QQn at Koyoke

@kokoye,thanks 4ur observatns.
I read some post here and i was so excited to realise am an african with a very rich cultures. Sometimes i askd myself why are we different, we are only differentiatd by just boundarys and demarcatns.But our practises are alike.

Hey malaika so your Xhosa from South Africa, if you have any more information about your ethnic group please let me know I'm very much interested.
The Xhosa are simply one of the most beautiful (not only in dance and traditional attire) people I have seen. Well to be honest I think the women are - in case you think I'm hitting on you, I'm female and no I'm not lesbian just extra curious

Hey Nairalanders!

I am German, . . . Where shall I start from?

Well, Germany is a rag rug

Germany is a very heterogeneous country with very distinctive regional differences. Germany exists as a state just since end of the 19th century and is marked till this day federalistic. The regional variety - from the rough sea in the north, the hills, lakes and rivers in the middle up to the alpes in the south - has had in the course of the centuries a strong influence on the life-style of the people.
It is said that we are very punctual and reliable. We are very exact and sometimes picky what concerns the work.
We Germans drown in laws and sections. For every Poo there is a law or an order.

All the same where one stays in the world the likelyhood to meet a German, is quite high. Since the Germans are "world champions in travelling". The average German can't simply renounce the annual vacation.

Berlin, my hometown, is a federal state as well as capital of Germany at the same time. It gives not only enough culture and history to discover in Berlin, but also all kinds of culinary. In Berlin the curried sausage extremely popular in Germany was invented, a red sausage with red sauce and curry powder. Meanwhile the doner kebab (crisply roasted meat in the spit) has removed the curried sausage as the fast-food number one. Brought by Turkish immigrants at the middle of the 20th century, it is made more turnover with it than with Mc Donalds and Burger King together.

Berlin is not only a cradle of popular fast-food dishes, but also other lusciousness. A typically Berlin thing is the Kassler (smoked and in salt brine matured piece of pork backs) as well as pork knuckle (cooked knuckle of pork) with sauerkraut.

Christmas is the most important holiday of the year for Germans where the whole family comes together. On christmas eve we are going to church.
The "Christstollen" is a traditionally cake which is only baked for the christmas time.
The long form as well as the dusted with powdered sugar "Christstollen" is a kind of symbolization of the Jesus' child wound in nappies.
It is produced of flour, yeast, butter, milk, eggs, raisins, currants, candied lemon peel, candied orange peel, almonds and rum.

New Year
The end of the old year and the beginning of the new year is mostly celebrated with friends. One meets for fondue and practises lead-pouring to forecast the future. Around 0:00 one cheers with champagne, one wishes all the best and welcomes the new year by fireworks. One wishes for the new year „A good slide“ what, nevertheless, nothing has to do with the verb "slide", but comes from the Yiddish and means beginning.

Feel free to ask whatever you still want to know about Germany or Germans. It will be a pleasure to me to answer.

@ajali,
Interesting piece tho! I was beginning 2b having appetite wit 'em.
My question goes thus, is it true dat u Jar-ma-ny(as Germany is being refer2 in nigeria, due 2their work, work,work) cant do without achohol, due 2bad water and all dat? Hope dat does not have any effect as a result of an excessive in take of achohol? Also do u think it doesnt have no religion implicatns?

@sunch

Thanks for your interest and your good questions.
Hmm, Jar-ma-ny? I think I like it.

It is right, Germany lies with the consumption of alcohol worldwide in the top flight - after Luxembourg, Ireland, Hungary and Czechia on place five. Germany has just 82 million inhabitants and about 1.5 million people are known as dependent on alcohol. As well as the French or the Italian likes to drink wine with the food, it is with the German the beer. But also champagne and wine is drunk with pleasure.
I think, the average German doesn't drink excessively alcohol and many, like me also, drink none. Is true, unfortunately, that those who drink alcohol  really constantly consume so much that they spoil the German alcohol statistics with it. 

However, with bad water this has definitely nothing close. Our water is the cleanest what one can imagine and stands under constant control. In Germany no one needs to buy water in bottles, here you can drink from every tap, no matter whether in the bath, the kitchen or somewhere else. This is valid for private households as well as for public facilities. Simply everywhere.

In Germany there are currently just 1/3 Protestants, 1/3 followers of the Roman-Catholic church and 1/3 people without denomination (not to equate with atheists!). The Catholics have their main focus in the south and the west of the country, the Protestants in the north. 3.5 million or 4.2% of the whole population are Muslims.

I think there are more of those excessive drinking people in the group of the Protestants and the people without denomination than with the Catholics even when the Bavaria State in the south has the most beer drinking people. So yes, there is an implication. Who still believes in the father and practise the religion seriously will not drink too much alcohol.
But like everywhere, there are also here exceptions.

