Phase 2 Weekly Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phase 2 Weekly Discussion - Assignment Example The fundamental benefit of organizational project management is to facilitate understanding of the organizational processes that influence the capability to mange the delivery of projects. This paper intends to answer questions such as how project management is viewed within organizations, what the value can be brought by project management into the organization and what barriers that might exist amid the field of project management. This paper examines these questions in relation to tier application to the HLR Inc (Harry & Schroeder, 2000). How is project management viewed within organizations? Not all the firms view project the same. Some believe tat it is a way of achieving goals while other firms perceive project management as a hazard. Project management being a specialized field, which needs expert demonstrated knowledge in particular sections of business of appraising and pointing out specific project risks with an intent of reducing portentous threats and capitalizing in ever y prospect that would benefit the project (Deeprose, 2002). Essentially, project management is under valued skill by majority of the project managers. This is because it is dependent on diverse opinions based on the area of work. This contributes to the first perspective, which regards project management as an underrated aspect within some industries, but certainly in industries such as, HLR Inc, it remains a central element in the overall managerial process and strategy implementation intended to achieve the organizational goals (Deeprose, 2002). It is noted that diverse opinions and perspectives define the organizational project management but the convergent position leads to its recognition as a fundamental aspect in organizations. Numerous organizations remain static but those that have embraced the dynamism have implemented rapid restructuring demanded by the milieu conditions. The dynamic conditions can be technology advancements, increased completion and scramble for control of the limited natural resources. It is imperative to note that the organizational structures form critical consideration before initializing any project because; this aspect will affect the whole process (Harry & Schroeder, 2000). The general perspectives include that of organizations being either project driven or driven by non-project. Examples of project driven organizations are the industries and aerospace where the entire task is characterized by the projects in consideration. This study observes that, three organizational structures exist. They include traditional, matrix and project driven. The functional hierarchy such as HLR Inc. may not be sufficient for the project management because, there is no consideration of the dynamism in the global arena (Deeprose, 2002). It is realizable that, the functional structures embraced in the HLR Inc, may not be sufficient. The functional structure characterized by insufficiencies to comply with the dynamic structure embraced by the glo bal players in the market. It is imperative to note that a project management needs to be sold within the organization’s borders. In addition, consideration of the matrix perspective, it is notable that, the matrix perspective has a dual effect in decision-making (Harry & Schroede

Cultural competence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural competence - Assignment Example knows what question to ask.’’ Nurses are more likely to attain culturally competent cross cultural care when the multifaceted combination of cultural knowledge, consciousness, attitudes and skill are used enthusiastically for cultural evaluation of patient’s health beliefs and practices, and for negotiating culturally harmonizing health interventions through expertise cross cultural communication. Health care providers can employ a number of strategies of cultural competence in their practice so as to deliver effectively; for instance, cultural accommodations can have a big payoff for patient’s emotional well-being because it supports and facilitates the use of cultural practices that have not been proven harmful, a good case study is placing a metal object such as coin or key on the umbilicus of a new-born child, which is understood to promote healing according to some societies (Srivastava,2007). However, for accommodation of culture to work, it is upon the nurse to have the prior knowledge of the culture from other sources, direct assessment and conversations. Implementing this strategy I quite involving because it requires the health provider to go extra mile in acquiring the relevant information related to a particular culture. Cultural preservation support clients in maintaining those aspects of their culture that promotes healthy behaviors. The health provider will support the use of systematically sound practices such as acupuncture for managing pain in a patient as well as interventions from biomedical health care systems such as using lower doses of opioid analgesics. However, this might be a challenge due to stereotype, other health care givers will ascribe to certain beliefs and behaviors to their patients without really understanding the individual differences within the groups (Ivanov & Blue, 2007). Cultural repatterning involves working with the patient health promoting behaviors. A health provider will work with the patient in order to

Willy Loman Essay Example for Free

Willy Loman Essay Task: Willy Loman is in many ways foolish and objectionable, and yet he still commands our sympathy and even our respect. How far do you share this view of Willy Loman? In your response, you should consider how an actor might interpret the role of Willy.  