Jul

Carry Where You Came From With You

by Joyce McGreevy on July 23, 2019

People walking on global map evoke the idea of crossing cultures as we travel through life together. (Image © iStock/ Orbon Alija

We come from everywhere, crossing cultures to build new communities
and enrich each other’s lives.
© Orbon Alija / iStock

Crossing Cultures: A Perspective on Traveling Through Life

Ever since I opened my first “big kid” textbook in third grade, I’ve been fascinated by one of history’s earliest, ongoing events—the ways we the people of Earth are perpetually crossing cultures and coming together again in shared places.

In airports and train stations, the faces of those arriving and departing reflect every emotion—excitement and curiosity, exhaustion and confusion. Meanwhile, we’re all traveling through life.

Alongside the joys and challenges of this journey, we each carry the need for home, a place to come to and people who want us to be there.

People at an airport evoke the metaphor of carrying where you came from with you as you travel through life. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Coming or going, rooted or uprooted, we are all traveling through a world we share.
© Joyce McGreevy

Sometimes the place is a country, a state, or a city. There’s a dance to these shared places that I love, a movement around and with each other that we can witness on any given day.

It’s in the way we share busy crosswalks without colliding, or make room for each other on a crowded subway. It’s in the way we hold doors for one another, help someone carry a heavy suitcase, or ease a stroller safely over an obstacle.

I see it at times when we’ve absentmindedly left something behind, and someone rushes after us, waving our nearly-lost possession like a flag, relieved to restore it to us. And then? With or without a shared language, we share a smile.

In the back-and-forth of deeper conversations, we share more of where we came from. We reveal our attitudes and values. We try out new ideas. We solve problems and work through conflicts. We discover, grow, and celebrate.

In such moments, we’re not just traveling through life, we’re traveling together. Without questioning where others come from, we create something important together—a sense of community that carries us all forward.

We All Come from Somewhere

For all of us in this world, life starts on a particular day in a particular place in a particular culture. Then we start that travel through life. Whether we move to Oregon from Texas or come to one country from another, the people and places we encounter add to our lives, expanding and enriching the culture that we came from.

These encounters are a little like a potluck where everybody brings something from their home and there’s something new for everyone. New tastes, all kinds of food. And the way we share it with each other? That’s called community.

People gathered for a parade reminds the writer that each of us carries where we came from with us and all of us are traveling through life together. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

We all come from somewhere to gather together in community.
© Joyce McGreevy

What We Carry Together

My extended family is daily created by people who carry where they came from. You wouldn’t guess it to look at just me, but collectively, we carry many languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, Irish, Hebrew, English, and Italian.

We cover all different faiths and none. We’re straight, gay, we live in big cities, small towns, and rural areas. We agree and disagree on everything from food to music to our perspectives and philosophies.

In short, we’re like many families today.

Factor in our friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Every time we get together, the circle widens. “We’re going to need more chairs!” someone says and somehow we always find enough.

We carry chairs, we carry food. We carry where we came from, the better to share it.

People at a community supper reflect how each of us can make a difference when we share with others. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

We are better when we share what we carry, when we welcome each other to the table.
© Joyce McGreevy

The Journeys We Share

As humans, where we come from covers a vast array of differences: from our birth years to our personal appearances, from our histories to our hopes, our spoken languages and the unvoiced languages of our dreams—in our cultures and circumstances, our certainties and changes, our traumas and triumphs, our gifts and goals.

As humans, wherever we are, wherever we come from, we have the power to do something truly extraordinary. We can connect across cultures and strengthen each other’s sense of belonging.

Of course, that takes patience.

It takes getting to know one another. Uncrossing our arms and pulling our chairs closer together. Sharing our “travels” and discovering where these journeys of experience connect. Using our words to welcome, our listening to understand.

A community mural labeled with personal values that cross cultures reflects the idea that "carrying where you came from with you" can make a difference to others. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

In sharing our differences, we create solidarity through respect.
© Joyce McGreevy

The Essential Difference that Our Differences Make

Something remarkable happens when we say, “Thank goodness you’re here.” It’s an Oh, I see moment: We discover that the combination of our differences is exactly what’s needed for our worthiest endeavors to flourish.

