Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week and to all of you who took the time to check out what others shared! There were so many amazing ideas from math, books suggestions, recipes and just about everything Halloween. There were so many great ideas, I have had a hard time choosing which is why this Sharing Saturday is opening so late!! Our most clicked was from Dabbling Momma: Halloween Rock Garden.
Showing posts sorted by date for query korea. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query korea. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Sharing Saturday 14-41
Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week and to all of you who took the time to check out what others shared! There were so many amazing ideas from math, books suggestions, recipes and just about everything Halloween. There were so many great ideas, I have had a hard time choosing which is why this Sharing Saturday is opening so late!! Our most clicked was from Dabbling Momma: Halloween Rock Garden.
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Sharing Saturday 14-41
2014-10-10T22:37:00-04:00
Carrie
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Exploring Korea from Home Reviews of Two Books
Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing gave me a copy of these products free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease,but receive no compensation.
Today we are going to share with you two wonderful books from Tuttle Publishing. The first is All About Korea by Ann Martin Bowler. This book is a wonderful introduction to South Korea. It includes stories, songs, crafts, recipes and what life is like there. We really enjoy trying the different things and Hazel insists on trying all of them. This book also has additional resources on the Tuttle Publishing website. The book does a nice job of explaining about the split of North and South Korea and how the focus of the book will be on South Korea.
Korean Folk Songs --Book with CD Review
Have you entered the amazing giveaway for Hispanic Heritage Month yet? There are multiple prizes packs and lots of chances!!
Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing gave me a copy of these products free of charge. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.
Today we are continuing our Korean exploration. We explored Korea a bit with Around the World in 12 Dishes last year and with Kongi and Potgi: A Korean Cinderella. I am finding that although Hazel has an excellent memory in many ways, she does not always remember what we have done or learned. I know repetition is needed for this, so we are revisiting Korea. To kick it off again we are reviewing a wonderful book that comes with a CD. It is Korean Folk Songs by Rober Sang-Ung Choi and Samee Back. It is being released on October 14, 2014. Tuttle Publishing was kind enough to send me a review copy.
Now one of the things I love about this book is the little introduction to each song. The introductions teach a bit about Korea and what life is and was like there through the songs. We learn about the Korean's love of nature and their natural heritage. We also hear a bit about the wars, occupation and life during those. For example there is a sad song, "Thinking of Older Brother," or "Obba Saenggak," that has sad words but a very happy tune since the Japanese prohibited negative or depressings songs during their occupation. The words are about wondering what happened to a girl's older brother went to buy her shoes but never returned.
"Kikyo 06c1340sc". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. |
I highly recommend this book to explore the music of Korea and to learn more about the land and people of Korea. It is a perfect introduction to this culture. To see some of the pages and hear some parts of the songs check out the video above.
For more posts about Korea check out:
- Global Culture
- Korean Doll She is pictured to the right.
- Kongi and Potgi: A Korean Cinderella
- Chap ch'ae
- Lunar New Year
- Asian Crafts
- Asian Pacific Islander Book Round-Up
- Asian Kites (another great Tuttle Publishing book)
- My Multicultural Resources Pinterest Board
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Korean Folk Songs --Book with CD Review
2014-09-18T11:36:00-04:00
Carrie
Asia and Pacific Islands|children's books|Korea|Music|product review|
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Exploring Cherries and Japan
Today I am going to share our exploration of cherries and the end of our exploration of Japan. At Hazel's request we have been exploring different fruit. She pulls out her magnifying glass and fruit journal and colored pencils for our exploration. We look at the outside of the fruit and record our observations and then I cut them open and we look at the inside and record our observations. Then of course we taste the fruit. We did this with the cherry.
Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: The Golden Slipper: A Cinderella Tale from Ukraine
So this month Around the World in 12 Dishes is visiting Ukraine. I am behind in writing the intro and cooking something, but imagine my surprise when choosing a story at random from The Magic Egg and Other Tales from Ukraine by Barbara J. Suwyn I found a Cinderella tale. Hazel and I have been enjoying stories from this book each night. I pick one at random to read to her as part of our bedtime stories.Since today is the day I usually would share our food from the Ukraine, I thought we would share the Cinderella tale called "The Golden Slipper".
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Carrie
Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: The Golden Slipper: A Cinderella Tale from Ukraine
2014-07-21T12:26:00-04:00
Carrie
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Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: The Persian Cinderella
Source: Samuel Augustus Mitchell [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: Angkat: The Cambodian Cinderella
I thought I would try to finish the fairy tales that I know of and can get for our series of Fairy Tales in Different Cultures. This one is Angkat: The Cambodian Cinderella and the version I used is written by Jewell Reinhart Coburn. Since i have been away this weekend and have had one of those days, I am going to skip giving you information about Cambodia. I also am using crafts we have shared in the past. To see the original post, just click on the picture!
A lonely fisherman lives with his daughter, Angkat, in
Cambodia in a riverside home. Angkat (which means ash child)
was dutiful and obedient. Beyond the
fisherman's ponds lived a widow with her daughter, Kantok. Kantok was
beautiful, but no redeeming qualities. The fisherman met the widow one day and shortly after they
became married. The stepmother wanted Kantok to become the Number One daughter
in the family. Angkat was upset and protested since the Number One daughter
rightfully would be her. The stepmother proposed a test of fishing. The daughter who came
back with the most fish would be Number One daughter. The Number Two daughter
would have to serve the family without complaint.
On the day Angkat took her basket and went into the cold pond and
caught four fish. Kantok, who was lazy, dilly dallied along the way and arrived
at the pond as Angkat was finishing. Angkat was cold and tired so she came out and wrapped her dry sampot
around her. She wedged her basket with four fish in it between two rocks in the river and took a
nap.
While Angkat slept, Kantok stole three of the fish from her
basket and tipped the basket over to make it look like they escaped on their
own and then ran home with the three fish. When Angkat woke up she found her
stepsister gone and only one fish in her basket. She knew she was doomed to be
the Number Two daughter. On her way home she let the poor little fish in her
basket go in one of her father's ponds. While out doing her chores one day a shimmering fish came
out of the pond and spoke to her. She recognized the little fish and saw a good
spirit possessed it. She began to feed the little fish some of her rice. After
this Angkat was no longer lonely.
Blue Fish with Rainbow Fish Qualities |
Kantok got suspicious of what was making Angkat so happy and
followed her one day. She saw Angkat feed the fish some rice. The next day when
Angkat was down the river fishing, Kantok caught the fish and brought him home for lunch.
Angkat was so upset when she realized her small friend was gone. She ran home to her mat and cried. The spirit of
virtue appeared to her and told her what happened to her friend and told her to
get the fishbones and put them under her mat that night. The next morning a
beautiful pair of golden slippers were under her mat. The Spirit of Virtue told
her to leave one that night by the open window and the other under her mat, and
she did. She woke up to a large black bird carrying away the slipper. She was
very upset.
Shortly after the prince was out walking in the palace
gardens when a bird swooped down and dropped the golden slipper into his hands.
At first he wondered why the slipper was dropped there, but decided that it was
to help determine who his bride should be. He began the search for the woman
who could fit the slipper. The stepmother, father and Kantok left to have Kantok try on
the slipper telling Angkat she had too much work to do to try it on. The stepmother took a bowl of rice and
scattered it over the nearby field. She told Angkat she could attend the
celebration after she had collected every single grain of rice. Angkat's father did not speak up for Angkat and left with his wife and stepdaughter. After they left a flock of chicken appeared and quickly
filled her basket with every grain of rice, so Angkat could go to the
celebration and try on the slipper. She quickly changed into her best sarong
and hid the other beautiful slipper inside and set off to the palace.
