Bob Marley, ganja, dreadlocks, cliff jumping and Montego Bay are all synonymous with Jamaica. You will be alright, no worries - you're in Jamaica man. Most people don't have the courage or motivation to experience the true culture and traditions of Jamaica and prefer to stay confined within the comfort and simplicity of their resort and air-conditioned hotel room. Me on the other hand, I like to roam freely throughout and take with me a greater understanding of different cultural backgrounds and distinct, first-hand knowledge of the places I visit and people I encounter.

Jamaica is loaded with history, cultural diversity, struggles and strengths, battles and freedoms, but the most intriguing to me was the Rastafarians mysterious lifestyle and viewpoints. Rasta or the Rastafari movement is the belief in Haile Selassie I, who was the former Emperor of Ethiopia, also referred to as Jah Rastafari. The name Rastafari is derived from Ras meaning head which is an Ethiopian word for Duke, Earl or King. Jah also comes from a strong biblical reference and derivative of the word Jehovah, yet another word for god, king or almighty being. I was not aware that so much history between Jamaica and Ethiopia existed.

As is also their belief smoking ganja, weed or gank is known as the proper way for the Rastafarians to converse with their god - much like prayer or a peace pipe of sorts. Bob Marley's influence on the Rasfari movement was colossal especially during which time British sovereignty was the central figure of authority. He spread the sounds of his religious viewpoint through his reggae music and became one of the most influential and popular artists of his time. He ultimately had massive amounts of people joining the movement, living the simple truths of the Rastafarian lifestyle and gathering together in large groups to organize celebrations for Jah, also called niahbingi.

The Rastafari movement is more complex than reggae lyrics and the occasional smoke would have you believe. The movement preserves the pride and humility of the African, Ethiopian and Jamaican people. They have a profound respect for the teachings of the bible and strongly oppose any type of chauvinism, oppression, prejudice and ethnic discrimination. Many of the practices of elder Rastafarians are traits of older generations of Jamaican farmers who were lacking money and material possessions. Although the Rastafari movement is a religious one, the movement is not considered a religion in itself only a way of living one's life or a different way of interpreting or perceiving the bible's message. As well as their religious teachings, they also pride themselves on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Rastas are commonly strict vegetarians, only eating what "nature" provides for them. They eat rice, aikee, vegetables, callalou, roots, soy, gizzada and beans. Aikee is a fruit that peels apart and opens up when ripe. You pluck out the giant, black seeds and cook the yellow meaty parts. It can be eaten raw but seems somewhat flavorless that way. Gizzada is a mixture of peanuts, carrots, coconut and spices all mashed together to form delicious patties. Seafood and fish, or anything caught in the turquoise sea, are also eaten regularly to provide protein and maintain their healthy way of life. Much to the dismay of the older, more experienced Rasta, the younger generation is getting use to the fast food takeover, the lazy, frivolous, simple way of life.

Dreadlocks are another sacred religious practice among the Rasta's. They are a distinct expression of their complete disdain for egotism and the significance of superficial good looks. The word "dread" refers to trepidation of their supernatural being. They also have quite a political impact and can signify racial or ethnic pride such as black unity and the denunciation of prejudice, imperialism and tyranny. Dreadlocks are ordinary tresses twisted into lengthy ropelike, knotted locks or stiff braids.
Rasta's have many simple but fulfilling vocations and talents. Many of them are artists, wood workers, painters, street vendors and sculptures and others are musically inclined having a passion for jazz, reggae, rumba and/or vocals. The wood workers were amusing to talk with. Watching them widdle away under the swaying palm trees on the beautiful white-sand beaches of Negril was mesmerizing. They made tortoise shell combs, necklaces, small trinkets, wall hangings, rings and many other special items.

Another type of artistic expression that speaks volumes is locally known as "yard art". Yard art is frequently spray painted on billboards, fences and large signs to advertise the opening of a new club, political viewpoints, rally's or to share opinions on different cultural matters and concerns. These forms of art are large, bold and bright and certainly make a poignant statement - regardless of what that public statement may be, it is powerful and thought provoking.
Being among of one of the most controversial and misunderstood cultures in the world, I came away with some sense of realization that what I had suspected Rastafarians were, was very far from the truth. Rastafarians are at present an integral part of Jamaican culture rather than just being a senseless ideal. The inhabitants of the island are now synonymous with Jamaica. The Rastafari movement is built by the nation, for the nation and in Jah we trust.

There are of course more than 10 secret societies around the world with goals and missions that have sinister purposes. This list highlights only 10 bizarre groups who caught my curious inner minds eye.

1. The Bilderberg Group (Club Sometimes Called Conference)

   It is a secret gathering of the world's elite: politicians, captains of industry and leaders in the media. It is speculated by outsiders this group of multinational corporate leaders (and others) determines who will be the leaders of the free world nations. The secrecy of the group has led conspiracy theorists to believe the Bilderberg is striving to create one “New World Order” (government).

2. Fenian Brotherhood

   It was an Irish Republican secret organization started in America in the 1850's by several Irishmen who had fled Ireland; John O'Mahony and Michael Doheny. It was an off-shoot to the Irish Republican Brotherhood and considered extremely violent and volatile. It began as a secret group determined to end British rule and domination over Ireland. They took their name from a legendary group of Irish rebel warriors known as the Fianna. It was and is considered by many, who still believe it is subversively very active, a terrorist group that would use any means necessary to achieve its goals.

