Peter Paul Rubens Essay Example for Free

Peter Paul Rubens Essay The most sought-after painter in northern Europe during the seventeenth century, Peter Paul Rubens, was also a diplomat, linguist, and scholar. His dramatic artistic style of the seventeenth century is now called baroque, a term apparently derived at a later time from ornate jewelry set with irregular pearls. At its most exuberant, the baroque involves restless motion, startling color contrasts, and vivid clashes of light and shadow. Rubens was born in Siegen, Westphalia, to Jan Rubens and Maria Pypelincks. Born the son of a lawyer and educated at a Jesuit school in Antwerp, Flanders, Rubens learned classical and modern languages. He spent the years 1600 to 1608 studying and working in Italy. Returning to Antwerp, he continued to travel as both courtier and painter. His repeated visits to Madrid, Paris, and London allowed him to negotiate treaties while accepting royal commissions for art. One of Rubens major innovations in procedure, which many later artists have followed, was his use of small oil studies as compositional sketches for his large pictures and tapestry designs. Rather than merely drawing, Rubens painted his modelli, or models, thereby establishing the color and lighting schemes and the distributions of shapes simultaneously. Rubens managed a very large studio in Antwerp, training many apprentices and employing independent colleagues to help execute specific projects. Among his mature collaborators whose baroque works are on view in the National Gallery of Art are Anthony van Dyck, Jacob Jordaens, Jan Brueghel, and Frans Snyders. Rubens style tremendously influenced baroque painters throughout Europe, even those such as the German-born Johann Liss who had no documented contact with the master. Liss The Satyr and the Peasant, for instance, is Rubensian in its lively gestures and telling expressions. Painted during the 1620s in Italy, it illustrates a tale from Aesops Fables in which an immortal satyr helped a peasant find his way through a winter storm. The goat-legged creature was astonished when the man put his chilled hands to his mouth to warm them. In thanks for the satyrs guidance, the peasant invited him home to eat. The satyr was further perplexed when the man blew on his spoon to cool the hot soup. The satyr jumped up in disgust at human hypocrisy, proclaiming, I will have nothing to do with someone who blows hot and cold with the same breath! The Fall of Man Rubens copied many of Titians paintings. Part of Rubens greatness was due to his eager study of earlier masters and his ability to combine their techniques with his own style. The Fall of Man is an interesting example of a work after Titian, that is very close to the original but in which Rubens has changed some details. The red parrot in the tree is not in Titians painting. The colors in Rubens painting are more yellowish and Rubens has actually improved Titians painting by giving Adam a more natural pose. In fact, Adam looks a lot like Rubens himself. When Rubens made this painting, he had just met his second wife-to-be, Helene Fourment. She was only 15 years old at the time. Adoration of the Magi Religious paintings were fashionable during the time of Peter Paul Rubens and were nearly always reverential. Adoration of the Magi is a good example of how Jesus was expected to be venerated in art. A painting of 99 inches by 133 inches, Adoration of the Magi is an oil on canvas painting that features a group of figures, who are waiting in turn to pay homage to the newly born Jesus. It is painting that was created by Rubens in 1616 and 1617. The Power of Christ The Virgin Mary is depicted holding up Jesus as an elderly magus kisses the babys feet. Rubens clearly shows that Jesus is no normal child, as quite apart from the large group of people who have come to see Christ, the infant Jesus is seen touching the head of the elderly magus as a sign of acknowledgment of the old mans devotion. Rubens also adds power to the image and of Jesus himself, with the ethnic mix of the visitors. This suggests that the men have traveled from many different parts of the world to witness seeing the baby Jesus and are not all, in fact, magi. The age of the men and the way they are dressed indicates men of power, and, consequently, their humble adoration of Christ gives the work an added weight. Though the expression of the figures in the painting are almost universally serious, there is one man who appears to be smiling and acts in a way many adults would normally act on seeing a baby. The Virgin Mary, however, looks very serious, almost severe, but she is concentrating on Jesus not coming to any harm, as he is standing upright to receive the line of visitors. The Propaganda Element As with most religious paintings of the early 17th Century there could be said to be an element of propaganda in Adoration of the Magi, as it is really showing the power of the Church. It is painting that is saying that however powerful leaders may be, the Church is more powerful than any earthly empire. The fact that there is little light in the painting gives it an air of mystery, as one wonders if some figures are deliberately hidden. Some of the visitors to the stable are also partly hidden by other visitors. The horse to the left of the painting infers that animals are also part of the kingdom of God. Adoration of the Magi currently hangs in the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lyon, France. VENUS IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR Peter Paul Rubens presented his Venus in Front of the Mirror as the ultimate symbol of beauty. She is aware of the viewer in a mirror that frames her face like a portrait. Great play is made of the sensual reproduction of her skin and silky hair, which is further enlivened by the contrast with the dark-skinned maidservant. The few costly accessories, otherwise decorative additions to elaborate clothing, emphasize the figure’s nakedness. The sensual qualities of the painting are created by Rubens’s subtle painterly approach. He alternates sketchy brushstrokes, drawn over the ground like a transparent veil, with compact areas, painted in great detail. One particularly attractive feature of the picture is the contrast between the goddess’s encounter with the viewer, which seems to occur almost by chance, and the representation of her beauty, as if conceived for a spectator. The mirror that Cupid holds up for the goddess reveals an additional level of meaning: the reflection of Venus, which reveals her beauty to the viewer, becomes a symbol of painting that competes with nature to produce an image that is as real as possible.

