Tag: ooh

placesandpalaces:

A Hakka walled village is a large multi-family communal living structure that is designed to be easily defensible. This building style is unique to the Hakka people found in southern China. 

 The Hakkas who settled in mountainous south western Fujian province in China developed unique architectural buildings called tu lou, literally meaning earthen structures. The Hakkas set up these unique homes to prevent attack from bandits and marauders. The tu lou 土楼; are either round or square, and were designed as a large fortress and apartment building in one. Structures typically had only one entranceway and no windows at ground level. Each floor served a different function – the first hosts a well and livestock, the second is for food storage and the third and higher floors contain living spaces. Tu lou can be found mostly in south western Fujian and southern Jiangxi provinces. Tulou buildings have been inscribed in 2008 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. 

Debut Author Rebecca Roanhorse Answers 5 Questions About Her Apocalyptic Native American Fantasy Trail of Lightning

jenniferrpovey:

animatedamerican:

minoritiesinpublishing:

“The elevator pitch was an “Indigenous Mad Max: Fury Road.” I
think that really captures the pacing and the sensibility of the book.
This is an all-out breakneck apocalyptic adventure with a primary cast
of Navajo characters, and it takes place wholly on the Navajo
reservation.” 

Well hell, I’m SOLD. Book comes out June 26th from @sagapress. 

Oh damn, do I ever want to read this.

Intriguing.

Debut Author Rebecca Roanhorse Answers 5 Questions About Her Apocalyptic Native American Fantasy Trail of Lightning

hufflepuffkat:

the-modern-typewriter:

“Shh, it’s alright,” the villain said. “You’re doing beautifully and I’m so proud of you. But that’s enough now. It was cruel of them to make you fight me – you could never have won. It’s not your fault.”

The ancient and powerful villain may have had a calm and gentle face as he spoke, but he was furious, not at the hero, but the gods for continually sending kids and teenagers to fight their battles.

Swedish archaeologists uncover brutal 5th century massacre | Science | The Guardian

ineptshieldmaid:

This is a report on a three-year dig, so not new news to archaeology but it is new news to me. Cool, slightly creepy news.

Highlights:
– archaeological dig of a 5th c hill fort (cool)
– instead of layers of occupation and gradual abandonment the place was suddenly abandoned after a massacre
– or rather DURING. No one buried the dead. The villagers are still lying where they died, in their houses or while trying to flee
– the place doesn’t seem to have been looted. Animals starved in their pens. Valuable items are still with the bodies
– except for weapons: no weapons anywhere in the site.

So far so cool/creepy.

Bonus: no written record of anything like this
Super bonus: over 1500 years later the locals still avoid the site and warned archaeologists not to go near it, because it’s a bad and dangerous place

Just. What _happened_ here? What did they do, that no one came to bury them (from which I assume no one undertook to avenge them, which would be a Big Deal)?

Swedish archaeologists uncover brutal 5th century massacre | Science | The Guardian

creepyamericana:

Robert Johnson and His Deal with the Devil

Robert Johnson, or at least the mythical version of him, is pervasive in American pop culture. He is considered a “Faustian” character, which essentially means the story surrounding him involves making a deal with

Mephistopheles (a demon) or

Satan

himself. Deals like these typically were said to take place at crossroads, often seen as a metaphorical or actual liminal space, a place where change happens.

The legend goes that Johnson fell distraught after his first wife died in childbirth and he turned to his love of music to cope but he was horrible at the guitar with an unpleasant voice. Johnson was said to have disappeared for a length of time and then returned with great musical skill and a wonderful, mournful singing voice. At a crossroads, marked with the three guitar statue (above), Johnson supposedly met a man who gave him these abilities–in return for his soul. People point to some of his songs like “Cross Road Blues” and “Hell Hound on My Trail” as evidence that he had made the deal with the devil and the hellhounds were there to collect.

Johnson only recorded three records and died at the age of 27 in 1938 due to “mysterious” stomach pains. Of course, the legend would have us believe that the Devil had come to collect his dues. Most people, however, believe that he was poisoned (one way or another) due to flirting with or having an affair with a married woman. Either way, he died very young after putting out only a little bit of music and had only a couple of photos ever taken of him. He’s a figure shrouded in mystery due to how little is known about him but he lives on in our collective imagination, still recognized as the King of the Delta Blues.

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