3. Illuminati

   It is perhaps today the most famous secret society that conspiracy theorists speculate about and write volumes concerning their activities. The name implies what the group historically has represented (Latin root illuminatus or “enlightened”) an enlightened elite gathering of businessmen, political leaders and the extremely wealthy men who rule the world systems has "puppet masters" of men. This secret society is very often called The New World Order and has many layers and levels of organization that defy the rules and regulations of the western world. It is believed to have started in 1776 in Bavaria by a man named Adam Weishaupt.

4. Ordo Templis Orientis (OTO)

   It is believed to have started in the Austrian-German region at the turn of the 20th century and its origin is credited to Karl Kellner (wealthy German industrialist). It is considered by many as an occult society with many rites, rituals and degrees of fraternal association. Under the leadership, of the infamous Aleister Crowley the secret society was revamped and centered its focus on the “Law of Thelema”. This secret group is a weird fusion of bizarre religious constructs and rituals, philosophical insights and sexual practices.

5. The Thule Society (aka. The Brotherhood of Death Society)

   This is the secret group that Adolf Hitler joined in 1919 and they selected him be their New World Order leader after Dietrich Eckhart died. This secret group practices “Black Magic” rituals associated with Satanistic rites and “sexual magic” rituals that have been described as “sadistic magic rituals” of initiation. Membership is only by invitation and after very careful review of the person and their family history.

6. The Beati Paoli

   It seems to have been started in the 12th century in Sicily, as a secret criminal organization. It used harsh blood initiation rituals, oaths of secrecy, weird passwords and symbols to communicate and leave its mark upon those who entered the group. It has never been interested in “enlightenment” or “one world control” issues, unless it related to money….that is acquiring and accumulating vast illegal wealth is their focus.

7. The Order of the Golden Spur ( also called the Golden Militia)

   This secret military order seems to have begun in the 4th century and came from swearing allegiance to the “rule of St Basil”, which comes out of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church monastic realm. Today it is a Papal order bestowed upon worthy Catholics for great distinction in service to the church. The secret society of knights which began the group is said to be still functioning as a secret modern version of the medieval crusaders to this day……protecting secrets "the church" wishes the general public not to know.

8. The Hashishim

   This was originally a secret Persian religious group that split from the Ishmaelian sect. They became trained assassins and agents who devoted their lives and allegiance to the founder and leader of the group Hasan i Sabbah (considered by many as the real Imam). The name for the secret society is said to have derived from the word "hashish" or because members received hashish as a reward for their devotion to Hasan. Hasan II inherited the society and molded it into a much feared group known as the Assassins, from which another secret group emerged known as the Syrian Assassins. I t is believed both or at least one of these secret groups still exist today.

9. The Tong

   It was founded as a Chinese secret society that arose as a type of organization that would provide benefits to the common people such as protection and mutual aid when needed, though their activities were illegal and dangerously on the edge of criminal. They developed into a drug smuggling, extortion exacting, prostitution and female slave marketing organization. They spun their illicit often violent activities into a highly feared and profitable secret enterprise, while creating professional and legitimate businesses and cover identities.

10. Ku Klux Klan

    The notorious American terrorist organization that emerged after the American Civil War in Pulaski, Tennessee, 1866. Most of the leaders of this secret terrorist group were former members of the Confederate Army. General Nathan Forest was the first Grand Wizard of the Klan. Always wearing hoods, masks and white sheets (robes) they have tortured and killed hundreds of black Americans and white American sympathizers over the past 150 years. The believe in “white supremacy”….where black Americans have basically no rights to vote, own property, attain higher education, live and work where ever and so on. They are known for their cross burnings and hanging tree incidents across the South, in America.

Secret societies have been with us for centuries and these are only a few.

It started, at least as far as I can remember; with me driving my car. A large dog came out from no where, and ran towards the front of the driver's side of my car. I swerved to miss him and ended up traveling down a bumpy dirt road to the right of the main road. I was pretty shook up so it took a minute or two for me to realize that I was off the main highway. (Now remember this is a dream) I made a U-turn to get back on the highway. I have an aversion to getting lost, and it seems that getting lost can happen very quickly, but finding your way back does not always happen as fast. I wanted to head back to familiar territory, before I was totally lost.

Before I got all the way back to the highway I spotted a familiar bargain store and could not resist turning into the parking lot to check it out. As I stepped from my car, a large white wolf came up to sniff me. I sang loudly hoping he would not sense my strong fear. He ran on about his way, and I entered the store to spot some fantastic bargains. Do we carry money in our dreams? I didn't bring any packages home, so I guess not.

Dreams are nice little escapades into fantasy land, but they also can give us insight into many things that we are dealing with in our every day life, as our subconscious mind finds ways to solve our every day problems. I have found a site that I like to visit on the rare occasion that I can remember any details from these delightful excursions.

THE MEANING

After jotting down a synopsis of the dream take the keywords and look them up at Dream Moods Dictionary.

DOG

image source

To determine what the significance of the dog in my dream is, I look up the word “dog”. As I read through the definition, I see signs that do not pertain to my dream, such as “a vicious and growling dog” so I disregard this portion of the definition, and look for things that apply to mine.

The portion of the definition that pertains to my dream would probably be “To see a dog in your dream, indicates a skill that you have ignored or forgotten, but needs to be activated.” The definition goes on to state that dogs “symbolize intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection and fidelity. Your own values and intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and succeed.”

DRIVING

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If someone else was driving in my dream it would indicate that I am allowing someone else to control my life, and make major decisions for me. Driving signifies life's journey, therefore I am navigating through my own life. Because the road that I veered off on was curvy the indication may be that I am having difficulties achieving my goals, and there are changes that need to be made to achieve it.

