Vaisakhi

Celebrated on April 14, Vaisakhi is a festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community and the religion of Sikhism. It is celebrated by the Sikh community and founded by Guru Gobind Singh. The celebration first originated India, by a group of Sikhs known as the Khalsa and today is widely celebrated throughout Canada as well as other countries hosting Sikh communities. It is celebrated by wearing brightly coloured clothes and dancing the bhangra. There are also some fairs of singing and acrobats. The day of Vaisakhi starts early with a bath, change of clean clothes and special prayers partaken with others of the community in a local temple.

I really have no intimate feelings of Vaisakhi. Since I am not Sikh I don’t actually celebrate
Vaisakhi. Diwali actually ties more into my religion than Vaisakhi however I do like the fact that in the past years free Indian food was brought to school for us to eat. If anything, its worth celebrating Vaisakhi for the food. However I do also understand the importance of the celebration, that its in honour of those brave enough to stand up
for what they believe in. To be that is more than enough to
celebrate a hundred years worth of tradition.

Tigers

There are many mysteries surrounding the tiger. Beautiful and strong, these proud creatures defiantly march across the Asian land that they lovingly call their home. Better associated with India, these cats happen to be the largest of the big cats and also the most popular, second to the panda. Making their home in Asia, their habitats can include from the jungles of India, to the snow capped mountains of Siberia.

Felis tigris, or panthera tigris, is a widely popular symbol of India and used as one of the zodiac animals of the Chinese New year calendar. Popular in folklore they are often described as the divine punishers of the mythical world and associated with many royal families. One famous myth talks of a monkey who rode on the back of a mean spirited tiger. The tiger’s vicious hunting style is also adopted into many fighting moves, a popular one being the crouching tiger move sported in karate.

Contrary to popular belief, tigers enjoy swimming and, when not hunting or resting, spend most of their time paddling through rivers and streams. However despite their love for water the cats hate getting their faces wet. Tigers live solitary lives, guarding a select territory. Females guard a much smaller territory, generally within that of a male.

Tigers have always held a place in my heart, ever since I first learned of their existence at the age of four. Beautiful and unique these fascinating creatures have held my imagination captive to their immense beauty and redeeming strength. And while I grow in awe of their presence with each passing year I fear more sympathy and regret for the status that surrounds their name. Feared by many aboriginals of Asia and hunted for their beautiful fur, these creatures dwindle drastically in numbers with each passing year to the point that they are considered one of the most endangered species of the world. Much of this is human fault; their habitats cut down for lumber and paper; hunted for profit; feared by the villages; considered nuisances by some. Tigers have done nothing wrong, even when it seems like they have. For example, many man-eating tigers are the result of protecting cubs or their territory from intruders.

I want to live in a world where animals are treated with respect not as some form of entertainment for our sick minds. Tigers and many other animals have been here long before us and we need to respect that. If not, then by the time we have grandchildren there won’t be any animals left to talk about.

Easter Weekend

So…What will I, a mere young mortal in the world of humanity, be doing this weekend of four day bliss? Well its most certainly not homework I can tell you that much! (Okay maybe a little, but I hardly count a two page English assignment as homework. And of course we can’t forget French and Math.) No, it most certainly, most definitely, is not English or any other form of torturous mundane task presented to us by the wardens of our school. Instead, I’ll be spending the weekend in Whistler, followed by a little shopping spree in Vancouver! It’s going to be awesome! In fact I’m so excited, I’m about to throw up!

Okay I lied, I’m not excited. Actually I’m quite dreading the trip scheduled for us during this long holiday. Two days in an incredibly commercialized joint followed by a tedious journey of shopping horror. Not to mention that my traveling and shopping companions consist of a) one incredibly severe, pensive father b) shopaholic, sensitive mother c) and an irritating, bratty, bully of a younger brother that I have to put up with for three days within the confinements of our car and hotel. Oh joy. Kill me. In fact no words-wait never mind. Kill me just about covers it.
I’m going to die. I hate shopping-if you haven’t guessed already-and I really don’t want to visit Whistler. I just want to stay at home, chilling out and relaxing with a gigantic slurpee and at least three good chick flicks guaranteed to make me cry. I’d rather mellow out in the rut that I seem to get cocooning myself in and seclude myself within the confinements of my boring room. Yep I’m in a melodramatic mood. Sue me.

Well, while my parents are frantically trying to pack our bags and get everything ready, I’m mentally preparing myself for the hours of verbal and emotional shopping abusive that I’m going to experience; Trying on ridiculously looking clothes, walking back and forth between stores, buying something only to return said item for something else. I’m going to end up bald, crazy and in a mental institute by the time we’re done! Oh gosh, sigh, I wish we could stay home but apparently we need to bond! (Dad’s words not mine.)