Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 22: Guatemala

In the town of Antigua, locals decorate the streets with "carpets" (or alfombras) made of flowers, colored sawdust, and other natural materials over which processions will travel during Holy Week. Preparation can take months, though the actual construction usually happens the day before (this article gives a little more info on materials and construction). That the carpet is ruined over the comparatively short duration of the procession supports the idea that their creation is a sacrificial act.

It's also not unusual for the carpets to reflect native themes, so there's a bit of a cultural mixing as part of the tradition, too.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 21: Switzerland

Three egg-related traditions from the Swiss.

1. Rather than the Easter Bunny, an Easter cuckoo brings the eggs for Swiss children to hunt. Why this is I have no idea, but the association of Switzerland and cuckoo clocks springs to mind. 

2. Heartier souls can participate in an Easter egg hunt swim in Lake Greifensee, putting a bit of a polar bear swim spin on the event. It's a fairly new event, but seems to have caught on.

3. On Easter Monday in Zurich you'll find people participating in Zwanzgerle, where adults throw 20 cent coins at eggs held by children. If the coin breaks the shell and lodges in the egg the adult wins the egg and gets their coin back. Otherwise, the kid gets to keep the money. Apparently it's pretty hard to get the coin to lodge in the egg, so it's a bit of a money-maker for the kids. 

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 20: Jamaica

Two food-related traditions from Jamaica for Easter.

The one you eat is bun, which is a bread similar to the traditional hot cross bun, except that it's made with molasses and in a loaf form. Locals eat slices of bun with cheddar cheese (the orange stuff), though no one seems to know why.

The one you don't eat involves cracking an egg into water (holy or not, I've seen both) on Holy Thursday, letting it sit overnight, and then seeing what shape the egg white took as a clue for what the coming year may hold (for example, if it looks like a heart you may find love). I wasn't able to find much of any history of this practice (called "egg setting"), but I did find this video saying it's done in Trinidad as well, so it may be something that started elsewhere but really caught on in Jamaica.

 Book Log 2019 #8: The Infatuations by Javier Marias

Every day, the main character stops at a cafe in Madrid on her way to work, and as part of her morning ritual she imagines the perfect life of the young couple who also frequent the cafe in those early morning hours. But then the husband is killed, prompting the woman to approach the now-widow. Their deepening friendship is further complicated by a new romantic relationship for our main character, with a man who may be involved in the murder.

This is the very basic synopsis of the romance wrapped around a mystery covered in philosophical inquiry that this book presents. I wanted very much to like the book based on its premise, but found it way too discursive. I got to the point where I would skim the 10 to 20 page digressions so I could get back to the story. I'm not necessarily a plot-driven reader, but there were times where it almost felt like I was reading two separate books.

The Onion's AV Club picked this as one of their best books of 2013, giving the plot as the launching point for the author's "signature digressions and ruminations," so if that's your sort of thing you'll probably like this book more than I did. Of course, the New York Times and NPR also lauded the book, so it could just be that I've gotten more lazy in my reading.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 19: Lebanon

On Palm Sunday, Lebanese Christians hold a procession called shanineh, where the clergy lead the congregation around the church, with children riding on their parents shoulders (though that may not be required, I've read a couple of sources that just say the kids process). The kids also hold candles decorated with things like ribbons and flowers. I don't know if the candles are lit, but if the kids are riding on their parents I hope not.

The other big tradition in Lebanon is the making of maamoul, a shortbread cookie stuffed with dates, nuts, or similar filling. There's a fair amount of symbolism involved in their preparation, from the wooden press used to shape them representing the cross to whether or not to dust them with sugar (not dusting them apparently represents the solemn nature of Lent). 

Maamoul isn't strictly Lebanese - it's made across the Arab world - but is apparently very traditional for celebrating Easter there. But it's also not strictly for Easter, as it's also popular during Ramadan. Honestly, any observance that ends with cookies is OK with me.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 18: Croatia

Easter celebrations in Croatia apparently have a more martial tone than you might expect. In Dalmatia, you have žudije, who guard the altar in their church from Holy Thursday until the bells toll for the Easter Vigil mass, at which point they fall to the ground in fear of the resurrected Christ. These guards could be dressed as Roman soldiers, but could also be in more contemporary military uniform or traditional dress. This is apparently a big enough deal that the men (it's always men) who serve as žudije meet in a kind of convention every year.

