Category: historical event

Calendar: January 5

A Year: Day to Day Men: 5th of January

A Cyclist in Blue

On January 5, 1903, the general public could use the Pacific cable for the very first time.

The Commercial Pacific Cable Company was founded in 1901, and ceased operations in October 1951. It provided the first direct telegraph route from America to the Philippines, China, and Japan.

The company was established as a joint venture of three companies: the Commercial Cable Company (25%), the Great Northern Telegraph Company (25%), and the Eastern Telegraph Company (50%). Though the Eastern (a British firm) was the majority shareholder, the CPCC was registered in the United States.

The company used cable ships to lay its undersea cable across the Pacific Ocean from America’s west coast. The cables extended a length of 6,912 miles (11,124 km) and the project cost about $12 million. Before this, messages had to travel across the Atlantic to the Far East via Cape Town, South Africa, and the Indian Ocean, or by way of London to Russia, then across the Russian landline to Vladivostok, then by submarine cable to Japan and the Philippines.

The first section of cable was laid in 1902 by the cable ship CS Silvertown from Ocean Beach, adjacent to the famous Cliff House in San Francisco to Honolulu. It began operating on January 1, 1903. Later that year, cables were laid from Honolulu to Midway Atoll, thence to Guam, thence to Manila. The cables carried the first message to ever travel around the globe from US President Theodore Roosevelt on July 4, 1903. He wished “a happy Independence Day to the US, its territories and properties…” It took only nine minutes for the message to travel worldwide, an incredibly short time compared to past history.

Thanksgiving

Wishing Everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Day.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days.

While no record exists of the historic banquet’s exact menu, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that Governor Bradford sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the event, and that the Wampanoag guests arrived bearing five deer. Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.

Guy Fawkes Day

November 5: Guy Fawkes Day

On the 5th of November, 1605, a group of men attempted to carry out the ‘gunpowder plot’, a failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James the First. The man who was to light the barrels of gunpowder was named Guy Fawkes. The plan was discovered, however, when one of the conspirators sent a letter to his cousin warning him not to visit the Houses of Parliament.

Fawkes was then caught just before lighting the fuse to the 36 barrels of gunpowder; enough evidence to lead to his conviction and execution. Today, the plot continues to be remembered through the use of fireworks, bonfire parties and general celebrations, observed primarily in England, but also in places such as New Zealand.

Fourth of July

Wishing Everyone a Happy Fourth of July!

July Fourth is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and no longer part of the British Empire.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4.

The Theyyam Ritual

The Theyyam Ritual

Theyyam is a popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala, India, predominant in the Kolathunadu area (consisting of present-day Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad and Vadakara and Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikode of Kerala) and also in Kodagu and Tulu nadu of Karnataka as a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs.

The performers of Theyyam belong to the lower caste community, and have an important position in Theyyam. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam.

There are different patterns of face-painting. Some of these patterns are called vairadelam, kattaram, kozhipuspam, kottumpurikam, and prakkezhuthu. Mostly primary and secondary colours are applied with contrast for face painting. It helps in effecting certain stylization in the dances. Then the dancer comes in front of the shrine and gradually “metamorphoses” into the particular deity of the shrine.

He, after observation of certain rituals places the head-dress on his head and starts dancing. In the background, folk musical instruments like chenda, tudi, kuzhal and veekni are played in a certain rhythm. All the dancers take a shield and kadthala (sword) in their hands as continuation of the cult of weapons. Then the dancer circumambulates the shrine, runs in the courtyard and continues dancing there.

New Year’s Eve

Scotland: Festival of Hogmanay, New Year’s Eve

Every December 31st in Scotland, there is held an annual festival “Festival of Hogmanay”. Almost all adult males become festival participants, and they were paraded through the main streets, holding torches. As a result, balls of fire fill the Scotland air throughout the new year’s eve. This Festival is a tradition from generation to generation since the days of the Vikings gained control of Scandinavia.

An example of a local Hogmanay custom is the fireball swinging that takes place in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, in northeast Scotland. This involves local people making up “balls” of chicken wire filled with old newspaper, sticks, rags, and other dry flammable material up to a diameter of 2 feet (0.61 m), each attached to about 3 feet (0.91 m) of wire, chain or nonflammable rope. As the Old Town House bell sounds to mark the new year, the balls are set alight and the swingers set off up the High Street from the Mercat Cross to the Cannon and back, swinging the burning balls around their heads as they go.

At the end of the ceremony, any fireballs that are still burning are cast into the harbour. Many people enjoy this display, and large crowds flock to see it, with 12,000 attending the 2007/2008 event. In recent years, additional attractions have been added to entertain the crowds as they wait for midnight, such as fire poi, a pipe band, street drumming and a firework display after the last fireball is cast into the sea. The festivities are now streamed live over the Internet.