ROAD

A road indicates my pursuit of my goals, and when the road is winding, curvy or bumpy it may suggest obstacles and set backs that I may encounter. A threatening creature on the road can indicate a situation which will be encountered in real life and needs to be faced no matter how intimidating. Whether this applies to me or not, I am uncertain, as the first dog was nonthreatening, and the wolf appeared threatening, but he was in the parking lot, just off the road, and not on the road. When I attempt to interpret my dreams, I do not consider the interpreting as an exact science, but an interesting outlook.

SALE

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Sales in one's dreams are supposed to represent opportunities in real life that one needs to be on the look out for.

SINGING

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The person who sings in the dream is meant to be happy, joyous, and in harmony in their relationships. The singer uplifts others with their positive attitude and cheery disposition. It is also a means of celebrating, communicating and expressing one self.

WOLF

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Seeing a wolf in one's dream “symbolizes beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence, and pride.” The definition goes on to advise that the dreamer is able to remain composed in difficult situations and handle new ones with ease and grace. Because my wolf was white there is an added significance of valor and victory, indicating that even the darkest of hours will yield to light.

I hope you enjoyed my dream and its interpretation, and that you will have many good dreams of your own. Good night now.

1. My use of the term “Ghetto” is the commonly accepted, colloquial version. It is not in any way meant to demean those who come from lesser-income neighborhoods. Rather, it represents a subculture that has formed within American society.
2. Some content of the music videos in this article may be considered offensive or inappropriate for those under the age of 18. There is no nudity or blood or gang endorsement, but there may be scenes that depict situations related to the daily violence experienced on the streets or scantily-clad women.
3. I was blessed to grow up in a few multi-cultural neighborhoods. My bloodline also represents a variety of ethnicities. Nothing mentioned in this article is intended to be racist, prejudice, or segragationalist. Rather, this is a viewpoint from a person who has experienced these cultures and lifestyles on her own or via close friends or family.

Lesson One: Honor and Respect

Kanye West: Image source

Living in the ghetto, honor is one of the most important things to maintain of oneself. Without honor, you will be treated as dust and nobody will take heed to what you have to say for yourself.

Lesson Two: Pride

Always be proud of who you are and where you came from. Never let anyone make fun of you because you have an accent, a skin-tint, almond-shaped eyes, or scrumptious homemade cuisine. Whether you're Vietnamese, Croatian, Indian, Samoan, Dominican, Eritrean, or whatever else, you must keep your head high. Don't be afraid to show your true colors by flaunting your flag or inviting your new somebody home to meet the parents.

Lesson Three: Passion

Do not only exhibit a thrill for everything you do, but actually feel that emotion. Put your whole-heart into the things that you love... You won't regret it. One of the young men, Doral Miller, in the above photo (this was taken in high school when I was using a film camera... film?) is a prime example of the successes possible by following your passion.

Lesson Four: Enjoying the Moment

We have no idea how much time we truly have here. In the ghetto, you don't know what will happen next... Will there be a drive-by shooting that claims the life of a friend (my best-friend from high school was murdered earlier this year by a stray bullet, R.I.P. Kebret), will you experience an act of violence that will physically/financially/emotionally disable you (like arson)... the point is, you never know what G-D has in store for you, so live life to the fullest ... every second of it!

Lesson Five: Brotherhood

N.W.A.: image source

Your father left your mother, your mother is working full-time to support 3 kids. You need the emotional support and love of somebody. Brotherhood keeps young adults and teens together and in one piece. If your own family is not there for you, find people who are. Connect with each other, develop a bond, and be there through thick and thin for one another.

Lesson Six: Love

Because the rest of your life can be a hectic mess, you will always feel the need to have an escape. Find that one person who understands you and cares for you unconditionally. Once you have this person who gives you the same love they receive from you, hold on tight and treat them accordingly.

Lesson Seven: Loyalty

T.A.C.T. Family: image source

See Lesson Five. You learn through time who is really on your side and rooting for you in all you do. Do the same with your ideals and whatever you put yourself into. Loyalty pays off in the long-run... no one likes a flake.

Lesson Eight: Activism

Stand for your rights and what you believe in. If there is something wrong in your neighborhood, don't be afraid to be the first one to put your foot forward for change. Others will follow, trust in what's right and you'll succeed in pushing for it.

Lesson Nine: Soulfood

Tamales image source

Good food is to be eaten and enjoyed thoroughly. Throw all calorie counts out the window, there is nothing like a home-cooked meal. Imagine tamales con crema (sour cream) or some scrumptious barbecued beef sandwiches... Drooling yet? Here are a couple of recipes:

• Chicken Tamales
• BBQ Beef Sandwiches
• Lumpia
• Maluach

Lesson Ten: Real Women Have Curves

This is my light-hearted note for the topic. Men from the 'hood love a woman who has 'meat on her bones' and is a little 'thick.' Take note of the girls you see in the music videos. All have a round derrière, shapely hips, and strong legs.

Truthfully, there are many problematic issues involved in living the ghetto lifestyle. The main thing is to always look at the bright side of life and take it for what it's worth. Make the most of what you have, enjoy it, and live!

Hip-hop has always lived along a dichotomous razor's edge. A soulful cry for a disenfranchised inner city youth with no other forum from which to speak, for certain, but driven by the necessity of its own creative circumstance, nonetheless. It became a bullhorn for the drowned out voices and stood proud as an arbiter of change and a vessel for dynamic aspirations. An exploration of possibility.

