Mamamori Research Papers

A molcajete (mo̞lkaˈxe̞te̞ or mol-cah-hay’-tay; Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl molcaxitl)[needs IPA] is a stone tool, the traditional Mexican version of the mortar and pestle,[1] similar to the South American batan, used for grinding various food product. The molcajete was used by pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican cultures, including the Aztec and Maya, stretching back several thousand years. Traditionally carved out of a single block of vesicular basalt, molcajetes are typically round in shape and supported by three short legs. They are frequently decorated with the carved head of an animal on the outside edge of the bowl, giving the molcajete the appearance of a short, stout, three-legged animal. The pig is the most common animal head used for decoration

Hello, my name is Mariko Makishi. I am a second year student in Linn Benton Community College.

The Jennings prairie is one of the few places in Pennsylvania where the Massasauga Rattlesnake is found. The massasauga is endangered in Pennsylvania and is strictly protected. The massasauga is venomous and may bite if surprised or threatened. The staff at Jennings ask you to please stay on the trails for your own safety and the snake’s protection. Over three quarters of the park is covered by forest (www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/jennings/). Stream valleys, upland forests, and wetlands, provide diverse habitats for wildlife at Jennings. The massasauga rattle snake isn’t like most rattle snakes. It has 9 enlarged scales on top of the head. Stocky with a well-developed rattle, the massasauga s brownish gray with rounded dark

The shrine is one of the biggest structures in the tribe’s community. Religion is such an important part of the Nawois’ live they have placed the shrine far enough from the river to avoid flooding even though much of their community is within the flooding zone. The shrine is shaped like a bowl. It has a state in the middle with seating 360 degrees around the stage.

Minamoto no Yoritomo was born in 1147 to Minamoto no Yoshimoto and Fujiwara no Saneori.

The Nyoirin Kannon is ranked by the Japanese among the greatest assets of the country due to its religious origins. It helped open up the door to Esoteric Buddhism in Japan during a transition era and exemplifies Esoteric teachings and characteristics. One of the earliest of its kind, the sculpture shows an extraordinary composition of the style from the preceding periods and the most recognized expressions of Esoteric Art. Although there has been some quite different interpretations of Kannon throughout history, they can all most likely be linked by the mixture of preceding styles and newer Esoteric iconographies, as well as religious significance.

Amaterasu, the goddess of sun and fertility, has made a big impact on the world. Although Amaterasu is known for being the goddess of the sun and fertility, she is also known to use nature to control life on Earth and leaving a moral lesson on today's society. Amaterasu is a Japanese mythical goddess who comes from the Shinto religion, also known as "The way of the gods" ( "Shintoism" ). Amaterasu helped the people of Earth learn to plant rice, and kept the sun shining to help to it grow.

Firstly, the traditions within Shintoism were important to help the Japanese people to connect with their ancestors and the nature around them. The word ‘Shinto’ itself means way of the gods. It is as old as the Japanese culture and was the only religion in Japan until the 6th century. According to the Shinto religion, there exists a basic life force called kami. Kami are close to human beings and respond to human prayers. They can influence the course of natural forces, and human events. Shinto tradition says that there are eight million kami in Japan. Due to their deep respect and love for nature and Japan itself, many shrines were set up in places of natural beauty. Followers went to pray here to receive good fortune and samurai would often go to the shrines to pray for victory before and after battle. Shinto’s traditions involved having a clean lifestyle. They washed and bathed everyday which made most of japan a fresh

When ever I think of my childhood there is always one memory that always pops into my head; playing with my tamagotchi all throughout elementary school. A tamagotchi is a small oval-shaped device that consists of a screen and a few buttons. What made the tamagotchi appealing to me was the concept of the egg hatching when you first start the game and you care for it until it grows its wings/”dies.” How well the child cares for the pet will determine how healthy and well-behaved the pet is. When I was playing with the tamagotchi, I always made sure that they were cared for extremely well, and I would even sneak it to school with me to make sure it was not neglected. Having the tamagotchi was my first experience of