Emerging Issues In Tourism Tourism Essay

Emerging Issues In Tourism Tourism Essay As one of the largest industries, tourism has had an average annual increase of 6.6 per cent over the last half century, with international travel rising continuously and alternative tourism having a main role in this transaction. Nature-based tourism and ecotourism, with accepted definitions through tourism industry will be discussed in this report. Uniqueness and differences of ecotourism from mass tourism will be explained and benefits of ecotourism will be referred as well. An ecotourism destination; Galapagos Islands will be briefly introduced and the strategies being implemented in the specific destination will be indentified. Ecotourism is significant, special nowadays for the environment, the culture and also for the economy. So, what is the future of ecotourism? Will the efficient use of the natural resources and heritage of Galapagos Islands be a sufficient factor to maintain the importance of ecotourism? The future will be discussed as well. Tourism is a complex sector with many challenges and chances at the same time. Α attempt to define tourism and to describe its scope fully must consider the various groups that participate in and are affected by the tourist, such as the tourist, the host community, the government and the businesses providing the product. Charles R. Goeldner defined tourism (2009): Tourism may be defined as the processes, activities and outcomes arising from the relationships and the interactions among tourists, tourism suppliers, host governments, host communities, and surrounding environments, that are involved in the attracting and hosting of visitors. Tourism as an industry deserves significant criticism, not least because in many cases it contributes to the decline of natural areas. A form of tourism inspired by the natural history of an area is ecotourism. Travelling to locations full of natural resources for enjoyment, which at the same time protects the fauna, flora and the ecosystem , as well as the people. Below a more formal definition of ecotourism and nature-based tourism is delivered by Goodwin (1996: 288): Nature-based tourism encompasses all forms of tourism-mass tourism, adventure tourism, low impact tourism, ecotourism- which we use natural resources in a wild or undeveloped form- including species, habitat, landscape, scenery and salt and fresh-water features. Nature tourism is travel for the purpose of enjoying undeveloped natural areas of wildlife. Ecotourism is low impact tourism which contributes to the maintenance of species and habitats either directly through a contribution to conservation and/or indirectly by providing revenue to the local community sufficient for local people to value, and therefore protect their wildlife heritage area as a source of income. Furthermore, someone could say that ecotourism is an educational travelling that provides great knowledge to its participants. The practices of ecotourism are mentioned below: Green Tourism, Alternative Tourism, Endemic Tourism, Wildlife Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Geotourism, Nature-based Tourism, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism. 1.2 The importance and the role of the sustainable tourism in eco tourism. Sustainability is generally an ambition of tourism to have the lowest impact in economy, environment and culture as well. Sustainable development has been proposed as a model for a structural change within society. Sustainable tourism is an extension of the new emphasis on sustainable development (Sadler: 1992). One of the first strategies on tourism and sustainability emerged from the Globe 90 conference in British Columbia, Canada. At this conference representatives from the tourism industry, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academe discussed the importance of the environment in sustaining the tourism industry, and how poorly tourism developments, that attract the visitors, destroy the quality of the natural and human environment. To Tourism Concern (1992), sustainable tourism is: Tourism and associated infrastructures that, both now and in the future; operate within natural capacities for the regeneration and future productivity of natural resources; recognize the contribution that people and communities, customs and lifestyles, make to the tourism experience; accept that these people must have an equitable share in the economic benefits of tourism; are guided by the wishes of local people and communities in the host areas. Eco tourism is a small, though growing industry. There is much faith in the work that eco tourists do and they face a lot of problems and challenges in achieving a sustainable development. Sustainable tourism includes specific practices such as the carrying capacity, the visitor impact management, the visitor activity and the limits of acceptable change that are used in protected areas. It is essential to note, here, that if these strategies are implemented successfully sustainable tourism will provide historical development and will increase the environmental awareness. Sustainable development and eco tourism are two terms that match together and try to create a guideline for successful tourism in the eco destinations. 