for taxation sparked off the 1929 Igbo Women's War in Aba (also known as the 1929 Aba Riots), a massive revolt of women never encountered before in Igbo history.

Aspects of Igbo culture such as construction of houses, education and religion changed following colonialism. The tradition of building houses out of mud walls and thatched roofs ended as the people shifted to materials such as concrete blocks for houses and metal roofs. Roads for vehicles were built. Buildings such as hospitals and schools were erected in many parts of Igboland. Along with these changes, electricity and running water were installed in the early 20th century. With electricity, new technology such as radios and televisions were adopted, and have become commonplace in most Igbo households.

A series of black and white, silent films about the Igbo people made by George Basden in the 1920s and 1930s are held in the British Empire and Commonwealth Collection at Bristol Archives 

[shurisasthmaticgf]

Dating Shuri and Riri: Shuri x Riri x Black! Queen Fem! Reader

warnings: spoilers, mentions of scars, incorrect translations (pls politely lmk if im wrong)

🤎 You met Shuri and Riri at the same time

🤎 Somehow you'd managed to get your kingdom roped into the entire mess of Riri and her vibranium detector

🤎 Shuri had reached out to your for help because she knew you lived in America for some years with a distant relative until you were coronated queen of your family's kingdom

🤎 Honestly the only reason you said yes was cuz she was fine as a mf

🤎 Then you and her were sent to find this Riri chick and you found yourself drooling over both of them

🤎 At first there was obvious competition between the three of you for one another's affection until all of you realized the feelings were completely mutual

🤎 Pet names were a given: To Riri you were Baby Girl and to Shuri you were Sithandwa. While you often called Riri '‘Ìfẹ́ mi’ and Shuri Àyànfẹ́mi or interchangeably used ma/mama or babe

🤎 You had never had one girlfriend before let alone two so things were a little complicated at times

🤎 So many small miscommunications and petty arguments happened which made you wonder if this was the type of relationship you wanted

🤎 But then Namor damn near killed both Shuri and Riri in front of you at the same time and you realized you couldn't imagine not having both of them

🤎 After everything you did have to return to your kingdom which was known as the Highlands: a little farther than Jabariland

🤎 The distance is bearable when you can take a flyer to see Shuri and when Riri goes between both the Golden City and the Highlands

🤎 Unlike Riri and Shuri you aren't a technology genius or scientist of any kind

🤎 The last science-ish thing you did was accidentally microwave a plate that had silver on it

🤎 It was nearly three in the morning and you wanted a snack so you went to heat up something and the microwave literally exploded. Which triggered an entire palace lockdown and a dozen Dora Milaje to arrive in less than 15 seconds. All while you stood there in your bonnet and that ugly ass leopard print house dress that Riri swore made you look like her grandma wore when she was a kid. And all you wanted was a Hot Pocket.

🤎 Riri and Shuri spend hours on end holed up in their labs so most nights you end up going to get them or blowing up their notifications until they cave and come to bed

🤎 You love listening to them talk about whatever they are working on even though you don't get it

🤎 It's not like you haven't TRIED to understand their computer-techy- big brain stuff. You tried having them teach you and it literally sounded like they were speaking Simlish in reverse to you

🤎 But despite science and math not being your thing, you were fantastic at humanties and liberal arts related things

🤎 So while they understood computers and things, you were busy teaching Wakandan translators

🤎 You'd learned Yoruba as a young child which was spoken in your kingdom as well as in the nearby Jabariland. Then you'd learned Xhosa some time in grade school per your father's request. You learned English and Spanish while living in America and attending school there. Some other miscellaneous ones you picked up through other things. You jumped to the opportunity to learn Yucatec Maya to help relations with Wakanda and Talokan.

🤎 There were times you got tongue tied as that happens with being a polyglot. But you managed to keep things straight unless on of your girlfriends was messing with you

🤎 They knew exactly how to tease you too which didn't help when you were trying to work. Like they'd purposely enter the room wearing the most distracting fucking outfit while you're trying to meet a deadline.