Now what? Has it evolved to become, not a mirror or sounding board, but a crunk-fest? It couldn't possibly be a clean reflection, otherwise all the inner-city would be drug-addled, dope-pushers in $100,000 rides sittin on 22's. So where is my ride? I don't have a dope connect, so I can't cash a hip-hop check? That's bullshit to me, especially when I realize that this image comes at a cost and only the pain and the destruction are free. And that's the way it has to be, because hip-hop is too young to live with much regret.

It is the bastard child of the ideals passed down by a preceding generation imitating the cool. Back when the fly guys harmonized and macked the ladies against the backdrop of a Motown soundtrack or the slick jams dropped by jazz giants. They would dance to the rhythms of life that stood apart from the American apartheid that left deep and permanent fissures in our hearts. And as an escape, they could flip a 45” and forget for the moment, live a fantasy based on a make-believe, but well-conceived reality.

The same goes today for those millions, even billions, left out of the processes that run the world. The fantasies spun now, though, hit home in different ways. It's dropped on beats that move your feet, make you believe that a dope man's dreams supersede the concern for a crack head cousin. Disagree with the suburban, white majority, the most valued demographic driving the industry, and get labeled a hippie, a backpack rapper or a hater with no understanding.

I'm not hip-hop because I listen to r&b, rock, reggae and classical music? Prove it. Identify the sample in most hip-hop hits without a little knowledge of what's come before it. That's nonsense on a very high level, isn't it? A simple, economic based status quo that cares less for a purists' lament over the decline of organized dissent.

Hip-hop music and culture is being hijacked by a corporate elite who can bleach the soul from the most densely packed cultural communities. Take over the reigns and change the direction of an entire generation. So what is hip-hop? A Chevy ad and a shoe deal? Vitamin water, blunts and big wheels? Stripper poles and cocaine? Whatever it was, it sure isn't the same. It's not the proud, noble thing it once had been, but a mish-mash caught in the swirl of sub-genres all clamoring for the right to claim superiority.

I grew up with you. Watched you evolve from nursery rhyme raps to complicated lyrical intensity. Watched the growth of the MC and the death of non-conformity. It ain't the same when everyone is the same, and it can't be solely about the hip-hop game when every rapper seems to want to slang cocaine instead of a hot hit on the streets. So, somewhere, someone is admitting defeat. Some lyricist is changing his or her content to satisfy the need to pay rent, and its not the Puffy's or Jay-Z's demanding acquiescence from the novice. It's the record company elite who could give a damn about what hip hop means.

To a corporate concern, culture can be distilled into beautifully blended balance sheets, profits margins and investor complacency. What does this have to do with the streets that birthed this movement? Nothing. It is what it is, though, because the naming rights were sold to the highest bidder. Its definition became an external thing instead of being generated from within. Hip-hop became safe enough to sell a car, a bar of soap or a cruise, it became the soundtrack of the evening news. A rich record company exec's idea of what it should be, not what it was or could be.

Hip-hop is under attack and the last thing it needs to save it from itself is another gangster rap. With no sense of history, bitches and niggas can only serve as detriment to an art form that is now thriving on the criminal and the pornographic.

There are still enough of us with love for you to keep the history alive in the present, though. Cry foul when we hear another bullshit lyric and a factory beat. When it first touches your soul, hip-hop tends to take hold and hold you accountable for what you perceive. That's what's up with its ever evolving ability to describe me individually and still reach out and touch you and do the same for your affinities.

So here's my fantasy. Hip-hop needs a hero. A flame-throwing lyricist with no fear and deep content. A radio station DJ with the balls to recognize a hit and find no fear in playing it. A consumer who loves to hear the differences that have been missing and a producer with a heavy hand. Hip-hop needs the return of the new again. Not another "ready for the radio" jam.

There emerged a language that they alone understood and this too helped set them apart from the rest of society. Below is a list of unique words that made the language of the Hippy their very own:

• Pad: Your pad was where you lived. “Let's head over to Pete's place and hang out.”
• Crash: To crash meant to go to sleep, usually right where you were. “I think I'll crash on the floor.”
• Gas: If you had a gas, you had a lot of fun. “We had a gas before crashing at Pete's pad.”
• Scarf: To eat something very quickly. “I had a gas scarfing pizza before I crashed at Pete's pad.”
• Split: To split meant to leave. “I split Pete's pad the next morning.
• Scene: The place where you are is the scene. A scene is where something is happening. “I was at Pete's pad but I split the scene.”
• Happening: To be in a fun place where everyone is having a good time is a happening place. “The party at Pete's pad was a real happening scene.”
• Groovy: When something is referred to as groovy it was cool. “Pete has a groovy pad.”




• Far out: If something was far out, it was better than groovy. “Pete's a real far out guy!”
• Dude: A dude was a geek of the 60's. “Pete's brother is a dude.”
• Drag: A drag was anything boring. “Do you know Pete's brother? That dude's a drag.”
• Dig: To understand. “Do you dig what I'm saying dude?” “I dig it!”
• Peace Out: Goodbye. “I'm going to split, peace out brother.”
• Threads: Your clothes. “Pete's brother's threads are far out for a dude.”
• Hang Loose: Don't get your tail in a knot, relax. “I know Pete's brother is a drag but hang loose until he splits.”
• Brother: Any good person or a friend was your brother. “That brother's no drag.”
• Gut Wadding: Fast food was called gut wadding. “Come on Pete, let's scarf some gut wadding at the burger joint.”

