Threepence Journal-Issue One

issue one

Threepence Jo ur nal I ssue 001 EDITORIAL & CR E ATI VE D I R E CTO R B ritta Dreverm a n n ED ITORS Phil B uchanan Am enah Abouw a rd M ichael Keeler V irginia M oran D ESIG N Angela S hi COV ER IMA G E William B lack Contri b u ti ng W ri te rs N atalie L evefre Jason B arger t Adriano B ulla Am anda L andis Sara Powell Alexandra Aono fr i esei & Ivo n a Mi teva R hona R eid Dhwani R am M a n k a d N in M atthew Keeler Heidi G havidel S yo o k i Contact hello@threepencejournal.co

Con t r i bu t i ng Ph otogr a p h e r s H e i mo H us p e k S a m S c hol e s M a rk Ta l bot t D ori s R a pp M i c h a e l M oore C hri s to phe r M c M a hon J o s e ph Wong (Ka i Ya n) B e n G o odw i n N oe mi Pol l ol a R ave n a J u l y B e at ri c e D i S t e f a n o C a mpe r E ngl i s h E l i z a b e t h Wh i t e J u l i o L ó pe z S a gua r Pe t e r J e ns e n M i ng C hun Fre d di e P h i l l i ps Pa o l o R o s a M a u ro B a ro ne J o e l Ki n g N e i l M ora l e e Fra n s D ev ri e s e H os s e i n Fa t e mi J a f a r S h a h ri S h a h i n Ka mal i s peci a l t h a n k s L o ui s e C a ro l an B e n G o odw i n Al t e rna t i ve Pe ru L ov i ng E a r t h Toi ran

Extras & Disclaimers Threepence Journal is a bi-annual publication created in Melbourne, Australia. Copyright and Legal © Miller Street Press 2016 No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or sold without permission. Copyright is either owned by or licensed to Miller Street Press, or permitted by the original copyright holder. Reproduction is only allowed with the copyright holder’s permission. Authors are responsible for their citing of sources and the accuracy of their references and bibliographies. The journal editors and Miller Street Press can accept no liability whatsoever in respect of any errors or omissions in references or citations or any possible violations of third parties’ rights. The views expressed within Threepence Journal are not necessarily those of the publishers or editors and facts and opinions published in the journal express solely the opinions of the respective authors. Although information contained within Threepence Journal is, to

the best of our knowledge, accurate and credible, authors may not be experts in the subject matter covered. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct and accurate at the time of publishing, Miller Street Press cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. It is the responsibility of the reader when sourcing and using, either orally or topically, any raw material covered in this journal that it is the correct species intended for that purpose. The Threepence Journal editors and Miller Street Press specifically disclaims any and all responsibility for the contents, advertisements, and other material submitted to and contained in the journal. A reference to a commercial product in an article or in any advertisement does not, either expressly or by implication, indicate that the editors or Miller Street Press endorses such product, its manufacturer or distributor. The information contained in the journal is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice or instructions for medical diagnosis or treatment and the editors and/or Miller Street Press cannot be held responsible for any errors or for any consequences arising from the use of the information contained in this journal.

editors note

I spent a week in Goa a few years ago. Not to dissolve random powders in my mouth, consider muling or party into the wee hours, but just as a wind down to a trip around India that I was fortunate enough to take. In comparison to many of the beach stretches you can inhabit, I booked a hut at the much more serene Betalbatim beach. The most vivid memory from my stay there was an Indian man working for the resort who consistently and tirelessly tended to anything that needed doing. A man I decided to call the ‘groundskeeper’. I pondered his history each time I ate in the communal dining area, my heart breaking as I contemplated why he always looked so sad, emanating a sense of dignity lost. Was he in fact highly educated yet relegated to this kind of position? Did he work ruthless hours? Did he travel endlessly to his employment? Perhaps he was just having a shitty week? If only I had asked him, or at least attempted to.

I’ve worked high end jobs and low end jobs. I’ve been a cog in the psychopathic corporate model and, sacrificed money for freedom to the detriment of the social construct and the expectations I was inhabiting. I know what it’s like to count pennies for petrol and food. I know what it’s like to be unable to afford a car, or a home. I don’t know what it’s like to not have people around me to step in and help in the really desperate times. I don’t know what it’s like to be a native in Quayaquil and not be able to see other lands, or be destitute on the streets of New Delhi. I don’t know what it’s like to be begging on the streets or rummaging through rubbish to find anything I can hawk. Conversely, I don’t know what it’s like to be a Hilton, or a Branson or a Trump. I don’t know what it’s like for caviar brands to be falling over themselves to sell to me, or receive elite treatment in any hotel. Nor do I want to. Well, maybe the latter once or twice.

What makes for a dignified and fulfilling livelihood? Not necessarily affluence, or even monetary security. The term deprivation is often inherently linked with a perennial shortage of money. I stumbled across an interesting question on a site titled Yvonne’s musings: If a child grows up in a big family with lots of kids, and they don’t have much of anything but all of them are happy, and nobody ever told them they were poor are they still poor?

Our purpose is not to provide a moral compass on the rich-poor divide, but there is a subtle theme throughout this issue exploring the juxtaposition of wealth vs poverty. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to escape economical hierarchy in life, but we can do small things. Small things that may ripple through the years to become something significant in another time, another place, to begin to break down the barriers. This isn’t necessarily in the form of abstract charity, although providing for others to have shelter and food will always be a good thing. Especially in lands such as India, giving a few rupees for the

How much more underprivileged is a child growing up deprived of the riches of the soul?

permission to take a photo is much more respectful than assuming it’s your right and privilege to do so. But on a more generalised scale, charity is often the only thing we focus on. We can be a voice to break down the walls of rich/ poor disparity, such as in Hong Kong, explored here in a personal narrative by Nin, a native Hong Kong everyman’s man, fed up with the vast expanse between those that reside on Hong Kong island and those working three jobs to survive. We can ensure that we are not contributing to supply chains that tax the earth, harvesting from the poor to provide for the rich, such as those demonstrated by the sourcing of Oud oil. We continue the exploration of fragrance materials in Cologne, discovering fragrances across eras, and cultures, and examining some of the psychology behind our “smelly” preferences. We gaze upon the enviable work of Natalie and Carlos who run Alternative Peru, showcasing the lives of native Peruvians to tourists and channelling funds back into quality of life for the locals. We examine the garish opulence of the Victorian era, exhibited in design (Baroque) and food (Polly Put the Kettle On). Running with this theme in Bidding For Tricks, Sara shares her love of the card game, Bridge. In Thespian Adventures we celebrate theatre, once a pastime that literally segregated the wealthy from the paupers, now an activity whose legacy in both form and architecture is to be treasured and preserved. Packing It Right highlights an activity that never seemed to exhibit a social skew: pipe smoking. Styles of pipe and quality of tobacco may have differed,

but the activity itself spread across a wide array of cultures and social classes. Pared back of any distracting wealth or want, Heidi Ghavidel fondly remembers her childhood and shares some beauty recipes passed down through generations in The Attari. A true Persian narrative treasure. The Powder Room explores transforming botanicals into powders for food and beauty. Botanical powders are equally as important for both adorning an opulent plate of food (food art) and helping in times of food shortages. So, I return to my Indian groundskeeper. I couldn’t locate him when I was leaving Goa and as I had fallen in well with one of the attendants (I assume to the same extent as all other guests-he was doing his job well), I left a relatively large tip (by my standards) and instructed the attendant to pleeease pass it on to the ‘groundskeeper’. There was a fair amount of pointing and over-pronounced word formation in an attempt to get the message across. In retrospect, the attendant didn’t struggle to understand. I think I felt the need, due to my own ignorance and desperation, to ensure the tip did in fact arrive at its intended destination. Looking back, the groundskeeper may have been completely content. Perhaps I was projecting unwanted sympathy onto him merely due to my own prejudice of the work he was doing. Primitive doesn’t necessarily equal poor. I won’t ever stop trying to give, but are our attitudes at times a little skewed through naivety of different cultures? An inherent flaw in our societal values? Support doesn’t always equal donations. Support can be time, love or a voice. I hope this inaugural issue of Threepence is enjoyable and inspiring in some way…. -B.

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T h e P o w d e r room

b a roqu e

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c ol o g n e

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t hi s l i t t l e p i g gy

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T h e ATTARI

T he Powder Room

Let’s explore what beautiful creations can be made when sucking the water out of things...Air-drying, freeze-drying, spray-drying: the term dehydration is so retro....and that’s why we love it.

Word s : B ritt a D reve rm a n n

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Botanical Powders

Previous Page Image: Citrus. Credit: Heimo Huspek

the Aztecs ground cacao into powder and added it to smoking tobacco to enhance the flavor of the tobacco.

A n c i e n t R e m e d i e s F r o m N at u r e

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I

n ancient times, the ‘pharmacy’ was the natural world itself, the plants that grew in the soil or underneath the water. People relied directly on nature to supply many of their needs, and it was vital for communities to understand the properties of the plants that grew around them in order to survive and thrive. The leaves, stems and roots of many plants have been dried and ground into powders throughout history. Botanical powders were used for many purposes. Human cultures have been unlocking the powers of various plants through drying and grinding since Neolithic times. Mukhtar Ahmed reports in Ancient Pakistan - An Archaeological History: Volume I: The Stone Age the discovery of tools that would have been used for the grinding of plant foods, supported by analysis of skeleton bones verifying introduction of cereals and flours amongst their previous whole meat diets. Familiar today as a hair treatment, henna is a flowering plant that must be dried and powdered in order to serve its primary function as a dye. Henna has been used for ceremonial body paint since the late Bronze Age.

techniques and early powdered foods, the most famous of which is Maca root. The Moringa plant, which recently garnered attention for its value as a powdered nutritional supplement, also has an ancient backstory. Indian writings, dating as far back as 150 B.C, refer to the Moringa plant. Highly prized by the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians, it has many therapeutic properties, including its ability to protect the skin, to make perfume, and even to purify water for drinking. The application of the above examples and countless others persisted into the Victorian era. Botanical powders were used as ingredients in health tonics and teas intended to purify and detoxify the body, stimulate the appetite, aid in digestion, and address a variety of other problems. With the advent of modern medicine and synthetics, many of these remedies lapsed into relative obscurity. Today, as we seek new ways to supplement our diets, develop supportive natural therapies, and cull some of the chemical load from our lives, botanical powders are being rediscovered in earnest. W h y U s e B o ta n i c a l P o w d e r s?

Another very familiar ingredient, cacao has been cultivated for well over 4,000 years, and was often ground into powder so that it could serve its various culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, and even recreational purposes - the Aztecs ground cacao into powder and added it to smoking tobacco to enhance the flavor of the tobacco.

The benefits of botanical powders are obvious within the context of the ancient world. People lacked the ability to easily transport food over long distances and the technology to manufacture chemical dyes, cosmetics, insecticides and pharmaceuticals. But it is perhaps not immediately clear why the process of drying and powdering plants is still relevant today.

The Incas of Peru made use of the extremes of the Andean climate to pioneer both early freeze-drying

For some, the benefits of preservation, storage, and easy transport are still a top priority, but for

very different reasons. Campers, hikers, wilderness survival experts, and anyone with a mind to prepare for the apocalypse, all appreciate the accessibility of botanicals. However, these are not the only people who can benefit from this aspect of botanical powders. As we lead busier and busier lives, there is little time to routinely buy, prepare, and cook fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Powders provide an easy and convenient way to add a nutritional boost to our diets. The concentrated nutritional value offered by converting plants into botanical powders is now highly relevant at a time when poor soil quality, farming practices and over-breeding has significantly compromised the nutritional value of many fruits and vegetables. This could also be applied to most, if not all, therapeutic and medicinal species.

While larger seeds can be cracked open by chewing, this isn’t the case with some smaller seeds. For example, much of the omega-3 in chia seeds remains undigested unless the seeds are ground into a powder. For those with allergies, eczema, and sensitive skin, botanical powders often constitute the only safe way to scent and colour soaps, lotions, and cosmetics. Botanical powders also allow for the creation of various therapeutic natural skin treatments. Gentle, chemical-free antiseptic toothpaste may be made from botanical powders, natural clays, salt, and other natural ingredients. There are a myriad of uses for botanical powders: foods (dusts, marinade pastes, dry rubs, nutritious thickeners, add to salts or sugars, creams or icings), beverages (decorative-think cocktail glass rims, thickeners), beauty skin and hair masks, health and topical treatments (compresses, pastes), crafts

The use of botanical powders in the ancient world extended far beyond the manufacture of dyes, cosmetics, edibles and medicines. Ancient Greeks and Romans used botanical powders to pioneer some of the earliest insecticides. These ‘botanical insecticides’ were made from the ground roots, stems, flowers and leaves of various plants. In particular, the pulverized root of white hellebore (Veratrum album) was used to kill insects. Botanical insecticides are making a strong comeback. Powders made from rotenone and pyrethrin daisy are popularly used to combat the flea beetle, cucumber beetle, cabbage looper, asparagus beetle, aphid and red spider mite. Other botanical insecticides in use today include ryania, quassia and sabadilla. Not only do these insecticides bear the benefit of being more ‘natural’, the toxins within them are genuinely less harmful to humans, due to their rapid rate of breakdown. M e t h o d s o f P r e s e r vat i o n Before plant matter can be ground down into powder, it must be dried through one of the following methods of preservation. Once dried be careful not to leave exposed for too long prior to grinding as the dried plant matter will begin to absorb moisture from the air over time. Also, once the powder has been made store in an air-tight container. Freeze-drying Andean civilisations made use of what is likely the world’s oldest form of freeze-drying. Typical of an interior continental montane climate, they made great use of the temperature extremes and their uniquely dry and cold environment to make a traditional food known as Chuño (naturally ‘freeze-dried’ potatoes) achieved through exposing the potatoes to the drying heat of the day and the night temperatures that hover around 0°C. There are four stages in the freeze-drying process used today: pre-treatment, freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying, all of which may take place within just 24-48 hours.

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Some more unusual edibles that can be powdered include seaweeds and various types of edible flowers. The benefits may also be determined by which part of the plant is utilized. Many seeds are incredibly nutritious, but must be consumed in powder form because they may be difficult for our digestive systems to effectively break down. This is the marvelous nature of seeds, some of which evolved to be indigestible and thus able to pass undamaged through the digestive tract of the animal that ate them. Germination happens when the seed is passed in the animal’s faecal matter, away from the parent plant.

(natural paints, dyes), and probably many more we haven’t listed here!

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From the Andean district of Junin, use of Maca powder as a source of nutrition dates back to Incan times. Maca powder is energizing and assists balancing of the endocrine system.

This method is popular for the preservation of food and other botanicals because the lack of heat involved in the process allows the nutritional content and taste profile of the plants to be fully preserved. The compounds within them are not compromised from reactions or degradation as a result of heat. Freeze drying is so effective at preserving nutrients that the nutrient value of many freeze-dried foods approaches that of their raw counterparts.

of sun-drying. While there are methods available to help prevent this, such as treating fruits with citric acid prior to drying, they are not ideal for the DIY-er or smaller operations. Therefore many manufacturers of botanical powders choose more efficient nutrient-preserving methods of drying flowers, herbs, and edibles prior to grinding them down into powder.

As long as freeze-dried food is not exposed to moisture, it can last for an extremely long time. Freeze dried product suppliers claim that a 25 – 30 year shelf life is possible when kept vacuum sealed, or up to 24 months when simply kept in a sealed container at home. It’s these properties that explain why freezedrying has been used to create ‘space food’.

D e h y d r at i n g

Air-drying relies on the action of either the sun or the wind to remove moisture from edible and medicinal plants (along with meat in many cultures). Prunes, raisins, figs, and dates are all air-dried foods that remain popular today.

Dehydration is technically a form of air-drying, the technology of which has become increasingly more accessible to the home consumer. Due to the more rapid nature of dehydration and the fact that industrial-grade machines focus on using the lowest amount of heat possible, dehydration results in less nutrient loss than traditional methods of air-drying. It also allows food to be preserved for a long time. As long as food is dehydrated properly, vacuum-sealed, and not exposed to moisture, it may have a shelf life of 18 months when kept in a sealed container at home or up to 15 years in commercial packaging.

While air-drying can change the character and enhance the flavour of foods, it is also associated with the highest level of nutrient loss of all the dry preservation methods. Sun drying in particular results in a high level of nutrient loss due to the amount of heat involved. Over 50% of the total vitamin C content may be lost during the process

Dehydration is generally regarded as more suitable for edibles intended for cooking, rather than powdering, as it produces tough, resilient food items. Freeze-drying makes plant matter extremely brittle and perfect for turning into powder although the latter is more difficult and expensive.

Air Drying

Sp r ay D r y i n g

Spray drying is more commercially viable as it gives consistent and uniform results. Another point of note is that spray drying often involves adherence of the liquid to a binder such as maltodextrin, a form of sugar.

Mesquite powder A powder sourced from the seedpods of the Mesquite tree and harvested in Peru. This powder is packed full of minerals and has been consumed throughout history by Native Americans. Maca powder From the Andean district of Junin, use of Maca powder as a source of nutrition dates back to Incan times. Maca powder is energizing and assists balancing of the endocrine system. As stated on the Loving Earth website seek medical advice prior to consuming if you are pregnant, have any conditions linked with hormonal imbalances or are taking any hormonal medications.

Below is a DIY guide to making your own various forms of botanical powders. Although fun, it can also be quite labour intensive. Luckily, there are now so many ready-to-buy products on the market, that we have the luxury of choice.

Gubinge powder Sourcing of this product is linked with a heartfelt and triumphant story so please visit the Loving Earth site to have a read (https://lovingearth.net/our-products/ superfoods/gubinge-powder.html). Harvested by the Nyul Nyul people in the Kimberleys, Western Australia the fruits of this tree and the powder are packed full of Vitamin C and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.

Loving Earth offer ethically sourced botanical powders from local communities around the globe, along with a myriad of other products and a great back-story to boot!

Following are some recipes courtesy of Loving Earth that showcases the delicious things you can create with the addition of botanical powders.

