History & Folklore

The World Fact Book by CIA-The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

June 6 D-Day –The historic brave allied amphibian attack led by the Supreme Commander Dwight Eisenhower that turned the World War II to the winning position:

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day

3 Female unsung spies who helped D-day victory:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/did-you-know/3-unsung-world-war-ii-female-spies-who-helped-make-d-day-a-victory/ss-AACcNJy?li=BBnb7Kz

Library of Congress Veteran History Projects:

The Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Website info or Tel (202) 707 4916 Email: vohp@loc.gov :

https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html

Native American History:

http://www.allabouthistory.org/native-american-history.htm

http://www.indians.org/articles/native-american-history.html

November is Native American Heritage month:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Indian_Heritage_Month

Mark Twain Quotes:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/mark_twain.html

Rare Civil war photos:

http://blitzlift.com/rare-civil-war-photos/?v=tmsn1-5&utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=msn-msn-home&utm_term=19+Civil+War+Photos+Found+In+National+Archives

The Chinese Exclusion Act was a United States federal law signed by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882. The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first law implemented to prevent a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the United States. It was repealed by the Magnuson Act on December 17, 1943.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Exclusion_Act

Chinese Folklores:

In memory of my father, Mr. Chi-Chang Chu who was a role model for us, hard-working, honest and loyal to friends, adhered to the true value in dignity and integrity, dedicated to his families, loved his grandchildren. He gave us the guidance to have the courage to do the right thing under all circumstances. Father taught Chinese History for more than thirty years, was very knowledgeable in Chinese history and legendary folktales. Sadly, he passed away before I set up this web page. I like to share some recollections he told us:

In ancient time, more than five thousand years ago; there was a man’s name Hou-yi, he is very good at bow and arrow, could shoot down any aim, there were ten suns at that period of time, the earth was very dry nothing would grow, he shoot down nine of them and left one sun.

Dragon Boat Festival:
Chinese mid-summer festival, when Dragon boat race is often held during the festival. From the legendary on May, 5th of Chinese Lunar year, prior to Han Dynasty during the Three countries War period; there was a poet, his name was Chu-yuan of the CHU Country, he served as an advisor to the emperor, he was loyal and gave honest opinion to the emperor but the emperor listened to rumors and disliked his opinion so he was fired from his position. Chu-yuan was disappointed and felt frustrated, he wandered along Milo River, finally, one day he tied a stone to his body and jumped into the river, died of suicide. People were saddened of his death, so they rode the boats to look for his body but could not find his body, people were afraid of the water ghost. In memory of this loyal poet Chu-yuan, people race the boats decorated with dragon head to calm the water ghost, made stuffed sweet rice wrapped inside the bamboo leaves throw into the river to please the water ghost.

The source for Chinese Moon cake:
The Chinese Mid-Fall Harvest Festival – When Moon cakes are being served during this holiday time. It occurs on the August 15th on the Chinese lunar calendar. From Legendary stories that during Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolians occupied mid-China and Han people were living under suppression. It was difficult to communicate in public, people then secretly put a note inside the moon cake to pass around the information to plan for a revolt on August 15th. The Chinese Lunar calendar is slightly offset from the Western calendar.

Chinese quotes:

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Confucius/1

The purest gold fears not the refiner's fire. Author unknown

The Tao is like an empty bowl,
Which in being used can never be filled up.
Fathomless, it seems to be the origin of all things.
It blunts all sharp edges,
It unties all tangles,
It harmonizes all lights,
It unties the world into a whole.
Hidden in the depths,
Yet it seems to exist forever.
I do not know whose child it is,
It seems to be the common ancestors of all,
the father of things. Quotes from "Tao Te Ching".

A Journey of a Thousand Miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu

Thought of the Day:
"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." ~ Buddha

Statement by Emerson:
"If a man write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, though he build his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door."

William Blake:
"If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."

Native American Legends:

Subject: Cherokee Legend:
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. If you liked this story, pass it on. If not, you took off your blindfold before dawn. Moral of the story: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. ' For we walk by faith, not by sight.' From a friend who is a descendent of Native American.

Cinco de Mayo:
If you want to learn about the history of this day and why it's celebrated in Mexico and the United States, please go to the attached links. It is interesting that May 5th is often mistaken for Independence Day, but that is September 16th. It's also interesting that this holiday is more celebrated in the US than it is in Mexico.

From a paper published by the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture about the origin of the observance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States: "The modern American focus on the 5th of May first started in California in the 1860s in response to the resistance to French rule in Mexico." The 2007 paper notes that "The holiday, which has been celebrated in California continuously since 1863, is virtually ignored in Mexico."

It's a great time to learn more about the history of this day. We are very fortunate to live in such a culturally diverse city.

Please click the link below for further information:
http://clnet.ucla.edu/cinco.html
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo

A list of folk dances around the world
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dances

SWWI