Another tradition is the firing of pistols called kubura. It's a practice that apparently dates back to the 16th century (this article gives a good description of the history and current practice in one town), and appears to be celebratory in nature. The kubura is a type of flintlock pistol (as seen here) that apparently is Turkish in origin and I'm guessing spread to Croatia during the Ottoman period. 

On the much less aggressive side, it's also a tradition on Palm Sunday to wash once's face in water that has fresh flowers in it, which has been going on long enough that locals also call the day Flower Sunday

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 17: The Phillipines

As a largely Catholic country with roots in Spain, it shouldn't be a surprise that Easter celebrations in many ways reflect the Semana Santa found throughout the Latin world. That being said, it's not hard to find traditions that are distinctly Filipino. And distinctly extreme.

On the less extreme side is a festival celebrating Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus with a lance. The story goes that Longinus was blind in one eye, but when a drop of blood from the lance wound got into that eye it regained sight. The festival has people dressing up as Roman soldiers (with brightly decorated masks and helmets), and culminates in Longinus himself going on the run to escape the people dressed as Roman soliders, hiding in houses and trying to lose himself in the crowd.

Which is all fun and games compared to the people who have themselves crucified. The Catholic Church officially denounced this as a form of worship, but it doesn't dissuade people from getting nailed to a cross as a sign of piety, to repay a prayer that was answered, or as penance. 

The practice is most associated with the province of Pampanga, which started hosting a Passion play in the 1950s. At some point some attendees thought it a good idea to add various mortifications to their trip (whipping themselves, making the journey in bare feet and/or carrying a life-size cross), which eventually led to actual crucifixions in the 1960s.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 16: Norway

Just in case there wasn't enough death in the Easter story, Norway has added on some extra with a tradition called Påskekrim, which literally means "Easter crime."

If you didn't click on the link, here's the short version. In 1923, a crime novel was released just before Easter, and the advertising campaign for it involved an ad in a major newspaper that used the book's title for a headline ("Bergen train looted in the night," which I imagine is catchier in Norwegian). The ad was so realistic that many people believed a train had actually been robbed, giving the book a ton of publicity. Sales go through the roof. 

Fast forward to today, and publishers plan major crime novel releases for the holiday and TV stations change their programming to lean heavy on mysteries (this article gives a little more background on how this whole thing started and how it might reflect on darker aspects of  Viking culture and the Easter story itself). Not sure how much stock put in those theories about the deeper roots of Påskekrim, but as the tradition hasn't really spread to other Nordic countries maybe I'm being too judgmental.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 15: Ghana

Most of what surrounds Easter in Ghana would be familiar to most everyone - church services, public processions, etc. Less familiar would be the national paragliding festival.

Promoted as part of an annual Easter festival in Kwahu, people now come from all over the world to enjoy what's billed as some of the best paragliding in Africa, thanks to thermal drafts that are consistent in duration and intensity.

There are apparently other things to do during the festival - the paragliding was apparently added to an older festival that was falling out of fashion - so you've got options.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 14: Uruguay

So Uruguay does things a little differently than the rest of South America. Uruguay instituted a strict separation of church and state in its 1917 constitution, and converted religious holidays into secular ones. So while other countries are celebrating Holy Week, Uruguay celebrates Tourism Week, during which time Uruguayans take some sort of trip, if not take their long vacation for the year. 

Churches do celebrate Holy Week and Easter, of course, but you won't get the sort of public spectacles that you'd see elsewhere in Latin America.

But if you are looking for something to do during the week, there are at least a couple options:

1. In Montevideo there's Creole Week, which celebrates rural Uruguay. It looks a bit like a combination rodeo and cultural festival, with a horse riding competition the main event (think bronco busting rather than show jumping).