DIY P r e s e r vat i o n

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Spray drying is a relatively recent development in the world of food preservation. It has quickly becoming the go-to method of preservation for many manufacturers of botanical powders as it can produce a dry powder from a liquid or slurry. This is achieved by rapidly drying it with a warm gas while it is sprayed into a specialised drying chamber. This process can also be achieved in large, more cost-effective, batches. While spray drying results in some loss of vitamin levels, the loss is generally much less than that which is experienced during air-drying.

Some of the more interesting botanical powders offered by Loving Earth include:

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Bano ff e e Buc kwhe at Porridge

B l u e be r ry Ic e C re a m By Christina Buan, Sweetened With Dates

By Ellie Bullen, Elsa’s Wholesome Life

Makes 1 Small Tub Serves 1

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 cups frozen blueberries 1 avocado

Porridge

½ cup non-dairy yogurt

½ cup Plain Buckinis

1 tsp Vanilla Powder

1 cup water

½ cup maple syrup or 10 dates

½ cup almond milk

1 tsp Maca Powder

1 tsp Mesquite Powder (optional) Toppings 2 tbsp Cacao Nibs

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2 tbsp Coconut Chips 2 tbsp Plain Buckinis 1 banana (sliced) 4 tbsp coconut yoghurt 6 squares Salted Caramel Chocolate

Method Step 1

Cook the buckwheat in a pot with the water over high heat, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes (or until buckwheat has softened).

Reduce heat to medium, add almond milk and cook for a further 5 minutes.

S t e p 3

Remove from stove, stir in mesquite powder (if using).

S t e p 2

S t e p 4

Transfer to two bowls, top with sliced banana, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, raw buckwheat, coconut yoghurt, and place the salted caramel chocolate pieces over the top, give them a minute or two to begin to melt, and eat!

https://lovingearth.net/blog/recipe/breakfast/ banoffee-buckwheat-porridge/

Method Step 1

Add all ingredients to a blender or

food processor until thick and creamy.

S t e p 2

Put ice cream into a container and store in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Once it’s set, scoop and enjoy.

https://lovingearth.net/blog/recipe/desserts/ blueberry-ice-cream/

G o l de n Gub inge Milk

C h o co l ate Ve lve t

By Kath & Jade, Panaceas Pantry

By David Frenkiel & Luise Vindahl, Green Kitchen Stories

Makes 2 Cups Ingredients

Serves 2 Ingredients

2 Tbsp fresh turmeric, grated (measure before you grate)

1 small raw beetroot, peeled (approx. 80 g/3 oz)

5cm knob of fresh ginger, grated

½ tsp peppercorns

1 cinnamon quill

4 cloves

2 cups full fat coconut milk

5–8 soft dates, pitted

2 cups coconut water

2 tablespoons Cacao Powder

1-2 tbsp Coconut Oil

2-4 tbsp Coconut Nectar (start with less and add more to your liking)

350 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) organic GMO-free soya milk (or unsweetened almond milk)

For the Topping: Cacao Powder

Gubinge Powder (see amount below)

½ ripe avocado, stone removed

75 g (2½ oz/½ cup) frozen blackberries

Method Method Step 1

S t e p 2

Place all ingredients (except the Gubinge Powder) in a saucepan. Bring to the the boil, remove the lid and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes (you want to reduce the amount of liquid 2 cups/500mL). Turn off the heat and allow to cool. To serve, strain through a fine sieve. Before adding the Gubinge Powder, check the drink temperature and ensure its below 60 degrees Celsius (to avoid destroying the vitamin C). Add 1/8 tsp Gubinge at a time, stirring and increasing the amount to your liking.

https://lovingearth.net/blog/recipe/beverages/ golden-gubinge-milk/

Step 1 Depending on the strength of your blender, roughly chop or grate the beetroot and add it to the blender along with the flesh of the avocado and the rest of the ingredients. S t e p 2

Blend on a high speed until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more dates if necessary.

S t e p 3 Pour into two medium-sized glasses (one of which is featured in the photo), dust with cacao powder and serve. https://lovingearth.net/blog/recipe/desserts/ chocolate-velvet/

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As the best commercial methods of preserving plant matter destined for powdering (freeze-drying and spray-drying) require the use of costly equipment, the resulting botanicals tend to be costly as well. Commercially dehydrated food is, of course, available and more affordable, but it comes with a heftier trade-off of nutrient loss.

While it is possible to sun-dry plants for use in botanical powders, you need both the right climate (several consecutive days with a temperature of at least 86 degrees Fahrenheit/30 Celsius, and humidity should be less than 60%) and a lot of time. Keep an eye on the plants or food in case birds or animals are nearby and keep them covered with mesh or netting to keep bugs away.

Before you get started drying foods and other plants at home, keep the following points in mind:

Ovens are ideal for dehydrating, but you can also purchase your own dehydrator. You can also investigate the possibility of building your own dehydrator with the wealth of online guides available.

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· Always begin with the freshest fruits, vegetable, herbs or flowers possible. The reason why home- dehydrated food can be more nutritious than its store-bought counterpart is because it can often be fresher, possibly homegrown, and dried immediately.

· Never microwave food during any part of the drying process. Extensive research suggests that the frequency of microwaves kills much of the nutrition and other essential compounds in plant matter. As the dehydration process itself will inevitably result in at least a small amount of nutrient loss, this additional nutritional sacrifice should be avoided.

· When making powdered botanicals you should ideally dry the botanical material over a period of days rather than hours, working on the basis that longer is better. The dried material can then be easily pulverised. Depending on the plants you have selected, you can choose to combine foliage, kernels, roots, flowers, etc. or to keep them separate.

DIY: Dehydration Before dehydrating fruit, pre-treatment is advised, as follows:

· Blend 1 teaspoon (3000 mg) ascorbic acid powder (also known as Vitamin C) with 2 cups (475 ml) water. The mixture can be used twice before you need to add more ascorbic acid.

· Soak the fruit pieces for 3 to 5 minutes and drain thoroughly on paper towels.

When using an oven, place food/plants on baking trays covered with parchment paper, and dry at the following temperatures: · Fruits at 125F/40-50°C · Vegetables at 135/57°C · Meats at 145/63°C Dry until 80-95% of the moisture is removed. These items will store for 6 months to a year. DIY: Freeze-Drying At-home freeze-drying is best attempted with foods that contain a high water percentage, though any food that contains moisture has the potential to be freeze dried (including full meals). The trick, in all cases, is to get the food as cold as possible, as quickly as possible. This is best achieved through the use of a vacuum chamber (online sources are available). Though it’s possible to also use a freezer or dry ice, these options are time-consuming and difficult to get right. Creating the Botanical Powders To grind into powders you can use a Vitamix, coffee grinder or spice mill. Sift for a finer end texture. Feel free to blend in other nutritious powders during this process, such as arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) that can also help to lessen the clumping which can occur with starchy powders.

An alternative method would be to purchase one of the small domestic mills available to grind your own flour and botanical powders. A manual mill is recommended in order to easily vary the type of grind you need. A mill can also be used to grind oily nuts and seeds. Which Foods and Plants Make Good Botanical Powders? The list of foods and other plants which are useful in powdered form is practically endless, but if you wish to get started with relatively simple options, choose fruits, berries, and other plants which have a high antioxidant content and/or excellent flavour profiles, and begin by incorporating them into smoothies and meals.

· Chamomile flowers · Dandelion leaf or root · Elder berries or flowers · Gentian root · Hibiscus flowers · Hops flowers · Horehound · Hyssop · Licorice root · Milk thistle seeds · Orris root · Peppermint · Rose hips · Sarsaparilla root · Schisandra berries · Angelica root

Favourite choices for first-time powder-makers include:

· Raspberries · Strawberries · Apricots · Rhubarb · Pineapples · Peaches · Mulberries · Nettles · Watercress · Lavender · Red clover flowers

This is great for any edible flowers containing anthocyanins (blue or red colour) such as cornflowers, lavender, hibiscus or the more traditional chamomile. These can then be used to decorate chocolate or cakes or blended into creams or liquids. This is a great way of separating some of the actives from the matrix of the plant material.

· Mushrooms

· If your interest lies with roots and kelps, then try galangal root, making your own turmeric powder from the root, or try powdering dried seaweed.

The following plants are used in the formulation of herbal tonics, teas and tinctures, although care should be taken to research the correct plant species and application of any medicinal herb before consuming or applying it. · Arnica flowers · Walnut leaf · Burdock root · Calamus root

The Future Of Botanical Powders? On a planet affected more and more by environmental unpredictability including major climatic shifts, erosion and the possibility of increasingly barren soil, freeze-drying and powdering foods could well become a mainstream method of producing and preserving precious food supplies in the modern world. Our ancient ancestors, with their reliance on what nature offered in abundance, are whispering to us down through time, teaching us to unlock the potential for feeding and treating a growing global population. In a mimicry of the cyclic process of life itself, we learn, we forget, we learn again. §

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· Blueberries

You can also extract some of the active colour, flavour or nutritional compounds from plant material through traditional tincture methods. This is essentially steeping in alcohol and then evaporating the alcohol gently and slowly to avoid compromising the isolated components, leaving behind the dried material, which can then be broken up to a powder form.

Alternative Peru

Combine two people, a sense of adventure, worlds colliding, serendipity, ethical values, drive and some drama and something very special happens‌Natalie Lefevre shares her tale from a day in a library to eating guinea pig with her soul mate.

Word s : Nat a l ie L e fevre

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responsible travel off the beaten path

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Through travelling and living abroad, meeting people in places all over the world and having a natural sense of curiosity, I have come to understand that everyone has an interesting story.

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ometimes I sit on a bench and just watch people walk by. I try to imagine people’s life stories. Through travelling and living abroad, meeting people in places all over the world and having a natural sense of curiosity, I have come to understand that everyone has an interesting story. It took me a while to realise that my own story is not so boring either. Reflecting on the journey that brought me to where I am now, in Peru, accompanied by my Peruvian husband running our ethical travel agency, I can see why some people are amazed and inspired by our story. I was born in the Flemish North of Belgium and had, by most standards, a very normal youth in a middle-class, white family. My father was a high school teacher and my mother a housewife. I was a good student, especially good at learning languages. But there was one specific part of my normal young life that determined my future. My father loved travelling and took my brother and me to places like Jordan, Sri Lanka, the USA, Egypt and all around Europe. The seeds were sown for what is still my biggest passion today: travelling. My husband, Carlos, had lived a very different life. He spent the first few years of his life in Quillabamba, a very small town in the jungle a few hours away from Cusco, even though his parents were not natives of that region. His mother, Nelly, grew up in Andahuayllas, a town in the Andes, in an affluent mestizo (racially mixed) family. Her parents owned land and a hacienda and had many indigenous

Quechua working for them. Nelly and her siblings can still speak fluent Quechua. They lost a considerable amount of land during the controversial Agrarian Reform of communist President General Velasco, who came into power after a military coup. She met Carlos’ father, Ciro, when he was the police chief in her town. They both have different versions of their love story. Her family owned one of the few cars in town and she loved parading around town in it and passing by the police station, on purpose, Ciro recounts. One day he stopped her car to check her papers and it turned out that she didn’t have her driver’s licence. With her charms, she was able to get herself out of trouble but in return, she had to have dinner with him. In conservative countryside Peru of the 1970s, she was, of course, not allowed to have dinner with a man on her own, so he went to her family home instead. Despite having one of the most prestigious and important positions in town, Nelly’s father threw Ciro out because he thought he was a philanderer and inadequate for his daughter. Eventually Ciro’s charms won Nelly’s father over as he agreed for them to marry. Ciro and Nelly had children and hired a nanny, Celina, who was just 15 years old (perfectly normal in that time in Peru). Celina, an indigenous Quechuan, also had children of her own that moved in. Celina helped raise Carlos and his siblings and is still living with the family to this day even though the kids are all in their late 20s and some have moved away.

Images from Left to Right: 01. Ciro 0 2 . C i r o , N e l l y, C a r l o s a n d h i s s i b l i n g s I m a g e s c o u r t e s y o f N a t a l i e L e v ef r e . P r e v i o u s P a g e I m a g e : G i r l i n R e d i n Z a ñ a , Pe r u Credit: Sam Scholes

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She always viewed Carlos and his siblings as her own children, and just like any mom, she cries when they have experienced hardship or moved away. I have always thought it is such a shame that she didn’t teach the kids any Quechua. Quechua was very marginalised during Carlos’ childhood and it was a language only poor and uneducated Peruvians spoke. It’s disheartening to think that maybe she felt it was not a valuable enough gift to pass onto them. Luckily, this has slowly been changing and I show my appreciation for the language to native speakers as much as I can. I’ve noticed how happy and proud it makes them that visitors and tourists want to know more about their native tongue and their culture. It saddens Nelly that the family had to move so much and that the kids had to change schools and leave friends. But it was mandatory for police chiefs to change stations every so often. It was also a dangerous time to be a police chief. From the 1970s to the mid1990s, Peru experienced a very violent era of domestic

conflict and terrorism, often specifically targeting police. As the son of a police chief, Carlos went to school accompanied by guards for protection. While he was probably too young to realise the gravity of the situation, it must have been painful for his parents. The most dangerous situation Carlos was involved in was not with terrorists, but with soldiers. The family were living in Huari at the time; a beautiful town in the Central Highlands close to many still non-touristic archaeological sites and not too far from the impressive Chavin de Huantar archeological site. They were residing at the police station at the time when armed, drunk soldiers arrived in the middle of the night to confront policemen at the station. Ciro went outside in an attempt to calm them down but 14-year-old Carlos, fearing for his father’s life, grabbed the pistol they kept in the house and joined his father. Luckily his father was very diplomatic and he was able to calm the soldiers down before it escalated.

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Opposite Page Image: Native Pe r u v i a n l a d y. Image courtesy of Natalie L e v ef r e .

Slowly, as we got more and more frustrated with our situation an idea developed. We could launch a venture of our own that combined both our specialties.

If you want a decent education in Peru, you need to study in Lima. This was especially true 20 years ago and the reason that Carlos’ parents made the difficult decision to send him to Lima to stay with his aunt so he could graduate with higher-level education. Carlos went on to become a chemist and after working for a few years in Peru he started feeling frustrated by the limitations and decided to do his Masters abroad. As fate would have it he chose the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where he met me. I cannot count the number of times I have been asked how and where we both met. It does indeed seem unlikely a girl from Belgium meets a Peruvian in Australia, literally the other side of the world for both of us. He was studying engineering and I was studying human rights. We didn’t meet in class, we first saw each other in the library and against all conventions, especially for a South American, I asked him out. Everything went very quickly, as often

happens when you’re both living far away from home. I moved in after a few months and a year later, we moved back to Belgium together. But before that, we traveled to Peru and I met his family, which is its own narrative. The moment I met his family I felt like I belonged. I also, however, had to adjust to the persisting machismo of a culture in which women are the ones who cook, clean and serve the husband. I had to find a way to avoid offending while also remaining true to my principles. Were there cultural misunderstandings or culture shocks? Of course, constantly, still to this day. But there were also advantages to being the hippie European girlfriend. Perhaps in an effort to show respect for other, less conservative, cultures Carlos’ parents allowed us to sleep in the same room; very taboo for Peruvians. I think Carlos may have been Belgian in another life. He loves the people and the structured nature of things. The language barrier wasn’t an issue for him since he worked at a university that is primarily English speaking. So why did we decide to move out of Belgium? Surprisingly, more due to me than any pressure from Carlos. I have an uncontrollable wanderlust and I desperately wanted something more challenging and unfamiliar. Peru was an obvious choice and due to its rapidly developing economy, we figured there would be plenty of opportunities. So after Australia and Belgium, we were heading to Peru! As life goes, not everything went according to plan. Carlos was overqualified and decent employment depended to a large degree on your connections. As

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It was also in Huari that Carlos’ parents met the infamous President Fujimori, who is now in jail for corruption and serious human rights violations. I can only imagine how it must have felt, forced to follow orders of someone you strongly disagree with and even despise. They told me that all the President’s food was tasted by a bodyguard first to ensure it wasn’t poisoned. They haven’t shared any further details of their experience with the President. Perhaps out of shame, having worked for someone like that, or maybe discretion has been instilled from the job.

a foreigner I experienced even greater challenges. Peruvian law requires companies to employ 5 Peruvians to every foreigner, so the statistics speak for themselves.

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Slowly, as we got more and more frustrated with our situation an idea developed. We could launch a venture of our own that combined both our specialties: my passion for travelling and social justice and Carlos’ knowledge of environmental sustainability. Our love of Peru and our strong belief in responsible tourism resulted in the birth of Alternative Peru. We always felt it a shame that tourists typically only visit the same ‘popular’ and mass-marketed areas, resulting in a vast expanse remaining unexplored. We dreamed of connecting tourists to authentic experiences that could directly benefit local Peruvian communities. We realised the potential of collaborating with friends of ours who run some of the incredible NGOs existing in Peru. And so it began… Our first tour was a community stay in a small indigenous region in the Andes close to Huaraz. We knew it was imperative to capture an authentic experience. The last thing we wanted was for locals to play theatre for the tourists or represent their daily lives in a farcical way. It is often said that one’s life is determined by chance encounters and our experiences are a testament to that. A Peruvian-American friend who I studied with in Australia and who was back in Peru for a few weeks told me about a project she was working on to preserve indigenous Peruvian culture. This was the stepping stone to demonstrate to locals how much their, often marginalised, traditions and customs are appreciated by outsiders. I shared my ideas with her and she gave me the contact details of a local involved in her project, Cristian. Cristian, a native Quechuan, was working at the time as the security guard at an archaeological site. Carlos and I met with him to see what should be done before we could offer our tour. I’m convinced that Alternative Peru became a reality because of this meeting. We were so fortunate that Cristian was so enthusiastic and, as it later turned out, so good with tourists even though he only spoke basic English. His skills and nature motivated us to continue on our journey. We brainstormed with him which activities we could include, such as workshops on traditional architecture and agriculture, and how we could

modify things to maximise the comfort for travellers yet still retain all the authenticity of the experience. From our own travelling, we knew how cherished a hot shower is, especially in a place with such cold nights, so we decided to bring a hot water boiler from Lima to make it a bit more comfortable. Meanwhile, Cristian did an amazing job decorating the rooms and building a new bathroom in the local traditional style. He also engaged several community members to participate in the workshops. I knew this was going to be a hit when I first met Cristian’s mother, a true gem. She only speaks Quechua but her joyful nature and enthusiasm means she’s a favourite amongst the travellers. She laughs when a foreigner is surprised that herself and her daughter kill the chicken that they’ll eat for lunch. Although I like to try many foods I eat mostly vegetarian, and she was the first person to convince me to try the local delicacy, fried guinea pig. I must admit it was tasty. She loved watching me eat it as I wrestled with the large amount of bones and the small amount of meat. We returned to Lima very motivated to make Alternative Peru a success! Our plan was to take it slow and start with one tour, but the universe had other ideas and serendipity led to a string of tours. Peru’s economy has boomed throughout the last decade, yet unfortunately this wealth has not trickled down to the communities most in need. Peru is very centralised with a high degree of inequality and rural Peru, or ‘the provinces’ as known by Peruvians, consists mostly of the very poor. To try and avoid the clasp of poverty, many feel pressure to move to Lima for professional or educational opportunities. These domestic immigrants settle in the outskirts of Lima, which has added a concentric circle to Lima each decade since the 1980s. Visitors sometimes forget that Lima is a desert when surrounded by the introduced greenery, until they actually visit these ‘pueblos jovenes’ or ‘young towns’ (the Peruvian version of the favela). Pueblos jovenes are built on the slopes of the sandy hills on Lima’s outskirts. One such town is about 15 minutes drive from where we currently live and I first saw it when I travelled to visit an NGO located nearby. I was perplexed, amazed and impressed, in a positive way. There was plenty of confronting poverty: people living without proper sanitation and electricity, single mothers struggling to get by and kids taking care of younger kids. But

Natalie and Carlos. Images courtesy of N a t a l i e L e v ef r e .