Ah, the 60's. If you were cool, you were hip. Bellbottom jeans were in, torn and frayed jeans, tie dye shirts, love beads, head bands, granny dresses, granny glasses, sandals, crocheted hats and belts, ankle bells, and bare feet were all part of the Hippy life style. Where are they now?

Many went to collage, grew up, got married while a few held fast to the Hippie life and brought it along with them into the 21st century. It's a little harder to recognize them now but if you get a chance to hear them speak, you'll figure it out.

Peace out brother and stay hip.

Do you remember the former Korean mayor who came up with the idea of the soccer ball shaped restroom in Korea during the 2002 World Cup? (It was featured in my earlier article). It turns out that he has a life long obsession with the toilet - as he was borne in one - and this house is considered auspicious by the Koreans. As the founder of the World Toilet Association, he came up with the initiative to construct a $1.6 million house which is shaped like a toilet.

This is actually part of a campaign to promote cleaner restrooms around the world. The public can rent the toilet house at around $50,000 a night and the proceeds will be used to improve toilets and clean sanitation systems around the world, especially in under developed nations.

Toilet-Themed Restaurant

The Marton is a popular toilet-themed restaurant in Taiwan. You will be surprised with the décor as all the chairs and cutleries are toilet shaped and the walls are decorated with ceramic urinals. Due to sudden popularity and to keep up with the high demand, the owner is going to open up a second outlet pretty soon.

Candy Toilet

The Sour Flush Candy is the new obsession for kids (and even adults) who are fascinated by the gross concept (if you think about it). The candy comes in a package containing a pair of toilet plunger-shaped lollipops together with a plastic miniature toilet containing the sour powder. How to eat it? You have to dip the plunger lollies into the sour powder in the "toilet" and plunge it into your mouth. Sounds fun, right? Flavors include Green Apple, Raspberry, and Watermelon, at $1.65/plunger.

Toilet-Shaped Water Bowl

This is actually a toilet-shaped auto-refill water bowl for your pets. The so-called "toilet tank" is refillable with a 2-liter plastic water bottle. One concern though, your pet could be mistaken with the real toilet water if it is so used to this type of water bowl. Use this instead - Since your dogs and cats may already be used to drinking water from the toilet, this handy solution will guarantee that you always make sure that they are always getting the clean water to satisfy their thirst.

Toilet-Themed Guitar

For some reason, the inventor of this guitar seems to be honoring the toilet(I wonder why?). This guitar is made up of a wooden toilet seat with neck-strap which looks like toilet paper. The neck-strap is connected to a toilet paper holder at both ends. Even the bridge is made up of a toilet paper holder. For all of you musicians, here is another way to rock!

Toilet-Themed Miniatures for Collectors

There are many toilet miniatures that have become collector's items. You can find many of these at eBay. These toilet-themed miniatures include toilet clocks, toilet lighters and ashtrays, toilet banks, toilet mugs and toilet pipes among others. Please be warned, these replicas are for display use only and are not available for actual use...

For the people of Africa, dance is an integral part of everyday life. Dance includes all activities from birth until death. The African people believe in ancestor worship and the communities in which they live are set up on a hierarchy structure. The elderly of the community are highly respected as they carry on the traditions of their ancestors. All the individuals living in the community are believed to have two souls.

The first, an ancestral guardian soul, is associated with the head, the person's destiny, and the belief in reincarnation. The second soul, the breath, is the vital life force. This soul is responsible for giving the people life enabling them to work. There is third soul, the shadow soul, which serves no function in life but follows the living person around. This soul is thought to that of a dead ancestor. Once the living person dies this shadow soul guides them into the afterworld where, if the person lived a life worthy of rebirth, the shadow soul is reborn and the dead person's soul is prepared for rebirth by becoming a shadow soul.

The African people use their bodies as instruments to connect to these ancestors who have gone before them. The dancer is able to express all emotions through the dance and they use those emotions to fully express a specific event. This results in a unity of life and dance. The dance is very primal and low to the ground connecting the dancer with the earth, which they believe gives them life.

Some of the basic types of dance movement which are used to make African dance distinct are: the knees are mostly bent with the back hunched over; the feet tend to be in a parallel position; there is a tendency to shift the weight of the body from one foot to another; there is a disconnection of the chest and hips which can move independently while the arms swing back and forth; the trunk of the body is not treated as an immovable, separate entity. African dance utilizes various body parts to tell a story.

African dance forms are strong, virile and vital with a feeling of dynamic thrust and resistance. They are exceedingly controlled, having the power to project the gentle wind or the raging storm. Ranging from the walk and all its variations, the techniques of the African dance embrace the leap, the hop, the skip, the jumps, falls of all descriptions and turns which balance the dancer at the most precarious angles with the ground. But more than any combination of steps, African dance has urgency. The dancer had direction and purpose. The purpose is to communicate. This is why he can assume the proportions of an ant or a giant. For him and for his people, dance is life!

The African people dance for two primary reasons; the dance is either recreational or ritualistic. Recreational dances are informal that can change to accommodate the requirements of the community. Ritualistic types of dance are the classic dances that have been handed down for many generations these include the Egungun festival of the Yorubas and the Adowa of the Asante. The ritualistic dance embodies principles that are important to the society and are performed according to the tradition of the ancestors. The ritualistic dance in this sense is aimed at the realization of a predetermined goal.