Cold Winter’s Night: Samhain 1523

Photographers Unknown, (Cold Winter’s Night: Samhain 1523: Time Flows Quickly By All Men)

“I was born on the night of Samhain, when the barrier between the worlds is whisper-thin and when magic, old magic, sings its strong and sweet song to anyone …”

LIE LUGNAEDON MACCI MENUEH

(The Stone of Lugnaedon, The Son of Limenueh)

The Annual Light Festival

The Annual Light Festival in Ghent,  Belgium

Ghent is the first city in Belgium to have a complete lighting plan designed for it. The Light Festival wants to bring the Light Plan in the spotlights and reveal a glimpse of the unique and hidden charm of the city. During the Light Festival you can embark on an exploratory voyage along the wintery track in the Ghent city centre and plunge in the most exciting light experiences.

A subtle game of beams that reflect on the water surface, unexpected projections on buildings, poetic shadows that play in the semidarkness between the hidden treasures of the city. About fifteen internationally renowned artists and light designers lead you during the darkest days of the year along a 6 km track. On several unique locations, both inside and outside, you can admire the work of the light artists.

Unconfirmed Dates for 2016: January 26-29. Confirm dates before traveling.

The Fortress of Brest

Artist Unknown, “Courage”, 1971, Reinforced Concrete

Located in the city of Brest in Belarus, the sculpture “Courage” at the War Memorial Complex is a tribute to the famous “courage” defense of the Red Army against the German assault on the Soviet Union during the first days of World War II. The 32 meter high monument displays the head of a soldier next to a flag with hammer and sickle. On the back side of the monument one can find bas-reliefs representing the most important episodes of the fortress defence

The development of the War Memorial Complex was headed by sculptor Aleksandr Pavlovich Kibalnikov, a laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes of the USSR and a popular painter of the USSR.

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino

Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, “L’ Incendio di Borgo (The Fire in the Borgo)”, (Detail), 1514, Fresco, 670 x 500 cm, Apostolic Palace, Vatican City

Born in early April of 1483, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, known as Raphael, was an Italiam painter and architect of the High Renaissance period of Italy. His artwork is known for its clarity of form, the ease of the composition, and the visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human greatness. Raphael, along with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, form the traditional trinity of great masters of that period.

Raphael’s fresco “L’ Incendio di Borgo”, which is in the Vatican Museums in Rome, depicts an episode taken from the “Liber Pontificalis” concerning the 847 fire which flared up in the neighborhood in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. On that  occasion Pope Leo IV imparted a solemn blessing from the Loggia delle Benedizioni, which miraculously extinguished the fire and saved the church and the people. The fresco has the clear intent of being a political allegory that presented Pope Leo IV to his contemporaries as the peacemaker who had put out the flames of the war.

The figures and architectures of the fresco clearly recall and allude to the Virgilian description of the Trojan fire. To the left of the fresco, as seen in the detail above,  are Aeneas with his father Anchises on his shoulders, his son Ascanio on the side and his wife Creusa behind. The Corinthian colonnade is reminiscent of the “Temple of the Càstori” , part of the Roman Forum in Rome.

Assassination of Empress Elisabeth

Artist Unknown, “The Assassination of Empress Elisabeth of Austria in Geneva by Luigi Lacheni”, 1898, Le Petit Jounal, Issued September, 25, 1898

On September 10th of 1898, anarchist Luigi Lacheni used a tapered file to fatally stab Empress Elisabeth of Austria during her visit to Geneva. She and her lady-in-waiting countess Sztáray had departed their hotel on Lake Geneva to ride a paddle steamer to Montreux at the foot of the Alps. Since Elisabeth disdained royal processions, they walked without any attendants.

On the docks in the early afternoon, Lucheni approached and stabbed Empress Elisabeth below her left breast with a wooden-handled, four-inch file, a work tool used to file the eyes of industrial needles. Badly wounded, the Empress nevertheless continued walking, supported by two other people, a distance of one hundred yards to board the departing steamer. 

Aboard the steamer, Contess Sztáray noticed Elisabeth’s bleeding and notified the captain of the steamer, who ordered its return to shore. Upon landing, the Empress was carried back to the hotel on a makeshift stretcher. Two doctors pronounced Empress Elisabeth dead with an hour of the attack.

The assassin Luigi Lucheni was apprehended upon fleeing the scene; and his weapon was found the next day. Lucheni told the authorities that he was an anarchist who came to Geneva with the intention of killing any sovereign as an example for others. He was tried in October and received life imprisonment, the death penalty having been abolished in Switzweland.