I've started gathering the gadgets I have decided are required for my upcoming trip to Poland (and bits of the rest of Europe). I don't think I would do very well on Survivor.
The only outstanding bit of kit is an "X-Drive" for offloading digicam pics. I know there's a card reader for the iPod but it's only $100 cheaper than a 40GB X-Drive will be. It also means I can fill the iPod with music and not worry about space for images.
This is short because i'm writing it one letter at a time on the PDA.
Posted by Marcin on
19/11/2004 @ 22:24 +1100
How cool would it be if you could put a link on your website that gave people details about the types of conferences for which you were available to speak, your rates, and how they could contact you to arrange it, and it wasn't a joke.
Posted by Andrew on
05/11/2004 @ 04:23 +1100
The Rakowicki Cementary, just near my house! |
So yesterday was Ancestor Worship Day here in Poland.
Everybody goes to the cemetary. I mean everybody. Only those of you who were in Sydney during the Olympics (which actually probably discludes almost anybody likely to read this) will know what sorts of crowds I'm talking about. Oh, or anybody who's been on the Paris Metro during peak hour. (Ha, that rules out the remainder. Suckers!)
The visitors visit the graves of any relevant family members or friends, or relatives of friends, or friends of friends, or neighbours, or somebody they met once and don't really remember their name but it was kinda similar to this one and I'm pretty sure he died so it'll do.
The ritual is unpretentious but no doubt steeped in history. Participants arrive at the entrance to the cemetary and join the end of a single unbroken conga-line which snakes its way up and down every path possible. Without ever looking where they are, reading signs, or otherwise needing to get their bearings in this vast wasteland of dead bodies and flower arrangements, the participants peel off the queue at exactly the right moment and arrive within 10 steps of a relevant grave.
Upon arriving at the grave they immediately engage in the second phase of the ritual, which begins with inspecting the flowers and candles already set atop the grave, and attempting to ascertain who might've left them and how much they cost. This is followed by a stunted and repetitive dance in which a series of quick sharp gestures are made in the direction of the grave with an old rag held in the hand. This resembles the more definite and thorough gestures one might see if the dancer were actually attempting to brush water off the grave. Perhaps if it were not raining this might've been a more involved activity.
At this point the participant's dance comes to a sharp and slightly embarrassed halt, and a candle in a coloured glass container is removed from a supermarket shopping bag the participant brought with them. In memory of harder times in Poland, participants intentionally do not bring any implement for the creation of fire when they come to the cemetary. This allows them to break into the inter-grave "Do you have a match?" - "No I'm sorry I had to borrow one too" routine, which is performed in conjunction with worshippers at adjacent graves .. or two graves over if need be.
Once the candle is lit, it is placed on top of the grave, in a location roughly related to the cost of the candle itself. This makes the earlier candle/flower inspecting routine easier for worshippers who come later.
The participant then stands silently for a few seconds while staring at the headstone (most of which feature weather-proofed photographs of the grave's owner) reciting a few words under their breath, touch themselves in four places and leave the site to rejoin the snaking queue.
Oh, and there's a priest stationed every couple of meters along the paths. Here you can make donations (Notes only, please) in return for having your loved one's name mentioned in passing during a presumably rather long prayer to be said by unnamed persons at some point in the non-specific future, possibly in a church of some kind. Moneys will not be refunded.
Posted by Andrew on
02/11/2004 @ 07:18 +1100