One of the most cherished experiences of my life was getting to know these amazing people. Truly inspiring, listening to their stories and learning about their daily lives and how they built their community and are fighting to make it a better place. In those few hours, I learned so much about Peru and its people, but also about myself. It shifts your perspective. Catching sight of Carlos, I knew he was thinking the same. Even though he is Peruvian, he grew up in a different Peruvian landscape. That moment, I think, is what sparked his inspiration to share these communities and their experiences and outlook with more prosperous, yet sheltered Peruvians. It was a big risk. Would other travellers like this experience as much as we do? Are there enough people who are interested in this kind of tour? Would people misinterpret our tour and see it as some unethical ‘poverty tourism’? Would we be able to ensure the experience was responsible, respectful and an asset to the locals while also pleasing the tourists? After more than a year of running this tour, we have only had positive feedback. “Once in a lifetime”, “Incredible sights of the real Lima”, “Insightful and unique experience’, “Emotional, cultural and inspiring experience!” and even “the highlight of our trip to

Peru”. We now know teachers who wish they could take their classes and parents who want their kids to experience the tours to gain perspective and not complain if they don’t get the latest tablet or iPhone. It seems that same feeling can be universal. We now work with two different NGOs that involve two local women who cook lunch in their homes and four amazing local guides. We couldn’t be happier! We have added several different tours, and have plans to introduce a comprehensive tour that spans a large portion of Peru. As always, maintaining responsible and sustainable travel and fostering unique, authentic experiences that share important lessons about Peru, its culture, its people, its hardships and its beauty. The most challenging part for me has been the business side, the need for profit in order to keep the venture alive. My history is primarily working for nonprofits or universities and I feel so passionate about what we do I don’t want to concern myself with the financial side. I just want people to have great experiences and support as many productive projects as possible. However, to keep functioning we need continuous funds. We still have grand plans for the future, and I’m sure we also have more challenges to overcome. Who would have thought that 9 years ago when a Belgian girl met a Peruvian boy in an Australian library, they would launch a responsible travel agency on the other side of the world out of love for travel, the country, its people and, as corny as it sounds, each other. §

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the people were amazing, optimistic about the future and worked hard to provide a better future for their children. They did not complain. A stark contrast to many living in more privileged First World societies.

T his Little P ig g y

A cheeky look at those who used to frolic around in parlours and entertain themselves in a primordial fashion.

Words : Ja s on B age rt

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A FIELD GUIDE TO PARLOUR GAmes

T hreep ence Jo urnal | 28 Ze o t r o p e , M u s é e M é c a n i q u e , S a n Fr a n c i s c o , U S A . C r e d i t : M i c h a e l M o o r e

Previous Page Image: Hand crafted cribbage board. C r e d i t : M a r k Ta l b o t t

Parlour games were accepted as a legitimate way to flirt and steal a little physical contact without upsetting the social apple cart long before the invention of Craigslist.

In the late 1700s, Great Britain was, as its name suggests, the Greatest Nation on Earth, and it was burgeoning with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, modern science, and puffy clothing. Up until then, the majority of the British population lived in rural areas and were engaged in farming, industry, and the processing of its by-products, such as wool and smallpox. Industrialisation saw many of these labour-intensive tasks superseded by machines that would work in factories without asking for excessive privileges such as breaks, water, or compensation. As human employment in the countryside dried up, people flocked to cities and towns in search of work, education, and indoor plumbing. This process created a burgeoning upper and middle class made up of entrepreneurs and clerical workers. For these lucky souls leisure time was a novelty and social gatherings became an important part of life for Victorian society, with parlour games a main feature of the entertainment scene.

For the working class, their influx into urban areas had resulted in the need to accommodate a large number of workers in confined spaces, so they lived in cramped conditions, sometimes squeezing a whole family’s life into a single-room pub. Social time between adults mostly took place at local alehouses and working men’s institutes where they engaged in card and board games such as Cribbage, Checkers, Dominoes, and drinking until those games were actually fun. Their children, who also worked, spent much of their time playing outdoor games such as hopscotch, football, hoopla, and raise-your-little-brothers. Etiquette was all-important in Victorian society, with men and women required to keep a respectable distance. Parlour games were accepted as a legitimate way to flirt and steal a little physical contact without upsetting the social apple cart long before the invention of Craigslist. So grab a tipple and read on.... The physical variety Charades is still one of the best known ‘parlour’ games and many iterations of it exist today, such as Pictionary, dating, and American elections. It is believed to have originated in France in the 18th century. If you’ve been living in a cave, here is how it is played: Players divide themselves into two teams. One member acts out a word or phrase for their

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ontrary to the widely-held view that Victorians were prudish, they were actually not averse to ‘letting their hair down’ and having a good time. To entertain guests they would often engage in wild debauchery such as drinking tea, prayer, and on a crazy enough night, they would play games in the reception room of the house - also known as the parlour.

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team-mates to guess. Speech is not allowed, so players have to find creative solutions such as splitting the words down into syllables, acting each of them out individually, or cheating. Blind Man’s Buff (also known as Tease the Bacon Rind) was a very touchy-feely affair. It involved blindfolding one person, who was “It” (the blind man), and giving them a gentle push (the buff), while the rest of the guests scattered around the room, or went into a different room to play another game without a blind person person. The blind man would then have to tag one of the other players, all the while being poked, prodded, and infected with typhoid fever. This game was a great way for people to pretend to accidentally cop a feel on a woman without having to look at the gaudy Victorian dress they were wearing. Once someone had been caught, the blind man would have to guess who they had tagged by feeling their head and face, and, if successful, that person was designated “It”, thus now taking over as the blind man. It has endured to the present day as a children’s party game, with no-win, no-fee lawyers standing by to assist if adults play as well. Hot Cockles is a variation on Blind Man’s Buff, and dates back to the even wilder-partying Tudor times. The game involves a blindfolded person kneeling down and placing their head in someone’s lap. They are then struck, and had to guess who had delivered the blow. It was considered a very bold game in mixed company; the thought of a male placing his head in a lady’s lap would certainly have made a working class man blush, especially before modern hygiene. The game waned in popularity early in the Victorian era, as people ate more bean-based diets, but variations of it can currently be viewed on specialist subscriber-only websites and magazines. Forfeit was played by adults and children, although the forfeits would depend heavily on the age of the players and the tastes of the company. A judge was nominated to leave the room, and in his/ her absence each player placed a personal item into a box. Upon returning, the judge picked up an item

and described it. The owner had to identify himself or herself, and then pay a forfeit (perform in some way) in order to win the item back. The judge chose what the forfeit would be, and got to keep the item if it was not performed satisfactorily. This game was popular amongst people who liked to steal things. Innocent versions of this involved forfeits such as singing, hopping, or something so taboo as telling an embarrassing story about the time you forgot your manners. The adult version, however, could be more X-rated, with forfeits often requiring fellow players to be kissed or even touched on the ankle. Hunt the Slipper was a guessing game in which children would sit in a circle and pass a slipper behind their backs. One child would stand in the centre and count to ten, and then try to work out who had the slipper. The guesswork could be based on facial expressions, catching movement out of the corner of their eye, or having a friend help you cheat. Modern political elections are modeled after this game. If the child in the middle correctly guessed who had the slipper, the person holding it would go into the centre of the ring and the game would start again. The slipper was a multi-functional item in those days, and could also be used to spank the participants when they misbehaved or stole your left slipper. Twenty questions was another guessing game. One player would think of something, and the other players would try to guess what it was by asking questions. Only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers could be given, and if they hadn’t guessed after 20 questions, it was a victory for the player answering the questions. If the question was answered correctly, the child who answered it was beaten for being a nerd. The descendants of those participants who found it difficult to give straight yes/no answers are mostly politicians. Snapdragon would send a modern-day health and safety officer into meltdown. Raisins were placed in a large, shallow bowl and brandy or whisky poured over them and ignited. Players then took turns attempting to pick out the raisins with their hands without being

burned. Variations of these dangerous skill-games included attempting to drink a beer with a candle in the middle, jumping over a high candle, or putting a toddler in a gorilla cage. Due to the extravagant hairstyles and dresses of the day, unfortunate accidents were common. Tailoring clothes with extra bum-fabric, garters, and powdered wig-making were burgeoning businesses during this era. Tailors of the day would also make clothing for women. The card and board variety As the industrial revolution marched on, there were plenty of manufacturers producing board games, and any self-respecting parlour would have a collection of them on hand, along with a deck of cards and bourbon. Work in board game factories was common, however workers were often fired for making too much Trouble. Some workers would beg to keep their jobs by saying Sorry. The Industrial manufacturers

had a Monopoly on these games and wouldn’t tolerate thieves or employees that took Risks. Cribbage was a strategic card game in which each player was dealt a hand of cards, and placed two of them into a pile – ‘the crib’ - for the dealer. The winner of the game was the first to accumulate 121 points, with the dealer trying to place his best cards in the crib, and the other players their worst. Scores were recorded by placing pegs into a board. The game is thought to derive from ‘Noddy’, an even more boring English card game from the 1500s. While Noddy thankfully disappeared, only to be later reborn as a twee children’s character, cribbage has endured centuries of boredom and remains one of the most popular card games in the English-speaking world. Backgammon was a complex board game, which has been played in one form or another for thousands of years, dating back to Egyptian times. It was played

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Checkers. Credit: Doris Rapp

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Checkers remains popular today among those who enjoy loneliness or are too lazy to come to grips with chess.

by two people, and lasted for between five and 60 minutes based upon the skill match and drunkenness of the players. The movement of the pieces depended upon the roll of the dice, the objective being to remove all checkers from the board first. Its complexity meant that it was mainly played by adults, and it remains popular in jails to this day. Indeed, Hugh Hefner is known to be an enthusiast, and has held backgammon parties at his Playboy Mansion in an attempt to ease the searing boredom there. Checkers (also known as Draughts) is a board game believed to date back to the 12th century. Two players sit at opposite sides of a checkered board, and move their pieces diagonally. The aim is to remove the opponent’s pieces by jumping over them, and be the last to occupy the board, or awake. Checkers remains popular today among those who enjoy loneliness or are too lazy to come to grips with chess. Dominoes is a tile-based game containing a set of 28 dominoes which each had two ends containing up to six dots. The aim of the game is to place all of one’s tiles on the table by placing them adjacent to a tile with a matching number of dots. The skill of the game is in trying to work out which tiles your opponent holds, but as it was popular in ale houses (and still is to this day), strategy often had to be filtered through an alcoholic haze. Different cultures have created

their own domino tiles. Dominoes were often used in 19th century England to settle disputes where leprosy prevented fighting. Many areas in the Middle East and Europe still play dominoes with passion. In the Middle East it is often in open air markets in places such as Tehran and Kurdistan. As dominoes evolved, people realized that standing them up in a row and knocking them down was much more fun to watch than the actual game. In modern times, putting dominoes in a row and knocking them over remains popular among children with crappy toys. Mahjong is a tile game of Chinese origin, and one of many spoils plundered from the East in the 19th century. There were many versions of this complex game, and it often involved gambling – later being banned by the Communists in China for its associations with capitalism. The object of Mahjong or Mah Jongg is to collect particular combinations of tiles known as Chows, Pungs and Kongs. ‘Going Mah Jongg’ is a complete hand of 14 tiles. A chow is the same suit, three consecutive numbers. A Pung is 3 identical tiles: same suit, same number. A Kong is 4 identical tiles: same suit, same number. A game consists of four rounds and each round is made up of at least four hands. Great! Now you know how to play, how much would you like to bet? For further detail on how to play Mah Jongg, Google it or ask an old person.

Zoetrope was a 19th century invention that created the illusion of moving pictures. The word can be literally translated as ‘wheel of life’.

Whist (also known as Trumps) was a trick-taking card game believed to be derived from a 16th/17th century forerunner called Ruff and Honours. Two pairs of players competed, with one suit (called the trump suit) outweighing the others. The aim was to win the greatest number of tricks by playing the highest card in a suit. Although the rules were simple, the game could become very tactical. There were many literary references to Whist in the works of some of the great authors of the era, including Jane Austen, George Eliot, Leo Tolstoy, and Ivan Turgenev. That’s right, classic literature about a classic card game. Thrilling! Bridge was a progression from Whist that evolved in the 19th century. The game featured the added element of bidding, where pairs of players competed

to state the highest contract (number of tricks) they thought they could win. Its popularity has endured despite the invention of fun games, with famous enthusiasts over the years including historical fun lovers Winston Churchill, Deng Xiaoping, Gandhi, and Dwight Eisenhower. Bridge is quite a complex card game and has a few iterations (auction bridge, contract bridge). Playing basic bridge involves five phases: dealing, bidding for tricks, playing the hand, scoring, and drinking bourbon. Here is a rudimentary explanation: (1) Dealing: 13 cards distributed to each player; (2) Players bid from 7 to 13 ‘tricks’ in clockwise rotation; (3) bidding determines ‘the declarer’ and the person to the left of the declarer begins the game by placing down the ‘opening lead’ card. Going round the table each player puts down a specific number of cards depending on where they sit in the circle. Highest card in the suit wins the trick. All 13 tricks are played; (4) counted tricks determine the winner. Drink bourbon. Who’s up for Tipples and Hot Cockles? §

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Zoetrope was a 19th century invention that created the illusion of moving pictures. The word can be literally translated as ‘wheel of life’, originating from the Greek words for ‘life’ (‘zoe’) and ‘turning’ (‘tropos’). It took the form of a revolving drum that contained a set of images depicting progressive phases of motion. Victorians lucky enough to own a Zoetrope could fascinate their guests endlessly with a thirty second clip of a stick figure waving hello. Not strictly a parlour game, perhaps we should just refer to it as a parlour activity. The zoetrope saw its demise with the rise of the more convenient post-it pad.

O ud

The odour of Oud oil some would describe as having a feacal undertone and the best quality is produced from mould growing on trees.....So why do we scramble over ourselves to get our hands on this precious tree excretion, and why is it a topic that allows so many icky words? As all in-demand commodities, there are now many that are exhausting the all natural supply of this raw material with no consideration for sustainable harvesting. What are our options for this highly sought after mysterious oil?

Word s : Ad ria n o B u l l a

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the life and times of agarwood and its distillate

T hreep ence Jo urnal | 38 Traditional attar shop. Decanting attars from traditional leather bottles for export. Credit: Christopher MacMahon

Previous Page Image: Agarwood/ Oud pieces/ Aquilaria agallocha. Credit: Christopher McMahon

Oud oil (from the word `ud in Arabic, meaning wood) is one of the most fascinating fragrances known to humankind.

Symbolically, the three gifts to the Messiah mentioned in the Gospel according to Matthew, remind us of our visceral link with the Earth; they all come from the soil, the ground under our feet, and this in fact is part of their essence. What could be regarded as ‘the myrrh of the Twenty-First Century’ is Oud oil; oil from the Agarwood tree. An essence much more complex and more fragile than most of us may appreciate. The History of Oud Oil What is so special about scented wood? Oud oil (from the word `ud in Arabic, meaning wood) is one of the most fascinating fragrances known to humankind. We might find others that hint at some aspect of it, but there are no analogues in nature, or even reasonable chemical copies from the laboratory. Utterly unique, it is highly valued as a fragrance, a perfume, a medicine, and as a vital component of both social and religious practices.

Two members of the Thymelaeceae family, known as Aquilaria and Gyrinops, are the source of agarwood, both are native to southeast Asia and are also termed Eaglewood, Aloeswood, Oudh, Gaharu, ‘Wood of the Gods’ and several other local or historical names. It is from this wood that oud oil is obtained, and its interaction between the environment and the soil that allows the development of its unique bouquet of aromas, as if comprised of resinous tears. The same species, be it Aquilaria or Gyrinops on different soils and with different neighbouring plants will produce, in the same way as grape vines do, different fragrances. They can only grow on specific soils and thrive in very specific environmental conditions. Commonly found in the rainforests of Borneo, Northern India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, the Philippine Islands, and New Guinea, these trees and their fragrances combine rarity with subtlety, and represent, when gracing our skins with their unique aromas, both the privilege we have for wearing their last sighs and the visceral bond we have with the very root of their scent. Aquilaria and Gyrinops are evergreen trees, unlike other members of their family, which can also be shrubs or herbaceous plants; yet, like other family members, they produce resin to protect themselves from boring insects, fungi, and mould. This resin has evolved to harden when exposed to air and seal

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hile today people may assume that of the three presents the Magi brought to the crib of baby Jesus, gold, frankincense and myrrh, the first would be the most generous, this was not so according to antiquity. The latter two can be regarded just as precious as gold. Myrrh is a beautifully scented resin obtained from cutting the bark of the tree, Commiphora and frankincense is obtained from Boswellia with the same procedure.

up holes in damaged wood. Uses by humans include application on cuts, as an antiseptic, astringent, and even as a solvent to fight off infections. Resin is to trees as platelets are to humans: a defense mechanism against damage, sap being something like the ‘blood of plants’--a natural fluid which moves water, sugars, minerals, and hormones around, like blood, resin and sap act as the plant’s circulatory system. Humans have been taking advantage of plant ‘byproducts’ since the beginning of time and many are the basis of modern day medicines.