So much is enriched when we carry where we came from and share the wisdom: a community garden, a classroom, a local business, a theater production, a life-saving surgery, an environmental effort, a country that comes closer to its ideals.

In those times, we find ourselves capable of crossing cultures and comfort zones. In those times, our differences make a positive difference together.

“Welcome,” our actions say. “Pull up a chair, there’s room for everyone at the table.”

In those times, wherever we come from, whatever we carry, we’re traveling through life together. In those times, we’re creating a shared place called home.

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Joyce McGreevy 17 Comments

Crossing Cultures/Life Lessons/Making a Difference

Jul

Cultural Traditions: Kushti Wrestling in India

by Meredith Mullins on July 15, 2019

The ancient art of Kushti wrestling
© Meredith Mullins

An Art “Of the Earth”

If you have run five miles, completed hundreds of pushups and squats, finished a long distance swim, and lifted a few sand bags and giant stones—all before your 6 am training session begins—you might have some of what it takes to become a Kushti wrestler.

You would also have to embrace the idea of showing your strength, endurance, and agility in a mud/clay pit that is the traditional sacred arena of this sport. This is gritty work . . . “of the earth.”

Grace, strength, agility, and endurance: a powerful combination
© Meredith Mullins

And you would, by the way, have to dedicate yourself to a life of discipline and austerity.

Does this sound appealing? Perhaps. Challenging? Definitely.

You would not find these tools at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) training.
© Meredith Mullins

The ancient art of Indian wrestling—called Kushti or Pehlwani—is a different approach to wrestling than the images that come to mind in America when “mud wrestling” is mentioned (bikini-clad mudwomen?).

It has more artistry than the WWE vision of superstars like Hulk Hogan or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson throwing their opponents to the mat with a thud.

Kushti wrestling is about strength, stamina, and agility. But it is also a way of life connected to India’s cultural traditions.

A graceful dance of strength and strategy
© Meredith Mullins

The Philosophy of Kushti Wrestling

For thousands of years, the Kushti training centers in India, called akharas or akhadas, have attracted boys and men from all castes. It is one of the few places where everyone is equal.

Often, the call to be a wrestler is passed down from generation to generation. A boy as young as six can start training.

Early training for children who want a path to a better life
© Meredith Mullins

For some, it is a way out of poverty, a path to becoming a professional wrestler or securing a good job.

For some, it is a way to stay fit and take pride in the power of the body and a life of discipline.

For some, it is a way to pay tribute to the god Hanuman, the god of strength and energy.

The god Hanuman keeps watch over the akhara.
© Meredith Mullins

For all who are in training, it is not an easy life. The training is not just physical, but also requires discipline in all aspects of being. Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and paan (beetle leaves that have psychoactive properties) are all forbidden.

The Kushti diet is restrictive and protein rich—almonds, milk, eggs, butter, fruit, vegetables, and sometimes mutton (although many wrestlers are vegetarian to further purify the body).

The Kushti diet must be rich in protein to support the physicality of the sport.
© Meredith Mullins

These kinds of foods are also expensive in India, which requires a real commitment from a Kushti wrestler (and often a “day job”).

Although it is not a requirement in the contemporary world of Kushti, most of the wrestlers are celibate, so that they can focus on the training. Many live in monastery-like space at the akharas. A simple life, with sleep at 8 pm.

Kushti training takes many forms.
© Meredith Mullins

The Training

Training begins early with a run, swim, and calisthenics. At the akhara, the training tools look like medieval weapons—all designed to build strength and flexibility.

Weapons or training tools? Only the Kushti wrestler knows for sure.
© Meredith Mullins

The heavy wooden clubs, called mugdars, build arm and shoulder muscles. The gada, a stone attached to a bamboo stick, is also a weapon of the god Hanuman. Although it is a muscle builder as well, it is intimidating just as it is. It can weigh from 10 to 130 pounds.

The gada can weigh up to 130 pounds—a tool that can definitely build upper body strength.
© Meredith Mullins

The nar is a hollow stone with a handle inside that gets lifted like an ancient trophy above the head.

None of these tools would be found in a modern gym, which makes the visual story of the akhara so rich with cultural traditions.

In addition, rope climbing, weightlifting, and work on the parallel bars are all part of the daily routine.