1.3 The importance of ecotourism The principles ecotourism serves are defined by many sociologists the last years and acknowledge the importance of ecotourism. Firstly, ecotourism minimizes the negative impact to the environment and to the local people. Ecotourism provides a big amount of environmental and cultural awareness to both visitors and hosts. The support of human rights is another principle important to mention. Ecotourism provides direct benefits in economy of the local people and improves the sensitivity of the locals for the environment, culture and heritage. Ecotourism provides benefits to both hosts and local people. Ecotourism generates foreign exchange for the country and injects capital and new money into the local economy. Ecotourism often takes travelers to undiscovered areas where nature still exists with no transformation at all. It gives to the visitor the advantage of education and discovering new places that are far away from the usual trends. Educational ecotourism offers to the tourists the privilege of being aware of the danger they may cost to the environment, in order to protect it. Resorts and hotels around the world started to go green by reducing their energy use and investing their money to eco friendly products. Ecotourism also protects the threatened wildlife of the ecosystems by bringing local and worldwide awareness. As ecotourism works in a location, it respects the peoples culture and values. It provides a chance for relaxation and exploration and evaluation of self. 2.0 Emerging Issues of ecotourism of Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. 2.1 Brief Introduction of Galapagos Islands An eco destination that features inspiring stories about destinations and provides great travelling experiences. The Galapagos Archipelago is a cluster of some 13 volcanic islands and associated islets and rocks located just under the equator, about 600 miles (1000km) west of Ecuador in South America. The oldest of the islands are about 4 million years old and the youngest are still in the process of being formed. These Islands that tourists visit on Galapagos cruises are considered to be one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. About 95% of the islands are part of the Galapagos National Park system, with the remainder being inhabited by about 14,000 people in four major communities (Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo, Puerto Villamil and Floreana). The Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station jointly operate the islands. The Park Service provides rangers and guides, and is responsible for overseeing the many tourists who visit each year. The Darwin Station conducts scientific research and conservation programs. It is currently breeding and releasing captive tortoises and iguanas. This group of 13 mayor islands and dozens of smaller islets and rocks all the result of volcanic activity certainly appear to be out of this world. They are, in fact, an unpredicted wilderness, filled with extraordinary populations of unique species, which have developed apart from humans and their dominating influence. In an effort to preserve the islands as they were centuries ago, the Galapagos have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. An eco tourism destination with rich heritage and great experiences to offer. 2.2 Presentation and evaluation of ecotourism strategies implemented by Galapagos Islands Ecotourism was already practiced since the 1960s in the islands, with two Ecuadorian inbound tour operators based in Quito, working together with an American outbound operator. The number of vessels was small, two cruise boats, twelve passengers 39 sailing vessel and a sixty-passenger luxury liner. At the same time the companies worked very closely with the Darwin station and the National Park. During the 1970s tourism infrastructure grew slowly, but from 1974 to 1980 it had a boom that almost double folded the amount of visitors. The foreign owned floating hotels represents the major activity and they are the strong economic and political influence for the islands. The principles or guidelines for Ecotourism projects in the Islands began to develop in the international arena in the 1990s. Internet search engines were used to identify ecotourism cruise operations in the Galapagos Islands using the search times ecotourism and Galapagos Islands. Adventure tours and nature tours were not used as search terms. As of November 1, 2009, fifteen company websites identified themselves as ecotours in the Galapagos Islands. That showed a big movement through internet for the development of tourism in Galapagos Islands. Education of the local population and visitors in the natural history of the Galapagos is a goal of the Station and the Park and programs are conducted in the Islands and on the mainland. An intensive course for naturalist guides, which is required to supervise visitors to Park sites, is conducted annually. Educated bilingual naturalist guides and auxiliary guides are taken place at Galapagos Islands, offering valuable information and help to visitors.