Willy Loman is the main character of Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. The play focuses on the last twenty four hours of his life. The main events of his life of his life are revealed using various techniques. Willy Loman always believed in the American Dream, but his character is now old and tired. We can see both sides of Willys character. The first is how he is foolish and objectionable. The second is how he can command our sympathy and respect. This can make him a figure of pathos. I will be addressing these points in this essay. In addition, I will be exploring how an actor would be able to interpret Willys character. Willy Loman can in many ways appear foolish and objectionable. Willy Loman contradicts himself in many ways. He has a very aggressive attitude towards his family, especially towards his wife Linda. It is as if they are a soundboard for Willys problems and frustrations. Although he displays this behaviour towards the other characters, he shows deep compassion towards his family. We see other examples of this aspect of his character. He sees himself living the American Dream, by exaggerating to everyone of how well he can sell his products. The irony of his job is that we never find out what he actually sells. This then makes us have more questions than answers after we have finished reading the play. He likes to contradict himself, by one minute saying how Biff is lazy; however, he then says Biff is not lazy. This then makes us wonder what the relationship is between Willy and Biff, and if anything has happened to sabotage this. We get introduced to two characters, Willys two sons Biff and Happy. Willy has tried to shape both of their lives, but this has not gone well. We see the first mobile concurrency in the play. This was when both of his children were young. When Biff was young, Willy paid complete attention to Biff, helping him with his football career. Happy however, was trying to be notice[d] by Willy. This can make Willy seems foolish, he even encourages and congratulates him when Biff steals a new football to help his passing. It is as if Willy would encourage Biff, but for all of the wrong reasons. This and other events then makes Biff known as a kleptomaniac, that we see glimpses of throughout the play. Happy is trying to get Willy to notice him, through various ways. However, Willy literally ignores him, what can be signs of neglect. Willy feels deluded, by making himself bigger than most people, even if they try to help him physically and financially. Biff then gets a visit from his friend Bernard. Bernard is not as strong or tall as Biff, but Willy likes to use him to help Biff with his studies. He likes to call Bernard anaemic and a pest. Although at this point, Bernard looks as if he is going nowhere, he turns out to be somewhere in his life unlike Biff and Happy. He then gets back to reality, although he stills has a deluded mind. He tries to tell Linda how he made a large amount of wealth when he was working in Providence. However, he has to come closer to the truth when he lowers the value of how much he earned. He finally tells the truth, when he talks about business not picking up. This shows us how objectionable he can be, even though he knows what the truth is. Linda then gets some stockings to darn. We get taken back into another flashback. We discover how Willy had an affair with a colleague when he went on a business trip. He then feels guilty, because he gave Lindas present of stockings to The Women. We see how the two time switches collide together, when he says how he will make [it] up to Linda, and he can hear the women laughing in the background. Although we know that all of the acts that he has done are all out of foolishness, we can feel some sympathy towards Willy, for he is not finding it easy to cope with this pressure. We then find out that this is the reason why Biff and Willy have not had a good relationship. Biff then de-railed off his education, and then found no point in life. He did not look up to Willy as a role-model anymore. If you had to look at this aspect from an actors point of view, you can imagine him being played by someone who likes to over-exaggerate all of his lines. However, we can also imagine him being very tired in his speech in some parts, and always holding his head, like he is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Willy Loman can have another aspect to his character, which is how he can command our sympathy and even our respect. Willy has tried several times to try and commit suicide, always saying how he works himself to death and emphasises the word kill. This then makes us want to make him a figure of pathos and does he have the power to command our sympathy. We are then able to answer this question, by how he is acting throughout just the first act. This is shown when we see how he is trying to make a living for him and his family, yet he can not make the cut. Linda, his wife has got a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve aspect towards her, and this is shown when she makes a compassionate speech about Willy. She talks about him not being the finest character ever lived. This shows us that she knows he has got impurities in his character. She even imitates Willys earlier speech, by how attention must be finally paid to him. This shows that she still will support him, no matter what he has done in the past. These events happen throughout the play, until unfortunately he finally commits suicide. If an actor had to interpret this role, we can say how Willy would be very quick with some parts of his speech, but when he does monologues, he would be very slow and express his speech very well.  In conclusion, Willy is able to do be foolish and objectionable in some aspects, but can become a figure of pathos by making us feel sympathy towards him, and show him respect towards him. These events are very unfortunate, and we hope that this does not happen to us the audience in reality.

Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry

Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry Oligopoly Market in UK Supermarket Industry In this essay I will search the information about supermarket industry in the UK, focus on the characteristic of oligopoly market and try to find out the effect of this market structure to customers, analysis its advantages and disadvantages. According to my search, there are a five big supermarket companies in the UK: Tesco, Asda, J Sainsbury, Safeway and Morrisons. We can see in the following diagram, in 2003 and 2008, Tesco is throughout having the most market share and the Asde .J Sainsbury Safeway and Morrisons always competitive with each other, having a large market share. So, the supermarket industry in UK is oligopoly market. The reason why the UK supermarket industry is oligopoly market for the follow reason: 1. Supply in the industry must be concentrated in the hands of relatively few firms. (Anderton A. (2004:322). In the UK, these supermarkets consider how much to supply and maybe make evaluate that how much their competitors will supply so that to insure the supply 2. Non-price competition (Anderton A. (2004:322). In UK supermarkets, in order to expand their market share, non-price competition has become a marketing strategy, As Revision Guru (2010); the supermarket will use different kinds of promotion or some way to encourage the consumer to buy more. 3. Collusion. Collusion is often a feature of the behaviour of firms in oligopolistic markets where it is not illegal. (Anderton A. (2004:323) 4. Many markets are dominated by brands. (Anderton A. (2004:323) .Every firm may produce the nearly the same good, in order to discriminate their good, many firms will make it as a brand to sell higher price. 