Rope climbing builds upper body strength.
© Meredith Mullins

The Wrestling

The rounds of Kushti in the hallowed pit begin at around 6 am, with wrestlers pairing off in practice rounds of about 25 minutes, under the watchful eye of their guru.

The arena is a spiritual place, and no one but the wrestlers are allowed in. The soil (from the banks of the Ganges) is mixed like a cake with Ayurvedic oils, buttermilk, turmeric, clay, ghee (butter), neem leaf, and red ochre.

The soil needs to be soft enough to avoid injury for the wrestlers.
© Meredith Mullins

Water is added to make sure the soil is soft enough to avoid injury to the wrestlers but gritty enough to give them traction in movement.

For the wrestlers, the soil is sacred. They begin their match by rubbing some on themselves and their opponent as a blessing. It is also thought to have healing properties.

The akhara soil has spiritual and healing powers.
© Meredith Mullins

No hitting, kicking, or slapping is allowed in Kushti. The goal is to take down the opponent and pin his shoulders and hips to the ground. There are no partial points, as in some forms of wrestling. It is all about the pin. Strength. Strategy. Agility. Endurance.

The akhara guru watches to give advice on technique.
© Meredith Mullins

After the morning training, the wrestlers often cool off in the soil and get an all-important body massage from fellow wrestlers or trainees.

A cold water shower after training
© Meredith Mullins

They then wash, brush their teeth with neem branches, and, more often than not, go off to work so that they can continue to support their quest as a modern-day warrior.

Brushing the teeth with neem tree branches
© Meredith Mullins

A Dying Heritage: The Somber “Oh, I See” Moment

Despite the graceful beauty and primal energy of Kushti wrestling—as well as its practice for nearly 3000 years—this art/sport is losing popularity among the young. Contemporary forms of wrestling and modern gyms are gaining ground.

The government also has reduced funding for Kushti akharas. The few remaining training centers are struggling to survive.

A dying heritage?
© Meredith Mullins

The spirituality and grace of Kushti raise it to levels beyond just a sport. It is a mysterious, unintentionally sensual dance, punctuated with feats of strength.

It is a way of life that incorporates mind, body, and spirit in the best possible way.

Guru Jwala Tiwari of the Siyaram Akhara
© Meredith Mullins

It is national heritage . . . on the brink of being lost forever.

I, for one, am hopeful that this cultural tradition lives on.

Thank you to Guru Jwala Tiwari of the Siyaram Akhara at Mullick Ghat in Kolkata and the gurus of the Cotton Street Akhara in Kolkata.

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Meredith Mullins 1 Comment

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/India

Jul

Summer Like a Local

by Joyce McGreevy on July 8, 2019

Public street art on Rue St-Famille, Montréal reflects the everyday pleasure of exploring the urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The Widespread Pleasures of Montréal’s Urban Culture

No wonder jazz is a top attraction for visitors to Montréal. The largest city in eastern Canada doesn’t just reflect urban culture, it riffs on it, reinterpreting it in endless variations.

Since visiting Montréal as a child, I’ve returned numerous times, always encountering new layers to its creative nature.

Most first-time visitors stay within a compact area around the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where cobblestone streets and picturesque buildings date to the 17th century. Charming though it is, visiting in peak season can give the impression that all 10 million annual visitors have shown up at once.

That’s why I encourage you to explore beyond the core. Oh, I see: Montréal’s summertime pleasures are generously sprinkled all over the city.

A zip line and Ferris wheel in Montréal suggest that slowing down and broadening your focus are additional ways to explore the urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Here are five ways to celebrate Montréal’s urban culture. Eco-friendly, art-loving, and community-minded, they’ll make you feel right at home.

1. Do your reading in the park.

In many cities, cooling off on a summer’s day means cranking up the A/C. Montréalers keep cool by heading to the nearest green space. With 19 major parks and over 1,300 green squares, you won’t need a map to find one.

A park in Montréal reflects the everyday pleasure of exploring the urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Montréalers’ love of green spaces was formalized in 1874 when Mount Royal became the first protected area in Québec. The design gig for Parc Mont-Royal went to Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed the grounds of New York’s Central Park.

Now Montréal’s green space is on the verge of another growth spurt. Over the next three years, the city will build its largest park yet—four times the size of Parc Mont-Royal—on the urban island’s western tip.

