Greek it Up

via the guardian

If I was somehow forced into a time machine and pinged back into an ancient civilisation, I think I would totally check some Ancient Greece. They seemed like pretty cool and clever people, they came up with all kinds of things that I appreciate now, like democracy and the Olympics. Now everyone can vote and compete in both politics and athletics; that's nice. Ancient Greece was also the birthplace of other not so popular things like pythagoras (I like you pythagoras).

Armchair Travel to Istanbul

images via weheartit (except one)

When your surroundings seem suddenly too familiar, it's always refreshing to have a brief glance at a different place. I love all things travel for this very reason; I actually cannot get enough of  Lonely Planet guidebooks and cheesy travelling shows such as Globe Trekker. (Although Getaway can take its cue and get. Away.) Today, I thought I'd educate us about the very awesome city of Istanbul. Ready for an adventure? You better fasten those metaphorical seat belts. Oh yes. I used that line.

Istanbul for all those not with it, is the capital of Turkey. [insert amusing pun about turkeys... Gobblelicious?] It is located in the north-western region of this country and is split by a trippy channel of water called the Bosphorus that connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea. In other words, depending on which side of the Bos you're on, you can either be in the Asian or European side of Istanbul. This is a bi-continental city, bitch. Forgive me, but I think this is FUCKING STUPENDOUS.

With 13.5 million people, it is also one of the world's most populous cities. Istanbul is a fantastic example for having multiple names, as it was first established as Byzantium in 660 BC, became Constantinople under Constantine the Great's rule in 330 AD, who also gave it the name Nova Roma (New Rome), etc. and so the city became known as many things to all. The Turks sometimes referred to it as Beyoğlu or even Islambol (city of Islam). The name Istanbul was only officially adopted in 1930.


As King Byzas demanded, Byzantium was built by settlers from the ancient city of Megara (THEY BUILT THIS CITY). Different empires captured it in the centuries to come, before becoming an independent nation in 355 BC. In 73 AD, it became part of the Roman empire- which impacted it further when it sided with Pescennius Niger when he attempted to usurp the imperial throne before being smashed by his rival Septimus Severus. He died. 


The city however, did not. In 324, Constantine the Great became ruler of the Roman empire and he in his glory, constructed a new Christian city to replace Byzantium. Most individuals called it Constantinople. It did wonderfully, spreading Roman influence eastwards and becoming a centre for Christianity. Lots of churches were built, no Muslims could get in to preach their doctrines because of the city's walls and seafront which meant no invaders. (No gatecrashers for the win) Locals would go and hang out at the hippodrome, boss of all chariot racing venues which became essential to Constantinoplian life. Think of them as really enthusiastic sports fans; some were so intense that they instigated spectacularly violent riots. And while the Western Romans fell to shit in 476 CE, the Byzantines continued nicely, continuing on the Eastern Roman Empire for almost another 1000 years. 


However, in 1204, the Fourth Crusade saw the destruction of this town. So then it became the capital of the Catholic Crusader's Latin Empire which was a mere smudge on Constantinople's former splendour: the population now shrunk to a tenth of its prior size and all of the cool stuff like the churches and shit were broken. Over time, it was weakened even further until Sultan Mehmed II captured it, proclaimed it as the new capital of the Ottoman Empire and transformed it from a Christian hotspot into a Mecca for Islamic culture. Now we arrive at its current alias, Istanbul. This time meant for lots of mosques like this one:

the Blue Mosque - source

Over this period, the arts of entities such as architecture, calligraphy and ceramics prospered. Istanbul is famous for its architecture, as its historical buildings reflect its various past eras. The people here are still predominantly Muslim although there is a mix in religions and cultures. 

Nonetheless, I must add its promise in shopping ability. It hosts the Grand Baazar, founded in 1461, one of the oldest and  largest covered markets in the history of ever with 61 covered streets and an guesstimated 3000 shops. There are also the Mahmutpaşa Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaars to note, which all hold an enticing appeal to Mama Top Knot. Although if this is too old school for you, (boo you whore) there is also the award winning four storey Akmerkez shopping centre to consider, among many other enclosed malls. 

There is also the amazing Turkish cuisine to note. I shall not indulge myself too violently though as that would exhaust poor you to a pulp. Instead, I leave you with one word. Kebab.

Istanbul seems like a pretty groovitational place if you ask me. For that, it goes onto the Must Visit list, but for now, I'm feeling content to just bare my knowledge of it.

Native Americana

via weheartit

In Australia, like some other countries, there have many efforts to reconcile all indigenous issues. There is still a void here, even now. If one was to look upon the past actions of migrating Europeans, the conclusion that all white people are arseholes could perhaps be reached. (See histories of slavery in America and treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia) Yet, any sensible person will gather that this assumption is unfair as such a generalisation could not be made for such a significant number of people and that this statement would then cause individuals to assume that anyone of any other racial groups have never practised any abhorrent behaviour. Ever. That is not to lessen the scale of horrendous treatment of others on the behalf of certain people; that, my dear is something that should never be forgotten. However, all of this will have to discussed on another day as right now, I would like to digress upon another topic.