5. Price rigidity. Price in oligopoly market changes far less than perfect competition in market. (Anderton A. (2004:323) The above is the characteristic of the oligopoly marker, and UK supermarket industry is match its characteristic, therefore, I draw a conclusion; UK supermarket industry is oligopoly market. In the follow section, will focus on discussion the advantages and disadvantages of this market structure for the consumers. In the oligopoly market, consumer can benefit from many ways. First of all, in the oligopoly market, consumers may have a better service a. For example in UK supermarkets, it is not only Tesco, but also Asda, J Sainsbury, SafewayThat means, consumers have choice to where they buy. As I mention above, oligopoly market is non-price competition, all the supermarkets sell almost the same good in the same price, in order to earn more money, the compete supermarkets may use different way to expand their market share, changing their marketing mixà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’such as Internet shopping for customers, Store Loyalty cards, Innovative use of technology for shoppers including self-scanning machines and so on (Revision Guru (2010), by changing in four area: product, promotion, place, pricing so that can promote the development of service of the supermarkets. In this process, consumers can enjoy a better and convince shopping service. Secondly, in the oligopoly market, consumers have more opportunity to buy a new and advanced produce. According to Buzzle (2010), in the oligopoly market, because of the strong enterprise strength and a lot of funds, these companies will invest much money in produce research so that to create new produce, also, companies want to be more competitive, they must have something new to attract consumers. Therefore, consumers can benefit from this new produce to improve their living. Thirdly, in the oligopoly market, the price is more stable, consumers can accepted it. In the oligopoly market, the price change very little, because if one company change price, other company must be affected and have some reaction, For instance, according to Worve (2010), Tesco if reduce 3% to 25% of each good, this will increasing its revenue and even increase its market share expand 12% in eight weeks. Besides, in the oligopoly market, other companies will also reduce their price, therefore, the consumers may benefit from this price war, saving  £150 a year. The reason why the supermarket will decrease their price is form the kinked demand curve theory, the supermarkets activated is accepting the Kinked Demand Curve. If one firm reduces their price, other firms will follow to reduce so that to keep their market share so in the oligopoly market, customers may also benefit too, the customers not only had a stable price for goods, but also can buy a cheaper goods. However, oligopoly market also has it advantages for consumers. Firstly, high barrier to entry the oligopoly market also is a disadvantage to consumers. Because there are a few companies in oligopoly market, such the UK supermarket, there only a big firms competed in the market, the little companies do no have enough power to completive with that big one, therefore, some little companies may be quitted the market ,or some even can not entry the market. Mail Online (2010). The little supermarkets quit means consumers have less choice; it is a disadvantage for consumers. Secondly, collusion between the compete supermarkets; it is also cause by the first disadvantage. As I mention before, the collusion is the characteristic of oligopoly, the firms want to keep their revenue so that to increase their price, between firms, they may collude with each other illegally. Consumers are forced to buy the goods in a higher price; Telegraphà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2010à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‚ °said that Any exchange of information between retailers is bound to distort prices at the expense of consumers , thus it can be seen that this is a disadvantage for customers. In sum up, the research I have study about UK supermarket industry I find that UK supermarket industry is an oligopoly market, and customers can benefit a lot. As I mention before, consumers can not only have a better service, but also be provided acceptable price of good. Besides, for customers, the most important thing is the quality and price of goods, in the oligopoly markets, because of completion, every company will provide a new and advanced produce for customers. However, in this oligopoly market, because of the characteristic of oligopoly market, high barrier to entry the market and the illegally collusion, customers may lose chance to meet other new supermarket in the market, that means customers have fewer choice and more easily to be forced to buy good in higher price.In order to make UK supermarket better, government should check whether companies have colluded with each other, to protect the consumers benefit. REFERENCES: Anderton A. (2004) Economics (3rd ed.) Ormskirk, Causeway Press Ltd. (Accessed 5th January 2010) Buzzle (2010) [On line] The Benefits of Oligopoly Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-27-2002-29003.asp (Accessed 5th January 2010) Mail Online (2010) [On line] Stores Sold Supermarket Sweep Create Choice Shoppers Available at:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-490986/Stores-sold-supermarket-sweep-create-choice-shoppers.html (Accessed 5th January 2010) Revision Guru (2010) [On line] Oligopoly Available at: http://www.revisionguru.co.uk/economics/oligopoly.htm ) (Accessed 5th January 2010) Single Marketing Ltd (2010) [On line] UK Market Available at: http://www.singlemarketing.co.uk/uk_market.html (Accessed 5th January 2010) Teagasc (2010) [On line], Retailer Dominance and the Impact on Farmers: from Growing to Sustenance Available at: http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2004/20040226/paper2.asp (Accessed 5th January 2010) Telegraph (2010) [On line], UK Supermarkets Fixed Milk and Cheese Price Available at: Tutore2U(2010) [On line] Kinked Demand Curve Under Oligopoly Available at: http://tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/monopoly/kinked_demand.htm (Accessed 5th January 2010) Worve (2010) [On line] Oligopolies in Supermarkets Essay Available at: http://www.wovre.com/revision/oligopolies-in-supermarkets-essay/ (Accessed 5th January 2010)