Humm, I think we AA are the largest non-Nigerian group on this site.

I am Jamaican with some Cuban ancestry. Mostly Black but also proudly Sephardic (Portuguese Jewish) as well.

Speak English and Spanish. Want to learn a few more languages. I love learning about other cultures and I love food.

I agree--this IS a fascinating thread!

I'm Black French-Canadian by birth, but I've lived in the US most of my life.

@malaika: You're right in that your language is intriguing! Am I correct in that the "click" sound is desigated with an exclamation point when written?

wow wonderful topic. this should be on the front page as already suggested.


@ajali - the deutsch lady,
what is the relationship like between the European countries?
what do Germans think of the greek, spanish, irish, swedish etc I would looove to know.

Oyindaaaa

there he goes again!! whats up

Just been looking for you all over since,

Why are you treating me this way?

i'm trying to spend less time on NL and more time on other stuff. but it's really hard esp. now that i'm on break.
i'm sure u spend all your time on here break or not. joking.

You are right, I spend 24hrs daily on here, Hoping to catch you online whenever you log in since you dont come to our "Sharp corner lovers lane" any more

hmmm well you need to find a new lover my friend. I will celebrate with you when you do.
i've already told you my plan of becoming a nun.

I can also become a monk

ummm, you know the military is recruiting . you can also go to WP, Af/Marine/N Academy if you not too arugboish.
instead of chasing gals around with your johnny in hand


nice thread, hope reluway no spoil am

dayokanu:

You are right, I spend 24hrs daily on here, Hoping to catch you online whenever you log in since you dont come to our "Sharp corner lovers lane" any more

I would only join the military, If the pre-condition is to have me and Hauwa in the same room So I can always have my Johnny in your hand

oyinda.:

wow wonderful topic. this should be on the front page as already suggested.


@ajali - the deutsch lady,
what is the relationship like between the European countries?
what do Germans think of the greek, spanish, irish, swedish etc I would looove to know.

Very good questions oyinda and not easy to answer.

The relationship between the European countries is above all what it ever was - an economic community. We learnt
that this days no one can be successful in the world by just cooking its own soup. But also the thought that a "family member" is not to attack easily, played a big role. Since the foundation of the EU like we know it today in 1992 the EU member states work together with the aim of a European-wide space of freedom, security and law also in domestic policy and justice politics. By the common foreign affairs and security policy they also take care of a common appearance with third countries. The European Union has observer status in the G8, is a member in the G20 and represents her member states in WTO. Today the EU has 27 member states but only 16 states have the Euro as common currency. The European parlament takes care of the European law and that it is regarded by any member but any state has still his sovereignty.

what we Germans think of Greek, Spain and so on?. . . . Well we, the tax payers are moaning and complaining about the billions our gouvernment has paid and will pay to help this countries but deep inside we know that it is necessary to stabilize the Euro and to go on. . . . there is no way back and it is good as like it is. Any member is unique and has its own style and getting them to pull on one string is really not easy. But we will make it, no doubt.

oyinda.:

wow wonderful topic. this should be on the front page as already suggested.


@ajali - the deutsch lady,
what is the relationship like between the European countries?
what do Germans think of the greek, spanish, irish, swedish etc I would looove to know.

Sure it shld be at the front page, cos i kept expecting crowds of responses.
Pls mode' do shumptan

hmmm . . . .brb ,

I am From Sierra Leone and i'll give our ways of celebrating naming ceremony, engagement, marriage, death and charity (sara) as i remembered them

When a woman gives birth  to a boy after the 7th day its the naming ceremony. its calling 'pull na doe' or komojadeh' if its a girl its 8 days, after prayers have been done, the name of the child will be whispered into the child's ears and  a sheep would be slaughtered, the entrails are given to the mum and the name would be announced  to everyone. if the child has name sakes in the gathering, they all pay for the name to the mum.The baby's hair is cut off by the paternal aunt and kola is chewed and put in the baby's mouth.
Soon after if its a boy ,they circumcise him its called 'behtee', a guy with goat skin bag would circumcise him ( i was scared of them ) lol.