In school, strong emphasis has been placed on the bastardly actions of white Australians towards Aboriginals and Torre Strait Islanders which is all very shocking yet fascinating. (Isn't history great?) Taking all of this in mind, I decided to learn about the indigenous people of another land out of pure interest, as I only had a vague knowledge that I wanted to expand. Embarrassingly, I only really know smidgens about any other county's native people but for some unknown reason, I decided to learn all about Native Americans. Perhaps I had some strange fixation on their headgear or had wanted to be able to recite more about them than a reminiscence of the wind flying through Disney's rendition of Pocahontas' hair. So I turned to my only true friend, the internet, and the following is what I discovered.

Please note: while it was noted in a survey in 1995 that most Native Americans refer to themselves as 'American Indians' or 'Indians', I am not actually sure of the political enigma that lies behind this term. When using 'American Indians', I am merely referring to Native Americans in another manner and I apologise sincerely if any offence is caused. I AM AN IGNORANT FOREIGNER.

20 000 years ago, they first walked across the Bering land bridge (what is now the Bering Strait) and settled across America. It is estimated that eventually that there were millions within villages. Many lived as hunter-gatherer societies, spreading traditions through an oral culture. All was basically fine and dandy until the late 15th century when Europeans migrated there. With their arrival, there was a severe culture clash and health issues were on the rise as the obnoxious newcomers came with foreign illnesses against which the natives had no immunity. The majority of the Europeans were Christians and held entirely different perspectives on varying concepts, including individual property rights. As stated by Wikipedia, "Many Native cultures were matrilineal; the people occupied lands for use of the entire community, for hunting or agriculture [while] Europeans at that time had patriarchal cultures and had developed concepts ... with respect to land that were extremely different." The Europeans wished to seize land whereas the Indians perceived it as their communal space. So began the conflict.

At least 80% of the native population perished due to illnesses such as measles and smallpox. This sounds almost lame if you are like me and know nothing of the medical trade (House could be aggressively rambling about some warped fantasy for all I know), but then you must consider that the Native Americans had never encountered these diseases and were completely vulnerable. And that's at least 80% that died. 
There was also the introduction of foreign animals to consider as some of the foreign horseys ran away and eventually befriended some American Indians. Then they did awesome shiz like this: 

source

With literal horse power, the Native Americans were now able to further widen their horizons and to carry all sorts of cumbersome loads which benefitted them in several aspects, like in their hunting. Didn't I tell you that horses are sick?

They were also involved in numerous wars, including King Phillip's War and the American Revolution, which I won't go into but you can read about here and here.

Native Americans were sent to the Old World (sometimes unwillingly) where they were gazed upon as exotic entities. Super cute souvenirs they were, especially when being exploited for commercial gain.
A lot of European colonies also saw it as their honest duty to Christianise the surely damned American Indians. George Washington perceived the natives as equals, yet with an inferior society so a plan was formulated to ensure that they became more like their white civilised counterparts. Once they built homes, farmed and educated their children, it was thought that they could be accepted in this new country. Eventually, the natives' ancestral territorial claims were ignored and many would be sent to reservations as the expansion of the continent continued.

Yet through the 19th century, the natives continued to resist the settlers' forces through what was called the "Indian Wars". According to Wikipedia, in which according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census (1894), "The Indian wars under the government of the United States have been more than 40 in number. They have cost the lives of about 19,000 white men, women and children, including those killed in individual combats, and the lives of about 30,000 Indians."

In the Civil War, many American Indians served the Union, in hope that they would gain favour from the prevailing government and that this would serve to end the discrimination and relocation from ancestral lands. While African Americans were finally free, Native Americans were still confined by the U.S. government's policies. Because of the Indian Removal policy, approximately 100, 000 were relocated to the west. It was not until 2 June, 1924 that President Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act which made all Indians recognisable as American citizens.

There were also Native American boarding schools that were established which were primarily run by Christian missionaries. The need to abandon all sense of American Indian identity was enforced upon the students, as they were forbidden to speak in their native languages and taught Christianity. Many forms of abuse were also recorded these institutions from as early as the 1920s, but some continued to exist into the 60s. 

In the late 80s, tribes were granted the right to operate casinos. Many still own casinos but some Indians  perceive the gambling industry as a destructive force against their culture. Nonetheless, in 2004, more than $18 billion had been generated in revenue through this business. 

After several decades of American Indian activism, it could be asserted that certain movements have been made. In 2007, the UN adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with was passed with an overwhelming majority in votes. Only four countries voted against it, in which both the US and Australia were both included. Thankfully, Australia's vote since then has changed.

Currently, it has been estimated that only 1.5% of North America's population is indigenous. There are 563 tribes that recognised with their own governments in the United States. While they have come a long way, like the Indigenous people of Australia, these people still have a lot to achieve.