William Shakespeare :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare 1564 to 1616 Family and Education -born in Stratford-on-Avon -his father was a prominant citizen or "gentleman" -Shakespeare read everything available in print -he read the classics, French and Italian plays, legends, folk plays, mythology, historical chronicles, and the Bible -Gutenberg printing press had been invented 100 years earlier -married Ann Hathaway and had three children - Susanna, and the twins Hamnet and Judith -Shakespeare died in 1616 of Brights' disease -in Shakespeare's will he left his house and lands to his eldest daughter, his wife his "second-best bed", his youngest daughter a silver bowl, and enough money for each of his fellow actors to buy a ring to wear in his memory -Shakespeare's grave reads Good friend, for Jesus sake forbear To dig the dust enclosed here Blessed be the man that spares these stones And cursed be he that moves my bones. -seven years after his death his friends John Hemings and Henry Condell published a book containing 36 plays, which was called the "First Folio" -"He was not of an age, but for all time." Ben Johnson His Life in the Theatre -considered to be the greatest dramatist in the world -only the Bible is read more than Shakespeare's plays -from 1593 - 1613 he wrote 37 plays, acted, helped manage an acting troup and was part owner of the "Old Globe Theatre" -1593-1594 the theatres were closed because of the plague and Shakespeare wrote his narrative poetry -little is known about Shakespeare because he did not write about himself, nor did he publish his own plays, he made his money by writing plays that were performed for an audience -his first play was The

The New Electronic World Essay -- Internet Technology Technological Pa

The New Electronic World Cyberspace has become a reality of everyday life. People across the world spend significant amounts of time and effort in the construction, maintenance, and innovation of the Internet. This advancement has created two classes: those who are in control of this new culture and those who are left behind. The fact also remains that there will always be a negative aspect for every positive one. The Internet has shown us technology at its zenith and at the same time, the perverted reflection of our society. The Matrix portrays the future of our world in the way of its innovators, one group abusing the power to enslave another. In this case, the Internet advances through the direction of people intending to utilize the power for self-centered purposes. The end result is a world in which a virtual environment was created within the minds of an imprisoned class of people. There are many theories regarding the Internet today and whether it is actually providing benefit to our world, or causing more problems than its worth. The more we progress the more others, it seems, are left behind. The Internet truly has its positive aspects. From instant information at ones fingertips to the ability to communicate across the world at the cost of a local phone call, one can easily argue that the Internet has improved our world. But as in many cases, the negative aspects of a modern innovation are more easily exploited by those who consciously or not, are destroying our environment. The access to pornography, the computer viruses damaging corporate business, and the hacking that virtual thugs find humorous are all examples of abuse that create a more negative viewpoint of the Internet. The Matrix takes this theory... ... An addiction rarely can be identified until it is too late. While the theory of The Matrix was a complex one, and at times, quite unbelievable, certainly there are those who have become too reliant on the Internet for the bare essentials of life. It is true the Internet is an incredible tool for sharing information, researching truths, and conducting business, however, it is also true that the Internet is often used as a replacement for reality. These groups of people are the ones who are in danger of becoming the drones as described in the movie. These are the people that are in danger of one day waking up and realizing that they live in a world they do not truly know. Works Cited Rheingold, Howard. The Heart of the WELL. Composing Cyberspace. Ed. Richard Holeton. Boston: McGraw Hill, 1998. Andy and Larry Wachowski. The Matrix. Warner Bros. 1999.

Bulgarian Identity and Folklore

The tapestry of a Bulgarian’s life is interwoven with the country’s rich and colorful folklore, songs and dances, varied festivals and witty proverbs. The folk culture which has been preserved through the centuries is an intrinsic part of a Bulgarian’s daily activities. The spirit and identity of a Bulgarian is entwined with the folk traditions and customs, as it influences and shapes his way of thinking.Also, a history of suffering under the Ottoman rule and coming through it with their identity intact, adds a special dimension to the people of Bulgaria, packing power to the motto â€Å"unity makes strength. † The courage that the peasant community displayed in clinging to their cultural identity, under the â€Å"Turkish yoke,† united them to fight for their freedom. The determination that they displayed in preserving their identity under extremely oppressive conditions, tells us why the modern Bulgarian army never lost a flag.This essay will first learn what â€Å"identity† means to a Bulgarian and then move on to study the historical facts that shaped the Bulgarian identity as it is today. It will explore how Bulgarian identity has survived over the centuries and how the folklore traditions in its entirety, bonds Bulgarians scattered all over the world to their motherland. This essay will also provide a glimpse into the Bulgarian folk culture including festivals, rituals, proverbs mythology and music, which have kept the Bulgarian identity and spirit alive round the world even today.Shaping the identity In 19th century Eastern Europe, the emerging nation-states depended on their peasant traditions, which had survived foreign invasion and dominance, to form an definite idea of what they stood for. According to Herder, every nation is an organic entity with its own native cultural institutions and pure spirit which are best reflected in the folk poetry of the peasants. If a