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L o v i n g O u d O i l T o D e at h? Production and Uses of Oud Oil. Unfortunately, it is not possible to just tap an agarwood tree, as one would a pine tree to make turpentine, or a maple tree to make syrup. The resin is produced only in response to a mould or microbial infection, and it stays in the heartwood or the sapwood of the tree. In terms of production, it means infecting the trees, thus seriously compromising their health and chance of survival. The easiest way to obtain the heartwood is to cut the tree down then break it up into manageable pieces to be processed. The threat to agarwood comes from our noses: our sense of smell is hard-wired to one of the most primitive parts of our brain: the thalamus. This means we react emotionally to odours--and we really seem to love Oud oil, at least those of us that have experienced it. It is because it is so coveted that the limited supply rarely makes it past Japan in the East and the United Arab Emirates in the west. Pre-clinical research results presented at the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT) conferences (including research conducted by Dr. Pakamas Chetpattananondh) are now supporting Ayurvedic practises for the oil that are suggesting the oil might be useful as a cancer-killing agent, a treatment for PMS, a neuroleptic (as it helps reduce confusion, agitation, and violence in patients with pathological mental illness), and as a treatment for severe depressive disorder amongst other things. Moreover, there is a long history of using the bark or outer skin of the tree for traditional paper manufacturing.

The Process The most popular methods used, still today, for harvesting are primitive by nature. The process usually starts with selection of the very best, premium agarwood, which will not be made into oil, but kept in its natural solid form and sold at $30,000 per kilogram (or more) in 10 different grades in Japan (primarily) and other countries. The next step consists of cutting the remainder of the very dense wood (which sinks in water if it is of good quality) into very small pieces, which are then boiled for a few days at low temperature to produce the best oil (or ‘rushed’ by some manufacturers at high temperatures for less than a day, which results in a loss of the more volatile components and a ‘burnt’ odour). The operation can be repeated to collect subsequently lower and lower quality oil, which is then sold at more affordable prices to the general public. Once the oil is obtained, the leftover wood can be used as fuel or it can be collected and carved into agarwood rings; alternatively, it can be turned into agarwood beads for jewellery. However, the preferred process is steam-rendering, performed in a retort (a pressurised vessel), which speeds the whole operation up. This requires a significant level of expertise to control the precise temperature and pressure so as not to damage the final product. This method, too, yields various grades of oil, which, in expert hands, can be very high quality. The newest method relies not on heat, but on its absence. Use of carbon dioxide gas at high pressure keeps it very cold and in a liquid state. In that state, carbon dioxide is an extremely effective solvent. It easily penetrates the wood, spreading through its fibres and releasing nearly 100% of the oil. More importantly, without using heat the oil retains all of its volatile elements, thus rendering a fully natural fragrance that is virtually unaffected by the production process. Once the carbon dioxide and oil solution is dried, it can be depressurised, turning the carbon dioxide back into its gaseous state, and the residue left behind is pure, top-of-theline, premium Oud Oil.

Despite being synthetic Oud, people were interested enough to be curious about what precisely pure, unadulterated Oud smells like. This, however, is a very difficult question to answer.

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A q u i l a r i a S i n e n s i s f l o w e r s , K a d o o r i e fa r m , H o n g Ko n g . C r e d i t : K a i Ya n / J o s e p h Wo n g

The Allure of Oud Oil By and large most Westerners were ignorant of its existence until designer Yves St. Laurent introduced the world to his M7 men’s cologne which was supposed to contain the oil. Lisa Housego, from the company YSL, acknowledges on August 20th, 2015 that, “Yes, I can confirm that the Oud/Agarwood in the old YSL M7 from 2002 is synthetic.” Despite being synthetic Oud, people were interested enough to be curious about what precisely pure, unadulterated Oud smells like. This, however, is a very difficult question to answer.

Every Oud oil is different depending on whether it was harvested from the half of the Aquilaria sub-species that react to the mould infection by producing resin, or all eight varieties of the Gyrinops sub-species that do so. It depends on the age of the original tree, how long it has been infected, and whether it acquired its mould infection naturally through the course of its life, or was artificially infected by humans. It depends on whether the tree was wild, feral, or cultivated, and what its original geographical location was.

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Previous Page Image: Tr a d i t i o n a l d i s t i l l i n g u n i t s . Credit: Christopher MacMahon

Oud oil certainly has a strong woody note, so one might think it has a relationship to sandalwood or cedar (though it is considerably different from either); others describe it as having a ‘barnyard’ overtone, like hay and goats, and some even state that it has a ‘faecal’ undertone as well. Occasionally, it will have the smell of rotted wood because it was soaked in water far too long prior to extraction in the hope of producing more oil. The liquid oil can sometimes have fruity notes, which never occur in the burned wood ‘smoke’ form, whereas the smoked-form can sometimes have a distinctive ‘leather’ fragrance that never occurs in the liquid form. Other people have drawn a comparison to the smell of the adhesive used in a sticking-plaster or Band-Aid.

Rituals and Traditions

Synthetics

For men, a drop of the oil is placed on their beard, or the lapels of their clothing, so that during the traditional cheek-to-cheek greeting the guest is met by this pleasant aroma. Prayers often accompany its use in many households, and it is integral to the rituals of certain religious institutions. Gaharu is often used at weddings and during worship in many religious traditions.

Naturally (because we all love Band-Aid smell), chemists are busy working on trying to synthesise Oud oil for commercial purposes. The variation in scents, from naturally sourced products, makes it very difficult to design a consistent blend for artificial creations. Unfortunately, the reproductions often have off-putting odours reminiscent of industrial grease, gasoline, solvents, or other very ‘chemical’ notes.

Gaharu (resin-embedded agarwood) is typically placed in hookahs (a middle eastern smoking pipe) to keep the bowl fresh and to sweeten the flavour of the smoke. In its native environment the derivatives are used as a highly effective insect (particularly mosquito) repellent. In Yemen, agarwood is placed in handheld censers called mabkharah for the purpose of perfuming clothing and skin. This charcoal powered burner is passed around to guests so they may cover themselves in its scent. In many cultures it is considered a privilege to be able to honour someone you meet by letting them smell something beautiful.

In the Ninth Century C.E., in China, a backgammon-like game was believed to be played, whose stones were made of carved agarwood. Nowadays Chinese artisans carve agarwood into fragrant beads and statuettes. Yet, interestingly enough, it may have been in use nineteen centuries before, around the year 1000 B.C.E., when King Solomon began trade relations with the southern Arabian kingdoms. There are numerous references in many religious texts, particularly to Aloeswood or Aloes, one of its oldest names.

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M a t u r e A g a r w o d Tr e e s / A q u i l a r i a a g a l l o c h a . C r e d i t : C h r i s t o p h e r M a c M a h o n

T hreep ence Jo urnal | 46 Attar shop owner. Credit: Christopher MacMahon

As always, buyers should beware, especially in a foreign country.

Counterfeits

Thus agarwood left over from the production of oil, skillfully painted to look as if fresh, and further decorated with stripes of black paint to simulate the very highest quality wood has become the latest scam. It is then (sometimes) sprayed with that tiny quantity of Oud oil, and sold to tourists as a high value souvenir, but more often with a cheap perfume knockoff that has absolutely no Oud oil in it. However, less gullible tourists can easily identify these counterfeit Agarwood chips, since they are light and would easily float in water; the real, high-quality product would feel more like a small coin in your hand, rather than a piece of Styrofoam. Larger pieces however are difficult to judge and would be best left to an expert. As always, buyers should beware, especially in a foreign country. If you go to a reputable dealer, they will probably have a large quantity and you’ll be able to select your own..

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Known as ‘bleeding the tourist white’, the practice of targeting naïve tourists who are easily duped into parting with their money when a persuasive local proposes to them a local rarity, this practice has become a ‘tradition’ of international tourism almost as popular as the Orient Express. One has to owe even fraudsters their due, and they certainly keep up to date with the latest development in the market.

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Threats As the story goes increasing rarity spurs increasing demand, leading to possible extinction. Spices and rare natural products have always been at risk of this vicious circle. Pepper was once so valued that each peppercorn was a unit of currency, and it remains the most-traded spice in the world. Of course, rarity also equated to prestige. While salt and pepper are in good supply, the same cannot be said for the threatened trees that produce Oud oil. The source trees, agarwood, are now in danger of extinction and are listed on the CITES Appendix II (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Wild agarwood trees still exist in very dense, remote, virtually inaccessible forests. Fortunately, this is enough to discourage even the most enthusiastic gatherers. A large percentage of the real Oud oil available today is likely obtained illegally, since the felling of these trees is largely forbidden due to their status as an endangered species. However, laws have limited power, especially in areas where their monitoring and enforcement are nigh to impossible. The demand for agarwood has also led to opportunistic behaviour in countries where the risk of being caught and persecuted for what is, legally at least, a minor crime, outweighs profit. Inexperienced harvesters have been known to fell uninfected (therefore not resin producing) trees, which only contributes to the decline of tree populations

The source trees, agarwood, are now in danger of extinction and are listed on the CITES Appendix II (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). worldwide. Although tests, such as drilling into the trunk to obtain a sample of core wood to see if it is infected are simple and economical, ignorance and opportunistic greed mean that they are seldom carried out. The irony is that such drilling would leave that tree open to the very mould or microbe infection they seek, which would allow them to harvest the resin at a later time. Conservation Growing agarwood is in some respects, similar to having an olive grove. Just like an olive grove, it takes many years of dedication and work before one can benefit. Unlike fast growing crops, agarwood plantations require long term investment which is primarily only possible in more prosperous countries where public subsidies are available. In Thailand there is actually a significant effort to replant agarwood

TRAFFIC have worked actively for years in gathering field data and working closely with local traders, to control harvesting and promote sustainability of agarwood plantations.

trees throughout the country. While harvest of oud oil is the primary benefit of growing agarwood trees, its leaves can be harvested immediately and sold for herbal infusions and traditional medicine.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) regulate and issue permits for legal trading of agarwood (amongst other flora and fauna). Implementation of regulations on harvesting structure enables a mutual commitment with CITES and locals to continue to control trade systems of agarwood products. However, illegal trading still occurs in producer countries to accommodate consumer markets. A mandate for countries exporting flora and fauna products and listed in Appendix II of CITES requires they prove trade is not detrimental to the survival of the species concerned. The country is granted a Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) by CITES when criteria are met. The specifics of the criteria and the circumstances under which NDFs are issued have at times been grey.

TRAFFIC have worked actively for years in gathering field data and working closely with local traders, to control harvesting and promote sustainability of agarwood plantations. TRAFFIC and WWF are working with locals, educating them about the true value of their natural resources, profits of which thus far, have been lining the pockets of international traders. In their efforts to empower local communities, they are teaching local citizens how to identify agarwood trees, then cordon them off from the international logging and mining companies and sustainable techniques for harvesting. Emphasising the long term benefits of this approach; the realisation that they stand to make good profits by keeping the trees alive for later harvesting, while selling the leaves and outer bark for more immediate positive returns is essential for farmers in order for them to appreciate the full potential of this tree and work for its preservation. §

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A fine precedent in sustainable harvesting comes from a group of aboriginal people known as the Orang Asli of Malaysia. They have been harvesting what we know as agarwood (which they call gaharu) successfully for generations, and, over time, have developed a procedure for obtaining the infected agarwood while safeguarding the life of the tree-they allow the tree to recover from the wound before harvesting from it again. Agarwood takes years to grow so their method allows producers of the oil to return to the same tree. Kindness to nature, ingenuity, and economic acumen come together through this approach.

The FairWild Standard version 2.0 (standard established in 2008) was introduced to make this process more transparent. The FairWild Standard aims to prevent over-exploitation of species of wild flora and fauna harvested or killed for consumption or medicinal uses. The FairWild certification scheme means brands that meet the criteria with sourcing natural products from the wild can display the certification with their brand. TRAFFIC, a global NGO wildlife trade monitoring network, is one of a number of partner organisations contributing to the implementation of FairWild Foundation’s FairWild Standard. TRAFFIC is governed by members of its partner organisations, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Polly Put T he Ke ttle On

Sweet items from the Victorian Era that should be on your crockery right now.

Words : Am a n d a L a n d is

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hedonic decadence, victorian style

These desserts weren’t just culinary offerings designed to delight and tantalize taste buds; they demonstrated a family’s wealth, social standing, and ability to pull off a show-stopping dinner.

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T

he Victorian era, defined by the reign of Great Britain’s Queen Victoria (1837-1901) is known as a time of rigid morality, strict social codes, and restrained sexuality; when whale bone corsets kept women in check and men ogled behind closed doors. Yet all preconceived notions of rigidity and restraint completely disappear when examining the vast spread, shapes, and flavors of Victorian desserts. These desserts weren’t just culinary offerings designed to delight and tantalize taste buds; they demonstrated a family’s wealth, social standing, and ability to pull off a show-stopping dinner. After the Industrial Revolution (1760-1850), desserts became far more commonplace, particularly during the latter half of the 19th century. Mass production made cakes and confectionaries much cheaper, while new notions of consumerism created a demand for more sugary pastries and savoury sweets. These developments made desserts part of everyday life for middle and upper class families, and at times a rewarding treat for less affluent families. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the first chocolate bar was made in 1847, and ice cream vendors were roaming the streets, enticing children and parents alike by the 1890s. In the (Sweet) Beginning: Sorbet, Sherbet, and Ice Cream In 3000 B.C. Asia, sorbet was churned fruit and sugar. Nowadays sorbet isn’t restricted to fruit. Materials such as chocolate or liquers can be used, or additional flavourings and additives. It is distinguished from sherbet and ice-cream by its absence of dairy.

Sherbet is a complex one. In America today it is a frozen dessert (in some regions it must contain dairy, in others it typically doesn’t). Sherbet is the middle man of frozen desserts, containing some cream or milk combined with egg whites and gelatin, but not exhibiting the same degree of creaminess as icecream. In the UK sherbet is an effervescent powder that can be used to make a fizzy drink. Its direct origins are unknown, but Arabian kings did cool sweetened drinks with snow. While ice-cream was not new to England, historians believe that ice-cream was first introduced to King Charles II in 1672. Before the late Victorian era, refrigerators were prohibitively expensive, and ice was difficult and costly to ship. As refrigeration methods improved, ice companies found a way around the problem: create and maintain “ice depots” within major British cities and ports, and ship the ice via rail to other parts of the country. This meant that cheap ice was now far more accessible to both middle-class and lower-income families, diversifying the diet of the average household to include a larger variety of fruits, vegetables, and other commodities, including frozen desserts. The popularity of sorbets and ice creams skyrocketed as more families had access to this luxury and opted to spend time and money on treats. Desserts reflected a family’s wealth in both leisure time and disposable income: the more intricate the dessert, the more well off the family. Perhaps for that reason, savoury yet simple pudding staples, such as swan pie and barley-fattened roast swan, quickly traded places with the newer sweetened desserts, often used to dazzle dinner guests at the high table.

Yet Victorians still favored the shapes of their traditional savories. As a result, the kitchen staff of wealthy Victorian households could find themselves crafting sorbet swans, pineapples, cornucopia baskets, and even champagne bottles filled with butter, chocolate, aspic, or nougat.

The Rise of Gum Paste In the latter half of the 19th century, baking, particularly in Britain and France, had become something of an art, with baker’s personalities showing through in their art. The popularity of closed cast-iron ranges over their coal-based predecessors meant that bakers could maintain more control over the baking process, and better guarantee the results. At the same time, mass production of sweets and confections led to the rise of the special occasion cake. Bakeries began to flourish; soon, bakers and confectioners were competing for the business of

In order to attract these new customers, bakers had to create bright and colorful cakes. Gum paste (a hard sugar-based paste) was used to create decorative accents, like flowers, fruits, and even celebrated personalities, which would catch the eye of passersby and dinner guests alike. Decorated cakes became so popular that competitions were invented to determine who was the superior baker (hello Masterchef, The Great British Bake Off, Hell’s Kitchen, The Next Iron Chef, Chopped, Top Chef, Sweet Genius, Extreme Chef, Cake Boss, The Kitchen, The Taste, Throwdown!, Ace of Cakes, MasterChef Junior, Top Chef Masters......okay we get it). The Jellies Craze While jellies are not a popular dessert today (unless toddlers are running around), Victorians couldn’t get enough of these gelatin-based treats. Moulded jellies were often considered to be the ultimate showpiece of the Victorian high table; as a result, these desserts were shaped in creative, unusual, and even jawdropping designs. Popular shapes included swans, obelisks, and the patriotic British lion. Jellies first rose to popularity in 16th century; historical records show that a rosewater flavoured jelly in a flat shape was favored by King Henry VIII’s court during his garter feast for many years. However, the height of the jelly craze was in Victoria’s reign. As a young Princess, Victoria delighted in these fanciful

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By the latter part of the 19th century ice cream became a treat for working class British families, and as ice and refrigeration industries accelerated in growth, a sudden influx of Italian immigrants to the United Kingdom introduced new and cheaper methods of ice-cream production. Ice cream sellers could now offer Victorian patrons “licks” of ice-cream (so named due to the method of consumption, where a customer would lick ice-cream off of a reusable piece of glass). Hmmm. Fortunately, edible icecream cones weren’t far behind; the first cone was documented in 1894, and the practice of licking sweets off glass was phased out for safer and more sanitary methods of consumption.

middle-class Victorian women, who had more leisure time and income than previous generations, and were eager to showcase this to their friends and family through their choice of desserts.