The prince was happy to see her when she arrived since no
one had fit into the slipper. He insisted on having her do it right away and of
course it fit perfectly and she pulled the other one out. He married her after
the court women prepared her to be a princess with silk, fragrant oils and a
multitude of flowers. The prince and Angkat were happily married and truly loved
one another. However her entire family was very jealous of her and developed a
scheme to get rid of her and have Kantok take her place. Her father sent a
message to the prince saying he was gravely ill and needed his daughter home
with him. Since the prince loved Angkat he permitted her to go.
When she arrived she was ordered to make her father hot
soup. When she got close to the big pot on the fire, they knocked it over on
her and killed her. They put sad looks on their faces and went to tell the
prince of Angkat's death. They offered him Kantok as a substitute wife. The
prince allowed her to stay at the palace to honor Angkat's memory. He was grief
struck.
When the stepmother and father returned home they discovered
a large beautiful red-leafed banana plant in the very place Angkat had been
killed. The stepmother ordered the father to get rid of it since she feared
Angkat's spirit had come back to haunt them. He got out his machete and cut it
down in pieces then he went far into the forest and spread the pieces out.
Everywhere a piece landed sturdy bamboo
shoots rose from the ground.
The companions of the prince took him on a hunting trip to
try to get his mind off Angkat's death. They decided to camp in a bamboo grove.
While sleeping there he heard something comforting in the wind. He listened
more closely and then ordered that all the bamboo be dug up and brought back to
the palace. Then he sat in his bamboo grove each day.
One day he heard Angkat's voice telling him she was with
him. The prince begged the Spirit of Virtue for the return of his true love.
First he saw her faintly and then they touched hands. When Kantok looked out
the palace window and saw this, she screamed and ran away from the palace. The
family was banished from Cambodia and the prince eventually became king with
Angkat his queen. They ruled over the kingdom in peace and joy for many years.
I found this version so interesting since the father was not just an invisible bystander or dead. He actually helped devise a plan to kill his own daughter. I also see so many ties to other Asian versions of the story. There is the fish which is in the Middle Eastern version, Chinese versions, Vietnamese version, and Thai version. Many of these also include the scattering of the rice with the aid of some birds. The Egyptian version has a bird that drops the slipper in the pharaoh's hands. You can see how the story has changed in different countries, but how it probably started as the same story at some point.
I found this version so interesting since the father was not just an invisible bystander or dead. He actually helped devise a plan to kill his own daughter. I also see so many ties to other Asian versions of the story. There is the fish which is in the Middle Eastern version, Chinese versions, Vietnamese version, and Thai version. Many of these also include the scattering of the rice with the aid of some birds. The Egyptian version has a bird that drops the slipper in the pharaoh's hands. You can see how the story has changed in different countries, but how it probably started as the same story at some point.
For more Cinderella in different culture posts:
- Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella
- Golden Sandals: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Tale
- The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Cinderella Tale
- Chinese Cinderella Tales
- The Korean Cinderella
- Kongi and Potgi: A Cinderella Tale from Korea
- Kao and the Golden Fish A Cinderella tale from Thailand
- The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Tale from Indonesia
- My Cinderella Pinterest Board
Asian Kites
Hazel has been asking to fly a kite for awhile. Somehow whenever we are at my parents, it does not happen. They live near a beach and usually have more wind (and less trees and power lines) than us. Plus my father has some kites or at least he thinks he does. Well I bought her a cheap Disney Princesses kite and we are taking it to my parents' house this weekend. She is so excited. I told her by having her making paper kites in Asian styles with me first. I was really excited to find Asian Kites by Wayne Hosking at our local library.
All of the styles of kites we made came from this book. The book explains how to make real kites with Silkspan, however I was not looking to make kites to fly, but kites to show Hazel different styles from the Asian countries. We made them with paper and streamers. In fact we used leftover black streamers from Oriental Trading that we reviewed in our Minnie Mouse Pinata post. We also substituted drinking straws for the balsa wood to strengthen the kites.