Recommended reading - just some good ol' wiki

Madonna: A Super[wo]man

all images found via weheartit

If there's one massive pop icon that is still currently alive and that I can safely say that I endlessly admire, it's the Queen of Reinvention herself, Madonna. I used to be a cynic of the old bird, but after hours (hmm) of research (sources including Wikipedia, Pick Me Up, Time Magazine and Rookie), I arrived at this conclusion. I'd still rather lie in awe of The Hives' new album, however, in future when hearing one of her Madgesty's numerous tunes, I'll be sure to digress my overt appreciation.

This lady is the definition of success, with 12 albums, countless awards and a name that has lasted for three decades. She is the world's top selling recording artist of all time, having sold over 300 million records. Madonna is also recognised as one of Time Magazine's 25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century alongside the likes of Aretha Franklin, Hilary Clinton and Estée Lauder.

You may be like my past self and are beyond caring. "Her Madgesty?" you snort. "With the overload of sexy times in her videos, you should consider the label 'Her Vadgesty.'" Madge does exploit her sexuality openly, that's undeniable. You may also think of her as the Queen of Commercialism, with her blatant changes in style to keep on top of the popular pile. (Ewww how mainstreeaamm.) Or the fact that she is now 53 years old with children somehow also forces individual to screech in protest of having a dinosaur's vagina thrusted in their innocent faces when watching the oh so amiable MTV. Stay with me my friends, these 'negativities' are actually as what I see as impressive qualities. 

You see, Mads had humble beginnings. Born on August 16 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, she was the third of six children. At ten years old, she experienced the death of her mother, which later strongly impacted her as she asserted that "the anguish of losing my mom left me with a certain kind of loneliness and an incredible longing for something. If I hadn't had that emptiness, I wouldn't have been so driven. Her death had a lot to do with me saying—after I got over my heartache—I'm going to be really strong if I can't have my mother. I'm going to take care of myself." (Taraborrelli 2002, pp. 11–13) Take care of herself she did: at the age of 19 Madonna relocated to New York, searching for a career in dance. She became involved with Dan Gilroy and together, they created the band, the Breakfast Club.  Madonna later performed for her second band, Emmy before releasing her debut solo album, Everybody in 1982. It was from there she became a wildly renowned pop icon.

It seems that from the very start, Madonna has been purposely provocative throughout her work. She has actively challenged society's discourse and beliefs of gender roles and sexuality. Mads was a leader in the third wave feminist movement as she encouraged women to be powerful; within her music and videos, ladies were portrayed as completely feminine and sexual all while maintaining control of their  lives. She challenged the prior bra burning, men hating feminist, instead Madonna celebrated women's sexuality, rather than presenting it as oppressive and male dominated. She stated that "I may be dressing the typical bimbo, whatever, but I'm in charge... of my fantasies. I put myself in these situations with men, you know, and people don't think of me as a person who's not in charge of their life, okay. And isn't that what feminism is all about?" (Cohen, Phillip 2006, pp1) If she could be summed up in one word, Madonna would be equivalent to power.

"I have the same goal I've had ever since I was a girl. I want to rule the world"

Power is not only privileged throughout her music, but also through her own demeanour. Madonna was the first woman to gain good financial control in her industry, in generating over $1.2 billion in sales within her first decade as an entertainer. While shooting for her infamous Pepsi commercial in 1989, she refused to hold the company's can. She would not have herself defined and dictated by a corporate body. Once reaching the top, she stayed there, preserving her fame throughout her never ending change and experimentation. Oh shut up hipsters, this is a very clever strategy of hers. She has always remained in charge of her image and sound, as always, Madge is the epitome of power. In being a popstar chameleon, Madonna has been not only been an immense success, she has illustrated her excessive capability as an amazing business woman. Where before it would have been perceived as vulgar for girls to display such open ambition, Madonna affected this concept. She once famously said "I'm tough, ambitious, and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, okay." If this doesn't make her cool, I don't know what will.

An open letter to people who openly complain that Madonna should act and dress appropriately for her age:

If you still looked like this at 53, wouldn't you want to flaunt your miraculously fabulous figure? Honestly, I'd love to look like that and I'm 17. As for acting appropriately, who the shivering shit cares? At that age, I wouldn't be worrying about social conventions for my demographic; I'd be a grown ass woman and I could do whatever I felt like, thank you very much. 

I could probably go on about Madonna's impacts as a feminist, her support for the gay community, her being a style icon, her entreprenurship. Perhaps the predominant point for me when deciding to like Madonna was when reading about the first concert of her MDNA tour. It was launched this year on May 31 in Tel Aviv, Israel. In an attempt to host a peace concert, Madonna offered 580 tickets to various Palestinian and Israeli groups. Not all of them accepted, but what strikes me is some did. I like to think that Madge is not just discussing peacemaking but DOING SOMETHING. She employs her fame to create change, unlike many other useless celebrities (ahem, Kim Kardashian). Throughout her solo career, she has nurtured movement in a forward direction, whether it be for being able to have sexual freedom or peace. Because of this, I am proud to announce that I am now a firm believer in Madge's super power: her resonating impact. To me, Madonna is something like a real superwoman. 

Recommended reading: Madonna and Gender Trouble - Reena Mistry

                                      Literally the Best Thing Ever: Madonna - Laura Barcella