A World Without Engineers :: essays research papers

A World Without Engineers Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, on the planet Zovirax, there was an evil king, King Syphilis, who was mighty pleased with himself, for he had just banished all the engineers on the planet to work in the Pixie Stick Powder mines on the moons of Gluteus. "You see," he told his sycophantic servants and lackeys, "I have solved two problems with one simple executive order. I have rid the planet of those annoying, nerdy, know-it-all, engineers." (King Syphilis was actually quite envious of them, because he went to a Junior University in Palo Alto, and didn't know very much at all.) "And secondly," he explained, "I have provided cheap slave labor for the Pixie Stick Powder mines, thus ensuring a limitless supply of this heavenly confection for all to enjoy." All of King Syphilis' staff applauded loudly, because he tended to behead those who didn't. "Bring us intoxicating chemicals, so that we may celebrate," ordered the king. "I'm sorry, Mr. King Syphilis," replied the servant. "You banished all the chemical engineers to the powder mines, so we cannot make the intoxicating chemicals anymore." King Syphilis was quite mad. Nobody talked back to him and go away with it. "Bring me my plutonium phasor gun, so that I may vaporize this impudent guy," ordered the king. "I'm sorry, my good King Syphilis," replied another servant. "Since you deported all the nuclear engineers to the powder mines, we have been unable to operate the plutonium powered phasor gun." Now the king was really mad. "I'm really mad!" said the king. "Bring me my limousine, so that I may repeatedly run over these contumelious servants of mine." "No can do, Mr. King," said the third servant, whose part will be played in the movie version by Keanu Reeves. "All the mechanical engineers are in the mine place, and everyone knows, you can't drive cars without mechanics." "Go jump off a bridge!" said King Syphilis. Another of his servants interrupted, "We have no more bridges, since all the civil engineers have been exiled to the powder mines. Perhaps we should bring them all back." But the king was not the brightest of kings, so he didn't agree to that just yet. "Bring me my vibrating pleasure device, so that I may relax and think about this dilemma of ours," ordered the king. "We are unable to do that, my king, because all the electrical engineers who design the vibrating pleasure devices are in the powder mines." "Hmmm," thought the king. "Perhaps I was wrong in banishing the

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 3 :: English Literature

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 3 ============================= In chapter three Nick tells us about the first party he attends at Gatsby’s one friday night. He sees himself as the only guest who was actually been invited by Gatsby’s chauffeur earlier in the morning. He describes all preparation on fridays before the party and on mondays after the party, e.g. gardeners cleaning Gatsby’s property (p.37-39) Arriving at the party Nick doesn’t know anyone he could talk to and can’t even find the host, so decides to stop at the bar, where, a little later, he welcomes Jordan Baker. They end up in a conversation with three men and two girls talking about rumors about Gatsby (p.40/41). After a short time they leave the group to look for Gatsby, since they haven’t met him yet. They don’t find Gatsby, but the library, where Jordan and Nick meet a drunk man talking about the realism of the books. Leaving the house and sitting down on a table, Nick meets Gatsby, not knowing it is him (p.44). Gatsby, an elegant, young man with tanned skin and short hair, invites him to a short trip with his new hydroplane in the next morning. Gatsby leaves and after Nick has learned Jordan’s rumors about him, they see him standing all alone on the steps of his backyard. When his butler delivers Gatsby’s message to Jordan, that he wants to talk to her, Nick, alone, goes back into the house to observe young ladies and old men (p.47) When he decides to leave the party he meets Jordan and Gatsby coming out of one room together. Jordan tells him to call him, and Nick leaves. Outside he meets the drunk man he had met earlier in the

Relationships and Mechanical Processes in The Sun Also Rises Essay

Relationships and Mechanical Processes in The Sun Also Rises      Ã‚  Ã‚   Relationships are an important part of life. From general friendships to romantic encounters, almost everyone has had some type of relationship. Sometimes relationships can get confusing, especially when love is involved. Most people, such as Lady Brett Ashley, from The Sun Also Rises, feel that love and sex go hand in hand in a romantic relationship. Although it is apparent that she is in love with Jacob Barnes, the main character, since he is not able to have sex, she does not want to try having any type of romantic relationship with him. "You mustn't [touch her]. You must know. I can't stand it, that's all." (Hemingway, 34).    This idea that one is not able to love another unless there is sex involved leads Brett into many troubles. Since she is not able to have the type of relationship that she wants with Jake, she ends up going after men that are just not worth all the trouble, "she only wanted what she couldn't have."