Source: Wikimedia Commons |
China gets to boast the first written record of a kite flying dating back to 196 B.C.E. The description tells how the Chinese general Han Hsin flew a kite to help calculate the distance his army would have to tunnel to escape. There are many legends of how the Chinese attempted to use kites in battle. The Chinese also used them for cultural and religious significances. With the invention of paper by Tsai Lun, kites became a universal folk art and possible for all people to enjoy flying. From a Kite Day Festival to scaring away evil spirits at grave sites, the Chinese have a rich history of kite flying. Today China has six main kite regions. Each region uses a unique kite style. October is the traditional month for kite flying, but due to favorable winds kite flying season usually runs from the Chinese New Year through Qingming, the day for mourning the dead on April 5.
We chose to make the Butterfly kite. The book describes it as a fair to good flier in light to gentle breezes. The Chinese often make and fly Butterfly kites because they represent beauty and a free spirit. There is also an old saying: "Only the greatest artists go to heaven to paint butterfly wings.
Kites have a long history in Malaysia as well. In fact some scholars believe Malaysia may have been the birthplace of kites. In Malaysia kites are called wau. A legend from the state of Kedah say the knowledge of how to build a kite is an effort to appease the heavens. If you visit northern Malaysia any time from April to June you will most likely see colorful kites flying. During this time they have monsoon winds which are strong enough to fly large kites and also it is after the rice harvest and is a time when farmers and fishermen celebrate life.
We chose to make the Mini Wau. The Mini Wau is a child's kite that is often flown from a stick. Since they believe the wau is a gift from the gods, they fly them in hopes of good fortune. This one I made out of tissue paper which the book said could be used instead of lightweight Silkspan.
Kite flying is very popular in Thailand as well. Oral tradition puts kite flying back in the 13th century when Thailand became a country. The earliest recording of kite flying was a ritual priests performed. They were also part of fighting war as well as just a love of the entire country. Kites often were entangled with the roofs of the royal palace. Eventually there was an edict forbidding flying kites over the palace. Based on a challenge of King Rammi II, a traditional kite game is established and is now a national sport held each March in front of the royal palace.
We chose to make the Thai Fish kite. It is said to be a fair to good flier in gentle to moderate breezes. The fish is a major source of food in Thailand. It is second only to rice and since both are associated with water they are said to belong together. The fish often represents abundance.
Korea may have gotten kites from China during the period of the Three Kingdoms. Kites are called Yeon in Korea. Kites have not changed much in Korea over the centuries. Kite flying is part of many ceremonies and once again there are many stories of how kites were used. The kite flying season closely relates to the agricultural cycle. Koreans begin flying kites on the first day of the lunar calendar and the kite season lasts for fifteen days. There is also an annual custom of kite fighting. Kite fighting involves trying to cut the other kites' strings. They do not attach blades of any kind, but use skill of the flier and the specially prepared string to do this. Once cut, the freed kite belong to whomever can capture it. They have special kites for kite fighting called a bangpae-yeon or shield kite. There are also special kites to fly on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar to fight off evil. Traditionally the flier of these kites releases the line after all of the line is out. These special kites include the aeg-mag-i-yon and song-aeg-yon.
We chose to make the Ga-o-ri-yon or ray fish kite. It is fair to good flier in light to gentle breezes. It is a rhombus shape and resembles a sting ray in the sky. It is typical of children's kites all over Asia.
During the seventh century Japanese civil servants brought the knowledge of kites and paper from China. Kites held a special importance in Japan and only the privileged class and monks could fly them. The monks used them to keep evil spirits away and invoke a rich harvest. The Japanese considered kites a way to carry petitions to the spirit gods. It is also a traditional Japanese belief that a destroyed kite's soul is released and is free to be reborn in another kite. There are many Japanese folk stories involving kites. There are approximately 340 different traditional kites made in forty-two districts of Japan. Families share their heritage today through kites on special days like New Year's Day and Children's Day. There are also kite battles in May and June.