nation is to seek political sovereignty, it m ust find its pure spirit and build its future on the cultural traditions of the past.The native peasants were thus viewed as the soul of the nation, and folklore their legitimate expression. For the people of Bulgaria, their folk culture was also a weapon, which they used as an inspiration to unite and fight for their freedom. The Haidouk folk songs – about the heroes who hid in the mountains and formed a band of guerilla fighters – influenced the people of Bulgaria to join the bands and fight against the oppression of the turks, which tells us how powerful folklore is.Today, folk culture in Bulgaria is carefully preserved and taken forward with government-sponsorship, through various organizations and festivals. The government understands that folk culture, with its vital music and traditions, is what keeps Bulgarians together, no matter where they are. For the Bulgarian community, the traditions will always remain a part of life. The beliefs, knowledge, traditions an d value system still plays a major part in social and cultural interaction.This explains why ethnic discourse is so often â€Å"objectified† in folk culture events in Bulgaria, and why folk texts of various kinds are so widely used in it. In fact everyday life is dominated by the folklore traditions because they are regarded as a system of values, norms, texts, patterns and technologies. According to William R Bascom, ethnomusicologist, folklore serves to sanction and validate religious, social, political and economic institutions and plays an important role as an educative device in its transmission from one generation to another.He therefore suggests that folklore must be examined in better detail and care, because it gives us a clearer picture of the facts that shapes the destiny of a culture. Through the oral traditions of folklore, hundreds of songs, legends, rituals and tales are handed down to the present. Traditions that go back to Slavic antiquity are still alive tod ay, for example, the ritual sharing of sweetened wheat to commemorate the death of a loved one, forty days after his decease.Another tradition, this one peculiar to the Bulgarians, is the exchange of â€Å"martenici. † According to which, the year begins on March first (mart is Bulgarian for March). As part of the tradition, a red string, is attached to children’s wrists as well as animals’ necks and tails – to combat evil. This is one of the most popular custom among Bulgarians world-wide. On this day a string is offered to each member of the family and to all of one’s friends, in order to bring them health and happiness throughout the year.Another unique aspect of Bulgaria which differentiates it from the rest of the world is its special voice. It is said that there is nothing in this world to match the Bulgarian voice, which is why a Bulgarian folk song performed by Valya Balkanska was recorded on a gold CD and sent aboard the Voyager to be the earth’s ambassador in alien worlds. Bulgarian folksongs too are singular in nature.There might be a folk song for every occasion from field work to harvest, from birth to a funeral, for any stage of life that you can think of, but they are not repetitive and Bulgarian music remains exceptional. The folk songs and the dances afford a rich background for the understanding of the spirit, that kept alive, the spark of national feeling for over five hundred years under foreign occupation.The unconscious pictures that people create of themselves are more authentic and more accurate than any other source that we can secure and the Bulgarian peasant through the medium of folklore has painted a picture of what he considers important. Folklore customs aside, in Bulgaria the official historic pillars of identity are three, chosen by the government, for their various positive and shining qualities. First of all the Protobulgarians – warriors, who defeated the superpower Byzantium and established a state on its land in the 7th century.Secondly the Slavs – industrious, egalitarian, freedom-loving people, useful in times of pro-Russian orientation and finally the Thracian ancestors – ancient, wise, peaceful. It was the Thracians who contributed the Kukeri traditions and the ever-popular day of Baba Marta. The Slavs are said to have created the traditional circular Bulgarian folk dances and the lucky number three. Without knowing it, these centuries-old civilizations worked together to create a modern culture for their descendants.Today, Bulgarians consider both the Slavs and the Thracians to be their ancestors. However, history proves that the more primitive Thracians were here first. If we look into the symbols that can be associated with the Bulgarian identity, the Balkan mountains and the Balkan lion stand out, both for obvious reasons. The Balkans appear as symbols of shelter in many folk songs for the haidouks, the venerated resistance-fighte rs, who in turn were the symbol of Bulgaria's urge for national liberty.The â€Å"Balkan lion† as the epitome of Bulgaria's victorious spirit too appeared in the first national hymn of the country, composed by Nikola Zhivkov . Despite decades of oppression or maybe because of it, the Bulgarians have an identity that is rich and vital. The concept of this identity stands on the stable foundation of a folk culture which incorporates strength, humor, wisdom, music as well as a unique and varied mythology.But, there is another school of thought which begs to differ in the matter of Balkan stability and provides a different point of view. Always traumatic and unstable, Balkan reality invites discourses of domination. Within this asymmetrical system of antagonisms and co-operation, stereotypes of Balkan character emerge as identities. It is said that the Balkan identity has been a potent channeling tool in the cultural exorcism of civilized Europe.The challenge for Balkan scholars, though they desire a modern non-ethnic identity, is to resist the lure of globalization. But, since the Balkan countries lack what it takes, the region’s best resistance to globalization is to foster an alliance of cultural critics across ethnic and professional lines. A window to the Bulgarian history History tells us that the Bulgarians are Asiatic in origin. Kinsmen of the Huns and Avars whose earlier raids had greatly disturbed the peace-loving Slavs.The Bulgarians were the first Asiatic people who established a permanent home in Balkania. They effected the conquest of the Slavs, but in the course of about two centuries were absorbed by the more numerous race, and