(39). She is in the process of getting a divorce from her husband, a man who has threatened her life on numerous occasions. She is engaged to another man who is habitually drunk and completely bankrupt. She even has affairs with random men that usually understand that it is nothing but a "fling" except for Robert Cohn who "wanted to make an honest woman of her." (205). Her fiancà © seems to be all right with her lifestyle and all the various men when he is sober, but once he has drunk too much it is apparent that her flings mean more to him than he tries to let on. "I gave Brett what for, you know. I said if she would go about with Jews and bull-fighters and such people, she must expect tr ouble." (207). She makes a point of not hidin... ...fe to the fullest without having to worry about relationships and not being able to have one. He understands that he is not able to have or do everything that he wants and so makes up for it by substituting other things that he can do, such as reading, playing tennis, fishing and watching bull-fighting. By having something to concentrate on, Jake does not have to worry about what he is not able to do and so can live his life the best way he knows how.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bardacke, Theodore. "Hemingway's Women." Ernest Hemingway: The Man And His Work. ed. John McCaffery. New York: Cooper Square 1969 Bloom, Harold. Ernest Hemingway. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Fiedler, Leslie A. Love and Death in the American Novel. New York: Stein & Day 1966 Hemingway, Ernest. "The Sun Also Rises" Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1926

Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry

Environment and Development in a Global Perspective State of the Environment Report Coral Reef Pollution Can Hurt Bermuda’s Tourism Industry Introduction Waste management techniques in Bermuda have adverse effects on the coral reefs and can hurt the island’s tourism industry. This is a state of the environment report on the islands of Bermuda that serves to shed light on the pollution of the coral reefs due to waste management problems and the subsequent potential adverse effects it can have on the Tourism industry.I actually used to live in Bermuda during the period of 2006 to 2010 so I would like to think that I have gained valuable insight into the social and human development threats that this pollution problem poses to the general population. The tourism industry is the 2nd largest industry in Bermuda and is already in decline so it should be one of the island’s top priorities to maintain or even rebuild tourism to its former self. This report consists of th ree main parts. Firstly, a description of the environmental issues affecting the coral reef communities around the island.Secondly, a description of the human development issues and socioeconomic effects that the degradation of the coral reef community has or will most likely lead to on the island. Lastly, the report explores some proposed remedies for the environmental issues. State of the Environment For over a century, heavy metal waste from the islands of Bermuda has been stored on the shores of a large natural harbor called Castle Harbour. It is located between the north eastern end of the main island and St. David’s island and it just happens to be a mere two hundred meters away from the nearest coral reef community.Most of the waste being dealt with is from the population itself. There are about 67,000 people living on the islands and it is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. (Central Intelligence Agency) All of the country’s solid waste and sc rap metal are either dumped at the site in Devonshire to be incinerated or stored at Castle Harbour, also known as the ‘airport dump’. â€Å"Bermuda has been disposing of waste at the airport dump for nearly 40 years with little thought of the impact on the environment,† read a 2010 article in the local newspaper, the Royal Gazette. Bardgett, 2010) Figure 1 shows a portion of the Castle Harbour site and really gives you an appreciation for the proximity of the waste to the water itself. As you can imagine there is not much land flow acting as a buffer before pollutants leach into the ocean. Figure 1. Old cars stacked at the Castle Harbour ‘airport dump. ’ (Bardgett, 2010) In addition to cars, appliances such as refrigerators release harmful chemicals like anti-freeze and oil into the ocean surrounding the Harbour.These chemicals have already caused irreversible damage to the coral reef and are having a notable effect on the black grouper fish populat ion (Bardgett, 2010). It is worth noting that the coral reef in the area has already been through irreversible sedimentation damage in the past from a dredge and fill operation that occurred 60 years ago. Since the 1970s, there was a decrease in percent cover from 12% (Dryer & Logan, 1978) to 2% and is not completely gone only because the brain coral Diploria labyrinthiformis was sediment tolerant (Flood, 2004).In Castle Harbour sedimentation is chronic so this new threat of chemical leakage is a blow to an already wounded environment. Figure 2 shows a brain coral from Castle Harbour that has been damaged by sedimentation. The dimple type formation is characteristic of sediment damage (Flood, 2004). Figure 2. Dimple formations on brain coral affected by sedimentation at Castle Harbour (Flood, 2004). Unfortunately, in addition to the sedimentation and the chemical leaching, the coral reef colonies are also subject to pollution from raw sewage. Bermuda does not have a sewage treatment plant.The island itself is made entirely of limestone, as it is land formed by a now dormant volcano. Households rely on pits dug into the limestone that stores and processes sewage along with used water from sinks and laundry. This mixture eventually reaches the oceans after it percolates through the limestone. Larger structures such as hotels and apartment complexes use pipes to transport waste offshore. According to this report, human sewage might cause the algae on the reef to â€Å"overgrow and shade the corals and eventually kill the reef† (â€Å"Bermuda’s inshore waters,†).Sewage waste that had been dissolved and pumped three miles offshore from Paget Parish in the south has caused a growth surge in marine weeds that choke the slower growing corals. Now this is an ecological imbalance and is currently ongoing so scientists are monitoring it (Jones). Also, the extra nutrients will cause the phytoplankton to grow in numbers and turn the water from crystal clear to green (â€Å"Bermuda’s inshore waters,†). During the summer months an average of 400,000 tourists visit the islands and cruise ships significantly contribute to the amount of sewage produced by the population.Sewage from the City of Hamilton and surrounding areas as well as the cruise ships are disposed of at the Seabright Point submarine sewage outfall. 