We decided to make a kao-no-tako or octopus kite. It is a fair to good flier in gentle to moderate breezes. It comes from Sanjo in Niigato (Japan's west coast). Tako means both octopus and kite. During the Edo Period, kite makers often hung these octopus-shaped kites in front of their stores as a sign of their occupation.
Those are our Asian kites and some of the things we discovered about kites in Asia thanks to Asian Kites. Over the weekend I hope to share what we have learned about Children's Day in Japan as well as our craft of a carp wind sock (often mistaken for a kite).
We are sharing this at the Multicultural Kids Blog Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Blog Hop. If you missed our post co-hosting this blog hop, we shared some Asian-Pacific Island crafts and stories we have done and read to learn more about the cultures in that part of the world.
For more Asian-Pacific Island crafts and stories, check out:
- Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Book Round-Up and Link Party
- Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella
- Golden Sandals: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Tale
- The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Cinderella Tale
- Chinese Cinderella Tales
- The Korean Cinderella
- Kongi and Potgi: A Cinderella Tale from Korea
- Kao and the Golden Fish A Cinderella tale from Thailand
- The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Tale from Indonesia
- Anklet for a Princess: A Cinderella Tale from India
- Sora and the Cloud Book Review
- Lunar New Year and The Year of the Horse Book Review
- Julie and the Black Belt Book Series Review
- Thai Banana Cake
- Korean Chap Ch'ae
- Happy Chinese New Year
- Chinese Instruments for New Year Celebration
- Origami Butterflies
- Hazel Cooks Pancit
- Global Culture
- Chopsticks
Fairy Tales in Different Cultures: Abadeha: the Philippine Cinderella
I am doing our Fairy Tale in Different Cultures a day early. I am hoping to have our dish from Croatia tomorrow. I hope you will come see what we make!
Continuing with our Asian-Pacific theme for May, I thought I would share another Cinderella tale this time from the Philippines. The book is Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella adapted by Myrna J. de la Paz. Before I share the story and craft, a bit about the Philippines.
The Philippines is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia. It lies in the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of over 7,000 islands. The total area of the country is about 115,831 square miles making it the 64th largest country in the world. It is a constitutional republic with a presidential system. Filipino and English are the official languages however there are over 171 living languages spoken there. The capital is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon city. It is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator and as a result is prone to earthquakes and typhoons. Its rainforests and coastlines provide diverse ranges of birds, animals and plants. It has one of the highest discovery rates in the world with sixteen new species of mammals discovered in the last ten years. They have many unique species of animals as well as plants like many rare orchids and rafflesia.
In 1521 Ferdinand Magellan arrived and claimed the islands for Spain. The Spanish established Manilla as the capital city in 1571. The Spanish fought many wars with indigenous people as well as other countries for control of the Philippines. The Spanish introduced the idea of free public schooling as well as Christianity. They also brought many different types of food from the Americas like pineapple, corn, chili peppers and tomatoes. In 1898, Spain sold their rights to the United States for 20 million dollars as part of the 1898 Treaty of Paris. In 1935 the Philippines were granted Commonwealth status. During World War II the Japanese Empire invaded and took control until the Allied Forces defeated them in 1945. The Philippines became a founding member of the United Nations and the United States recognized its independence in 1946.