Traditional dances are intended to be participatory; the role of performer and audience is interchangeable since both are usually members of the same community. A ritualistic festival can last for several days and integrates multiple elements of dance, music, art, and drama. The timing of these festivals is planned to follow the cycle of nature such as the sowing of crops, the harvest, and the rainy season. The theme of these festivals is the renewal and regeneration of life.

All African dance serves a function whether the dance is for entertainment or recreational purposes; use of physical exercises, exhibition of skills, emotional expression, aesthetic enjoyment, courtship, partner selection, interpersonal communication and cultural continuity. There are war dances, victory dances, marriage dances, and funeral dances, dances for women only, mixed dances, dances for the initiated only, and dances for the youth.

Within the African community everybody dances. There are special dances for certain members of the clan, as previously stated there are dances for women only or men only or the elderly or the young. These individual dances are closely associated with ritualistic rites of passage.

A child becomes a member of a community at his naming ceremony; an adolescent is initiated into the responsibilities of adult life; a woman moves from her paternal home to that of her husband's family; an elder receives a recognition for his services in the form of a title; a member of the community joins the world of the spirits; at none of these times is an individual left alone to bear the emotions which accompany these critical changes. The members of the community carry him through the crisis with appropriate ceremonies, which contain the emotion of the moments in music, song, and dance.

Though everybody in the community dances, there is a distinction between the trained dancer and a person who “just dances”. A person who “just dances” has picked up dance in childhood by watching and dancing within the community. They have learned the dances that are important to the initiation ceremonies. The person who “just dances” enjoys dancing for the sake of dance and enjoys the feeling of speaking with their bodies.

The professional dancer is one who has been trained from childhood to be a dancer. If a child shows the skills early of grasping the dance language they are apprenticed to a dance master. The dance master is usually the eldest and most powerful dancer in the community. The master teaches in whatever method they feel is best for the child to fully learn all that they need to know. The master's authority over the child is absolute and unquestioned. It is the dancing masters' divine duty to pass on in hopes of continuing the values of the community.

Not only must the dancing master teach their protégé the physical aspects of dance they must also teach them about the mind and spirit of dance in order for them to someday become dancing masters. This helps to pass on the knowledge of the culture from one generation to the next.

Like other African cultures, the Yoruba people also use art as a way to reinforce life. Dance is used to ensure social and spiritual harmony and as a medium for self-expression. The Yoruba people are found in West Africa, predominately in Nigeria and Dahomey. Because of the slave trade, the Yoruba culture has spread, in some respect, to Haiti, Brazil, Bahin and the United States.

There are about thirty million Yorubas now living in Nigeria. Because of the influx of Westerner's to West Africa during the late 1700's and 1800's when Africa offered a wide variety of resources sought out by Western traders. One of these resources happened to be African people this resulted in the influence of Western Civilization on the Yoruba people. The politics of colonialism led to the ethnocentric prejudices that these people were subhuman and savages because of their lifestyle.

This notion continued to be thought of as the norm even into the 20th century. Even though Western Civilization has tried to catch up with the Yoruba people they are still able to maintain their traditional beliefs while respecting and worshiping their traditional ancestral religion. If one is to fully understand Yoruba life you must first start by interpreting life in terms of their religion.

The Yoruba culture is based on myth. Just like Christian's believe in the creation myth so do the Yorubas who also have their own creation myth. The Yoruba believe they originated in the city of Ife, where the earth and human beings were created. The deities, in this version of the myth, had first lived in the sky. Many Yoruba kings claim to be descendants of these earlier deities and to have migrated directly from Ife. This creation myth helps to unite the Yoruba people by giving them a common origin. This also ensures the king's divine right to rule.

YORUBA PROVERB

If one does not marry another person's daughter, one would not to worship another person's deity.

The Yorubas are born into a patriarchal society; the members feel that they are descended from a male ancestor. Children that are born to a man's son worships the deities of his fathers family, if a daughter has a child her child worships the deities of her husband's family. The Yoruba's believe in many deities and some speculate that there are more than 400 deities, some of which are worshiped throughout Yoruba land and some which only hold significance to certain local communities.

So, where does dance fit into all this? Dance is used for secular and religious occasions. Secular dance is used to enhance appearance, to project ones taste and status. The Yoruba place significance on dress because it determines social relationships. On a religious level, dance serves to connect the people with the deities. The deities play an important role in the Yoruba religious practice because they are deemed important to the spiritual survival of the community. Dance is used to honor and communicate with the deities. This is done through a system of divination known as “Ifa”.

The “babalowo”, as they are known, are the divinators and priests of “Ifa”, who is the God of Divination. The “babalowo” consults “Ifa” by manipulating a necklace made up of sixteen palm nuts. This tells the people which deity they will hold a festival for. The deities are believed to have once lived on earth and after death they became Gods, the only deity that never lived on Earth is “Olorun”, the Sky God. The worshipers of a deity are known as the deities' children.

Some of the more important deities are, of course, “Olorun” the Sky God who is responsible for creating the other deities. He himself has no worshippers and he does not interfere with the affairs on earth. “Eshu” takes any sacrifices that are prescribed by the “babalowo” to “Olorun”. “Eshu” is the divine messenger and is the youngest and cleverest deity. This deity is the trickster deity he delights in making trouble for human beings who offend or neglect the other deities.

“Ifa” as mentioned earlier is the God of divination and also a close friend of “Eshu”. This deity serves as scribe for he is the one who is thought to have taught the “babalowo” how to do the divinations and use the divining trays. “Ifa” has the power to communicate and interpret messages between gods and humans. “Ifa” than brings the messages from the “babalowo” to “Eshu”.