🤎 For that exact reason you made it clear as day that if they're going to pull something they better at least have clothes on. It went unsaid but they knew full and well it was because your clumsy-grandma using technology ass would accidentally turn the camera around at the worst possible moment

🤎 Although you and your girlfriends work day and night, you all prioritize spending time with one another, especially for dates

🤎 You three go on dates together and other times it might just be two of you. Hell you even started doing dates by yourself just for self care which Shuri also picked up and made a habit for herself

🤎 There was a time Riri went off on her own without telling you or Shuri where she went. She left everything including her phone which only freaked you and Shuri out more. Come to find out she was trying to do a self care weekend and went back to Chicago. She didn't realize how bad she fucked up til she came back and saw how distraught you and Shuri were. Somehow you managed to keep yourself together...ish. But Shuri on the other hand was a fucking mess.

🤎 Both you and Riri noticed that there were some parts of Shuri that had yet to heal from the pain and trauma she'd endured in a short period of time. She had her moments which you both waited out and let her deal with herself unless she asked for it. And when she did ask you were both there to love and support her in any way she needed. Mostly ends in cuddles.

🤎 You're a blanket stealer. Riri is a kicker. Shuri is the sleep talker.

🤎 The two of them fall asleep before you do nearly every single night without fail and sometimes you just look over their sleeping forms in absolute awe at how uniquely perfect they both are.

🤎 The way that Riri subconsciously bites the very left corner of her bottom lip as she sleeps. How her small and calloused hands with nails trimmed down to the edge fit so perfectly in yours. The way that one scar on the bottom of her chin lines up with the one on the top of her head from jumping out of a tree when she was six. How a smile tugs on the corners of her lips when she's having a good dream...and not that kind of dream but the ones where she's genuinely happy with whoever she meets there.

🤎 The way that Shuri's brow furrows while she sleeps until you smooth it over with your thumb. How her tattooed palm always remains face up so you can lace your fingers over hers while she sleeps. How that scar on her stomach that matches the one on her back, the one's she refuses to show you and Riri to this day, feels underneath your hand and overtop her shirt, that raises and falls with every breath she takes. And how she calms so easily when you place your hand over her cheek after hearing her let out the faintest whimper in her sleep.

🤎 Those are your girls, only yours.

[dailyanarchistposts]

The limits of ideology

In this sense, Ashanti Alston suggests that the problem is not about displacing Marxism-Leninism or Maoism with an anarchist ideology; the problem is ideology as such, and all the baggage that comes with it:

Ideology … comes out of having a set of answers for something. So even for me with my anarchism, I don’t think it’s classical. I don’t call myself an anarcho-communist or none of the others. There’s definitely anarchism that’s open to being in tune with always-changing realities. For me, anarcho-communists got good points about certain things, primitivists have good points about certain things. Them two don’t get along, but I get something from both of them. I like some aspects of anarcho-individualism, and Tolstoy’s spiritualism. For most of my folks, my people are Christians or Muslims and increasingly Yoruba, Kemetic, and other African religions that they’re recovering and using. I don’t want to be categorized as a particular school because I know if I do, the world I would hope to be created won’t have room for all kinds of tendencies of anarchism, or all kinds of tendencies of people living their lives according to their own terms.[150]

From this perspective, ideology is a screen that limits the possibility of open-ended encounters where mutual learning and transformation can take place. Its inducement of conformity tends towards closed, stagnant little enclaves. Ideological and sectarian tendencies offer the comfort of being able to pin things down, the pleasure of feeling that one is above or ahead of others, and the somber ability to sort new encounters into neat categories so that one is never too unsettled or affected by anything.

[transgenderer]

i mean presumably you’ve read chinua achebe but if u haven’t i feel like he’s highly regarded for a reason? also i remember liking half of a yellow sun by chimamanda ngozi adichie but i read it in like, high school so ymmv. also they’re both igbo i think so not exactly helpful wrt the whole broad cross section of a multicultural society thing :( i don’t rly know any yoruba or hausa writers idt? if ur looking for nonfiction kind of stuff tho mb the civil war or biafran nationalism might be an interesting place to start w reading idk

i really liked things fall apart which i read in high school, maybe i should read some other achebe...the yoruba seem highly swag. im gonna learn some yoruba-downstream culture from wafer's the taste of blood