Now onto our story. The story begins as many Cinderella tales do. A fisherman named Abek, his wife, Abadesa, and their beautiful daughter, Abadeha, live happily in the islands called the Philippines. When Abadeha is thirteen her mother suddenly gets sick and dies. Abek and Abadeha are filled with sorrow. Eventually Abek marries a widow from another island who has two daughters of her own. He hopes to make a loving family for himself and Abadeha. However the stepmother immediately notice how plain and mean-spirited her daughters are in comparison to Abadeha. Abek is away from the home more since he has a larger family to support and while he is away the stepmother mistreats Abadeha making her work from morning to night cleaning the house, cooking all the meals, fetching the water from the river and tending the stove. She is often covered with soot and each night she is so tired she falls asleep on the kitchen floor. Her stepsisters began to tease her for her dirtiness. The stepmother begins to throw impossible tasks for Abadeha to do like change a black handkerchief to white and a white one to black or she will be whipped. Abadeha goes to the river crying and missing her mother. She cries out a prayer of sorts to her mother and the creator of earth. Suddenly the Spirit of the Forest appears and promises Abadeha that all of her hard work and patience will be rewarded. Then she changes the handkerchiefs for her. When Abadeha returns home, her stepmother is angry that she was able to do it. The next morning she has Abadeha spread newly harvested rice on a mat to dry and then pound the winnow and cook the rice for the evening meal. While Abadeha works in the kitchen a wild pig wanders into the yard and eats the rice while the stepmother watches. The stepmother does nothing until the pig has left and then tortures Abadeha and tells her she must mend the mat that the pig shredded. Abadeha takes the shreds of mat to the river and says her prayer again. The Spirit of the Forest comes even quicker this time. She has female spirits quickly repair the mat and gives Abadeha a sarimanok. A sarimanok is a chicken with a long flowing tail and feathers the color of the rainbow. The stepmother is annoyed again when she sees Abadeha has completed the task. She takes the sarimanok from her and tells her she will take care of her pet for her. Early the next morning she chops off its head and feet and begins cooking it for dinner. Abadeha sees it and weeps. She grabs its feet and runs to the river. The Spirit tells her to bury the feet by her mother's grave and to pray to her ancestors. She does this and plants a garden around her mother's grave as well. It is awhile before she returns to her mother's grave and when she does she discovers a tree filled with treasures like jewelry and gowns. She grabs a few pieces of jewelry and keeps the enchanted tree to herself.
While hunting in the forest, the son of the island chieftain saw a sarimanok. He followed it to Abadeha's secret garden. He took a ring from the tree and put it on his finger. When he returned home his finger began to swell and he could not get the ring off. He told his father about his finger and how he was in great pain. His father sent for the Babaylan, the priest healer. The Babylan told him he had to listen to his heart. That night the pain in the prince's finger was so great and he had a dream where a sarimanok brings him an orchid and when the prince kisses the flower it turns into a beautiful maiden who shows him the ring in her hand. He tells his father of the dream and his father announces that the girl who can remove the ring from his son's finger will marry his son. When Abadeha heard this announcement she asked her stepmother to go and her stepmother locked her in the kitchen and then went to take a nap. The Spirit of the Forest came and unlocked the door for her. When she arrived her stepsisters were there. They began to yell at her for being there. The prince heard the commotion and asked Abadeha to come to him. She lovingly was able to take the ring off his finger even if she was dressed in rags. The prince was overjoyed and married her. Abadeha wore the golden gown and the jewelry from the enchanted tree. Her father came home just in time for the wedding. The prince banished the stepmother and her daughters to the chicken yard. Abadeha and the prince shared their happiness and wealth with the people on the islands and lived in peace and love and harmony.
In the author's note it is mentioned that this story is a traditional Philippine folktale that has disappeared from mainstream Philippine folk literature. With more than 300 years of Spanish colonization and a century of Americanization this is a common casualty there. She wanted to record the story before it was lost forever.
As a craft I made a paper plate sarimanok. I did it similar to the sea gulls Hazel and I made at the library a few weeks ago. I added the red comb and the tail of rainbow feathers. It is very easy.
For other Asian-Pacific Island Cinderella tales check out:
Continuing with our Asian-Pacific theme for May, I thought I would share another Cinderella tale this time from the Philippines. The book is Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella adapted by Myrna J. de la Paz. Before I share the story and craft, a bit about the Philippines.