largely lost their identity. Intermarriage and mixture of blood modified the physical type of the Bulgars. They lost their language and were converted to the same type of Greek Orthodox Christianity as the Slavs. They adopted the same Cyrillic alphabet and became thoroughly Slavicized.Nothing but the name Bulga rian remains to associate them with their Asiatic forebears. In the tenth century, Bulgaria came under the direct control of Byzantium, but recovered its independence in 1197 after a long struggle. The Bulgarian ruler at the time, Kalojan, set the seal on this victory in 1204 by having himself crowned the King of Bulgaria by a papal envoy. The second Bulgarian state thus inaugurated lasted until the Ottoman conquest, which took place in 1393. After that, the country ceasedto exist as a separate entity until the nineteenth century. Whatever Bulgarian culture survived through this period did so ‘behind the protective walls of monasteries. ’ Turkish rule lasted five centuries and is viewed by Bulgarian scholars as â€Å"the darkest period in the history of the Bulgarian people. † The Bulgarians were the last of the Balkan peninsula to attain their liberation. Perhaps because of the proximity to Constantinople, the hand of the Turk was felt more heavily in Bulgaria t han elsewhere.The only thing that continued was the village system in which the peasants were allowed to handle their own affairs. Oppressive, too, was the domination of the Phanariote clergy. This was even worse than the civil oppression of the Turks, because the clergy pursued a systematic policy of obliterating all evidences of Bulgarian culture and literature. In 1825, Illarion, the Greek Metropolitan of Tirnovo, made a bonfire of the old library of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, which till then had survived all the vicissitudes of the Turkish era.So thoroughly was this accomplished that the Bulgarians had actually passed out of the consciousness of Europe till the beginning of the nineteenth century. Bulgarian schools were closed, manuscripts were destroyed, and with the extinction of the Bulgarian archbishopric of Ochrida, the last stronghold of the old national Church, to which the Bulgarians had clung tenaciously, disappeared. It seemed that nothing could save the Bulgarians fr om complete Hellenization.Early in the nineteenth century, however, signs of a literary and cultural renaissance, the invariable prelude to a revival of nationalism, began to appear in Bulgaria. From the study of their past, the Bulgarians discovered their true identity and then went on to fight for it. Bulgaria’s chequered history, the points where it differs from the rest of the Europe and the fact that it serves to protect Europe from the imminent Islamic invasion also shapes its identity.Bulgarian historians, who also serve as national ideologists, always point out that it shields and protects Europe – a role that Europe is expected to understand and appreciate. Also the point here is to prove that Bulgaria was a cradle of European culture and that its history is intrinsically connected with Europe's development. Interestingly enough, at the same time historians take pride in matters that actually separate Bulgaria from the West European cultural tradition – the fact that it adopted the Cyrillic alphabet, and did not accept Roman Catholicism.The history of the country, which was conquered by the Turks in 1396, but managed to preserve its specific Slavic cultural and national identity throughout the five centuries, until 1878, when its European identity re-emerged, is stressed repeatedly. Folk culture In the field of culture, a long hard battle had to be waged against the Greeks, who by reason of their domination of the Church, gained a stranglehold on Bulgarian culture and even on the Bulgarian language.There was thus very little cultural advance until the end of eighteenth century, and it is small wonder that until recently Bulgaria was regarded as a very backward country. After the collapse of the Bulgarian Empire and its subsequent absorption into the Ottoman lands, the cultural level of Bulgaria reached an impasse. But soon a striking development of folk songs was noticed throughout the region. In the western part of the country th ese were largely epic, connected with the Serb epic cycles.These songs have a greater connection with the historical events that they purport to recount. The songs of the western region were less poetic, sober and realistic. In the east, however lyrical songs predominated. It was in such a condition, where traces of the popular language were slowly making their way into the written forms of Church Slavonic, that modern literature came into being and inspired national resurgence. Bulgarian folklore, mythology and festivals Bulgarian folklore exhibits a certain duality in nature.On the one hand, folklore is displayed as a spiritual expression of an agrarian type of society, where the central point is to recreate the annual farming cycle and the human life cycle in a tradition, based on folklore ritualism. On the other hand, it is permeated by the historical time of the Bulgarians. The interpretation of this time has found its most imposing expression in the Bulgarian heroic epic, simi lar to the epical sagas of other cultures.Furthermore, mythology too pops out from every nook and cranny in Bulgaria, in seemingly unlikeliest of places. Bulgarian mythology, with its in vampires and goblins, samodivi and dragons, endless tales with fantastic plots, for example in – A Lad Outruns the Sun, A Maiden Outshines the Sun – makes the Bulgarian culture such a rich and interesting one. It is amazing the way in which the Bulgarian folklore, mythology and festivals along with dance, music and assorted rituals come together in a holistic manner.They connect the spiritual growth of the Bulgarians with the cultural traditions of the other Balkan nations, irrespective of their religious identification and independent ethnic history. It could be said that when all these three elements come together, it reveals, a profound relationship with the Bulgarian daily experience and historical destiny. Somewhere the smaller events of life fall together in harmony to make the b ig picture.Among rituals and ceremonies, marriage and the continuity of the community is arguably the most important theme in the Bulgarian calendar, along with farm-related rituals. All festivals stress on these two points one way or the other. The most popular marriage-related ritual is the contrasting mid-winter and spring- time ceremonies