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sweets; her diary shows an entry in which she copied the recipe for Solomon’s Temples in Flummery, a complex recipe that called for the jelly to be built vertically, as well as being colored and shaped intricately. During the Victorian era, vertical jelly moulds were considered all the rage. Not only were they impressive and exciting, these moulds were even a symbol of patriotism and national pride; in 1853, a large Alexandra Cross was designed to commemorate the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Princess Alexandra. Other forms of jellies were also popular at the Victorian table. Flummeries (a starch-based soft dessert), panachee jelly, and jaunmange (a yellow jelly made from egg yolks) were often used to create highly intricate and detailed desserts. In particular, flummeries presented chefs with the opportunity to work with more opaque colors, allowing for more artistic designs. Highly detailed pineapples and baskets of fruit represent some of the most extraordinary examples of flummery craftsmanship. These detailed moulds were made possible largely due to the use of pneumatic presses, which were able to create far more elaborate and specific copper moulds than ever before. Now chefs could create almost any shape imaginable with care taken to create the perfect form. As jelly recipes and moulds became more intricate in shape and size, so did their colors. In order to achieve their bright hues, jellies often contained turnsole, a dye made from the fruits of a Mediterranean plant known to hail from a toxic plant family, the Euphorbiaceae-Dyer’s croton. This dye was affixed within a rag, which would then be soaked within the jelly mixture to release its colours; however, Victorians were unaware that turnsole contained toxic glycosides. When

consumed in large amounts, the glycosides can cause significant damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems. It’s unlikely that these health concerns were linked to the consumption of turnsole, as the jelly craze continued in full ignorant-bliss throughout Victoria’s reign. Moulded Quince Pastes Although not particularly popular today, the quince has a long history of delighting cooks and dinner guests alike. Some even speculate that in ancient times, Eve likely ate a quince, not an apple, as apples weren’t known yet in that time period. Regardless of what fruit tempted Eve, the quince has tempted those with a sweet tooth for centuries, especially during the Elizabethan era. It was extremely popular during Elizabeth’s reign. Shakespeare even named a character, the bumbling, hardheaded Peter Quince, with this popular fruit in mind. This hard, pear-shaped fruit achieved its culinary apex during the 17th century. Victorian desserts heavily favoured its rich taste and heady aroma. Quinces were typically stewed or baked into more elaborate desserts, often complementing other fruits and sweets. Its pink, rosy hue made it a beautiful addition to any table. Despite the fact that savoury puddings had fallen out of favor with Victorians, an après-dinner course of cheese would still be offered to guests with preserved quinces often presented as the accompaniment. The quince fruit would bring out the strong and tangy flavors of the cheese, while the color would make for a beautiful display. The quince also found itself at the center of the Victorian moulding craze. Quinces are very high in

It’s even noted that Victorian women favored laudanum beverages as a way to achieve a pallid and frail complexion, which was a highly prized feminine characteristic that made women seem more fragile and weak.

Laudanum Digestifs While many Victorian desserts were revolutionised by the advent of cheap production, faster transportation, and mass consumerism, there was one dessert tradition that didn’t change – the popularity of the digestif, an after-dinner alcoholic beverage, usually accompanied by dessert. Men primarily favored port and claret for their dessert wines, whose sweet, rich tastes and aromas complemented the extravagance of the Victorian dinner. Port, the sweet, strong wine from Portugal, was shipped to England in the late 1600’s by sailors who visited a Portuguese abbey. They favored it so much, they bought the abbey’s entire stock and sent it back to England. It didn’t gain popularity until the 1700s, when France and England were at war, at which time claret became very difficult to acquire, and because it symbolised France, lost popularity. Port became the customary after-dinner drink until the war ended, when claret became acceptable and accessible once more. These popular dark wines were often considered too heavy for Victorian women, who strived to be

as delicate and pale as possible. As a result, women often drank cordials and other beverages thought to be restorative in nature, rather than the stronger, richer red wines that men enjoyed. One such beverage was a mixture of water or alcohol with a few drops of laudanum, an opium derivative that was an extremely popular remedy for pain, insomnia, anxiety, and even menstrual cramps. It’s even noted that Victorian women favored laudanum beverages as a way to achieve a pallid and frail complexion, which was a highly prized feminine characteristic that made women seem more fragile and weak. This tradition of an after-dinner drink became not only a way to relax and enjoy the company of one’s guests, but also the chance for women to improve their health and beauty. With confidence in its restorative properties and its calming effects, the custom of taking a dessert drink and health treatment was extremely popular. The Victorians were some of the most active laudanum users; even infants were sometimes given the mixture for its ‘health’ benefits (maybe to put the screaming baby to sleep?). Charcoal Biscuits Another popular Victorian dessert was the charcoal biscuit, which was thought to aid digestion after a large meal. As their name suggests, charcoal biscuits were made from a mixture of charcoal powder, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and milk. Charcoal biscuits represented an interesting food trend for Victorians. As consumerism grew and more families had free time and money on their hands, wealthy and middleclass Victorians became more interested in eating a healthy diet. Thus, “medical biscuits” became a

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pectin, which makes them easily malleable into jams, jellies, and pastes. This made them perfect for the elaborate jelly desserts of which Victorians were so fond. Quinces and peaches were often combined to create a delicious marmalade, which could be formed and shaped into any mould. Quince paste could also be used as a decorative substance; many Victorian desserts were often garnished with knots of white and red quince paste. In both taste and appearance, quinces satisfied Victorians’ hunger for delicious sweets that looked as good as they tasted.

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popular alternative to heavy desserts and digestifs. They were used to help with stomach problems in both adults and children. The charcoal was believed to absorb unnecessary food components that caused discomfort and pain in the stomach. Today many people still eat charcoal biscuits. They can be purchased in health food stores, and there are even charcoal biscuits for dogs, to help with a canine companion’s digestion. Common Victorian Dessert Ingredients Note: some of the below are now known to be toxic. Salep: This starchy flour is made from the tubers of the orchid, Orchis. It was often consumed in hot beverages and desserts. Saloop – a hot drink made from salep – was a popular Victorian alternative to coffee and tea, both of which could be prohibitively expensive to working-class Victorians. Saloop faded from popularity when it was discovered that it could help treat venereal diseases; thus, no one wanted to be seen drinking it in public. Candied Angelica: Angelica – an aromatic herb – was an aesthetically pleasing addition to any cake or pastry. To candy angelica, the herb would be added to a boiling mixture of sugar and water until it turned into a syrupy mixture. The candied angelica would then be used to decorate cakes and other popular Victorian confectionaries. Geranium Leaves: Rose-scented and peppermint geranium leaves were a popular choice for adding a pleasant flavor and scent to Victorian desserts.

Bakers would line their cake pans with the geranium leaves, which would add a delicious aroma to the cake while baking in the oven. One can also make warm rose-geranium milk: Grind pesticide-free rose geranium leaves with sugar, sieve if desired, stir through warm milk to taste. Ratafia Essence: Ratafia was a heavy brandybased liqueur that was extremely popular during the Victorian era. Ratafia is typically flavoured with almonds and fruit, which can lend a sweet flavor to cakes and biscuits. Much like today’s pure vanilla extract, ratafia essence was sparingly used in desserts; just a few drops would be added to the dough before baking for flavour and aroma. Cochineal: This carmine-coloured dye was primarily used in jellies and flummeries, as it helped cooks achieve a pleasing red color. Traditionally derived from a scale insect, there are many synthetic alternatives to carmine today, although the cochineal variety is still used for various applications. Like ratafia essence, cochineal was used sparingly; just a few drops could redden any jelly or flummery to a pleasing colour. Cardoons: This vegetable is in the same family as artichokes; however, they more closely resemble thistles, thanks to their sharp ridges and purple blossoms. Since cardoons can be bitter when eaten raw, hungry Victorians got around this property by stewing the cardoon stalks. Pennyroyal: This small plant is part of the mint family; the oil and leaves of the pennyroyal plant are often used within herbal medicine. Victorians

believed that pennyroyal could aid with breathing problems caused by colds, pneumonia, and other respiratory issues. Thanks to its sweet and minty aroma, pennyroyal stems and leaves were often used in desserts or brewed with hot water as a restorative beverage. Warning: Pennyroyal is now known to be increasingly toxic at higher doses especially for pregnant women.

Combining utility with the growing fascination for excess, Victorian desserts represent a culture obsessed with hospitality, affluence, and patriotism. The variety of flavours, shapes, and colours of the Victorian table were displayed in the wealth of desserts that were created to nourish and enchant. From vertical jellies that fascinated and impressed the viewer, to tonics and cordials that had healing properties, food and desserts gave Victorians the opportunity to show off to their guests and relish in their own culinary handiwork. ยง

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Tansy: This flowering herb was a popular addition to Victorian desserts and digestifs. Tansy was often used for medicinal purposes; some women even used tansy in their face washes, as it was believed that the herb could lighten the complexion. Tansy was also used as an additive to cakes and puddings; some Victorians added tansy seeds to biscuits to serve at funerals. Tansy cakes were especially popular during Lent, when Catholic families would restrict themselves to a primary diet of fish. Victorians believed that eating too much fish could cause intestinal worms; therefore, eating tansy could help treat any parasitic worm infections. Warning: It is now known that tansy contains a toxic compound, thujone.

From vertical jellies that fascinated and impressed the viewer, to tonics and cordials that had healing properties, food and desserts gave Victorians the opportunity to show off to their guests and relish in their own culinary handiwork.

C h oc olat e C ake Re cip e

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From Schauer Cookery Book, Twelfth Impression, 1962, W.R. Smith & Paterson, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

Method Sift 1 full cup self-raising flour into mixing bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 3 level teaspoons cocoa, 3 level teaspoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup milk, 2 eggs. Keep some of the sugar aside and grind up with pesticide-free rose geranium leaves (number of leaves to taste). Add to the cake mix. Or, for a more rustic blend just grind leaves roughly and fold through cake mix.

Beat well for 4 minutes or until all well mixed together. Bake at moderate temperature oven in block tin for 1 hour. Generally scented geraniums (Pelargonium species) are edible, always verify that the species is in fact edible prior to ingesting.

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Bidding For Tricks

for the love of bridge As a child in Sri Lanka in the 60s, Sara loved watching her parents play bridge. As an adult in the US, she can’t seem to find anyone who plays.....

Word s : S a ra Powe l l

Bridge was definitely a big part of the glamour of my parents’ lives. Though come to think of it, I had reason to frown on the game.

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My father was a US diplomat, and it always seemed to me like much diplomatic work happened at parties. There were cocktail parties almost every single night, and they were magical to wee little girls (my sisters and I), watching from the galleria that overlooked our living room. I remember one party in particular that really made me want to be a grown-up so I could be part of the shining mysterious magic of it all. I think it was Halloween—it was a costume party, Robin Hood themed—and my parents had recreated Sherwood Forest in our living room. There was even a stream, flowing from a waterfall under the sweeping circular staircase. When we girls woke up the morning after a party, we would rush downstairs, trying to get there before our cook and houseboy had cleaned up, and drink the melted ice-diluted remainders of scotch and waters, gin and tonics, vodka and sodas. Even better (and we didn’t have to worry if Joseph and Soupaya had gotten there before us) were the left over hors d’oeuvres. Tiny bites of pure deliciousness that is my favorite breakfast still, over fifty years later. But the parties that I craved to be invited to most

were the quiet ones; the Bridge parties. Sometimes they were during the day. My mother and other women with time on their hands would play Bridge. In the ex-pat and elite community of my parents, women didn’t work, the nanny took care of the children, and the other servants took care of the house, so even with their Women’s Club meetings, teas and coffees, and charitable work, there was still plenty of time for Bridge. There were evening Bridge parties too, when the men would play as well, usually at least two tables, but day or night I hovered over my mother’s shoulder watching and begging to play, begging to learn. Bridge was definitely a big part of the glamour of my parents’ lives. Though come to think of it, I had reason to frown on the game. My earliest Bridge related memory is from Beirut. Someone had brought us kids, the children, some rare (to us) American chocolates but before we got to eat them, my father served them at a Bridge party! Oh we were bitter about that game. Yet I still wanted to be included in that foursome around the table. It made me mad that I was always told I was too young, but occasionally my mother would sit down with me and explain aspects of the game, dealing out a hand and playing through it, just she and I. My older sisters weren’t very interested, I guess, because I only remember them sitting with us a time or two, (though the eldest eventually learned) but I was fascinated. I loved the feel of the cards in my small hands, and I learned to shuffle well, even making a bridge. I loved that when the shuffled cards riffled down into a single stack again that it was called a bridge, just like the game. I loved the red and black shapes of the hearts and diamonds, the spades and clubs. It was fascinating that there was a hierarchy of suits with stern spades on top and humble clubs on the bottom. It intrigued me that Bridge cards were smaller than poker

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t was the early sixties, and my parents seemed so glamorous. They were party people. Once somebody asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. My answer? Smoke cigarettes and drink martinis. That’s the kind of people my parents were. At least that’s as my five-year-old eyes saw them. It was around this age that we moved from Beirut, Lebanon to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Of course we called it Ceylon, then. It was still very British colonial; tea parties and memsahibs and all that. Though we lived next door to Arthur C. Clarke, our lives were more Somerset Maugham than science fiction. Admittedly a little young to play Bridge, but oh how I wanted to.

cards, and had complementary art scenes on the backs of the cards rather than two-toned graphics supposed to make it hard to mark the cards. I wondered why people cheated at poker, but apparently not at Bridge. I thought it must be because Bridge was smart and elegant and poker dreadfully déclassé.

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In those quiet—never long enough—sessions, my mother taught me the rudiments of game. Bidding and passing, trump and no-trump, how to count points. Learning the value of doubletons, singletons, and voids boggled my mind. How could something you didn’t have be valuable? My new game became dealing out Bridge hands and counting all the points in each hand. I even tried to play, each hand my own. I used to win a lot that way. Never mind that I was on the losing team too; the winning hand was the one that was really mine. Eventually I grew up and expected that I’d be the one whiling away my afternoons with challenging rounds of Bridge; witty banter enhancing the games. These afternoon games—of course—to be followed by evening games or cocktail parties, depending on my mood. Not so. Didn’t happen. When I went to university there were only a few nerdy Bridge players who jealously (and zealously) guarded entry to their games. I wasn’t admitted to the select society, so I turned to Backgammon instead. I love Backgammon, and I’m good at it. After all, I learned to play as a teen in Iran where they’ve been playing for centuries, maybe even millennia. The rolling of the dice, the clicking of the tiles, taking the chance and making the bold move—Backgammon is wonderful. But I still wanted to play Bridge. Occasionally, home for a school break, I was finally admitted into my mother’s Bridge circle. Unfortunately, by that time, daddy was on assignments where dependents weren’t welcome (think war zones) and mama was stuck in the US. The northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, to be exact, and though there’s a glittering diplomatic life in DC, lowly US diplomats, below the rank of Ambassador at least, were not invited to partake of the glamour. Deep sigh. Our lives had changed dramatically and it was a lot harder for my mother to get up a single table of Bridge, much less the three or four she sometimes hosted. That’s probably why I was allowed to play. I wasn’t good. For Christmas one year—I must

have been about eleven or twelve—Santa had brought me a Goren “Bridge for One” game. It allowed you somehow, I don’t quite remember how although I only recently finally handed it over to a local charity for resale, to practice Bridge alone, but it was less than satisfying and I hadn’t had much chance to practice in real games. The old saw, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” doesn’t work very well when dependent on three other people. Searching for a fourth was a constant theme of my ever nascent Bridge career. However, I did get to play a little and I loved it. I still loved the cards and suits and shuffling. I still loved counting my points. Now I was getting to bid in real games! Oh the joy! One rapturous night I sat down with my mother, my eldest sister, and an urbane young man named Jack. I liked that he was sophisticated; it meant I might get to indulge in some of that witty banter I had so coveted watching my parents play. His sister painted him once, as a jack in a deck of cards. I want to say it was the jack of diamonds, but I’m not sure I’m remembering that right. I may have conveniently tweaked my memory because diamonds would be apropos of the story. In any case, we were (finally) playing Bridge and I got dealt a hand that I couldn’t possibly play poorly. Completely sans a poker face I gleefully bid my grand slam hand. I don’t remember who my partner was, I think it was my mother, but it wasn’t Jack. As he sluffed a card (I looked up sluff to see if I had the term right - wow there’s a whole lexicon of Bridge terms I never dreamed of, guess I’m still a rank beginner) he muttered something under his breath and I smugly responded that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. I thought I was the one with the bon mot, but Jack trumped me, responding “Diamonds are forever.” Outplayed in repartee, I nonetheless made my grand slam. It was the height of my Bridge career. When my mother died, not long after my glittering triumph (only slightly tarnished by losing the war of words to Jack), so did my Bridge playing. I have not been able to find a fourth since. Oh, there have been plenty of times I came up with three people, including me, who wanted to play. Usually it involved at least one person who wanted to learn, so I knew it wouldn’t be the kind of game I really wanted to play. Not that I wasn’t happy to pass on what marginal

Another fifteen years or so have passed since then and I haven’t even come close to finding four people for a hand of Bridge. It seems that few people play cards anymore.

When my daughter became a teen she wanted to learn, and she happened to have a friend, Sam, whose mother also played, and also never found a game. The mom and I did our best to interest her daughter in the game. We would have had a reliable foursome. Think of the opportunities to play! But, no. Her daughter only wanted to play basketball. Basketball was never on my agenda, and Bridge was not on Sam’s. No Bridge lesson ever materialised; no new players learned. Another fifteen years or so have passed since then and I haven’t even come close to finding four people for a hand of Bridge. It seems that few people play cards anymore. It seems few people play games of any kind anymore. When they do, they seem to be silly games with special decks, or (worse, much worse) even sillier games that require elaborate board sets with lots of shiny colored plastic bits that must

be painstakingly erected to no discernible end other than looking like the game may have been worth the ridiculously high price the store demanded. Recently, while volunteering in Greece, I discovered that many of the young European young people I worked with were interested in playing cards, but they scorned the plain decks for a deck of Uno cards. The big blobs of primary colors on the cards just didn’t have the same cachet as the subtle sophistication of suits and numbers and stylised royalty. Recognising the simplistic nature of the rules, the young people created extra rules of their own to make the game more challenging, but they were still simplistic. I played with them once, then declined all further invitations. It just didn’t compare to Bridge, or even Hearts or Spades. Old Maid or Go Fish would have had more appeal. Some of the refugees liked to play with the regular decks of cards, but they weren’t playing Bridge, and whatever they were playing was out of my ken. I guess I’ll have to go back to playing Backgammon. If I can find somebody else who wants to play, that is. Anybody? §

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knowledge I had of the game, only that I wanted the chance to play against people better than I. Decades later, I still wanted to learn, really learn, the illustrious game of Bridge. Nonetheless, I would have been ecstatic just to play.

