Archive for the ‘Cultural Event’ CategoryNikko Toshogu Shrine Grand Festival- New Photoshelter GalleryThursday, April 15th, 2010Photographs from my trip to Nikko Japan. A procession of 100 samurai warriers held at the world heritage site in Nikko City. Check out my Photoshelter Nikko Toshogu Shrine Grand Festival gallery for all the shots.
Elephant Round-Up in Surin ThailandWednesday, January 6th, 2010The Elephant Round-up in Thailand’s Surin province in November was hard to pass up. I’m a self professed collector of elephant souvenirs….wood, metal, lacquer….I have them all. When I heard 250 Elephants would be part of the festival I jumped on the next bus leaving from Bangkok. Surin is a rarely visited province in the northeast of Thailand. But once a year, on the third weekend of November, the spotlight is directed at the province as the venue for one of the most exciting spectacles of the year-the annual Elephant Round-Up. Surin has long been associated with elephants. Walking around town you can see dozens of elephants, statues of elephants and even shrines devoted to the elephant. The locals are well recognized for their skill in capturing and rounding up wild elephants as well as training and taming them. Surin is often known as the ‘province of elephants’. The majestic Thai elephant has long been a central element in Thai culture and has held a respected place in Thai history. A symbol of power and grace, the elephant was revered by the ancient kings. Elephants have been prominently featured in Thai legend, literature, art and architecture, and during the reign of King Rama II, an image of the auspicious elephant, symbolic of the King, was featured on the flag. The majority of elephant owners and mahouts in Thailand today are descendants of the “Kui” tribe (or “Suay” in Thai). They are thought to have migrated from Cambodia to settle largely in the northeastern provinces near the Cambodian border. Known for their expertise in capturing, domesticating and training wild elephants, the life-long relationship of the mahout with his elephant is an integral element of Kui culture, tradition and the way of life. The elephant is his companion and a family member.
A tug of war between 100 people and one mighty bull elephant was naturally won by the bull elephant.
In daily life, as man and elephant depend on each other, the elephant is treated as part of the ‘family’. The everyday life of the Thai elephant and its keeper, the mahout, is the central theme of the world-famous Surin elephant round-up held annually. The majority of elephant owners and mahouts in Thailand today are descendants of the “Kui” tribe (or “Suay” in Thai). They are thought to have migrated from Cambodia to settle largely in the northeastern provinces near the Cambodian border. Known for their expertise in capturing, domesticating and training wild elephants, the life-long relationship of the mahout with his elephant is an integral element of Kui culture, tradition and the way of life. The elephant is his companion and a family member.
Part of the 8 act program included a reenactment of a Royal elephant battle between Ayotaya troop and Hong Sawadee troop.
Tokyo Grand Tea CeremonyTuesday, November 17th, 2009All I know about tea is that it is good for you, especially green tea. So I decided to check out the Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony.  At first glance a Japanese tea ceremony looks like a quite simple proceeding, but in fact it’s an incredibly complex ritual evoking themes with a deep cultural resonance.  Said to have been introduced to Japan in the 9th century from China, the tea ceremony eventually evolved into a distinctively Japanese rite. The Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony traces its origins to the late 16th century and feudal warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi who held large tea ceremonies to promote and encourage interest in the activity. The Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony, held at the Hama Rikyu Gardens, provided participants with the opportunity to casually participate in a cha-kai (tea ceremony). You could choose to either take part in a Cha-seki indoor tea ceremony or the Nodate outdoors Tea Ceremony under the autumn sky (referred to as a Nodate tea ceremony).
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