IN-239307 Tea Leaf Pluckers of Kerala, India

Kerala is the southernmost state on the west coast of India, bordering the Indian Ocean. Kerala is an important tea-growing region of India, and tea is one of the most important crops in the region. Besides tea, tourism is also an important part of the economy in Kerala.

Part of Kerala borders the Nilgiri district in the bordering state of Tamil Nadu; Nilgiri is another important tea-growing region in south India. The Nilgiri mountain range runs into parts of Kerala. 

This postcard from Pramit shows tea leaf pluckers (or tea leaf pickers) from Kerala.  It would be true to say that all tea leaf pickers in the Indian tea industry are women.  It would also be sad to say (but true) that tea leaf pickers in the southern tea-growing state of Kerala, earn the lowest daily minimum wage of any sector in the state. They work six days a week rain or shine. 

CF-183 The Pygmies of Batalimo (Central African Republic)

This postcard is from the Central African Republic.  It came from Esther (31 July 2015) Postcrossing.

The Pygmies of Batalimo is featured on the postcard.  These pygmies are from the Aka or Bayaka nomadic Mbenga pygmy people. They live in southwestern Central African Republic and the Brazzaville region of the Republic of the Congo. The Aka are an ecologically diverse people since they occupy 11 different ecological zones of the Western Congo Basin. Unlike the Mbuti pygmies of the eastern Congo (who speak only the language of the tribes with whom they are affiliated), the Aka speak their own language along with whichever of the approximately 15 Bantu peoples they are affiliated.

In 2003, the oral traditions of the Aka were proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The Aka pygmies are traditional hunter-gatherers. Some Aka have recently taken up the practice of planting their own small seasonal crops, but agricultural produce is more commonly obtained by trading with neighboring villages, whom the Aka collectively term as Ngandu.

One unusual feature of Aka society is that the fathers of the Aka tribe spend more time in close contact to their babies than in any other known society. Aka fathers have their infant within arms reach 47% of the time and make physical contact with them five times as often per day as fathers in some other societies. It is believed that this is related to the strong bond between Aka husband and wife.

American Indians - costume

Why a feathered headdress should not be worn for ‘fun’

The feathered war bonnet or headdress of the American Indians is more than a cultural item and not a ‘fun’ item for anyone to wear.  According to a source:

“The headdress is reserved for revered elders who, through their selflessness and leadership, have earned the right to wear one. It’s a spiritual garb, not just cultural; it’s not merely an addition to one’s attire. Wearing one, even an imitation headdress, belittles what the elders have spent a lifetime to earn.”

Feathered war bonnets or headdresses are worn by honoured Plains Indian men. In the past they were sometimes worn into battle, today they are worn primarily for ceremonial occasions. They are seen as items of great spiritual and magical importance. The eagle is considered by Plains tribes as the greatest and most powerful of all birds and thus the finest bonnets are made out of its feathers.

The bonnet had to be earned through brave deeds in battle because the feathers signified the deeds themselves. Some warriors might have obtained only two or three honour feathers in their whole lifetime, so difficult were they to earn. The bonnet was also a mark of highest respect because it could never be worn without the consent of the leaders of the tribe. After about ten honours had been won, the warrior went out to secure the eagle feathers with which to make his bonnet.

A chief's war bonnet is made of feathers received for good deeds to his community. Each feather would represent a good deed.

 

This postcard came from Michelle (28 August 2014) Swap-bot.

SW DF-262 The Amish and Mennonite in Shipshewana, Indiana

Shipshewana is a town in Newbury Township, LaGrange County, Indiana. The population was 658 at the 2010 census. Shipshewana and LaGrange County are home to the "plain people": Mennonite and Amish.

Amish men threshing wheat

Although a very small town, Shipshewana is home to numerous antique and country-style decor shops and restaurants, especially with a strong Amish flavor. Attractions in Shipshewana include the Shipshewana Flea Market, Menno-Hof Amish History Museum, specialty stores in the downtown area, Hostetler's Hudson Museum and many events and festivals. These attractions, the Amish culture and the natural beauty of the area draw approximately 1.2 million visitors each year.