BAROQUE

Words: A l ex a n d ra A o n o f r i e s e i & Ivo n a M i t e va

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Baroque and its mod cousin, Rococo, have appeared prevalently throughout history in architecture, design, fashion, and the arts. Ever-evolving, these hallmarks of style continue to feature in spades. Why is that? Do we have a psychological connection with the opulence of Baroque?

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Left: Royal Palace of Caserta interior Credit: N o e m i Po l l o l a

Dynamism, a word that captures the vibrancy of the Baroque period. Dynamism in art, music, architecture, and literature.

Until now, very little research has been conducted regarding the psychological implications of architecture and how spaces, light, material, and forms influence our psyche. This begs the question of whether or not there is an ideal style of architecture for different states of mind. What types of spaces will we need in the future? How can we create permanent and relevant structures in a world of endless change? These elements affect us more than we realise, and we allow them to shape our thoughts creating atmospheres and images of safety, danger, and permanence, influencing our memories and emotions. For instance, if we explore the period between the late 16th and early 18th centuries, personified almost exclusively by Baroque or Rococo architecture, we will find that it was used as a structural statement of wealth and power by the Church, aimed at improving

popular piety in the context of new religious order. This style was first popularised in Italy, where it was used to convey overt emotions, dynamic movement, and self-confident rhetoric, a fashion which spread quickly to parts of western Europe, such as France, Britain, and Spain. Dynamism, a word that captures the vibrancy of the Baroque period. Dynamism in art, music, architecture, and literature. The Baroque style was about decoration, ornamentation, associated with spatial grandeur and theatrical flamboyance. Spiritual forces of the Renaissance were exhausted and the world of arts began to face another change. Baroque style had incredible force, and instigated resurrection from another more extravagant perspective. Even though classical forms still constituted the main object of baroque design, artistic elements could be played with more freely. This new style exhibited a fluidity of design accented by a sense of drama, emphasizing grand structures with flowing, arching designs. This motif was also adopted in landscape design, exemplified through beautiful gardens, plazas, and courtyards which still exist today, testimony to one of the richest architectural periods in history. Slowly, however, people extended their architectural interest from exterior design to interior light, color, and shade, dramatic and opulent interior spaces expressing the triumph of absolute wealth.

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rom the dawn of civilization, mankind has been spending most of its time surrounded by architecture, utilising different kinds of spaces in a way that has a significant impact on our mental and emotional state. The role architecture plays in the way we experience life on a daily basis, as well as how we perceive specific situations is as imperative as it is challenging, in an era of fast technological progress that allows many of our experiences to be shared electronically with a wider audience.

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Baroque attire. Credit: Ravena July

Baroque in Sicily carved its own path, contributing a variation to Baroque ornament and flamboyance, grinning masks and putti (plural; a male child, usually nude and sometimes depicted with wings, often constructed as part of ceiling frescoes or balustrades, but a visual example exists in Raphael Sanzio’s Sistine Madonna painting). Most buildings consisted of palazzi (an Italian building of a grand nature; a palace) and villas erected by members of the Sicilian aristocracy who could afford such extravagance for their private residences. Villas and palazzi were often designed with concave or convex facades, while their formal entrances were external ones that could be seen from the frontal facades. Churches were as exuberant as private buildings. Inlaid coloured marble was used in church interiors. Belfries, once only on common campanile towers, were now added to the façade itself, surmounting the central pediment. Even one of the most important natural landmarks in Sicily, the Etna volcano, was integrated into style of the Sicilian Baroque: the volcanic lava stone was used in many buildings, for balustrades, pillars, and fountains.

Baroque was introduced to Spain at the same time the country was becoming one of the greatest nations in Europe, a result of the conquest of the Indies. As a symbol of his power, Philip II commissioned the building of the Escorial (1563–1584) near the city of Madrid. It’s main architectural elements included a votive church and mausoleum, monastery and palace. The architect employed for the work was Juan de Herrera. Juan’s academic tendencies established the initial form of the Baroque style in Spain. The architect’s simplicity in the design of the church can be seen in the clean design of the Doric pilasters and the plane Romanesque arches as opposed to Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Both represented the Counter Reformation, though it is clear the

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Northern Italy hosted brilliant architects during the Baroque period. Baroque expression broke through the strictness specific to Classicism, by its use of classical elements and geometrical regularity, although still retaining some flamboyance and extravagancy. Guarino Guarini’s Palazzo Carignano in Turin is a great example of this, with its magnificent curved double staircase and the double dome in the main salon. This architectural masterpiece was considered one of the finest urban palaces of the 17th century. Moreover, Guarini brought about a new form based on interdependent cells and vibrating organic shapes, like that in the Cappella della Sacra Sindone, in Turin. In Venice, Baldassare Longhena’s Church of Santa Maria della Salute proudly marks the entrance to the Grand Canal. The unique octagonal plan reveals a generous dome; strong architectural elements are decorated with sculptural figures. Stenographic (encrypted) techniques were used in the interior designs, the columns made in such a way as to lure the visitors to the chapels.

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exuberance of the Catholic Church in Italy contrasted greatly with the rigidity of the Inquisition that signified the Spanish Church. Jose Benito de Churriguera, a sculptor and architect, released the shackles on the Baroque style in Spain, reviving its freedom. Churriquera favoured the luxuriant elaboration of detail to the creation of new forms as expressed by his great portals and altar-pieces, such as the altar of the El Salvador Church in Seville. England’s Baroque period is marked by the achievements of Sir Christopher Wren, an architect that managed to mingle baroque with his skills in the sciences-applying physics and engineering for the practical elements and introducing baroque elements for the design. He was greatly influenced by several European Baroque styles, as seen in the luxuriant detail of his interiors, and his design of towers and spires. One of his greatest works was the rebuilding of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, between 1668 and 1710, resembling Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, but with a greater spatial effect. Moreover, he was deeply inspired by Borromini’s church, Santa Agnese, and the Louvre; he designed the façade with two tiers of pared Corinthian columns. He also emulated Bramante’s Tempietto in the creation of the dome. The Baroque style in France manifested itself in a Classical form, embracing grandeur and opulence. It was an impersonal and controlled style. The Palace of Versailles is representative of French Baroque in all its elements; art, architecture, the gardens, and garden features. At the time the Baroque style emerged, Europe was facing a great war of religions that lasted for 30 years (1618-1648). It was a time when the Roman Catholic Church was losing power as the Protestant Reformation was encouraging freedom from the papal authority. In response to the Protestant sects that were beginning to recruit more believers, the Roman Catholic Church undertook a program of reform, known under the name of Counter-Reformation. The papal authority managed to give Catholicism a more vigorous and expressive form. In order to successfully reach the goals of the Counter-Reformation and regain predominance the Baroque style was utilised intensively, a powerful instrument of persuasion in all artistic domains: art, architecture, sculpture and music.

The political landscape of the great European nations was also experiencing change at this time. Spain, France and England had become powerful centralised nations, while Italy and Germany were facing civil struggles. France was in its prime as it dominated European culture and politics, a landscape where Baroque began to flourish. At the court of Louis XIV, in the vitality of Versailles, Baroque architecture, sculpture and painting were a symbol of affluence and power. The merging of a new merchant class also influenced the flourishing of the Baroque style. The members of this class had become wealthy enough to afford education and art; they could hire craftsmen, artists and composers, and evidently also Baroque glamour with its exuberant design and incredible detail. Initial Baroque tendencies were purely tangible, even before it evolved into an official style, demonstrated through some of the final works of Michelangelo. Unlike other artists at the time, Michelangelo was determined not to allow rules of ancient art to influence his style. His earlier works were very expressive in this sense, like the façade of San Lorenzo (that was never built), where free-standing columns were used for the first time as decorative forms. Italy established supremacy during the Early Baroque (1600-1625) and the High Baroque (1625-1675) periods. One of the most notable artistic achievements dating from the first period is Carlo Maderno’s façade of Saint Peter’s Cathedral (Vatican City). With its complex rhythm of elements, subdivision of bays and a skyline decorated with balustrades and statuaries, the façade that Maderno conceived for Saint Peter’s epitomises the establishment of Baroque style in Italy. The aristocracy’s need to impress people with opulence and grandeur kept artisans busy for nearly a century, building elaborately grand, heavy, and ornate staircases in excessively decorated Baroque palaces. The curves typical of this style in both exterior and interior design, excessive use of gold, massive mirrors, frescos on the ceilings, high domes, and religious themes, defined Baroque and Rococo architecture, a term derived from the Italian word for ‘bizarre,’ the etymology of which is derived from the French ‘barocco,’ meaning an irregularly-shaped or imperfect pearl. This extravagant, theatrical, and melodramatic style was designed to create carefully constructed interiors

reinvent. In contrast, Mannerism portrayed the human animal in a continuous state of internal conflict, while the body was seen as a prison for the soul. The idea of conflict that characterised Mannerism issued from a combination of different architectural styles. During the Baroque period, all artistic elements participated in shaping a complete dynamic and dramatic system, where asymmetry was preferred and ornament was at its peak. Renaissance is a French term denoting ‘reborn’ and is typically ‘classical’ in style. Baroque, contrastingly and laconically, is distinguished by ornate detail. Where Renaissance architecture is clean, and proportionate that focuses on forms, symmetry, and clarity, Baroque is detailed, gilding, extravagant, centred on masses, asymmetry, and obscurity.

The Baroque and Rococo movement emphasised splendor and monumentality, creating dramatic spatial and lighting sequences, employing rich interior decoration and contrasting surface textures, vivid colors, and luxurious materials to stimulate and attract the senses. Still, these styles remained recognisable for their subtlety, elegance, and control. The reaction to these forms and decorations is characterised by the acceptance and celebration of opulence and craftsmanship, but many critics still bemoaned the loss of the natural grace associated with Renaissance architecture.

As seen in the development of Baroque throughout Europe, it is fair to say Baroque made a formal and rigid turn, giving rise to the Rococo style. Although similar, Rococo and Baroque do exhibit differences. Baroque reveled in religious themes--the general tone, one of sobriety and exuberance of the Divinity, while the Rococo style had aristocratic roots, and was mainly drawn from the love of the Gods as depicted by mythology. Rococo revealed the pleasures of the rich versus the dramatic epiphanies of the religious. Jean Antoine Watteau is considered to be the founding father of the Rococo style and, as a painter, he created works that represented idyllic scenes and asymmetrical designs. His paintings depicted joy and bliss, his subjects danced and enjoyed themselves, thus creating his own genre known under the name of fêtes galantes.

The Renaissance and Baroque periods gravitated around two main facets: the human being and the space in which s/he lived. The Renaissance style celebrated the divine aspects of humans and nature, the idea of perfection and self-confidence. The pathway from the Renaissance to the Baroque periods led to the evolution of another style, Mannerism (Manierismo), a period when young artists established themselves by nothing less than individual style, affectation--there was nothing left to invent, only to

In that sense, Baroque as a stylistic concept seemed in itself an act of cultural rebellion. The work concentrates on a single effect, its eye centred on the spectator, its aim to overwhelm them with an immersive work of art, turning the structure into an experience. It is a spectacle of power and glory, bizarre as it is magnificent. Baroque and Rococo architecture can create a sense of energy and tension, its decorative surfaces and elements evoke motion, ecstasy, martyrdom, or miraculous apparitions.

Initially, the Rococo style was expressed in the decoration of townhouses (hotels) owned by the French nobility. Prevalence of the shell motif (or rocaille in French) was a distinguishing feature of Rococo. It then spread to other European countries

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that promote spectacle and illusion, producing stunning effects of light and shade, and exploring the theatrical potential of the urban landscape as illustrated by Saint Peter’s Cathedral and the famous Basilica in Rome, where Bernini, one of the most prominent Baroque architects, used circular rows of colonnades to give the visitors the impression they were being embraced by the arms of the Catholic Church. The effects of Baroque architecture were used as powerful instruments in stimulating the public’s faith in the church, making religious imagery more accessible to the average churchgoer using dramatic and illusory effects to stimulate feelings of piety and devotion, and conveying the impression of splendor and divinity. Consequently, Baroque church ceilings often displayed vivid painted scenes directing the observer’s senses towards heavenly concerns and the infinite. These deliberate choices of style impacted the sociological psyche of the period by allowing the middle class to play a powerful role in art patronage through the incorporation of absolute monarchy, a phenomenon best displayed in the expansion and monumental scale of architectural structures demonstrating the power and grandeur of the centralised state.

The exuberance and grandeur of baroque is now being drawn from the era of its inception and reapplied in more subtle ways.

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at the beginning of the 18th century, becoming evident in the architecture, interior design, painting, music, sculpture, and landscaping. Rococo reached the American colonies initially through engravings. At this time, engraving techniques were already used in England for billheads, book plates, and trade cards. An engraved Boston silver teapot, dating back to 1745, represents the first known piece of Rococo design. Creating a sense of intense spirituality, realism, and a feeling of infinite space are integral features of both Baroque and Rococo styles, through incorporating gold elements, highly decorated accessories, intricately carved wood, paired with luxurious textiles with floral or pastel designs. While most people are not aware of the carefully chosen decorations, the influence it has on the spectator, creating a feeling of grandeur and royalty, is undeniable. While Baroque and Rococo first appeared as an extravagant interpretation of classical Renaissance forms, their influence has extended beyond architecture, extending into theatre, music, fashion, art, design, and cinema, a claim not many stylistic revolutions can make, testimony to the fact that architecture affects us more than we realize, creating emotional images and permeating our state of mind. In painting, Baroque manifested itself with asymmetric compositions, strong contrasts of light and dark and powerful illusionistic effects. Techniques also differed from one period to the other. Comparing a Raphael and a Caravaggio painting, you will notice that in the former the contours are visible and the contrast of colours are smooth. In the latter, the contours are hard to discern, while shapes and form dissipate into the shadows. Caravaggio was the forerunner, illustrated in works such as Sleeping Cupid. His art impacts both spirit and intellect, as it vigorously recreates lifelike scenes, while establishing a balance between the sacred and the profane. Also a successful sculptor, Caravaggio dramatised the events he pictured

in his paintings while using strong contrast of light and dark, giving the characters not only presence, but essence. The heavy contrast of light that characterises the entire Baroque style was called tenebroso (tenebrous) for its shadowy effect. The Baroque style experienced a revival in the 21st century, now yet another amalgamation. In fashion, designers continue to use decorative embellishments, (sometimes outlandish) ornamentation, and accentuated curves. Patterns are complex, decorations eccentric, and textures, sumptuous; and as a leitmotiv specific to the Baroque era, gold is present in every fabric. Baroque also meets its modern version in furniture design, as architects and interior designers use the ornamental tendencies of this style to bring a modernised look to their works. Unlike traditional baroque furniture that was heavily ornamented and profoundly detailed, neo-baroque furniture exhibits a balanced mix of present styles with vintage baroque elements. For instance, an ornate mirror or a chair with baroque-embroidered upholstery might bring dynamism and color to a white room. The New Age finesse is also seen in dÊcor, as gold is used to contrast brighter colours. This technique was also used in the past, but today gold can be found in its matte version, or chrome yellow. Rooms can also be upgraded to this style with the Baroque motif wallpapers, which can be as sophisticated as they were back in the 17th century. The exuberance and grandeur of baroque is now being drawn from the era of its inception and reapplied in more subtle ways. We are still celebrating its decadent spirit, but transporting it to the modern day, with less excess and more attention to honouring the detail artists of those times brought to life. Baroque carries the political turbulence, the contrast between dark and light, the flamboyance, and of course, the dynamism that the era held. §

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B a r o q u e i n t e r i o r . C r e d i t : B e a t r i c e D i S t efa n o

C olog n e [ ku h - l o h n ]

Cologne: The dictionary says ‘a mildly perfumed toilet water’ ....say what?

Word s : Rh on a Re id

T hreep ence Jo urnal | I s s ue O ne

fragrance alchemy

T hreep ence Jo urnal | 78 I r i s f l o w e r s b e n e a t h o l i v e t r e e s , Tu s c a n y Credit: Camper English

“Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.” - Perfume from “The Story of a Murderer” by Patrick Süskind.

The story of perfume is entwined with the story of civilization itself, and reaches to every corner of the world. A Brief History Of Perfume In 1709, Italian perfumier Johann Maria Farina moved from his small village in Piedmont, to Cologne, Germany. At the time, he did not foresee how this decision would lead to the creation of a whole new type of fragrance, and influence generations of perfume makers. That refreshing fragrance of citrus was Eau de Cologne. His formulation was a sensational success with both men and women, leading of course, to the universal term for perfume today, cologne; but the story of perfume extends back much further-to the Bronze Age, around 3300 BCE on the Indian sub-continent.

The west’s knowledge of perfume, even by Farina’s time, had already been influenced by Islamic cultures, cultures that introduced methods of perfecting steam distillation, and using previously unexplored substances such as resins, ambergris and musk. During the middle ages, the Roman Catholic Crusaders to the Holy Lands brought back spices and floral perfumes. In 14th century Hungary, the first modern-style perfumes were produced, which blended oils with an alcohol base. Flowers and fruits such as lemons, oranges, bergamot, grapefruit, petitgrain and lime were grown specifically for their use in perfumes, and for the next few hundred years,

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s perfume mainly for women? If we believe modern advertising, then yes; perfume is something that we tend to associate with women. Yet throughout history, men have been creating and wearing fragrances designed to attract, repel, disguise and simply enjoy. Napoleon Bonaparte was a connoisseur of scent, with a preference for jasmine extract, and violet cologne that matched his devotion to Josephine.

Essential oils are the basis of aromatherapy and evidence of plant oils and essences can be traced back to ancient Egyptian times. Aromatherapy, the art of using essential oils for physical, psychological and spiritual healing has remained a popular practice to this day. Traditionally the majority of essential oils are derived through steam distillation of the plant material, however a few are solvent extracted and some citrus oils are derived through expression (cold pressing) of the citrus rinds. In the Bronze age (circa 3000 B.C.) remains of an ancient perfumery were discovered by Italian archaeologists on Cyprus in 2003. In 2005 the BBC reported traces of perfumes found in clay and alabaster bottles from the site that were analysed by Italian scientists who managed to replicate some of the fragrance blends.

