Mango Languages

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

St. Patricks Day is is quickly approaching  and Mango Languages has just what you need to speak a little Irish on St. Patricks Day. But first, check out some of these fun trivia facts about this green holiday:

• The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in Boston in 1737.
• Green is associated with Saint Patrick’s Day because it is the color of spring, of Ireland, and of the shamrock.
• 19 Presidents of the United States proudly claim Irish heritage—including our first President, George Washington.
• There are four places in the United States named Shamrock (West Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Oklahoma) and nine Dublin’s (Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio are most populous)

Using our Irish course, you won’t only learn how to converse in Irish, but you’ll also learn some insight into the Irish culture.

And if you’d like to ask someone if they would like something to drink…

Or if you find yourself on the receiving side of that question…

From everyone at Mango, we wish you a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy Thanksgiving – Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias!

As Thanksgiving is only one day away in the United States, all of us at Mango want to express our gratitude to you for your constant support and passion that make our job  so enjoyable!

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful but it is also a time to celebrate culture. And what a better way than to explore how people from all over the world celebrate their own Thanksgiving and how people all around the US add their unique traditions as well.

Growing up in a Mexican-American household, Thanksgiving is a perfect example of how two culture can fuse together while still bringing unique traditions to the table (no pun intended!).

While we have the traditional Turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, you can’t expect to sit at my family’s table without also having tortillas and Mexican rice. And instead of only saying Happy Thanksgiving, we also say “Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias”, with a combination of Spanish, English, and even Spanglish conversations all around the table.

And with so many different cultures in the United States, I know my family isn’t the only one to incorporate different cultural foods or traditions into a very traditional American holiday. Take a look at how Arabic cuisine can incorporate “…hummus, tabouli salad, garlic dip, batata harra, which is sautéed potatoes, as an alternative to the mashed potatoes,”  as  Denise Hazime, of Mediterranean cooking website DedeMed.com explains.

Other countries also celebrate Thanksgiving in their own way. The day and way of celebrating may be different, but it is clear that traditions, culture, and most importantly, giving thanks, are always the main components of this special day.

In what ways do you add your own flavor to Thanksgiving?

Cheers to Oktoberfest

“O zapft ‘is!” These are the words (a Bavarian term meaning, “it’s tapped!”) that each year mark the start of Munich’s massive Oktoberfest celebrations.  And when we say massive (or riesig, as Germans would say), we really mean massive.  Last year’s Oktoberfest pulled in approximately 6.4 million visitors, who collectively consumed about 7.1 million liters of beer!  (In addition to almost 90,000 liters of wine, more than 119,000 pork sausages, and over 500,000 units of chicken!)

While many tourists of course focus on beer as the primary attraction of Oktoberfest, the festival truly has so much more to offer in terms of entertainment, culture, and fun.  Take for example, the fantastic Bavarian bands that play in the beer tents from morning to night.  They keep the crowds alive with a hearty mix of traditional songs, Schlager (kitschy pop music popularized during the 60s and 70s), and modern hits….stopping every so often to lead the crowd in a “Prosit”, or musical toast, after which the crowd lift their massive krugs of beer in the air and chant the phrase “oans, zwoa, drei, g’suffa!” (a toast in Bavarian dialect which means “one, two, three, drink up!”)

But the music isn’t the only thing to envy about the Oktoberfest.  They also serve an array of fantastic food, including Hendl (roast chicken), Schweinehaxen (pork knuckles), Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), Schoko-oderglasierteFrüchte (chocolate-covered or glazed fruits) and Lebkuchenherzen (heart-shaped gingerbread cookies).  The Lebkuchenherzen are sold on hanging ribbons and each are emblazoned with a term/phrase of endearment written in icing (like Ichhabdich so lieb = “I love you so much,” or Schatz = “sweetheart,” literally “treasure”).  Oktoberfest-goers like to purchase these treats for their significant others, so it’s not uncommon to see men and women walking around with a Lebkuchenherz hanging from their neck.  Some choose to eat the gingerbread right away while others hang it on their wall at home as a souvenir from the festival, allowing it to dry out and become an ornament.

And you can’t forget the rides!  Each year a number of carnival rides, including a full roller-coaster, are constructed on the Theresienwiese (meaning “the field, or meadow, of Therese”) in Munich.  The Theresienwieseis often just called “theWiesn” for short, so if you hear somebody saying “I’ll meet you on the Wiesn,” that means that they’re planning to meet you at the Oktoberfest!

In celebration of Oktoberfest, we are offering an Oktoberfest course for a limited time. So  jump into your lederhosen and learn how speak, and not just yodel,  German for Oktoberfest. Click HERE to start learning!

Do you have a special way of celebrating Oktoberfest?  Have you ever been to Oktoberfest in Munich?  Please share with us your favorite stories about this festive time of year!

World Wednesday: Chong Yang Festival

The Chong Yang Festival, otherwise known as the Double Ninth Festival, is observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese Lunar calendar. In 2011, that’s today (Oct. 5).

The name “Chong Yang” in Chinese actually means “double Yang,” and while that might be reminiscent of Chris Farley’s explanation of El Nino, the Yang in this case actually comes from the Chinese concept Yin and Yang. In a nutshell, Yin and Yang represent the positive and negative sides of everything. Yin is considered to be the negative side, while Yang was dubbed positive. This concept was applied to numbers: even numbers belong Yin, and odd ones to Yang. Since nine is an odd number, it belongs to Yang, and since this is a double nine: Double Yang. Also noteworthy, since nine is the largest odd number, putting two nines together symbolizes longevity. Often, there is a focus on the elderly during this celebration.