2. For something more contemporary, you can head to Paysandú for Beer Week, sponsored by the town's major brewery. It combines a music festival with various cultural and arts and crafts displays. There are also a couple of thermal spas - one with natural salt water - so you can take the waters and relax if you're partied out.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 13: India

Christians account for a small percentage of India's religious make-up, at just over two percent. That does translate to nearly 28 million Christians, which when added to the history of colonialism means you can find Easter celebrations all across the country.

I opted to focus on Goa, a small state on India's west coast, which Portugal ruled for nearly 450 years when India annexed (invaded) it back in 1961. Even with Portugal's long history there, Goa is only about one-quarter Christian, which may be why the Easter celebrations, while more prominent than in other parts of India, is fairly similar to what you'd find back in Portugal. There is a procession called the Way of the Cross, in which locals carry a large wooden cross and an icon of Jesus through the streets as a representation of his march through Calvary, which is similar to the processions you'd find elsewhere.

One more specific tradition is a dish called sorpotel, which is a stew made of various organ meats from pigs (though it's not uncommon to find versions that don't rely on offal). I will say it looks delicious based on many of the pictures I've seen, but I think I'd ask how traditional it is before tucking in.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 12: Andorra

Like Christmas carolers, but for Easter, groups of people will stop at houses and sing songs known as caramelles, often accompanied by music and dancing. I found one reference saying the songs were often profane, but can't find lyrics to confirm that (not that I can tell, what I am finding isn't in English).  Secular songs are also becoming common.

The singers have a basket on a pole, which they raise to get food or money from the people who live in the house. Whatever the singers take in is used towards a group meal.

While I've attributed the tradition to Andorra, it's common across Catalonia as well.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 11: Ireland

Found two traditions that I liked:

1. In many towns om Easter Sunday, the local butcher would put a fish on a stick (often a herring), and parade it through the town in a mock funeral. Locals, sick of eating fish so often, would join in and often take a whack at the herring with a stick. The fish is "buried" (typically thrown back in the water), and the parade returns to town, probably to buy meat.

2. Farm kids on Easter Sunday also participate in what's called a cludog, where they gather up eggs and roast them in an area along the edge of the farmland. This apparently goes back to when eggs were included in the Lenten fast, though it's not clear why it's just kids and why the eggs are roasted rather than fried, boiled, etc.

One newer tradition (sort of) is pubs being closed on Good Friday. This was actually the law dating back to 1927, but the law was lifted last year. So for those pubs that chose to remain closed, a new(ish) tradition was born.

 Book Log 2019 #7: Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin

John Rebus is back on the force, just in time for a case from his early days to come back and haunt him. The case comes back as there's an implication that the officers who investigated it - the "Saints" of the title - weren't exactly on the up and up, which may have led to the conviction of the wrong person. Heading up the new investigation is The Complaints own Malcolm Fox, whose become a bit of a nemesis for Rebus.

There is also a new case for Rebus and Clarke to investigate, but the real interest is in seeing how Rebus handles the investigation into the old case, and if he will remain loyal to his squadmates. Or at least as loyal as Rebus can be; while he's not one to rat, he's also really only loyal to himself and Clarke.

While I always like a Rebus novel, I do have to say that I also enjoy seeing on the back end of his career, facing his new limitations as well as his past. Having Fox as a counterpoint add to the nuance of the story, especially as he and Clarke develop their own professional relationship.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 10: Papua New Guinea

Papuans do something a little different for Easter. When decorating churches, a tree is placed outside, from which sticks of tobacco and packs of cigarettes are hung. After services, the tobacco is distributed to the congregants.

Why, you ask? I have no idea, and Google isn't proving particularly helpful. Three reasons that likely contribute to this:

1. Papuans like to smoke. A 2016 accounting of cigarettes consumed per capital puts PNG 30th worldwide, with 1689 smoked per person per year.

2. Tobacco was one of the agricultural products introduced to PNG as a commercial crop, and while the country isn't one of the top producers in the world you can see where creating a domestic market for tobacco might be desired by the people who grow it.