Opposite Page Image: Ylang ylang harvest, Moheli, Comoros Credit: Elizabeth White

The links between our thought processes, memories, and the power of smell are well documented and pervade our everyday lives.

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Kings, Queens and rulers anointed themselves and their surroundings with many different perfumes, to the extent that Louis XV of France presided over ‘la cour parfumée’ – the perfumed court. Perfume continued to gain favour with both heads of state and the people they considered their subjects. The Industrial Revolution wrought its own changes on the methods of perfume production and chemistry, and per the times, industrial chemical processes were introduced as part of the changing nature of perfume. Science and The Signposts of Attraction The links between our thought processes, memories, and the power of smell are well documented and pervade our everyday lives. Who doesn’t smell freshly cut grass and think of summer? The smell of candy floss (cotton candy/fairy floss) and hot dogs transport us to the fairgrounds of our childhood. How many lovers when captured by the sweet fragrance of the summer rose, have brushed an errant tear from their eye brought on by memories of a lost love? Hot pavement in summer, a wet dog bounding towards you, new shoes, an old leather jacket - odors that can powerfully undo the moment you’re in, take you back to another time and place-the list is endless, the emotions, real. Fragrance from perfume can even influence who you select as a life partner. Really? Or are we taking things just a little too far? Possibly not. When it comes to the rules of attraction and our sense of smell, Claus Wedekind, a biologist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, carried out a study based on the

subconscious olfactory messages fired from human noses to human brains. He asked 44 men to wear a new t-shirt for two nights, and use only odor-neutral soap during the course of the experiment. After the testing period, 49 women smelled the shirts to decide which they found the most attractive. Wedekind explained that there is a sequence of over 100 immune system genes known as the MHC (major histocompatibility complex). These genes enable the immune system to recognise potentially infectious agents. The experiment reinforced the findings of other studies on sexual selection - MHC influences real-life behavior - the women had a tendency to prefer the smell of the t-shirts that had been worn by men who were immunologically dissimilar to them. Why was this significant? Mates with different immune systems tend to produce more robust and disease resistant offspring. This translated to women picking out a MHC - distinct partner as biologically sound. Since men have a more limited range of smell than women (women constantly out-performed men in smell-sensitivity experiments), in terms of evolution, this makes sense: women have the responsibility for carrying a child and giving birth, so they are hard-wired to literally ‘sniff-out’ a mate. Another interesting finding was that women reported the smell of their favourite shirts reminded them of both current and past relationships. One’s individual MHC profile is as particular to us as our fingerprints; our preferences are informed by our ‘personal chemistry’ - what leaves one woman cold will inspire passion in another, or as psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, Rachel Herz, points out; “there is no Brad Pitt of smell.”

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D r i e d a n d p e e l e d o r r i s r o o t h a r v e s t , Tu s c a n y Credit: Camper English

What Does Your Perfume Say About You? Research into links between fragrance varieties and personality characteristics is still more suggestive rather than conclusive. Research conducted by J. Mensing and C. Beck in 1988 and included in a book by S. Van Toller and G.H. Dodd titled “The Psychology and Biology of Fragrance”, provided somewhat anecdotal evidence that extroverts prefer fresh fragrant odours and introverts prefer oriental odours; ‘emotionally ambivalent’ temperaments went for floral and powdery blends. Mensing and Beck used the Melcher Colour Pyramid and Luescher Colour Tests to derive this information from their subjects.

The Structure of Cologne The use of the term ‘notes’ in perfumery essentially refers to how volatile they are. Fragrance materials that evaporate the quickest (i.e. are detectable in the initial period from the point of application) are known as ‘top’/’head’ notes. Once the top notes have dissipated, the ‘middle’/’heart’ notes become detectable, and likewise after some more time the ‘base’ notes begin to become apparent in the odour profile. Top notes are typically fresh, light and crisp, often citrus. Middle notes classically exhibit floral or fruit characters and are more warm and mellow than top notes. Base notes are rich, deep and heady, commonly woody type oils. A well-constructed fragrance combines all three categories. To explore what makes us sigh with pleasure or recoil in distaste, we need to look a little more closely at the structure of perfume and cologne. Most perfume components can be placed on a spectrum, which is commonly referred to as the Fragrance Wheel. The wheel is divided into four sections – Floral, Fresh, Oriental and Woody notes. Another spectrum of scent is the one used by the Société

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Perfume, cologne, scent – whatever you call it, is an everyday luxury that should make us feel happy. The true test of whether a scent is right for you is after you spritz it onto your skin, allow the notes to develop a little and breathe it in; if you’re soothed and pleased by the sensation such that you can’t help saying to yourself, ‘I love that smell’, perhaps your search is over.

Française des Parfumeurs, which provides for seven sections; citrus, floral, fougere, chypre, woody, amber and leather. Certain ingredients are frequently found in male colognes: sandalwood, cedar wood, and orris root as base notes; vetiver, benzoin, and patchouli can be found as base or middle notes; and top notes commonly tend towards citrus and herbal.

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This is about our subconscious olfactory system ‘doing the talking’, not what attracts us when faced with fragrances we might smell in a store, or on someone’s skin. Numerous legitimate and tabloid magazine research has shown that men prefer fragrances that open with clean, fresh notes, and develop to a dry-down of woody notes, and ones which are reminiscent of rich liqueur. Men’s fragrance belongs to the fougère family of odors, characterised by a mossy, fernlike smell, named for the perfume, Fougère Royale, by Paul Parquet (1856 – 1916). He is known as ‘the greatest perfumier of his time.’ Fragrances of the fougère family may typically contain a top note of lavender, base notes of oakmoss and tonka bean, with additional notes of other herbs and spices. More modern formulations might contain animalic and citrus notes, along with geranium and vetiver, which are used commonly as modifiers in fougere fragrances. The other family of olfactive groups to which many men’s fragrances belong is called Chypre, meaning Cyprus, named for François Coty’s fragrance of the same name in 1917. This clean, sharp style of scent is based on oak moss, labdanum, patchouli, and bergamot. Creating Your Own Cologne The history of perfume extends back thousands of years, from the simplest and purest fragrant oils, to the synthetic and sophisticated formulations we are familiar with today; but for all its world renowned rarified – even esoteric – existence, the art of creating a perfume is in fact, extremely accessible. With a few ingredients and a little time, you can easily create your own cologne - if you follow a few simple guidelines: just as many different colours can create a beautiful painting, different instruments

can create an orchestral extravaganza; the different ‘notes’ of a fragrance can combine into pleasing harmonious ‘chords’ or something you, literally, turn your nose up at. Let’s review ‘the perfume pyramid’ once again: the lighter top notes, frequently citrus or herbaceous ones, evaporate first, revealing the middle - or heart - notes. These are well-rounded, smooth notes. Some florals make common heart notes, as do herbs, and lighter spices. The base notes should appear once the top notes have completely evaporated, and will last the longest on your skin. Frequently used base notes are patchouli, sandalwood, amber, cedarwood, oakmoss, vanilla, and musk. What You Will Need Find a supplier of essential oils where you can spend some time sampling their characteristics - how they smell, their complexity, and completely relevant, your emotional response to each one. Can you detect the ‘notes’? Once you decide which notes you prefer, you’re ready to begin. To make your own cologne blends for personal use you’ll need 300mL 70-95% alcohol (ethanol/water), your chosen oils, a dropper/syringe, and a suitable glass bottle in which to store your cologne (you could buy a bottle with a dropper fixed into the lid). You can also purchase ‘Perfumer’s alcohol’ if you wish, which contain various additives for various purposes (depending on the supplier). Vodka (the higher percentage the better) can also be used for personal use fragrance blends. Do not use a plastic bottle for storage, as the oils will cause the plastic to leach over time. Creating your own cologne should be a labour of love. You will need to experiment with quantities and combinations, until you finally hit on the creation that you find appealing. A good rule of thumb - don’t add too much of any oil - you can always add more, so go steadily, drop by drop. Give your nose a rest – walk away for a while and return to it after a couple of hours at least, to see if you still love the combination you’ve been working on, and to allow the oils to amalgamate. Think about the structure of the fragrance. As you experiment try to identify reoccurring elements that attract you.

Another way of thinking about creating a perfume or cologne is to consider the way ingredients are used in food dishes.

Here is a list of suggestions to start with:

App l i c at i o n s f o r y o u r c o l o g n e

Base Notes – frankincense, myrrh, oakmoss, oakwood, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver

If you don’t want to use your blended scent as a traditional spray-on cologne there are many other applications you can try:

Woods – cedarwood, cypress, juniper, pine, sandalwood, and for those who seek the more unusual: guaiacwood

• sprinkle onto candles near the wick and when lit they will evaporate the aromatherapy • add a few drops to rustic pot pourri or display rocks • use as an air freshener in the home • add to unscented shampoo or conditioner

Spice – anise, cardamom, cinnamon leaf, clove, black pepper, ginger, nutmeg Herbaceous – Coriander, sage, eucalyptus, basil, bay, lavender, lemongrass, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, lemon thyme, thyme, sorrel, chamomile, clary sage, lemon grass Citrus – lime, lemon, grapefruit, clementine, bergamot Another way of thinking about creating a perfume or cologne is to consider the way ingredients are used in food dishes. Some ingredients are added at the beginning of a recipe, to create a deeply enriched background flavour, other ingredients are added later, to season and modify, and finally softer, more delicate flavours may be added at the end, such as soft herbs, before serving. As you work, patiently write down each of your combinations. Note every drop of oil you add, so that when you do find the cologne recipe that you love, you will know how to recreate it!

Do your research and ensure the oils you use are suitable for the application: Aromaweb and National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy are great places to start.

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Resinous/Balsamic - oud, benzoin, vanilla, labdanum, amber

• oil burner for some psychological R&R

DIY S h av i n g Sticks

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As an ode to cologne we decided to have some fun and make shaving stick soaps (a cylindrical shaped soap used for shaving) containing a blend of ‘masculine’ essential oils. Lather is created either with a brush or by rubbing the stick soap directly on the face. An alternative to the ‘puck’ (round) soaps that were also used, shaving sticks were particularly popular in the early 1900’s.

What you will need:

utensils for the lye. Essential oil (EO) blend:

Equipment: Base ratio: Pot to melt oils Shaving stick moulds (we used PVC pipe cut into desired lengths with the PVC caps to fit). 2x thermometers Stick blender or beater Rubber gloves Safety glasses

1 drop blood orange oil 2 drops cypress oil 4 drops tea tree oil 28 drops smoky cedarwood oil (this depends on the distillation of the oil) 46 drops not-so-smoky cedarwood oil

Vinegar (to have on hand in the case of a Lye spillage) Measuring jugs, measuring spoons etc. Try to use dedicated equipment but if you do use your usual kitchen gear make sure you wash it really really thoroughly. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) reacts with various metals, including aluminium and titanium, but not steel or iron, but to be safe best to use plastic

Note: Many class cedarwood oil with a strong smokey note as inferior, as it means during the distillation the oil has reached the point of ‘charring’, but for this purpose it suits perfectly. This blend makes an oil of 18 grams (basically 5 times the number of drops given above).

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A n d t h e r e s t: 214 grams sweet almond oil 148 grams macadamia nut oil 81 grams coconut oil 41 grams borage oil 25 grams cocoa butter Originally soaps were made with tallow (animal fat). The oils used in this formula are an alternative to tallow. As much as we normally opt for tradition, we prefer using plant-based oils. The oils above react with the sodium hydroxide (lye) by a process known as saponification that results in glycerols and fatty acid sodium salts. 163 grams water (the medium in which everything reacts and combines/the filler)

21 grams Australian white clay (adds some gentle exfoliation) 14 grams baking soda (adds gentle exfoliation and is anti-microbial) 7 grams arrowroot powder (thickening agent) 1.5-2 teaspoons sodium lactate (helps to harden the soap, is a natural humectant and acts as preservative). ½ teasp Charcoal (gentle exfoliation and an awesome colour) Safety: Sodium hydroxide (lye) can violently react with water, acids and metals and it gets very hot when dissolved in water so always wear protective clothing, thick rubber gloves and safety glasses when handling sodium hydroxide. Lye is very caustic/ corrosive and can burn into the skin. It also causes respiratory irritation so ensure you are working in a well ventilated environment and be sure not to inhale lye fumes. If skin or body contact is made with lye ensure to rinse the area thoroughly with cold water. It is highly recommended you read through the Safety Data Sheets (many available online) for these materials prior to starting. Do not ingest essential oils

Combine the essential oils to create the EO blend and put aside. Weigh out the water required into a plastic, pyrex or glass jug. Do not use metal. Weigh out the NaOH pellets (while wearing gloves, safety glasses and practical clothing) and add slowly to the water while stirring. Never add water to NaOH as it may cause a violent reaction. The aqueous lye will be very hot. Keep checking the temperature of this solution while you go about the next few steps. Weigh out the clay, baking soda and arrowroot powder into separate containers. Weigh out all the oils and butters in the recipe and combine in a pot. Heat really gently until all the fats have dissolved and the oils have all combined thoroughly. When the lye has come down in temperature to 50°C the sodium lactate can be added. Mix thoroughly. Stir baking soda and arrowroot powder into the oil blend. Check the temperature. When the oil blend and the lye mixture are similar in temperature (approx. 50°C) then slowly add the lye mixture into the oil blend and blend using a stick blender or whisk. Continue to blend until you reach a light trace (refer below). Once a light trace has been reached stir in your EO blend (using a spatula to gently stir through). Notes on trace: Light trace is when your mixture resembles thin cake batter. Medium trace resembles thick cake batter. Addition of EOs can accelerate trace. Too much blending/whisking will accelerate trace.

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69 grams lye/sodium hydroxide (the pièce de résistance of soap recipes)

or use them neat on the skin. M e t h o d:

We highly recommend opting for ethically sourced, sustainable and fair trade essential oils

B e l o w i s a l i s t o f s o m e o n l i n e s u pp l i e r s o f t h e a b o v e m at e r i a l s , m o s t o f w h i c h s h i p i n t e r n at i o n a l ly: White Lotus Aromatics (USA) New Directions (Australia) Escentials of Australia (Australia) Lotioncrafter (USA) Formulator Sample Shop (USA) Essential Wholesale and Labs (USA) Bulk Apothecary (USA)

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Natural Sourcing (USA) We highly recommend opting for ethically sourced, sustainable and fair trade essential oils. The following offer fair trade and/or sustainable EOs as part of their product range and/or operate under a fair trade/sustainable certification or program: Pour half the mixture into a separate bowl and add the charcoal to one and the white clay to the other and stir both separately until the clay and charcoal are mixed in thoroughly. Transfer your mixtures to jugs for easier pouring and pour into your shaving stick moulds (in our case PVC piping with end pieces/caps). We actually stood ours in an empty cardboard 6-pack beer holder, which worked perfectly. Whatever you have handy. Leave to dry and harden for 48 hours. We were on standby ready to freeze the soaps slightly in order to remove them from their moulds, although turns out this wasn’t required and gentle twisting of the piping enabled it to slip off. We left the caps on the ends for another day before we likewise twisted and pulled those off. The soap is still potentially caustic after 48 hours so handle with care i.e. wear gloves. Cut the soap sticks to the desired lengths. Allow the soaps to cure for 4-6 weeks and wrap in foil or kraft paper as desired and brand (if desired) ready for use. §

Union Nature (Canada) Mountain Rose Herbs (USA) Aura Cacia (USA and Norway) Earth Oil (UK) The Lebermuth Company (USA) NHR Organic Oils (UK) Aromatics International (USA) Stillpoint Aromatics (USA) The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy is a non-profit association dedicated to offering information on aromatherapy and essential oils, including ethical considerations and regulatory standards. Aromaweb is a vast resource on essential oils, including profiles and safety information. A long-standing and respected figure in the world of aromatherapy, Robert Tisserand, is also a great general resource for essential oil information. Please note: None of the above endorsements are sponsored.

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T hespian Adventures

Nagoya, Salvatore, Politeama, Hager...hmmmm, types of cheese? No, theatres. Apart from providing a shell to house the arts, theatres are often one of the few remaining stalwarts of a locality. They combine cultural and historical significance to a city or region and often represent an iconic landmark. They are also usually blessed with regal or intriguing names that further rouse the desire to visit them. We explore some of the bricks and mortar theatrical treasures around the globe and what activities go on inside of them...

Words: D hwa n i R a m Ma n kad

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DRAMATURGY.... ANOTHER WORD FOR THEATRE

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Previous Page Image: Te a t r o Po l i t e a m a , L i s b o a , Po r t u g a l Credit: Julio López Saguar

Since the Greek era of plays to the time of Broadway musicals, theatre has evolved and remained a most popular form of entertainment.

At a time when there were no televisions……no wait, shoot back a little more; at a time when there were no forms of communication except in person, evening plays and theatre performances brought the concept of live entertainment to life. Quite literally. The excitement engendered by the live theatrical experience is possibly hard-wired into human beings, a trait passed down from our primitive, and not so, ancestors, whose celebration of birth, life, unions, the seasons, the harvest and ultimately, death, often embraced what we would now consider to be incredibly theatrical forms. Throughout the ages humankind has been “performing” for the sake of the tribe, with elders handing down stories of courage, loss and wonder to the younger generations, crouched, wide-eyed, around the crackling,

comforting embers of a fire. After all, theatre is simply storytelling, albeit amplified through the use of often elaborate sets, music, lighting, songs and costumes. The reality though is modern theatre is not far removed from the rituals practiced by humans for thousands of years, rites that employed elaborate and beautiful masks, costumes, tribal music and sacred settings, sharing the histories, ceremonies or superstitions held dearly. It was a method of communicating and preserving the essence of life, and all that was held to be of import, open to interpretation, like a game of Chinese Whispers, but always maintaining the lifeblood and journey of the tribe at its core. When we sit in our comfortable theatre seats these days, anticipating the rise of the curtain, we are not far removed from the ancient Egyptians, for whom elaborate dramas were performed; dramas dispatching the Pharaoh to the underworld, or celebrating his long life, or perhaps more closely aligned with what we call theatre, the Abydos Passion Play, paying tribute to the myth of Osiris. Performed every year for a period of almost two thousand years, this passion play is the earliest documented example of theatre that resembles what we sit down to enjoy in our “modern” theatrical establishments today. In the western world, theatre was the unifying point for all classes of society, a place where all could

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F

or some the urge to act is as primal as the urge to communicate – and throughout the centuries, man has used theatre as a way to express the vast range of emotions, thoughts, and fears that have embedded themselves in our collective psyche. Built on archetypes that go back thousands of years, from tales of love to grand tragedies to stories showcasing our deepest fears and darkest secrets, a form of art so versatile can only be described as timeless. Since the Greek era of plays to the time of Broadway musicals, theatre has evolved and remained a most popular form of entertainment.