Source: Lonely Planet |
In 1521 Ferdinand Magellan arrived and claimed the islands for Spain. The Spanish established Manilla as the capital city in 1571. The Spanish fought many wars with indigenous people as well as other countries for control of the Philippines. The Spanish introduced the idea of free public schooling as well as Christianity. They also brought many different types of food from the Americas like pineapple, corn, chili peppers and tomatoes. In 1898, Spain sold their rights to the United States for 20 million dollars as part of the 1898 Treaty of Paris. In 1935 the Philippines were granted Commonwealth status. During World War II the Japanese Empire invaded and took control until the Allied Forces defeated them in 1945. The Philippines became a founding member of the United Nations and the United States recognized its independence in 1946.
Now onto our story. The story begins as many Cinderella tales do. A fisherman named Abek, his wife, Abadesa, and their beautiful daughter, Abadeha, live happily in the islands called the Philippines. When Abadeha is thirteen her mother suddenly gets sick and dies. Abek and Abadeha are filled with sorrow. Eventually Abek marries a widow from another island who has two daughters of her own. He hopes to make a loving family for himself and Abadeha. However the stepmother immediately notice how plain and mean-spirited her daughters are in comparison to Abadeha. Abek is away from the home more since he has a larger family to support and while he is away the stepmother mistreats Abadeha making her work from morning to night cleaning the house, cooking all the meals, fetching the water from the river and tending the stove. She is often covered with soot and each night she is so tired she falls asleep on the kitchen floor. Her stepsisters began to tease her for her dirtiness. The stepmother begins to throw impossible tasks for Abadeha to do like change a black handkerchief to white and a white one to black or she will be whipped. Abadeha goes to the river crying and missing her mother. She cries out a prayer of sorts to her mother and the creator of earth. Suddenly the Spirit of the Forest appears and promises Abadeha that all of her hard work and patience will be rewarded. Then she changes the handkerchiefs for her. When Abadeha returns home, her stepmother is angry that she was able to do it. The next morning she has Abadeha spread newly harvested rice on a mat to dry and then pound the winnow and cook the rice for the evening meal. While Abadeha works in the kitchen a wild pig wanders into the yard and eats the rice while the stepmother watches. The stepmother does nothing until the pig has left and then tortures Abadeha and tells her she must mend the mat that the pig shredded. Abadeha takes the shreds of mat to the river and says her prayer again. The Spirit of the Forest comes even quicker this time. She has female spirits quickly repair the mat and gives Abadeha a sarimanok. A sarimanok is a chicken with a long flowing tail and feathers the color of the rainbow. The stepmother is annoyed again when she sees Abadeha has completed the task. She takes the sarimanok from her and tells her she will take care of her pet for her. Early the next morning she chops off its head and feet and begins cooking it for dinner. Abadeha sees it and weeps. She grabs its feet and runs to the river. The Spirit tells her to bury the feet by her mother's grave and to pray to her ancestors. She does this and plants a garden around her mother's grave as well. It is awhile before she returns to her mother's grave and when she does she discovers a tree filled with treasures like jewelry and gowns. She grabs a few pieces of jewelry and keeps the enchanted tree to herself.
While hunting in the forest, the son of the island chieftain saw a sarimanok. He followed it to Abadeha's secret garden. He took a ring from the tree and put it on his finger. When he returned home his finger began to swell and he could not get the ring off. He told his father about his finger and how he was in great pain. His father sent for the Babaylan, the priest healer. The Babylan told him he had to listen to his heart. That night the pain in the prince's finger was so great and he had a dream where a sarimanok brings him an orchid and when the prince kisses the flower it turns into a beautiful maiden who shows him the ring in her hand. He tells his father of the dream and his father announces that the girl who can remove the ring from his son's finger will marry his son. When Abadeha heard this announcement she asked her stepmother to go and her stepmother locked her in the kitchen and then went to take a nap. The Spirit of the Forest came and unlocked the door for her. When she arrived her stepsisters were there. They began to yell at her for being there. The prince heard the commotion and asked Abadeha to come to him. She lovingly was able to take the ring off his finger even if she was dressed in rags. The prince was overjoyed and married her. Abadeha wore the golden gown and the jewelry from the enchanted tree. Her father came home just in time for the wedding. The prince banished the stepmother and her daughters to the chicken yard. Abadeha and the prince shared their happiness and wealth with the people on the islands and lived in peace and love and harmony.