3. Chocolate does not do well in PNG's tropical climate. Why you jump to tobacco rather than, say, jelly beans I don't know.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 9: Belgium

Starting after services on Holy Thursday, altars are stripped and bells and organs silenced in order to observe the passion, death, and burial of Jesus. It's a solemn time, and one that may need some explanation to kids who aren't used to the changes.

In Belgium (and in France and the Netherlands), kids are told that the bells are silent because they've flown to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. They return in time for Easter services, and when they come back they are filled with chocolate eggs.

It's not the worst story, and I'd be happy to forego the Easter Bunny in exchange for some nice Belgian chocolate eggs.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 8: Haiti

As a largely Catholic country, Haiti tends to celebrate Easter much like other countries in the Caribbean and Central/South America. There are processions with music (provided by local rara bands), church services, and big meals. But the most unique Easter tradition in Haiti isn't even Christian.

Practitioners of Vodou gather every Easter Sunday in Souvenance to honor the spirits (loas) by performing various rituals. These include bathing in a sacred pool, sacrificing animals, wearing white, and dancing (with more music by the rara bands). 

These rituals aren't that far off from Christian Easter traditions found elsewhere. Wearing white is common in many countries, bathing in the sacred pool evokes baptism pretty strongly, the Eucharist can replace animals at the sacrifice, and the dancing sounds a lot like the parades and processions seen around the world (just with more homemade instruments). This shouldn't be that surprising given the syncretic nature of Vodou, but it's always interesting to see how traditions cross over and are adapted into different cultures.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 7: New Zealand

New Zealand has the same problem with rabbits as Australia, but rather than try to supplant bunnies with a cute native animal, people in Central Otago go on a marathon rabbit hunt instead.

The hunt is somewhat limited - groups are mostly chosen by lottery, and are assigned areas to hunt. The carnage begins on Good Friday (which seems a little on the nose) and ends at noon on Easter Sunday, by which time up to 10,000 rabbits have been given the chance to rise again on the third day. Apparently the hunt is also a fundraiser for a local hospital (not an animal hospital), so it's kind of a win-win... just not for the rabbits.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 6: Australia

Easter in Australia is very similar to Easter in any other English-speaking country, but with one exception: you may get a chocolate bilby in your Easter basket rather than a chocolate bunny.

Rabbits aren't native to Australia, having been introduced to the continent when English settlers started arriving in the late 18th century. It wasn't until the middle of the following century, with a decline in the numbers of predatory species and natural selection producing a heartier rabbit optimized for Australia that the numbers took off.

Since then, rabbits have been responsible for widespread damage to native plants and crops, causing significant erosion problems where they've eaten away native ground cover. Attempts at controlling the population, through hunting, introducing rabbit-specific diseases, and fencing, have not had the effect that Australians were hoping for.

One of the native animals endangered by the rabbits was the bilby, a burrowing marsupial that competes with rabbits for food and living space. A story about an Easter bibly was written by an Australian girl in 1968 (but published later), which helped spark the idea that the native animal was a better symbol for Easter in Australia than an invasive species. More recently, Australian candy companies have made chocolate bilbies as a way to raise funds to both support the bilby and enhance methods for reeling in the rabbit population.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 5: Canada

For the most part, Canada celebrates Easter like most Western countries. Eggs, chocolate, church, etc. But there are a couple of Easter-related things that set Canada apart:

1. Vegreville, Alberta is home to a giant pysanka, or Ukrainian Easter egg. It may be the largest Easter egg in the world. It was built in 1975 to honor the area's Ukrainian population.

2. Montreal hosts Bal en Blanc, a rave that attracts DJs and fans from around the world, over the Easter weekend. So if you like your Holy Week with a trance soundtrack. head to Montreal.

 Book Log 2019 #6: Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman

I'll admit to not remembering much about this book (which will happen when you write your blog entry more than two years after reading it), but I do recall liking it. There's a bit of a John Le Carre vibe about it, as a newly-minted CIA agent learns some things she shouldn't have, revealing the messy (and occasionally lethal) underbelly of intelligence work, with implications that span the decades.