for males and females respectively. For example, unmarried young lads, on 24 December, after midnight, visit each and every house, forming bands called ‘koledari or survakari’ and sing songs with an intricate mythical content.Similarly in the springtime, the maidens form ritual groups of girls, known as lazarki , perform a specific repertory full of tragic themes. In this context, the Bulgarian masquerade ritualism is very rich. The lazarki and koledari rituals are female and male life cycle initiations respectively. They prepare the males and females for the stage of matrimony. To elaborate on the theme, let us list a few festival s and rituals that allows us a glimpse into the two big wheels of folk life – life and farm cycle.The festivals in Bulgaria are innumerous and definitely merit a section of their own. According to ethnographers, the overall number of Bulgarian festive rites exceeds 11,000 – a plentitude of customs accompanying Bulgarian people's lives from the cradle to the grave. Here are a few popular festivals celebrated in Bulgaria. The Martenitsa Tradition – Baba Marta, Grandma Marta This is by far the most popular festival of Bulgarians and is celebrated world-wide by Bulgarians. This is a unique Bulgarian custom which originates from the ancient Thracians.The earliest martenitsas were made of white and red woolen threads to which a silver or gold coin was occasionally tied. Other rituals observed on March 1 include women dressing all over in red and in North-eastern Bulgaria, the lady of the house would toss a red cloth over a fruit tree or spread red wool onto a field to secure fertility. In stock-breeding areas, a white-and-red thread was commonly tied to the livestock. The tradition is still alive and widely respected.Every year on March 1, Bulgarians all over the world present each other with martenitsas, thus introducing and spreading this very Bulgarian custom, to a broader canvas of people. New year celebrations The most colorful set of winter calendar customs is that of New Year's celebration. From time immemorial, the fireplace and the table spread have been symbols of generosity and abundance. The richer the spread, the more fruitful the coming year is expected to be. It is a custom observed nation-wide.The koledari would go from house to house singing carols and wishing health and prosperity to the family. The koledari's dress and costume ornaments differ from region to region. This custom is characterized by extremely colorful rituality involving songs, blessings, and dances. The koledari perform on Christmas Eve as well. Having to do wi th the Julian and the Gregorian calendar, the customs have preserved their original vitality and are related to the anticipation of fertility. Ladouvane or Singing to RingsThis is another New Year's custom, expressing an young girls' eagerness to get married and enjoy a happy family life. Ladouvane or koumichene is a maidens' rite performed on the day before New Year only in the areas of Western Bulgaria, Central Balkan Range and in some regions along the Danube River. In the rest of the country, it is celebrated on Midsummer’s Day. Koukeri – the mummers tradition Koukerovden marks the beginning of the spring calendar. Everybody makes his own mask competing to show greater personal skill and craftsmanship.Therefore, no two ritual masks are alike and the men take great pride in displaying their masks. Young men in masks, visit houses and distribute gifts as part of the tradition. Todorovden – St Theodore's Day St Theodore's Day is celebrated six days after Shrove tide. It is also known as â€Å"Horses' Easter† because of the horse races commonly held on that day. According to folk tradition, newly married women would make a ritual Theodore's round loaf of bread decorated with a dough-modelled image of a horse's head.The ancient roots of this folk festival lie in Thracian mythology. The horse is a sun symbol, while the horseman is known in the Bulgarian lands through the cult of the Thracian Horseman. Trypon Zarezan – Vinegrower's Day Trypon Zarezan is celebrated during the first half of February. It is an old occupation-related custom. On this day, observed throughout the country, the vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine. In some areas, a Vine King is chosen and he is crowned with a wreath of wine twigs.Blagovets – Annunciation Day The festival of Blagovets, celebrated on March 25, symbolizes the beginning of spring – swallows returning from the southern lands. Popular Christian mythology associates the day wi th the story of Virgin Mary sitting in the garden and sewing, then leaning and smelling a sprig of basil and thus getting pregnant. Being an ancient festival, Blagovets is laden with old-time rites shrouded in popular Christianity. Easter Easter is the most revered festival in the Church calendar of Orthodox Christians.Making Easter cakes was introduced in Bulgaria as late as the 1920’s, but nowadays it has a very important place in the Bulgarian people's customs. Typical of the festival is the dying of eggs, a custom much enjoyed by all. St George’s Day St George’s Day is among the most important folk festivals. It is observed on May 6 and marks the beginning of trading activity and stock-breeding for the year. Its expressive rituality has been preserved to date.On the night before St George's Day, young boys would pick blossoming willow twigs to decorate the house, the pens, and the livestock for health. During the night, the sheep were turned out to feed beca use that night's dew on the grass is believed to have a curative powers. Bulgaria could easily be called the land of festivals, with almost every other day in the calendar being a festival of sorts. But it is the very same festivals, in all their abundance and glory, which prove to be at the core of the Bulgarian identity.Festivals are as a rule, a time when people socialize and bond, thus the plentiful festivals may explain the strong ties that Bulgarians world-wide share with their motherland. Story telling in Bulgarian culture Humor mixed with huge dollops of wit and a fine appreciation for life is what endears the native Bulgarian story-telling to the world. Bulgaria’s Nasreddin Hodja is a name everybody recognizes. This witty character is always getting the better of his rival comical character Hitar Petar.In fact Hodja can be termed the classic Bulgarian who endures hardship with loads of humor, wit and resourcefulness. As regards story-telling, the Bulgarian folk tale is characterized by its interest in the magical, its commitment