500,000 to 1,000,000 gallons of raw sewage is discharged every day, at peak flow (â€Å"Seabright point monitoring,†). According to a Pastorok and Bilyard report, the three components of sewage effluent most detrimental to coral communities are nutrients, sediments and toxic substances (Pastorok & Bilyard, 1985). Castle Harbour is primarily providing sediments and toxic substances while the nutrients are being pumped about the islands at different locations but mainly from Seabright Point.The same report explained that anthropogenic inputs of dissolved nutrients and organic particulate matter can limit oxygen levels. This is important because it directly affects the marine life in the area that depends on the oxygen. Bermuda’s coral reefs are the most isolated and northern reefs in the Atlantic. It is actually extremely rare to find long distance dispersals by corals to isolated reefs like Bermuda’s. These coral reefs are located just on the outskirts of the environment that it thrives in so it does not have an abundance of different types of coral.The coral species that happen to be there have adapted to the seasonal weather that these higher latitudes bring. However, because there are a limited number of species, the entire reef’s ability to bounce back and respond to environmental change is limited. Therefore, any damage to the coral reefs will have persistent impacts. Related Human Development Issues Besides tourism, there are many ways that coral reef degradation directly impact humans. As mentioned before, coral reefs provide shoreline protection by buff ering wave energy and reducing coastal erosion.As they become degraded, they will become weaker and the waves do not only cause more coastal erosion as they get stronger but they also aid in the breaking up of coral so once degradation has begun it tends to be a very slippery slope. Correspondingly, loss of coral reefs means loss of critical habitat for reef fish. Two of Bermuda’s local delicacies are codfish and potatoes, which are traditionally, enjoyed on a Sunday morning and rockfish which is a soft tasty dish that you can find at any restaurant on the island. Both of these fish are directly linked to the coral reefs and a reduction of habitat would mean a reduction in fish to catch.This would negatively affect both food supply and associated economic activities. Finally, coral reefs have pharmaceutical compounds and a degraded one can no longer provide medicinal resources for drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses (â€Å"Socioeconomic impacts,†) . Figure 3 shows the different reasons that Bermuda’s coral reef communities are used and their associated values. Figure 3. Total Economic Value (TEV) of Bermuda’s coral community divided into sectors (Sarkis, van Beukering & McKenzie, 2010).Figure 4 corresponds with Figure 3 and provides the monetary value of the different sectors that the coral reef community TEV is divided into. Figure 4. Average Annual Value of services provided by Bermuda’s coral reefs (Sarkis, van Beukering & McKenzie, 2010). Bermuda’s tourism industry is already struggling but continues to be the 2nd largest industry in Bermuda (Central Intelligence Agency). The economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and since Bermuda has the fourth highest income per capita in the world, it’s safe to say that the country is truly affluent (Central Intelligence Agency).However, the wealth in the country is certainly not divided equally as the c ountry’s wealth relies so heavily on these two industries. People with direct influence in the tourism and business community hold the majority of the island’s wealth but the population of locals in this category is very limited because many of the business executives and workforce are expatriates who come to the islands to work for some time and leave.This occurs because of the law in Bermuda that prevents foreigners from ever gaining citizenship and because most of the business is international and would more likely hire their own people for the higher positions. It is also extremely hard to become a resident without marrying a local and foreigners cannot even own land, or buy houses that are under the annual rental value of USD $177, 000 (â€Å"Bermuda residence and,† 2012). This means that the recorded 19% of the entire population that lives under the poverty line is actually a larger percentage of the truly local population.This is an extremely large number of people for a country that has five times the GDP per capita of the USA (Central Intelligence Agency). With jobs and positions in the business market essentially saturated, locals have been obligated to work in the service and hospitality sector where the tourism industry is the major provider of income. It is such a shame that the obvious candidate, the depression, is negatively affecting the industry. With the decline in tourism, a larger gap is being created between the rich and the poor.Also, since the initiative was taken to make the tourism industry a joint effort between the government and the community, a further decline in tourism would directly affect family owned hospitality businesses as well as single person jobs and will undoubtedly increase the percentage of the population living under the poverty line. So it