Monday, December 17, 2012

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 3

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to learn about μαντινάδες (Mantinades), which are love poems sung at weddings on the island of Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece. It was once the centre of the ancient Minoan civilization, which was the oldest civilization in Europe, so Crete has a rich cultural tradition. This rich cultural tradition has given the people of Crete some wonderful wedding customs, including the Mantinades.



Before we learn about the Mantinades, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross cultural awareness and English Vocabulary
Now let's listen to a mantinades. The song is called Please click the link: 

Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . 


The title means, "Hymn to Mother". The singer says that there are many kinds of love in the world but the one kind of love that stands out is love for one's mother. Why do you think that a man might sing a song about his love for his mother at his wedding?

Ok, now please turn to p. 142.
What do you think of Mantinades? Are there any similar types of poetry in Japanese culture, or in the cultures of other peoples? Post a comment below.
See you next week!

21 comments:

  1. Hikaru11:21 am

    I think they are good traditions. Showing someone your feelings is important.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Takashi Furuya11:22 am

    I like mantinades.

    Because the songs change Cretans`s history.
    They weren`t allowed to date.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think Mantinades is good culture.Because they come from the rich memory of people of Crete. And old and young share a love for poetry and Cretan history.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yosuke11:24 am

    Hi michael!
    I think it's interesting culture.
    I don't want to sing Mantinages because i'm shy...

    Have a happy new year!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sano Hiroshi11:24 am

    I like Mantinades.
    It is romantic and beautiful.
    In Japan, nothing likes Mantinades!
    I really want !!

    ReplyDelete
  6. shizuho11:25 am

    I think that montinades is very good. It is very nice for a partner to make poetry with all a feeling in hope of happiness. And I think that I win through up to a memory.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rei Watanabe11:25 am

    I think it similar types of poetry in old Japanese culture.
    In these days, We have not seen the customs of a Japanese poem of 31 syllables.
    But I don't hear the customs which like a Japanese poem of 31 syllables in foreign country.
    So, I think Mantinades similar to no culture of all over the world.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like Mantinades. Because it sounds gorgeous. And It must be beautiful harmony. I would like to see and listen it. There are some similar types of poetry in Japan as well. Sometimes people make Tanka or Haiku contained their secret love.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like Mantinades.
    Because the Mantinades is good custom.
    Japanese have similar custom. Especially the Heian Period people enjoyed Haiku or Tanka.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Kimika11:26 am

    I think that Mantinades are very good,so I like one.Because they amuse everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Masaki N11:26 am

    merry cristmas!

    I think it is so good.
    Japan has a classic book which name is "hyakunin-issyu".
    There are one hundredd of syllabas as "waka(和歌)" in the book, and more than half of them are expressed author's love.
    So, we Japanese expresse our love so old.

    The cristmas presents are yammy!
    see you next year

    ReplyDelete
  12. Rikuo Akisaka11:26 am

    Hello Michael.

    I don't like things like Mantinades.
    Because, sometimes I can'T find the main meanigs which are hidden.

    In Japan, there are some of things like Mantinades, Tanka or Haiku.

    I don't know other culture have similar things.

    See you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Kou Tashita11:27 am

    I think it is a good culture.Because it is historic and friendly culture. If this culture become political and commercialized ,it is a good culture because it come from the rich memory of the people of Creta.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like mantinades. Because they are about love and wisdom in Cretan history. I tkink that is great customs.

    ReplyDelete
  15. inagaki jyunnpei11:27 am

    I thought that culture is very defficult.
    Mantinades were love song.
    But Japanese love song is not similar to it.
    I thought it is similar to Tannka or Haiku.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Kajiwara Yuuki11:27 am

    I think mantinades are good.
    there are impress to local people.

    I don't have idea, similar types of poetry in Japanese culuture.

    ReplyDelete
  17. MASAKI TAKAHASHI11:29 am

    I like Mantinades.
    I think it is very nice custom.
    I hope Japan has something like this.

    ReplyDelete
  18. nakamura atsushi11:31 am

    montinades is good culture
    it`s like a lapanese poem

    ReplyDelete
  19. I like mantinade.
    Because the mantinades at wedding celebrations show the goodwill of the Cretan.
    I think it is a wonderful culture.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Kyoko1:55 pm

    I think mantinades are great culture. I think if I were at the wedding reception, I could enjoy it. It also seems like everyone at wedding can celebrate the groom and bride through mantinades.
    Cretan people are proud of their culture even if it was a part of expressions of tragic love.Sometimes people lose this kind of feelings about their region`s culture, especially young generation. Therefore I think many culture have been declining. However, young and old generations share their culture in Cretan. I think it is a good situation to keep their culture.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Miho.W10:09 am

    I think manitinade is good culture.
    Because I feel there are consideration for pertner's family.

    I don't have any idea which similar to manitinade in japan..

    see you!

    ReplyDelete