with various everyday life events, confronting the rich and the poor, the clever and the fool, as well as by its abundance of candid and natural humor. The Bulgarian has a feeling for the legendary, most often associated with an old-testament imagery, and a live sense of historical narrative.Storytelling in Bulgaria is particularly enticing because the folklore memory travels into the realm of magical creatures, buried treasures, heroes who save the world, vampires, angels and healing spells†¦all fantastic and captivating. It also reminds us of the remote roots of the Bulgarian folk culture. Chase two rabbits and you catch none†¦ Classic proverbs like this one are as much a part of the everyday experience of the Bulgarian peasant as are his folk verse, song and tale.The proverb plays a more important role in the life of the Bulgarian than it does in the peasant civilizations of other European countries. As wit nessed in many other cultures of the world, the proverb is a focal point in conversation, argument or rhetoric. It is widely used to express compactly an idea or to create a mental image. It is a true mirror on the inner life of the people, of the conditions which prevail in their lives, of their morals and of their manners.Many Bulgarian proverbs are crudely expressed, internal evidence that they stem from the folk and are thus authentic. The proverbs also help in understanding the psyche of the man who uses a particular proverb. Here is a good one – An idle man makes a good prophet. Bulgarian music, folk songs and theater A Bulgarian can never be separated from his music. A character shared by the rest of the world you could say, but it is not all who share the fine appreciation for music that Bulgarians instinctively have.For a Bulgarian, life is a musical, with all its accompaniment. For him there is no plateau in life – joy, sorrow, loneliness or death that exists without music and suitable lyrics. Internationally, the Bulgarian music fascinates both the general public and the experts. At the turn of the century, the Bulgarian folklore tradition was given some new impulses, mainly in Macedonia and Thrace. Influenced by the revolutionary reality, a considerable number of songs were created.The musical expression of this cultural system has its regional and general characteristics for example, the Rhodope song, Thracian song, Shopp song, Macedonian song, among others. But the specific Bulgarian two-voice songs, and the phenomenon of irregular beats are unique. Regional variations are not strictly delineated, but certain typical characteristics have formed several musical dialects: North-Bulgarian, Dobroudjanian, Thracian, Shopp, the Pirin Mountains area, the Sredna Gora region, and Rhodopian.The distinguishing features of the Bulgarian folk song can be traced along three lines – homophonic, rhythm and vocal wealth. Today the Bulgarian f olk tradition is revived in the context of the specific new phenomena in music, where various styles and forms of genre meet as is witnessed in all parts of the world, in almost all cultures. In Bulgaria at the same time, there is a growing presence of performers coming from different ethnic groups, chiefly Gypsies, whose musical art has been exerting its influence on the Bulgarian folklore for a good while.What makes the Bulgarian folk song special is its rhythm and vocal wealth. They are of a caliber described by the experts as ranging from fantastic richness to primitive monotony. The extended time inherent in the folksongs are its distinguishing feature, as it is non-existent in the rest of the European music. Theater too is part of the Bulgarian love for expression. Once Bulgaria was free, its natural aptitude and love for music, drama, song and dance came to the fore.It is a fact that the musical theater in its informal form has always played a major role in Bulgarian culture. But after independence, classical operettas, revues, vaudeville, children's plays, and modern musical comedies flourished under the indulgent eyes of the Bulgarians. In a deliberate move to bring professionals together to explore this genre, the government established the State Musical Theater in 1948. The Bulgarian involvement with operetta, goes back to about seventy-five years.The State Musical Theater is the heir to a tradition that reached its high point during the 1930s. At that same time, private ensembles such as the Free Theater of the Renaissance, the Cooperative Theater, and the Odeon performed numerous works for enthusiastic audiences. An impressive standard was established which is appreciated all over the world today. The Bulgarian talent in the area of music, voice and opera is legendary, with people flocking to enjoy what the masters have in store for them.Bulgarians Abroad While there were no Bulgarian political institutions during the Ottoman era, the Bulgarian cu lture and language were well preserved as a result of Ottoman policy, which made no real attempt at cultural, religious, or linguistic assimilation. Gradually, both the formation of crafts guilds called esnafs, whose members underwrote the promotion of Bulgarian culture, and through the medium of education, Bulgarian cultural and ethnic consciousness spread.By the 1870s, there were thousands of Bulgarians living outside of their homeland in such places as Vienna, Bucharest, Odessa, Bessarabia and Constantinople and were to be a major influence on the Bulgarian Revival. The interest toward Bulgarian folk songs and dance has been sustained in the past two decades by a number of highly professional and amateur groups – American, Japanese, Dutch, Danish, among others and has culminated in the success of the Swiss recording of â€Å"Le mystere des voix bulgares,† followed by a worldwide tour of the Bulgarian vocal ensemble.The craving for Bulgarian folklore in the West is a basically urban phenomenon. For the foreigners, the representations of Bulgarian folklore music – the sound icon of Bulgarians is a fascinating one. During the 1970s, interest in Bulgarian female polyphony exploded in the wake of the American folk revival and the women's liberation movement.Groups began springing up all over, at colleges and community centers, often incorporating dance as well as singing. Although in the early years, instructors were mostly Americans, in the past decade, since the fall of the Bulgarian communist government in 1989, more and more Bulgarian instructors have been able to come to the United States to teach vocal and instrumental skills. Bulgarian folk songs and performers are liked and praised ar