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Home - MBIRA Zimbabwean music, instruments and educational info - MBIRA is a non-profit organization supporting 300 traditional musicians and instrument makers in Zimbabwe.

➡️ For more on mbiras, see here: mbira.org

🎹 Mbiras were played at important events, as well as to call on spirits and ancestors, for guidance, to stop drought, or to ward off ghosts. The instrument was heavily stigmatized during British colonial rule, but it became a symbol of resistance and has returned to the mainstream.

🎹 This is an mbira, a 3,000-year-old musical instrument from the Shona culture, a group that lives in modern-day Zimbabwe. These instruments can be made of wood, bamboo, or metal. A lamellophone, the mbira is played by plucking the tines with the thumb, each one making a different note.

Bible Gateway passage: Genesis 5 - New International Version From Adam to Noah - This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named the...

➡️ For more on Methuselah in the Book of Genesis, see here: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?sea...

🛶 Methuselah's biggest claim to fame is through his grandson Noah. According to the scripture, during the Flood, God decided to spare Noah and his family in part due to his righteous lineage. Although, according to the Book of Genesis, Methuselah himself died in the flood waters.

🛶 Why is the oldest tree in the world named for the biblical figure Methuselah? Well, it may be because they’re both ancient! Son of Enoch, father of Lamech, and grandfather of Noah, Methuselah is thought to be the oldest man in the Bible, living 969 years!

Is the Vulcan Salute a Jewish Symbol?

➡️ For more on the origin of the Vulcan hand gesture, see here: www.chabad.org/library/arti...

🖖 Though the congregation isn’t supposed to look while the Cohanim perform this ritual, a young Leonard Nimoy couldn’t resist taking a peek, and the gesture stuck with him. Decades later, the ancient gesture inspired the most famous sci-fi gesture of all time!

🖖 While blessing the synagogue, Cohanim make this hand gesture, resembling a shin, a Hebrew letter that begins the word Shaddai, meaning “G-d almighty.” It is also thought that Shechinah, the feminine aspect of G-d, appears through the spread fingers.

🖖 Spock’s Vulcan Salute has been appearing on TV since 1967, but few know that it’s inspired by a hand gesture done in ritual prayer by Cohanim, Jews said to be descended from Moses’ brother Aaron.

Augustus - Caesar, Emperor & Accomplishments | HISTORY Augustus consolidated power after the death of Julius Caesar to become the first Roman emperor and expand the reach o...

☀️ It’s said that he chose Sextilis to rename because he had several of his great military victories in that month, including his infamous conquest of Egypt.

➡️ For more on Augustus, see here: www.history.com/topics/ancie...

☀️ Quintilis was the fifth month in the old Roman calendar, and was renamed to July to honor Julius Caesar. Likewise, Sextilis was the sixth month in the old calendar and was renamed in 8 BCE to honor of Augustus.

☀️ July and August are both considered to be the height of summer in the northern hemisphere! But did you know that they have something else in common? Both months were named for famous Roman leaders!

Acupuncture: Past, Present, and Future During the past 40 years, acupuncture, a therapeutic technique of oriental medicine, has become more and more popular, evolving into one of the most utilized forms of complementary integrative medicin...

🪡 While acupuncture has been a staple in Chinese medicine since its ancient origins, the practice of acupuncture has also become more popular in Western countries in recent years.

➡️ For more on Acupuncture, see here: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

🪡 Ancient acupuncturists were thought to be able to influence a person’s Qi (vital energy life force), but modern practitioners of acupuncture now believe that the technique can influence a patient's central nervous system.

🪡 Acupuncture is a medicinal practice originating in China around 3,000 years ago. It involves the insertion of needles into specific points on the body, and is still used today to treat ailments like migraines, PTSD, & anxiety, as well as being used for general pain management.

🧱 It was originally built to honor Almaqah, the Sabaean god of the moon, but around 500 CE it was converted into a Chrisitan monastery.

➡️ For more on the Great Temple of Yeha, see here: whc.unesco.org/en/tentative...

🧱 This is Yeha Temple, the oldest structure in Ethiopia, built around the 7th century BCE! It was built without any mortar, instead using interlocking stones. Though some of it is destroyed, what remains is a remarkable feat of architecture.

🐴 Pegasus was given a place in the stalls of Olympus and had the honor of bringing thunder and lightning to Zeus when he wanted to use his thunderbolt.

➡️ For more on Bellerophon, see here:
madelinemiller.com/myth-of-the-...

🐴 Bellerophon lived happily for a time, but with his successes, he thought he could ride Pegasus up to Olympus and live with the gods. When he attempted this, Pegasus threw him off. Bellerophon survived, but he wandered alone, scorned by the gods, for the rest of his life.

🐴 Bellerophon was a demigod in Greek mythology whose hubris caused his (literal) downfall. With the help of Pegasus, he was able to slay the Chimaera. The Chimaera was a fire-breathing beast with three heads: a lion in the front, a goat in the middle, and a snake at the back.

REVIEW: The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword is an interesting mix of Arthurian tales, modern language, gallows humor, and grit.

⚔️ This is also a great read for those interested in how the Celts, other Ancient British cultures, and the Roman Empire impacted the Arthurian legends!

➡️ For more on the book “The Bright Sword”, see here: www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-b...

⚔️ Camelot has fallen. The Round Table is divided. Arthur is dead. “The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman tells the stories of new and lesser-known Arthurian Knights at a crossroads in British history.

The Origin of 'Hypocrite' This common word has a dramatic origin story

➡️ For more on the etymology of the word Hypocrite, see here: www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/hyp...

🎭 Now, the word is used to describe someone who pretends to have virtues or beliefs they actually don't, essentially wearing a figurative mask or acting like someone they are not. One example of hypocrisy could be a “moral” politician involved in a scandal. Can you think of another?

🎭 Over time, the word took on a more figurative meaning, being used to describe someone who says something that contradicts what they really think or do. In other words, “Do as I say, not as I do”, sound familiar, Mom & Dad?

🎭 The word "hypocrite" originates from the Ancient Greek word hypokrites (ὑποκριτής), meaning "an actor". More literally, it translates to “an interpreter from underneath”, which makes sense when you consider that in Ancient Greek theater, actors wore masks to portray someone else.

The History of Loukoumades, the Greek Donut - Greco These delectable snacks, which are now routinely offered at Greek restaurants and events around the nation, were created more than 2,000 years ago.

➡️ For more on the history of Loukoumades, see here: grecotrulygreek.com/the-history-...

Loukoumades aka Greek Doughnuts - Cultured Table Serve these Greek donuts -- Loukoumades -- with a drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and some toasted walnuts for a delicious, decadent dessert.

🍯 To create this tasty treat, ancient pastry chefs would fry balls of yeasty dough in oil and then dip or drizzle them in honey. If you’re interested in trying out this ancient dessert at home, check out this recipe from Cultured Table: culturedtable.com/loukoumades/.

🍯 According to the Greek poet Callimachus, these tasty little treats were first served as prizes for champions at the first Olympic Games in 776 BCE. Back then, they were referred to as “honey tokens,” but modern-day fans of sweets may know them better as zeppolis or donut holes.