“Ogun” is the patron of hunters and warriors and is the God of iron. “Shango” is the God of thunder who lives in the sky and hurls thunderstorms at those who offend him either killing them or setting their homes on fire. “Odua” is the creator of earth; he was the first king of Ife. “Orishala” is the God of whiteness; he is responsible of creating the first man and woman. “Shapona”, the God of smallpox is called in to help people who are afflicted with smallpox. There are also river Gods and Goddesses one of the most important is “Oshun” who is known for her great beauty, she is responsible for brining children to her worshippers.

“Egungun” is the God who is responsible for teaching the people how to make costumes and masks that help to save the people of Ife when death and his followers were killing them. It is these masks and costumes that allow the Yoruba people to take on the role of the deities in order to conjure up their spirits and make contact with the ancestors when dancing. The dance creates an atmosphere that is needed to make contact with the supernatural powers and to express the state of the mind of the characters through the dance.

Dance is in itself a language that speaks to the audience. In Yoruba society as in other African society there is a very fine line between audience and dancer. The semiotics of Yoruba dance is very distinct because all movement to these people whether dancing or working is some form of interpersonal communication. When the dancer first appears to an audience their presence must signify a symmetrical balance. The stance the dancer takes tells the audience what the dance means to the performer and their facial expression is important in conveying this message. The posture is one that is recognizable in the Yorubas daily activities; it is low to the ground with the back kept flat.

As stated earlier when describing the dance of other African cultures, the Yoruba also use all parts of their bodies. The dancers keep a personal distance from each other and the audience there is no touching of one another in Yoruba dance. There is also no eye contact unless the dancer needs to communicate a specific message. Females tend to keep their eyes focused on the floor while males gaze straight ahead into space. Even though there is more than one style of Yoruba dances they all follow a standard for movement.

The upper torso is held forward at an angle of about 120 degrees to the rest of the body while the lower torso is flexed forward at the knees. Getting the proper posture is an important step towards the dance, since it is from this posture that the relevant various body parts start moving in a rhythmical sequence to the music.

There is no set step vocabulary for the Yoruba dancer to follow. The Yorubas feel since each person is an individual their dance should reflect that individuality. This allows the dancer to present their personality to the audience; this is also true in-group dances. There is a lot of room for the dancer to be spontaneous and to improvise.

What is very important is symmetry within the dancer. Though they are exerting themselves they must maintain a state of balanced serenity. This is also true for the group dances there must be an even number of dancers to keep balance and ensure a successful dance ceremony.

Music is another very important element in Yoruba dance; there can be no dance without some sort of music. In some parts of Africa the dance is accompanied by chanting. In the Yoruba culture drums provide the link between the dancer and the music. Dancers and drummers are able to form a competitive interrelationship. The drummer is able to change the rhythm forcing the dancer to push themselves; dancers are also able to move beyond the limits of the drummer.

This interrelatedness leads both the drummer and dancer into a situation where they are able to support each other and reinforce each other's performance. The drummers ability to move the dancer also enables the dancer to explore and improvise more readily than if they were dancing to set music of oratory accompaniment.

How does all this history and tradition translate into a modern Western thinking society? Peter Adegboyega Badejo sought to answer that question with his dance drama/opera, “Asa Ibile Yoruba” (The Ways of the Land of the Yoruba). Badejo, a student from Nigeria, wrote Asa Ibile Yoruba as his master's thesis while attending UCLA where it premiered at Schoenberg Hall in November 1979.

The next question was how could a culture specific art form be translated from Western Nigeria to southern California? Badejo who was the creator, choreographer, director, producer, and lead actor worked with a cast of fifteen dancers with whom only five were Yoruba. His solution was to keep the Yoruba dancers as the main focus and to express the musical drama as a mostly nonverbal work relying on the choreography and images to convey its meaning.

The play shows the contrast between the natural and supernatural world. The first act starts with the festival of “Ogun”, who is highly respected deity among the Yoruba. The whole first act takes place on earth in the court of the Oba (king). The “babalowo” is summoned to make the divination and let the Oba know what to sacrifice and who to sacrifice to. There is much dancing with the focus being on the festival.

In act two the focus switches to “Ogun”, who is now in Orun (heaven) and the spectator gets a glimpse into the heavenly scene. This is how the Gods celebrate the people on earth, just as the people on earth are celebrating the Gods. “Ogun” then calls upon other deities to help him in his celebration: “Eshu” is called upon first, followed by “Oshun”, “Shango”, “Shapona”, and finally the “Masquerade”. The “Masquerade' is the embodiment of all the other deities who could not make it down to earth for the celebration.

In act three we return back to earth for the ending of the “Ogun” festival. The Oba has made his sacrifices; the people who have completed the festival have now asked “Ogun” to bless them for another year and to keep them safe. What Badejo did was he preserved a piece of history and culture and successfully presented it to a modern day society where it was highly praised and accepted.

It has been an interesting experience for me to a part of this dance drama. I went into this practicum class in African theatre prepared to do an African play. When Dr. Murphy Ajayi announced that we were going to do a Nigerian dance drama I was very skeptical. I knew nothing about African dance, never mind the fact that I can't dance. What I found, that, though African dance steps themselves are quite simple. The biggest obstacle, for me, is keeping with the rhythm of the drums.

The most exciting element is seeing the progress we have made in recreating this dance drama though only one of our cast members is Nigerian. The other issue that we face is that we only have eight cast members. We compensated for this though by keeping the symmetry that is necessary in Yoruba dance. What I have learned through working on this show, the research that I have done for this paper, and what I have learned in class, is that there are a lot of things that carry over through the generations.

