Hello!
I came across this really interesting symbol called 'Sankofa'; Its a West African symbol of never forgetting ones roots, and learning from the past. For it is said 'a tree without roots cannot stand'. Generally depicted as a bird with its head turned backward taking an egg from its back. It expresses the importance of reaching back to knowledge gained in the past and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress.
Symbols are meant to stand for something. We see them every day, and without even thinking about them, we know what they mean… for the most part. They make our lives easier and I think that we don’t give them enough credit for it.
Question for the brolly café this week is: Do you have any favourite symbol and if so what it's meaning? Head over to the chat page to get involved...
This weeks culture vulture suggestions:
Action for Happiness. Natural Well-being, How can living more simply help us take care of ourselves, our planet and each other?
24th June at 7.00 pm
Satish Kumar is a long-term peace activist and campaigner for wellbeing and environmental issues. He wants to see a shift in priorities away from economic growth, towards growth in our overall wellbeing. By living in a simpler and more sustainable way, he believes we can be happier and resolve many of the issues in our society. Satish will explore how a focus on simplicity and kindness can boost our wellbeing help us and live in a way that celebrates the wonder of nature and embraces the diversity of human culture, with much less stress.
Discover how small portable objects enabled biblical sites to be relocated in Early Medieval Europe.
24 June 5.30 to 6.30pm
Historian Julia Smith of the University of Oxford will discuss the various uses mobile objects were put to, as well as the significance attributed to them. Focusing mainly on Jerusalem, Historian Professor Julia Smith will examine the use of these objects within the Holy Land prior to the Arab conquest of 637 and in the Latin West in the centuries before the First Crusade.
Join The Met and Park Avenue Armory for a series of conversations about the 100 Years | 100 Women project with the participants.
Friday June 25th at 5.00 pm
The project invited one hundred artists, activists, scholars, students, and community leaders to respond to the complex legacy of the 19th Amendment, which gave some women the right to vote. Each conversation in this series features a group of participants exploring specific topics that resonate with the project, including uplifting underrepresented stories of women, art and disability, the past and future of women of colour in film and television, and more.
Sir Walter Scott – his life, career and interests.
28th June 6.00 to 7.15pm
As well as a renowned writer, novelist and collector, Sir Walter Scott was President of the RSE and was also Vice President of the SoAoS. This event will be focussing on the lesser-known aspects of Sir Walter Scott – his life, career and interests, hosted by both the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (SoAoS).
The Bengali fairy tales
28th June at 5.30pm
This seminar delves into the literary history of Bengali fairy tales: the roopkotha. Within the literary culture of the region the roopkotha have a lasting significance. Loosely translated in English as ‘fairytales’, this genre was carefully curated from the oral tales of the countryside and intended for middle and upper class children at the turn of the 20th century. The roopkotha is a living tradition, continuing to be retold and reinterpreted today. More than just stories, these tales have a political dimension being closely linked to the Swadeshi or anti-colonial movements of the period.
Come along and find out about author Colin Wilson's famous work, "Adrift in Soho"
28 June at 6.30 pm
This talk, by Wilson’s bibliographer Colin Stanley, traces the fascinating story of how Colin Wilson came to write this classic work of fiction. Released one year after his debut novel Ritual in the Dark, Adrift in Soho is a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, set in the 1950s.
UK Parliament London
30th June at 6.00 pm
Join us in our new series of talks where we meet some of the contractors involved in the mammoth task of repairing and restoring the historic Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben. Work to conserve and modernise the Tower is taking place not just in London but all over the country, with specialists from across the UK bringing together their expertise of traditional craft techniques and modern conservation technologies to ensure that this iconic building is safeguarded for future generations to enjoy.
Do you believe in fairies?
Just over one hundred years ago Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published the Cottingley fairies photographs in “The Strand Magazine”. But how did the literary genius behind the detective mastermind Sherlock Holmes get fooled by fake fairies? Now, you can discover the secrets behind the greatest hoax of the twentieth century in this special online exhibition and curator’s talk. Explore items from the University of Leeds Special Collections, which holds nearly all of the most important documents and artefacts relating to the Cottingley fairies. Available to watch on you tube until June next year.
Grwp Tanddaearol PARYS Underground group
Parys underground group (PUG) was formed just over 20 years ago to explore and record the underground remains of copper mines at Parys Mountain, Anglesey. One of the largest copper mines in the world. The underground workings were last mined in the early part of the 20th century. It’s original Welsh name of Mynydd Trysglwyn described it as being topped with a grove of trees covered in scabby lichens. The mountain has a history of copper mining going back 3500 years. However, it was in the 18th and 19th Centuries that the greatest amount of copper was produced. It is thought that in 150 years over 3.5 million tons of ore was raised, mostly by hand, from the Mona and Parys mine both located on the mountain. There is also loads of information about the history of mining on this site.
The Rinpa Experience of Nature
How painters in Edo-period Japan reinvigorated artistic traditions and idealized the past. Take your time to examine Japanese paintings bit by bit and read information about each piece. A really lovely, relaxing experience.
*Just to say the Parliament talk on 30th June is definitely at 6.00pm , not the time I have stated on vlog sorry about that and thanks again* Best wishes and see you all next week
Love Corinne