A woman walking and a corner grocery reflect the everyday pleasures of exploring Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

2. Hop to the shop, car-free.

With a dépanneur on virtually every block, shopping for food on foot is easy. Come spring, Montréal’s oldest public markets take off their “winter coats.” Down come the walls that shelter shoppers from 82 inches of annual snowfall.

The Marché Jean-Talon suggests the everyday pleasure of shopping for Québécois products and exploring Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Which market should you choose, Marché Jean-Talon or Atwater Market? Both—and don’t overlook Marché Maisonneuve:

Atwater Market: The tall clock tower makes it a cinch for newcomers to find, and you can work off that maple sugar pie with a run along the Lachine Canal.
Marché Maisonneuve: Test your French fluency, marvel at the 1910 Beaux-Arts building that started it all, and test-ride a self-driving shuttle to Montréal’s Olympic Stadium.
Marché Jean-Talon: Explore the neighborhood known locally as Petite-Italie.

An Italian café in Petite-Italie reflects the everyday pleasure of exploring Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Don’t make a list. Just wander among artful displays of Québécois produce, charcuterie, wheels of cheese, fresh oysters from the Bay of Gaspé, handmade ices, fresh flowers, herbs, and more.

3. Meet the neighbors.

Whatever your language, it’s easy to meet the neighbors in Montréal. I’ve enjoyed conversations in cafés, bookstores, the Segal Center Theatre, a local swimming pool, and while sitting on the curb of Rue St-Denis waiting for a parade to begin.

Even a short stroll can lead to memorable meet-and-greets. Last Saturday I went out for a newspaper. Two blocks later, I was dancing at a neighborhood barbecue. As for Sunday, I’m unlikely to forget meeting Antoine:

Circus artist Antoine Carabinier shows his sense of humor, another reminder of the fun of exploring Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Better known for balancing on the Russian bar in his family’s Cirque Alfonse,
Antoine Carabinier makes a genial barmaid at a Montréal street festival.
© Joyce McGreevy

4. Join the circus.

Every year, visitors flock to Montréal’s Jazz Festival, Cirque du Soleil, the “Just for Laughs” Comedy Festival, and other hot-ticket events.

No ticket? No worries.

Montréal’s creativity spills onto neighborhood streets, spreads across parks, and splashes across walls. Every summer, the roving Repercussion Theatre makes Shakespeare-in-the-Park accessible to all. Murals have a festival of their own. Meanwhile, Montréal Complètement Cirque scatters magic all around the city.

A circus artist performs for an audience on the Rue Maisonneuve, embodying the festive side of Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

5. Debate a local hot topic.

Montréalers have strong opinions about which is better, Fairmount Bagel or St-Viateur Bagel. Thus, it behooves you to “research” both.

But don’t just grab and gobble. Savor the “hole” truth with a lesson from local baker Will Paquet. As my Toronto classmates agree, his bagel-baking class is enriched by culinary science, seeded with local tips, and leavened with humor.

Bagel baker Will Paquet describes an everyday culinary pleasure of Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

As Paquet guides us through the steps, we learn what makes Montréal bagels distinctive. Smaller and thinner than NY bagels, and with a faster transition between proofing and kneading, they are hand-rolled and poached in honey-water. Unlike NY bagels, they’re also flipped halfway through the baking.

Traditionally, Montréal bagels were baked in a wood-fired oven, but the city is phasing this out for environmental reasons. Even so, under Paquet’s tutelage the results are thrilling—a toothsome crunch followed by soul-transporting, soft-as-a-cloud sweetness.

Bagels in various stage of preparation evoke an everyday culinary pleasure of Montréal’s urban culture. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

To buy bagels like a local, says Paquet, order “Sesame, still warm,” consume your bagel within 30 minutes, and don’t bury it under a mound of sandwich fillers. In Montréal, the bagel itself is the star, not the stage.

Extend your urban boundaries

This 377-year old city embraces over two dozen neighborhoods, each with its own personality, flavors, and festivities. Factor in Canadian friendliness, convenient public transport, and a summer sun that stays up late, and you’ve got the perfect excuse to get neighborly with Montréal’s urban culture.

Learn more about Will Paquet’s bagel-making classes here.

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Joyce McGreevy Comments

Canada/Crossing Cultures/Discoveries/On Foot

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