would be even more shameful if the tourism industry were further perturbed by other factors on a local scale such as the pollution of the coral reefs due to p oor waste management.Besides marine tourism and aesthetics, tourists mainly come to the island because of its world-renowned ‘pink sand’ beaches. The coral is responsible for the pink sand and clear water and most importantly acts as a buffer for wave action. Therefore, if there is less coral then there will be more coastal erosion and this would truly be detrimental to the beaches and Bermuda’s tourism. Proposed Remedies and Conclusion Now that we have established that the two main problems are the Castle Harbour leaching and the sewage disposal, we can talk about potential solutions.Greg Wilcox, president of Midway Auto Parts in Kansas City, Missouri, visited the island in 2010 with a few of his colleagues and explained that he was surprised at the situation at Castle Harbour because it was something only expected of a third world country (Bardgett, 2010). He is now working with the environmental group Greenrock on an initiative that would benefit all sectors o f the community including insurance companies, auto repair shops and the government. In the US there are auto parts recyclers who deal with ‘white material’ and sell the second-hand parts (Bardgett, 2010).Having lived in Bermuda, I know for a fact that there is an abandoned airstrip behind the airport itself that would be a prime location for something of that nature. Transporting the material from Castle Harbour will not be a problem because it is literally across the street. It is already the first thing the tourists see when they get to the island but at least this way it can be contained within warehouses inside a compound and white material can be drained and disposed of properly.For the sewage system problem, the most obvious remedy would be to build a sewage treatment plant. However, because of the linear dispersal of the island it would be very difficult to dig up the roads to lay down sewage lines (Wingate, 2006). The public also are strongly against a sewage t reatment plant being anywhere near their houses and in the central district of Hamilton there is hardly any vacant land available. The only option to mitigate the amount of sewage leaking into the ocean would be to upgrade the method of treatment for each household or complex.If the government were to import small-scale self-contained tertiary treatment plants in bulk for each household it will be more affordable (Wingate, 2006). Having said all this, no action will be taken for at least another four years because the Coral Reef Ecology and Optics Lab just launched a five year assessment of the marine environment and coral reef ecosystem in 2012. The assessment is centered on the Seabright Point sewage outfall and is supposed to determine the fate of the sewage as well as the impact on the reef ecosystem (â€Å"Seabright point monitoring,†)Final Word Count: 2416 References: 1. ) Central Intelligence Agency. (2013). The World Factbook: Bermuda. Updated February 13, 2013, Retri eved March 19, 2013, from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bd. html 2. ) Bardgett, Robyn. (2010, December 1). Vehicle recyclers visit from US Pollution at airport dump causes concern. The Royal Gazette, Retrieved from http://www. royalgazette. com/article/20101201/NEWS07/712019915 3. ) Pastorok, R. A. , Bilyard, G. R. , 1985. Effects of sewage pollution on coral-reef communities.Marine Ecology Progress Series. 21, 175–189. 4. ) Dryer, S. , Logan, A. , 1978. Holocene reefs and sediments of Castle Harbor, Bermuda. Journal of Marine Research. 36(3), 339–425. 5. ) Flood, V. S. (2004). Coral Community Structure and Patterns of Sedimentation in Castle Harbour Bermuda. Retrieved from http://athenaeum. libs. uga. edu/bitstream/handle/10724/7970/flood_vanese_s_200412_ms. pdf? sequence=1 6. ) Bermuda's inshore waters. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. coexploration. org/bbsr/coral/html/body_bermuda_inshore_waters. html 7. Jones, R. (n. d. ). Environmental issues. Retrieved from http://www. moon. com/destinations/bermuda/background/the-land/environmental-issues 8. ) Seabright point monitoring. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. bios. edu/research/projects/seabright 9. ) Socioeconomic impacts. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. reefresilience. org/Toolkit_Coral/C2c2_Socioecon. html 10. ) Sarkis , S. , van Beukering, P. J. H. , ; McKenzie, E. Bermuda Department of Conservation Services, (2010). Total economic value of bermuda. Retrieved from website: http://www. onservation. bm/coral-reef-economic-valuation/ 11. ) Bermuda residence and property. (2012, November). Retrieved from http://www. lowtax. net/lowtax/html/bermuda/jbrres. html 12. ) Wingate, D. Bermuda Zoological Society, (2006). Conservation in bermuda  (CON-02). Retrieved from website: http://www. gov. bm/portal/server. pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_11280_207_227543_43/http;/ptpublisher. gov. bm;7087/publishedcontent/publish/new_min_of_environment/environmental_prot ection___project_nature_fact_sheets/conservation_in_bermuda_0. pdf

Maori Creation Myth