So how is Chong Yang celebrated? Well, legend has it that a man named Huan Jing was told about a terrible event that would happen on the ninth day of the ninth month, and that he had to rush home and take his family to the top of a mountain, spray dogwood on his bags, and drink chrysanthemum wine to escape their plight. Long story short, they climbed the mountain, sprayed their bags, and drank the wine. This is the tradition that continues today, and the fall weather is perfect for doing this. Many people head outdoors and either hike or climb in the country, and this is generally the last time in the year that people have a chance to do this before winter.

Singin’ in Singapore

If you’re into some far out art from the far east, make sure to look into the Singapore Arts Festival from May 13th to June 5th. This festival originated in 1977 as a highlight of local communities’ artwork and continues every year in May.

Currently, the festival is a mixture of both Western and Eastern art, both traditional and modern.  For the most part, traditional artists have been given the most exposure, but there is a definite uptick in the attention given to up and coming artists.

Partly because of this festival, Singapore has become a major cultural center in East Asia and has seen growing public interest in and demand for the arts. Other events and festivals have also aided to foster the lively cultural scene found in this community.

Although there is an online presence all year long beyond the actual performances, there will be 75 stage shows from numerous countries throughout the whole festival. Awesome!

Share some eastern music, art, or even a story with us!

Pattaya International Music Festival

This year, the Pattaya (not “Pad Thai”) Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in Thailand. The festival is regarded as one of the largest international beach festivals in all of Asia and features over 100 artists from both Thailand and abroad.

With an expected turnout of over 400,000 people, this festival is most definitely going to be making a great deal of noise from March 18-20th.

There is literally something for everyone here.  From rock, to jazz, to pop, a little bit of everything will be featured at the festival.

Hey, You Punched my Blini!

Maslenitsa, also known as “Butter Week,” “Pancake Week,” or “Cheesefare Week,” could possibly be one of the most intriguing religious holidays in the world.

A folk holiday that has not been officially celebrated for 85 years, Maslenitsa began again in 2002.  Its roots are actually in pagan ritual, celebrating the sun and the end of winter, though the festival is now Christian in nature. It is held the last week before the Orthodox Lent begins every year, and is considered the last time of year that Russian Orthodox Christians can eat things like milk, cheese, and other dairy products. Naturally, this is a time when many people like to feast, especially on pancakes (called “blini/bliny” in Russian). Blini are an essential food for Maslenitsa, and unlike American pancakes, they are usually topped with caviar, mushrooms, jam, sour cream, and butter.

Although the roots of the festival are interesting, some of the activities during the week of Maslenitsa are really uncanny. Take the group fist fighting, for instance.  It may sound violent, but this is all done in good fun to commemorate Russian military history, when soldiers supposedly fought each other in hand to hand combat.  Not unusual enough for you? In the past, tamers and their bears used to perform and wrestle during the festival. I’m sure you can imagine who usually won.

Other activities include bonfires, sledding, theater, puppetry, singing, and fireworks. So if you have an extra pair of boxing gloves and a week to eat some tasty pancakes, head on over to Moscow.

Do you know of any other holidays which have both pagan and religious roots?

The Muscat Festival

Beginning in 1998, the Muscat Festival in Muscat, Oman, is a celebration of both traditional arts and culture. Muscat as a city itself is one of the most multicultural centers in the world. Its blend of extreme tradition mixed with modern attractions, along with its position geographically make it a perfect link between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

This year’s festival begins on the 27th of January, and is expected to outdo last year’s attendance of over 2 million people. The festival lasts literally just days short of a whole month, and includes everything from fashion shows, to food festivals, to an extreme sailing series. Littered with concerts, traditional artists, as well as educational events like lectures and novel discussions, this festival literally has something for everyone to enjoy.

Have you been to an international or multicultural festival anywhere in the world? Tell us about it!

Asheville International Children’s Film Festival

Here’s something for all of you movie enthusiasts out there. The Asheville International Children’s Film Festival is held in North Carolina and features over 100 films from over 30 countries.

Aimed for anyone ages 3 and up, the festival aims to provide culturally diverse cinema to promote intelligent discourse and critical thinking later in life. Festival events include an opening night gala, a pancake breakfast, workshops, and school field trip film experiences.

If you’d like to check out what films are being shown, click here.

Do you think that film is a good medium for promoting the importance of culture?

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Stop Partying…

You may have thought Oktoberfest was drawing to a close, but worry not! German Unity Day is here to put a stop to your early October festival-drought.

German Unity Day–also the day of formal German reunification in 1990–is held every year on October 3^rd.  This day celebrates a few different German milestones, including the proclamation of the German Republic in 1918.

The Day of German Unity is celebrated each year with a festival in different cities around the country, alternating every year. For instance, the 2010 festival was held in Bremen, while this year’s ceremony will take place in Bonn.  Some other celebrations also happen in the capital of Berlin, and run right up against the tail end of Oktoberfest, though it’s nowhere near as wild.

The actual date which celebrates German Unity Day has changed in various places and at various times, having been held on November 9^th (The actual day the Berlin wall fell), and June 17^th (remembering a failed uprising of East Germans in 1953).

Do you have any German friends? Are they celebrating?