When approaching the shrine of a Kami, it is custom to wash the hands and mouth with water from a chozuya, or pavilion for cleansing one’s self (Nakano, para 5). It is then custom to bow at the altar and ring the bell to call the deities attention (Nakano, para 5). Before beginning the prayer, a small offering is made to the Kami (Nakano, para 5). It is then custom bow twice, with the first bow being at 90 degrees to show respect to the deity, and clap twice (Nakano, para 5). Then the hands are placed together and the right hand is shifted down slightly (Nakano, para 5). Then the person claps and is purified by otodama. A small prayer to the Kami may then be made When finished, it is customary to bow at 90 degrees, back up three steps and bow again, making sure that you do not turn your back to the deity of the shrine (Nakano, para 5). This process shows the strength of the Shinto religion by the people of Japan, and the necessary rituals they undergo to pay respect to a Kami or spirit. These ancient customs have been passed down from generation to generation and continue to this day in the same manor that they were conducted hundreds of years ago (Nakano, para 5).

Jizo a popular deity within Japanese culture also holds great spiritual significance within the society as it is believed to ease suffering, through the answering of the living. Jizo is considered a friend to all who bids blessings to those who seek success, good health, fertility, and safety. Jizo is also known as the protector of travelers, as these statues are commonly located along roads, and intersections. Jizo is seen within areas that are believed to be borders between both the physical and spiritual world, in aiding lost souls mostly unborn children or children who have died at young ages. Jizo are mostly depicted as protectors of children and is depicted as a friendly and child-like

Located at the base of Mt. Fuji, Aokigahara is perhaps the most infamous forest in all of Japan.“Also known as the Sea of Trees, Suicide Forest, and Japan's Demon Forest, Aokigahara has been home to over 500 confirmed suicides since the 1950s”. The Aokigahara forest has a horrifying history, a variety of different people who visit, also locals and workers have it worse than people think.

The nature aspect of Shintoism is connected to the belief that kami exist within nature and hold the source of life. According to Rosemarie Bernard, author of Shinto and Ecology, the goal of Shintoism is to prevent the natural world from devolving into a state of chaos without disturbing the kami and nature. It is the goal of shintoists to maintain balance with the kami and natural world (Bernard). The way Shintoism achieved this balance was through a variety of forms of purification. These forms of purification purified areas designed for the kami. The houses designed for the kami are called yuniwa, which translates to purified yard or court, these houses are usually sacred enclosures with rocks placed in the center. However, yoshiro is designed with the purpose of manifesting the physical form of the kami while yuniwa is designed to welcome the kami to shrines. Shrines protect itself from outside forces through shimenawa. Shimenawas protected sacred areas by using a plaited straw rope that could be seen hanging from the front of a Shinto shrine. The ceremonies involving purification include the two concepts of seimei, translated it means clean and happy, and seichoku, translated means right

For instance, before this discussion I did not understand in chapter 23, why he wakes up covered in blood in a shrine. What makes this place a significant place for a dramatic death, however now I know that it was Murakami making the connection to Shintoism, as rituals in this religion include Omairi (“shrine visit”). You can see a clear separation between the spiritual and psychical world. It is always triggered by negative emotions. In this discussion I also learnt about the significance of the torii in Shinto, that it is seen as the gateway, to symbolize a separation between the high-vibrational energy (sanctity) of the kami world and the lower vibration of the mundane

The Maasai are a pastoralist tribe living in Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Much of their land falls within the Great Rift Valley. The main source of their livelihood remains livestock, consisting of cattle, sheep, and goats. Traditionally, Maasai do not feed on game meat as this is associated with the hunters-gathers (Dorobo people). They have relied on their livestock, mainly cows, for most of their nutritional needs. Milk, meat, and blood constitute the basic components of the Maasai diet.