The community is generally well-maintained; trees and flowers adorn the streets. Holiday decorations reflect the Christian values during the Christmas season, and are a source of pride for many Shipshewana residents. Most businesses are closed in the evenings and on Sundays, reflecting the Mennonite-Amish tradition of strong family values and close ties within the community.

This postcard shows Amish men working together threshing wheat.  It came  from Sandy (justmesks) Swap-bot (22 August 2014).

 

See the Amish in Lancaster County for my other postcard of the Amish.

SW BD-082 The Amish of Lancaster County

Amish Country

 

Lancaster County has become synonymous with Pennsylvania Amish Country. The families, farmers and craftsmen here follow a deeply religious, family-centred lifestyle that has maintained this tradition through a simple way of life that has not adopted the mainstream culture, yet has adapted in many necessary ways throughout the last 300 years. Forgoing "outside world" luxuries, the Amish in the small towns and farmlands of Pennsylvania present a fascinating and authentic horse-and-buggy contrast to the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. Pennsylvania Amish Country is a picturesque landscape.  Rolling hills with lush grasses and crops, farms with windmills dotting the horizon and horse and buggies sharing the road indicate that things are simpler in Lancaster County.

Brief notes on the Amish

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships, closely related to but distinct from Mennonite churches, with whom they share Swiss Anabaptist origins. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons.

Two key concepts for understanding Amish practices are their rejection of Hochmut (pride, arrogance, haughtiness) and the high value they place on Demut (humility) and Gelassenheit (calmness, composure, placidity), often translated as "submission" or "letting-be". Gelassenheit

is perhaps better understood as a reluctance to be forward, to be self-promoting, or to assert oneself. The Amish's willingness to submit to the "Will of Jesus", expressed through group norms, is at odds with the individualism so central to the wider American culture. The Amish anti-individualist orientation is the motive for rejecting labour-saving technologies that might make one less dependent on community. Modern innovations like electricity might spark a competition for status goods, or photographs might cultivate personal vanity.

This postcard came from chillegass (7 May 2014) Swap-bot.
See my other postcard of the Amish and Menonnite in Shipshewana, Indiana.

SW EP-361 American Indian Tribes

In the United States, the Indian tribe is a fundamental unit and the constitution grants Congress the right to interact with tribes.  In May 2013 the United States' Federal Register issued an official list of 566 tribes that are Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The United States recognizes the right of these tribes to self-government and supports their tribal sovereignty and self-determination. These tribes possess the right to establish the legal requirements for membership. They may form their own government, enforce laws (both civil and criminal), tax, license and regulate activities, zone, and exclude people from tribal territories. Limitations on tribal powers of self-government include the same limitations applicable to states; for example, neither tribes nor states have the power to make war, engage in foreign relations, or coin money.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of 55,700,000 acres (225,000 km2) of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American Tribes and Alaska Natives.

Some groups that are not federally recognized have still achieved state recognition. Various states, most in the East, have a recognition process independent of federal recognition. Some examples of state-recognized tribes are the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the Houma Tribe of Louisiana.

The Navajo tribe is the most populous, with 308,013 people identifying with the group. The Cherokee tribe is the second most common, with 285,476 members identifying with that group.  The Sioux tribe comes in third. This list however applies only to Indians in the continental USA.  (2010 Census)

These two postcards came from (a) Stephanie C. (16 April 2014) Postcrossing DS  and Rita C. (3 December 2014) Swap-bot.

CN-1113451 奶奶的小宝贝 - the Dulong people

This postcard is entitled 奶奶的小宝贝 (Grandma’s precious treasure).  It shows a Dulong 独龙族grandmother’s love.

The Dulong people are an ethnic group. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. Their population of 6,000 is found in the Nujiang Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan province, in the Dulong valley. Another 600 can be found east of the Dulong valley, living in the mountains above the Nu Jiang (Salween River) near the village of Binzhongluo in northern Gongshan County.

 

Here is a quick glimpse into Dulong culture :

Prior to the formation of the People's Republic, Dulong society was based on a system of clans. A total of 15 clans existed and marriages between clans were prohibited.

The typical dress of the women consists of a dress made of fabric lined with  black and white colours. In the past, the women used to tattoo their faces when they reached the age of twelve or thirteen.

This postcard came from Weili of 四川 (Sichuan) Postcrossing (12 Dec 2013).