The foundation of almost every culture in the world has a creation myth explaining how the wonders of the earth came to be. These myths have a powerful influence over the people’s culture, and the way they think about their surroundings. Creation myths usually begin with the theme of birth; birth represents new life and a new beginning. Creation myths develop over the centuries through oral tradition, and are the most common form of myths found throughout human culture (Murtagh). The Maori are the aboriginal tribe that inhabits New Zealand.They are believed to have emigrated from the Polynesian Islands to New Zealand in the 500-year period between 800-1300 CE. Much evidence found suggests that the Maori share many common words with the Polynesian languages along with cultural values. The Maori are one of the most successful groups of aboriginal tribes in terms of surviving colonization. Their cultural traditions have withstood invasion from the European nations. Concerns about the decline in the original Maori language today have led to schools teaching solely in Maori so that the language remains an important part of the culture.The Maori have embraced modern societal structures, which is one of the main reasons they have remained successful. They have formed a major political power in New Zealand, have influenced school studies, and recently have devised their own television network (â€Å"The Maori†). In the beginning of the Maori’s creation myth, there was only darkness, Te Ponui, Te Poroa (the Great Night, the Long Night). In the absence of the empty space, a glow appeared and the moon and the sun sprang forth and the heavens were made light.Rangi (the Sky Father) lived with Papa (the Earth Mother), but as the two lived together, their children lived in darkness. The children could not see, and argued to how night and day might be manifested. Tumatauenga (god of war) encouraged that they kill their parents, but Tane Mahuta (god of the forests) advised that they separate their father Rangi from their mother Papa. Rongo (god of cultivated food) and Tangaroa (god of the sea) tried to separate them, but failed. Tane Mahuta achieved the task of separating his parents, and that was when night distinguished from day.Rangi was heartbroken, and shed an immense quantity of tears, so that the oceans were formed (â€Å"The Maori†). The creation of woman was fashioned from clay by Tane Mahuta. He breathed life into her nostrils, and she became Hine-hauone (‘the Earth-formed Maid’). She bore Tane Mahuta a daughter, Hine-titama (‘the Dawn Maid’) who in time also bore daughters to Tane. Hine-titama was unaware of her father’s identity, and when she found he was the Tane she thought, was her husband, she was overwhelmed with shame. Hine-titama left the world of light, Te Ao, and moved to Te Po, the world below.She became known as Hinenui-te-Po (‘Great Hine the Night’) (â€Å"M aori Mythology†). â€Å"The children of Tane were plentiful, and increased and multiplied, for death held no dominion over them† (â€Å"Maori Mythology†). The creation myth emphasizes the elements of nature such as wind and water. Most of the Maori settlements are near coastal terraces. Fishing is a significant part of the Maori culture, and of their major food sources. When Rangi shed tears due to his separation from Papa, it explained the forming of the oceans.Some of Rangi and Papa’s children decided to turn their mother over so that she and Rangi would not have to see one another’s grief and grieving. The act of rotating the earth is called Te Hurihanga a Mataaho, the overturning of Mataaho. The act is named after the child that had seen the rotation occur. After the rotation, Rangi’s tears are less than before, and are the dew drops that form in the night on Papa’s back (the earth’s surface) (â€Å"Maori†). The Maori have kept most of their cultural traditions alive to this day.A contemporary Maori individual following traditional ways perform certain actions for certain rituals that were used from their ancestors. â€Å"Spiritual entities such as ‘mauri’ are thought to be subject not so much to the laws of science as to the traditional laws that govern ritual† (Patterson). People around the New Zealand region to this day can hear individuals chant these ancient words; according to tradition, these were performed primarily because of the emergence of ‘mauri’ from the chaos of ‘Te Korekore’.The spiritual basis of the Maori is not over and done with to this day in age; they are continuing to be re-enacted from time to time to help continue the Maori traditions flourish. ‘Mauri’ is considered to be a very real and important concept of the tradition of today’s Maori world. The concept of ‘mauri’ is alive to this day with out a doubt. A local newspaper reported an article on a proposal to stop discharging sewage into a local river. A Maori leader expressed to say that the discharge had brought about an imbalance in the ‘mauri’ of the river; and without ‘mauri’, nothing can flourish. Mauri’ is said to not only affect living things, but rivers, mountains, villages, institutions, and even activities and events (Patterson). Studying the Maori philosophy today is difficult for outsiders because the important philosophical ideas that the Maori have do not translate straightforwardly into English. This is part of another culture which expresses ideas that are foreign to the English speaking world. The meaning of ‘mauri’ can take up many meanings; ‘life force’, ‘life principle’, ‘character’, ‘essence’, ‘uniqueness’, ‘quality’, or even ‘value’.Current findings in the scienti fic explanations of the Maori concepts have shown in parts of Western and Eastern China. The idea of ‘mauri’ or life force has made the Maori a sophisticated culture with a powerful environmental philosophy. Their philosophy demands that they treat the natural world with respect, and to acknowledge and care about the being of every creature the earth inhabits; to try to make sure that their interactions with the world leave it to being a better place.The Maori philosophy has the ultimate principle of unity (Patterson). The Maori culture is obviously one that dates back thousands of years ago, and has proven to survive through time to this day of age. Their practices through religion, farming, spirituality, educational upbringing, and language has survived and lived on. The Maori creation myth is quite an interesting tale, and even though it was similar to Babylonian myth, it had its distinct differences.