In the author's note it is mentioned that this story is a traditional Philippine folktale that has disappeared from mainstream Philippine folk literature. With more than 300 years of Spanish colonization and a century of Americanization this is a common casualty there. She wanted to record the story before it was lost forever.
As a craft I made a paper plate sarimanok. I did it similar to the sea gulls Hazel and I made at the library a few weeks ago. I added the red comb and the tail of rainbow feathers. It is very easy.
For other Asian-Pacific Island Cinderella tales check out:
- Golden Sandals: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Tale
- The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Cinderella Tale
- Chinese Cinderella Tales
- The Korean Cinderella
- Kongi and Potgi: A Cinderella Tale from Korea
- Kao and the Golden Fish A Cinderella tale from Thailand
- The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Tale from Indonesia
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month -- Book Round-Up
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. I always feel bad about this month. It happens at such a busy time of the year and is often overlooked. May was chosen to mark the anniversary of the first Japanese immigration and the completion of the transcontinental railroad. (The majority of the workers on the railroad were Chinese immigrants.) It also represents such a large area. Asian-Pacific Island includes all of Asia and the islands in the Pacific including New Zealand and the Polynesian Islands. It covers a huge area. (Source)
Although we have no Asian or Pacific Island heritage that I know of, I like to teach Hazel about all the various cultures. I always describe myself as an American mutt since I have quite a mixture of European ancestors and even have some that can be traced to the Mayflower. There is a story in our family history of someone marrying a Native American as well, but I do not know the details. As such I do not identify with any ethnicity besides American and I find it interesting to look at the different ones around. To begin looking into Asian and Pacific Island Heritage we went to the library for books.
The Phillipines
Vietnam
Source: World Atlas |
General Asian Stories and Picture Books
- A is for Asia by Cynthia Chin-Lee
- Asian Children's Favorite Stories by David Conger, Marian Davies Toth & Kay Lyons
- Asian Holidays by Faith Winchester
- Come Look With Me: Asian Art by Kimberly Lane
- I Dreamed I was a Panda by Debra A. Johnson
- Floating Clouds, Floating Dreams Favorite Asian Folk Tales edited by I. K. Junne
- Moon Magic: Stories from Asia by Katherine Davison
- The Tiger's Whisker and Other Tales from Asia and the Pacific by Harold Courlander
- Folk Tales from Asia by Asian Cultural Centre for Unesco
- Tikki Tikki Tembo and More Stories to Celebrate Asian Heritage DVD produced by Weston Wood Studios, Inc.
Asian Crafts and Animals
- Asian Kites by Wayne Hosking
- Haiku: Asian Arts and Crafts for Creative Kids by Patricia Donegan
- Asian-American Crafts Kids Can Do! by Sarah Hartman
- A Kid's Guide to Asian American History by Valerie Petrillo
- Asian Crafts by Judith Hoffman Corwin
- Monkeys of Asia and Africa by Patricia A. Fink Martin
- Really Wild Animals: Adventures in Asia DVD produced by National Geographic Society
Cambodia
China
The Year of the Horse is part of a series of books about the Chinese Zodiac |
The Phillipines
India
Japan
Sora and the Cloud Review |
Korea
Thailand
Vietnam
Asian-Pacific Cinderella Tales
Wishbones and Yeh-Shen
If you know a good book to learn about an Asian or Pacific Island culture or to help celebrate this month, please list its title and author in this link party and share with us all!! You do not need to link a review or post about the book!!
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