I've liked the two other Fesperman books I've posted about so far (Layover in Dubai, The Arms Maker of Berlin), and think I liked this one about as well.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 4: Estonia

Not surprisingly, many cultures combined local/pagan traditions with Easter traditions as Christianity spread. In Estonia, one of these traditions is the construction and use of large wooden swings. Each town or village would have one in a public space, constructed by the young men (who would get small tokens of appreciation for doing so). People swung for health, happiness, and success (for themselves, livestock, crops, etc.).

The practice is actually common in the Baltic and Eastern European regions, but I chose to mention it with Estonia given the country's passion for swinging. This is probably best seen in the sport of kiiking, which is sort of like pole vaulting, but with the athlete trying to swing around a bar rather than just clear it. Honestly, it looks a little nuts, but you do you, Estonia.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 3: Japan

As you might expect, Japan doesn't have much by way of Easter traditions, given that less than one percent of the country is Christian.

What I did find, though is that the Tully's Coffee chain does serve Easter-specific drinks. I mention this more to talk about the chain, as it has a colorful history, at least in the US.

Tully's was founded in the Seattle area in 1992, and grew to have hundreds of locations in the western US and Asia. Unfortunately for them, the period of their greatest expansion was during the recession in the 2000s, which caused cashflow problems. They raised some quick cash by selling off part of the company, but couldn't stave off bankrupty.

Here's where things get weird. The company was bought out of bankruptcy by an investment group that included the actor Patrick Dempsey. He would later pull out of the group, and file a lawsuit against one of his partners: Stormy Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti. A year ago today the chain announced it would close its remaining North American stores.

But in Japan you can still stop in, and apparently get your fix with bunny ears included.

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 2: Spain

Spain takes Holy Week (or Semana Santa) seriously, which most cities having parades on the holy days that feature life-size floats of religious scenes carried on the shoulders of men from various "brotherhoods" (representing a neighborhood, or parish, or some other common bond), bands, participants in hooded cloaks (a little too Klanish for my taste), and so on. Each city has its own spin on things - where certain floats meet, or the use of certain items like candles - so there is some difference in the proceedings depending on where you are.

The tradition that most caught my eye, though, is torrijas, which is basically French toast that is fried and coated with caramelized sugar and honey. My pancreas hurts just thinking about it. But I want some. Right now.

Welcome back, Lentketeers!  Instead of plumbing the depths of hagiographies, papal flair, or social media, we're going around the world on a 40 day tour. Put your rosaries in an upright and locked position for...

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

The idea is that each day I'll look at an Easter tradition specific to one country (though I reserve the right to be less specific or repeat countries as needed). And to kick things off I'm flying domestic.

Day 1: United States of America

There are several traditions one could point to in the US - Mardi Gras in New Orleans being the most prominent example - but I'm going to go with the Easter parade.

In the second half of the 19th century, churches in the US took more care to decorate for holidays. For Easter, this meant large displays of springtime flowers and plants. As these became more lavish, the trend spread to department stores, and eventually to the congregants themselves. While dressing up for church wasn't a new idea, taking the time to stroll and be seen was.

Not surprisingly, the practice centered on New York. Starting in the 1870s, newspapers would comment about the crowds on Fifth Avenue, taking time to see and be seen before and after the church service of their choice. The annual event became well known, to the point where Irving Berlin wrote a musical film called Easter Parade. And while it may be less of a draw nowadays, people are still making the stroll to show off their threads.

For a more in-depth look at the Easter parade and its meaning, check out Leigh Eric Schmidt's article "The Easter Parade: Piety, Fashion, and Display" from the summer 1994 issue of Religion and American Culture.

 Book Log 2019 #5: The Perfectionists by Simon Winchester

I wasn't looking to read a book about precision engineering - I don't remember what I was looking for - but I'll take whatever happy accident led me to this book. This is one of those rare cases where the enjoyment value came in way over what you'd expect given the subject matter.

It's also a rare case where I can't find something to nitpick. I looked back at the other Winchester books I've read, and I usually either find that the book is too long (gets draggy or feels padded) or I have a gripe with specific points of view or organizing principles. I don't recall having any of these issues with this book. Maybe my complete lack of knowledge on the subject left me open to just enjoying things.