On to engagement, when a guy sees lady he likes and wants to get married to her, he and his family members would come to the girl's family with a calabash  filled with things, alligator pepper,biscuits, bitter kola, ordinary kola nut, needle and thread, pins, a mat, fanna ,plenty other  things (cant remember them now)and money for all the people who helped to bring up the girl, the people she sent on errands and so on. the calabash is given to any young girl to carry . At the wife's house, the door will be firmly shut, they will come sing and then knock three times, if its a stubborn uncle at the door, he would demand for money before opening or he would pretend he didnt hear what they are saying, when he finally opens the door, the guy's family will say that saw a rose in the compound that they want to take away for safe keeping, then different girls would be covered up and brought outside for the groom  to identify his bride, for each girl that comes out he has to drop some money  until his bride to be appears, then they do the prayers, open the calabash and explain the use.meaning/significance of each to her, then they give her the ring and she now goes around with it showing the invited guests, neighbours and everyone else around, then we party


Weddings
The bride and groom to be have to choose two respectable married people to be their God parents and God witnesses, then they choose their entire entourage, little bride, little groom. ring bearer, usherettes, ushers, bridesmaids, flower girls, page boys etc ,and they choose wax cotton or anything, each for  every group (boys side/girls side/ relatives/ god parents and god witnesses) choose their own. then they have the bachelors  eve, plenty merry making and people wear their cloths ( known as ashobee). The day of the wedding, the bride's youngest brother/daddy/uncle takes her to the mosque/church.the bride is a bridal gown and the guy in  suit/kaftan and oku wrapper  on his hand ,(for muslims), After  prayers and all that, they now go round to older relatives to drink water, after drinking water, they now head to reception/party.

for some people they add extra cultural activities like hunting, orjeh, gerafeh, and the likes to celebrate afterwards (not everyone does this)

funeral
when a muslim dies, he/she is buried as soon as possible, if you die like in the morning you;ll be buried at 2oclock or 4oclock, they will lay the body at home for relatives and friends and see and then they take the body to the mosque for prayers and then burial. If the person that died was male, his wife/wives would go to  a mourning period for 4 months and 10 days, wherein they only wear white,the first 10 days they are not allowed out of their rooms, some one would be bathing them and so on.In addition, they'll take out a book and ask for those that he/she owned or for those that should pay him or her, so that they pay up and if the deceased owed you, you would give your name plus the amount and that will be given to you from the 'kasankeh' ( the money people give to pay their respects to the deceased

when a christian dies, they wait until all the family members agree on a burial date, then they proceed to wake keeping (some do not do it though), they do laying out ceremony and then the casket is sealed and taken to church. If the person that died was very old, powder or blue would be thrown on the relatives and the casket would be danced with till the cemetery.

After the funeral.
Muslims do 3 days,7 days and 40th day charity,1 year 2 year and so on (if the person that died was old, they would cook plenty food,if the person was mid age, they would prepare snacks only, like akara,beans,  ginger beer  etc but if it was a young person they only recite the Quran and share fura/kola. Water in a glass plus some of the fura/kola is kept on a table , its believed that the deceased comes to eat and drink it  .Christians do libation for the dead on 40th day, they cook and the food is done like a sara, you grab what you can. its called kapu kapu, they also put water but with beans, akara,potato etc which is believed the deceased will come and eat it, most times the grandkids would go and thief it in  the morning the older folks would be telling stories of how they saw  and heard the deceased ( yeah right) 

will post more as i remember

@mukina2

Thank you very much for your explanations. It is really very interesting and I like it very much.
I hope you will tell us more, soon.

mukina2:

I am From Sierra Leone and i'll give our ways of celebrating naming ceremony, engagement, marriage, death and charity (sara) as i remembered them

When a woman gives birth  to a boy after the 7th day its the naming ceremony. its calling 'pull na doe' or komojadeh' i

wow. those are yoruba words and customs too.
are you creole? 'cause I know the creoles are originally yoruba.

☻ajali☺:


@mukina2

Thank you very much for your explanations. It is really very interesting and I like it very much.
I hope you will tell us more, soon.

thanks Ajali

oyinda.:

wow. those are yoruba words and customs too.
are you creole? 'cause I know the creoles are originally yoruba.

lol nope am not creole and yeah they have Yoruba ties, because i noticed that some words we use are also being used by Yoruba, .ours is called Oku tribe.

Oyinda, trying to claim anything as Yoruba.

mukina2:

lol nope am not creole and yeah they have Yoruba ties, because i noticed that some words we use are also being used by Yoruba, .ours is called Oku tribe.

Well the poster has clarified that they have ties to Yorubas

@Mukina,your account is so similar to we yorubas,its very nice and interesting. ,btw,Asalamu Aleikum

@some posters,na so so,pigmeat,dnt your country eat beef or fish?

Hey guys, I have a friend from Trinidad and Tobago, his name is Kayode and his son's name is Babatunde and he doesnt even know that these names originates from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria.
I guess his ancestors retained the name during and after the slave trade some 200 years ago.
Most likely they would have also retained some African traditions in the Caribbeans.

Interestin topic, Im lovin it.

@Mediatrix, what city in China are you in?. . .Guangzhou, Donguan, shengzen, Shanghai or Nanghai?