Within Africa alone there are many similarities in dance and why people dance the differences come in when location and outside influences are taken into account. All African dances no matter where you are in Africa are linked to ritual and culture. Dance in an intregal factor in all their lives. African dance still remains close to the ground and rooted deeply in religious beliefs.

We have seen the importance of dance to the African people throughout this paper starting with the general overview of African culture and dance and moving onto the Yoruba culture in general. Having people like Peter Badejo working within America to try to keep these traditions of this culture alive is one more example of how very important dance is to the African people.

It is so important to them that they have tried very hard to maintain its roots even though there has been an influence of dance from Europeans and Americans. Some of the tribal dances are similar to some of the chorale type dances and group dances in Europe. Some of the African dance influence has also carried over into the United States in the form of jazz and tap, both forms that originated in Africa and were modified by the slaves in the Southern colonies of the United States during the slave trade.

The difference between these two cultures is that for the Westerner dance is viewed as an art form and for African dance is a way of life.

What is it about Africa that makes them want to dance?

The Crip's started in 1969 by a man named Raymond Washington. The gang's original purpose was to shelter kids in the dangerous streets of California with a family and a chance to fit into society. Journalists believe that the gang original purpose was to emulate the older gangs, which is partially true. While the early Crip's did try to offer young kids a chance to fit in, and a family, they did it in a thug like way emulating older gangs. After several months, the Crip's began to grow and become very popular, but for the wrong reasons. As the Crip's began rising in popularity they began engaging in thug like activities where someone often ended up hurt or dead as a means to keep their hood credits(respect in the ghetto). The greed for this hood credit had a huge impact on the Crip's and it took a turn for the worse.

Although Crip is the common name used today to identify the Crip members, it was not always the name the Crip's were identified by. The Crip's were also known as the Baby Avenues Gang, Cribs and the crips.(Wikipedia) The rapid growth of the Crip's gave each stage a name changing them from the Baby Avenues Gang to Cribs and then finally the Crip's, which is short for crippler.

What was a clear outreach for help became the enemy of the state with everyone chanting, “Put the no goods away!” Rising in hood credit came at a very steep price as they gained life long enemies, such as the infamous Bloods. The rivalry between gangs like the Bloods and Crip's became a fire sparking, intense rivalry that still exists today.

Cops have tried to burn the bridge between the Crip's and Bloods but all attempts have failed. The most recent attempt was the “Tookie Protocol For Peace.” When will the violence end? God alone knows.

As a member of the crips gang, I speak from experience when I say, “power is a car that gets you to your destination, but if you don't have the right judgment or know when to stop, turn, or ask for directions it could have devastating outcomes.”

I remember one time; one of my Loc's said, “You want to go ride on some slob ass niggas Cuz.”

I replied, “What happened homey.”

He began, “I was walking down some block and some slob niggas said, “What's popping.” You know how I do; I said what's crackin slobs. Then they came up to me and started jumping me.”

I said, “word, what you want to do about it Cuz?”

He replied, “I'm about to go pop one of them pussy ass slobs.”(Dialogue with Crip member)

Life is rough growing up in the ghetto and sometimes souls need a little guidance in the right direction. Every person who is in a gang is not just some troublesome soul, but instead a young mind mentally captivated by negative influences. I was one victim. Some people do not necessarily choose a fate but fall into it. It is however up to us to get out of these unfortunate circumstances. I never chose to become a Crip they chose me. They came to me one day when I was about thirteen and the encounter went like this. They said, “Do you want to be loc son?”

I replied, “What the hell is a Loc?”

They said, “You know, Crip.”

I then said, “I don't need a gang; I am a gang by myself.”

They then said, “You have no choice tomorrow you are getting squared in.”

I replied, "whatever."

The following day they squared me in and now I am a Crip.

Through my experiences as a Crip, I can strongly say that Crip's were not originally just about violence. As aforementioned, they were a family. Modern day Crip's are destroying the original purpose of the gang, and through man itself in the ghetto it was doomed for failure.

The Crip's were a society condemned to the jails of America, and preyed upon by other gangs. As a result, the Crip's adopted their own language known as codes. Here are the Crip alphabets as well as arch nemesis the bloods:

Crips

Bloods

Universally, Crip's everywhere converse using this language; marking territorial grounds. In Crip populated areas you see markings like BK (blood killer), and in blood populated places you see markings saying ck (Crip killer). These territorial markings do not stand-alone. There are usually other symbols like set numbers and signs, that help identify what particular Crip set or blood set lays in that area.

In the 1980's the Crip's moved into the sale of crack. The crips made enormous profits and began to further themselves in the illicit markets. Through the sale of crack, the Crip's gathered intricate networks and respected reputations with other gangs. Although the Crip's sold crack at that time the rapidly changing, time would soon call for different habits.

There are many entertainers we may know who are affiliated with gangs. Snoop Dogg is one of the most popular Crip's and there are a few others like Daz Dillinger, Easy-E, Tone Loc and Spider loc. There is virtually no limit to the reach of gangs especially the Crip's.

Gangs are not necessary but we should not judge anyone for being in a gang because people are in gangs for a variety of reasons. We must also question and search for answer on a gang's initial purpose to understand what a gang's purpose was initially. Just remember when doing so, life throws unexpected curve balls at you and you have to bat them the best you can and hope for a homerun.

Note: Credit to Gangs Or Us for Crips and Bloods alphabet.