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gather and revel in the magic. It was one of the few places where, though there were different seating areas, there were no social classifications in terms of content and while social hierarchies existed, the well-heeled in the front, the less so in the back, performance and acting itself was open to anyone. As theatre became a form of entertainment open to the general public, rather than a privilege enjoyed only by the wealthy, it became a significant symbol of change, a source of inspiration, an outlet of anguish, a channel of communication and anything its artists wanted it to be. Acting, as an outlet for freedom--a political idea not always integrated nor accepted by many societies. Theatre has always played a major role in the social make up of a country, no matter what its social heritage or cultural values might be. As we use networking platforms to express opinions online, theatre puts forth concepts, man’s understanding of the universe or the lack thereof. This raw beauty of theatre is the reason it has played a revolutionary role in the development of countries and why it shall continue to do so. Japan: Nagoya Castle Built in 1621 in an attempt to defend Nagoya from attacks coming from Osaka, this famous and impressive castle is a high priority destination for theatre enthusiasts. Perhaps the most famous and instantly recognizable features of Nagoya Castle are the two gold shachihoko that stand at either end of its topmost roof, also known as Kinshachi-jo. Kin means “gold” and shachi refers to the whale type mythical creatures that the carvings emulate. Local folklore tells the creatures could ward off fire, a valid worry for 17th-century architects. The shachihoko were destroyed through air raids in the second World War, though the replicas are just as brilliant. While known for these two statues, the showcased traditional performances are what make a visit here worthwhile. The castle wasn’t originally used to showcase theatre. It was intended for ceremonial performances that celebrated royal events--the births of feudal lords, their heirs, and glorious inheritances. Nagoya castle is home to the Noh theatre, a grand 630-seat dramatic theatre constructed in the heyday

of the castle. Named after a celebrated dance form known as “Noh,” it has two stages, one in the front and one in the back. Noh is amongst the oldest theatrical expressions in the world. Actors play the role of storytellers and make use of unique visual cues to move the plot forward. What sets this form of performance art apart are the plots that revolve around stories the audience can relate to, allowing onlookers to focus more on slight expressions and visual nuances, the true soul of theatre. The theatre was re-opened by the Nagoya government in 1977. Unlike performances of yesteryear, all are welcome, whether it is performance of traditional Noh, Kyogen plays, or the occasional musical. Bologna: Teatro San Salvatore Situated in Northern Italy and true to its geographical environment, this lovely city is known for its historic arts, astounding medieval and Renaissance architecture, and of course, its theatres. The most renowned is the Teatro San Salvatore, a fascinating complex built at the height of the Italian Renaissance in the year 1520. Covered in wooden carvings in varying cheerful shades of red and blue, the ceiling is next in aesthetic appeal only to the decorative elements surrounding it. Ribbons and symbols of ancient Roman gods frame the stage. Celestial patrons of music and dance are what make up a majority of these symbols. Finding the theatre can be a quest in itself; the Teatro is located within the convent of San Salvatore, an imposing structure that occupies an entire district within the city. The theatre shares space with barracks as well as Bologna’s Department of Scientific Police. The convent contains five cloisters, one of which contains the entrance to the theatre. You’ll know you’ve come to the right cloister when you see a century-old magnolia shading the theatre’s entrance. Today, the Teatro is home to a diverse range of performances. Tourists and locals alike gather to watch comedies, musical performances, poetry slams, classical theatre, and even avant-garde shows from rising talents and world-famous celebrities. The Teatro San Salvatore can accommodate about 100 people, making this a highly intimate setting for theatre and history lovers alike.

Built in 1621 in an attempt to defend Nagoya from attacks coming from Osaka, this famous and impressive castle is a high priority destination for theatre enthusiasts.

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Nagoya Castle, Nagoya, Japan Credit: Ming Chun

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England: Georgian Theatre Royal The Georgian Theatre Royal, located in the vibrant northern part of Yorkshire, is one of England’s most treasured theatres. If you consider yourself both a theatre lover and a history buff, take note: the Georgian Theatre Royal is the oldest working theatre in England with roots that go back to 1788. Not only is it the oldest working theatre in England, it is also home to the oldest scenery set in the country. The well-known painting entitled “The Woodland Scene,” most likely created between 1818 and 1836, is now on public display near the rear of the main stage.

Theatre attendance was a common activity for English noblemen and their female companions, as well as the common folk, however the theatre was not always located in what was considered a respectable location, and the performances in the audience could easily rival anything on stage. The architecture of the Georgian Theatre Royal reflects the class division that existed at the time; elevated ‘boxes’ on three sides, a sunken ‘pit’ below the main stage, and a smaller gallery towards the back of the theatre. The pit was home to bawdy audience members who were not shy about vocalizing their thoughts and opinions to the poor actors on stage. Prostitutes also made their presence known in the pit, wearing their finest and brightest gowns to catch the attention of the noblemen who sat in the upper balconies. Few theatres in England maintain this 18th -century architecture, making the Georgian Theatre Royal an important piece of British history. Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, N o r t h Yo r k s h i r e , England Credit: Fr e d d i e P h i l l i p s

Today, it is the heart of North Yorkshire’s cultural life. History hounds can revel in the daily tours and delve into the extensive archives that are stored in the exhibition space of the theatre. Comedies, musicals, dramas, plays, monthly poetry nights, and free art exhibits are common.

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Built by Samuel Butler, this magnificent theatre was host to a large number of plays and shows up to 1830. By 1848, it was being utilised as an auction room. Wine vaults gradually took over the area of the pit where the lower classes used to sit in earlier times. This continued until the 1960s, when a non-profit trust decided to save the dilapidated theatre. The theatre was entirely restored and re-opened to the public by 1963. In 2003 newer refurbishments were added to accommodate theatrehungry human traffic including a bar, box office, more dressing rooms, and improved ventilation.

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If you’ve got a penchant for history and you’re seeking a unique approach to theatre, book yourself a plane ticket to the Czech Republic.

Not limiting itself to performance oriented events, the theatre is also heavily utilized by the community, hosting youth theatre, including an international youth theatre festival that also provides work experience for teens. It can even be leased out to the public for weddings and conferences, all uses that enable it to stay open. Africa: Hager Fikir Theatre Looking to visit a unique and stunning theatre outside of the Western world? Then you’ll want to visit the Hager Fikir Theatre, located in the Addis Ababa province within Ethiopia. Despite being only about 80 years old (versus many other culturally significant theatres), it is the oldest theatre in the entire continent of Africa. Today, the theatre is the cultural heartbeat of Ethiopia; it’s given birth to much of the country’s modern art, drama, and music. The founding of the Hager Fikir Theatre is steeped in national pride. Originally housing a photo exhibition of the Emperor’s visit to the United States, the theatre was built in 1935 in response to invading Italian forces during the onset of World War II. The theatre’s founder, Makonnen HabteWold, wanted the theatre to represent Ethiopians’ stand against the invading forces, as well as a centre for the country’s cultural and artistic traditions to thrive and flourish. Despite the invasion, the Hager Fikir Theatre survived. In the early 1960s, during the reign of Haile Selassie, Ethiopia invested heavily in creating the

Haile-Selassie-Theatre (which is referred to today as the National Theatre). As a result, many members of Ethiopia’s high-class society flocked to the National Theatre, while members of the common class continued to see popular plays at the Hager Fikir Theatre. During the 1970s, when communism started to take hold in Ethiopia, the Hager Fikir Theatre’s stage was home to many socialistic plays. In 1975, one director was even arrested for his play, as the ruling Derg regime insisted it was anti-revolutionary. But as communism fell and faded in 1991, the theatre resumed its role as a platform to showcase popular plays and performances. Today, members of the public flock to the Hager Fikir Theatre to see movies during weekdays, theatre shows on weekends, and musicals during holidays. The Hager Fikir Theatre can accommodate an audience of over 1,000 people. Czech Republic: Castle Theatre Common name, not a common theatre. If you’ve got a penchant for history and you’re seeking a unique approach to theatre, book yourself a plane ticket to the Czech Republic. This European country boasts multiple theatres, many of which are housed within its infamous castles. These theatres were designed to line the historical Imperial Route, which connected the Czech Republic to Austria. Royals and ambassadors who traveled this Route would rest at many of these castles and enjoy the region’s local theatre before moving on.

Perhaps the most famous of these castle theatres can be found in Cesky Krumlov. Built during the 13th-century, this castle is one of the largest and most complex castles in the Czech Republic. However, the castle theatre itself wasn’t developed until the 17th-century, during the reign of the Eggberg family. These wealthy aristocrats even hired a professional acting troupe to perform, which came in handy during regular royal visits. The castle and theatre itself were acquired in the 19th-century; if you visit the castle’s theatre today, you’ll see the renovations that were done in the 1860s. It’s believed that the Cesky Krumlov castle theatre is primarily responsible for maintaining the bestpreserved example of high Baroque Theatre in the entire European continent. During a tour of the theatre, you can see examples of historical theatre equipment: stage lighting, scenery, props, and even costumes. The castle theatre no longer plays host to regular performances and plays, so you’ll need to make special arrangements to take a tour. In fact, sadly, much of the Czech Republic’s castle theatres need to be seen via special tours because they no

longer operate as traditional theatres. But do not despair, you still have The Estates Theatre to satisfy your desire for live art. PRAGUE: THE ESTATES THEATRE Our journey keeps us in the Czech Republic as we travel to its capital city: Prague. Known for its gorgeous architecture and stunning castles, Prague is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Eastern Europe. It’s no wonder – with so many theatres, museums, and galleries within the borders of one city, it’s not surprising to discover that Prague is quickly becoming a top European destination. Continuing on the Imperial Route, we arrive at one of Prague’s most famous theatres - the Estates Theatre. Keeping the curiosity of travelling royals at a peak, this theatre was founded in 1783 and played host to some of world’s most famous classical composers. Mozart debuted two operas here shortly after its opening, and it has been a regular home to National Theatre performances since 1920.

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Estates Theatre, Prague, C ze c h R e p u b l i c . Credit: Paolo Rosa

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The Politeama Theatre was built in the neoclassical style, with an open stage and circular Amphitheatre. Even the dĂŠcor of the theatre draws from its neoclassical roots.

C a p t i o n : Po l i t e a m a T h e a t r e , L i s b o a , Po r t u g a l Credit: Mauro Barone

Aristocrat Frantisek Antonin Count Nostitz Rieneck (yes that is his name), founded the Estates Theatre with an aim to fire up a fierce pride within the city. It wasn’t an unusual quest; in fact, during the latter half of the 18th-century and in keeping with the ancient Greeks and Romans thousands of years before, many European cities were building their own national theatres in an effort to highlight them as cultural centres. 18th-century philosophers and politicians believed that greater access to theatre would demonstrate the cultural and moral standards of their countries. This was also done to clean up theatre’s rather dingy reputation of earlier centuries, when it was seen as a pastime of characters with questionable intentions and loose morals.

Today, The Estates Theatre is still considered a bastion of operatic performances. Tourists and locals alike still visit the theatre to enjoy classic and dramatic operas, many of which are held on a nightly basis. Upholding tradition, The Estates Theatre is also dedicated to Mozart’s works, thus celebrating one of the most revered composers to ever grace this historical theatre’s stage. I ta ly: P o l i t e a m a T h e at r e The Czech Republic wasn’t the only country swept up in nationalistic fervor at the end of the 18thcentury. Not to be outdone, the Italians designed their own neoclassical theatre, which is known today as the Politeama Theatre. Built in the same Piazza that shares its name, this theatre was designed to be essential to Palermo society. Although the theatre would quickly become a source of national pride, the reason for its founding

The Politeama Theatre was built in the neoclassical style, with an open stage and circular Amphitheatre. Even the décor of the theatre draws from its neoclassical roots. Circus performers are etched into the frieze, and the façade is designed like a triumphal arch. This theatre is designed to seat over 5000 people. The top floor serves as an art museum. Dramatic performances and musicals are still occasionally performed at the Politeama Theatre. B e l a r u s: S l o n i m T h e at r e o f O g i n s k i The last on the list, this theatre is perhaps the precursor to all others in European theatre. Back in medieval times, wandering troupes of actors, singers, and dancers would perform in different locations throughout the country, carefully honing their craft by presenting canonical stories and morality plays for rapt audiences. Surrounding European countries took notice. Russia often built theatres for Belarusian troupes to perform in. It’s no wonder then that Belarus was one of the first European countries to construct its own national theatre in the latter 18th-century. The Slonim Theatre of Oginski was built between 1775-1781, and was long considered to be one of the largest and most technically advanced theatres in Europe. Built in the classic Italian style, the Slonim Theatre of Oginski became the foundation for the nation’s most famous performances and troupes. It is thought that the original ballet troupe, the St. Petersburg Imperial troupe, first performed on this stage. §

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Following its opening in 1783, the theatre quickly became the go-to destination for world-famous operatic singers, playwrights, and classical composers alike. Its founder, Rieneck, built the Estates Theatre with the patriotic intention to not only showcase Italian operas, but German plays as well. The Estates Theatre did just that until 1920, when it was annexed to the National Theatre by the new government of the Czech Republic. Once it was annexed, the Estates Theatre primarily focused on dramatic performances and classical showcases.

came from a much darker place. A particularly severe epidemic of cholera had just swept through Palermo, and local politicians were looking for a way to boost morale once the epidemic had passed. Despite a smaller budget, Palermo decided to build a teatro del popolo (people’s theatre) where residents could see circus acts, dramatic plays, and take part in important social events. The design of the theatre didn’t exactly go smoothly; in fact, it took several years before the theatre was finally completed in 1874. Eventually a roof was added to the theatre in 1891, with acoustics to rival any theatres of the greater European area.

Nin

Nin, like many, has struggled with the rich-poor disparity in his homeland. Here is his story.

Word s : N in

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A story about nin... by nin

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H u n g Ke e S e a f o o d R e s t a u r a n t , H o n g Ko n g . C r e d i t : J o e l K i n g .

O

n the night of the 26th of September, 2014, there was a chaotic disruption around the administrative center of Admiralty in Hong Kong. The mass deployment of riot police and the firing of 87 tear-gas grenades at the 100,000 strong mass demonstration two days later marked the beginning of what would later be called the Umbrella Movement--coined after the umbrellas used by the yellow-ribbon wearing civilians to protect themselves from the pepper spray used by police. The Umbrella Movement was an explosive venting of popular discontent, triggered by a political spark – the 31/8 Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC) – fueled by grievances felt at social and economic levels. The widening rich-poor gap, notably manifesting itself in housing and employment opportunities, was certainly a source of dissatisfaction, but so was the Mainland-Hong Kong rivalry. To understand the societal problems of Hong Kong today, it may be helpful to look at the everyday life of a member of this society, Nin. Here he shares his narrative in third person.

a brief timeline of hong kong 1842 Hong Kong Island brought under British rule. 1898 The New Territories is leased to the British for 99 years. Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.

1950s-1960s

Hong Kong’s population surged as refugees crossed the border to escape from mass famines and political strife in China.

1953

A slum in Shek Kip Mei is burned down. It leads to the development of Gung-uk or public housing estate.

1967

The 1967 Riot.

1984

Sino-British Joint Declaration.

1989

The Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, public opinion of China takes a sharp downturn. It also prompts the June 4 Vigil which becomes an annual event.

1997

The Handover: Hong Kong becomes a Special Administrative Region of China.

2003

Outbreak of SARS epidemic. July 1 March. 500,000 people demonstrate against national security law known as Article 23. The event becomes annual.

2008

The start of the Pou-gaau-zung scheme, which provides a subsidy to schools that teach Chinese subjects in Mandarin.

Milk scandals in Mainland China.

2012

Government announces “National Education Curriculum”. It was conceived to be mandatory for all schools but was made optional under public outcry.

The first Reclaim protest; protesters clash with anti-parallel traders.

2014

31/8 Decision.

Umbrella Movement.

2015

Successive Reclaim protests.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world- asia-pacific-16526765

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P r e v i o u s P a g e : Ko w l o o n S t r e e t M a r k e t , H o n g Ko n g . Credit: Ben Goodwin.

1941-1945

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Opposite Page Image: Nin Credit: Joel King

Nin’s parents had worked tirelessly to afford the large flat; but today, it is no longer Nin’s home, Hong Kong is facing an abysmal shortage of housing, one of the contributing factors being rampant inflation.

Nin was a university graduate, having spent seven years in Australia to obtain his university degree. Born to a manager father and a supervisor mother, Nin spent his adolescence in a private estate, Granville Garden, in the Shatin district. His former home, encompassing a usable space of 80 square meters including three hillside-facing rooms and two bathrooms, was the type of dwelling favored by middle income families, although many were content to live in a Geoi-uk – a type of apartment - selling at lower-than-market price under the government’s Home Ownership Scheme (HOS). Besides being spacious, the private estate was outfitted with an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court, a gym, and a clubhouse providing a variety of services. It was certainly not where the majority lived. The public estates in Hong Kong – Gung-uk – are roughly comparable to the housing commissions in Sydney. Nominally, the living conditions in a Gung-uk are not bad. The Mei Lam Estate in Shatin, for example, comes equipped with a mall, a wet market, a few soccer yards (some are owned by local schools), an indoor sports centre, a bus hub, and a small cluster of primary and secondary schools – schools that Nin grew up attending. It was also within walking distance to Tai Wai, and what was absent in the local mall could usually be found in

surrounding Tai Wai-but the problems lay inside. While the living space for Gung-uk varied from estate to estate, and was principally determined by the number of occupants, they were generally cramped. Dwellers in Mei Lam live in units ranging from 11-65 square meters divided into three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room. Visiting his friend’s home, Nin would walk past rusty steel gates and numbered wooden doors; trips that always put him on guard, with good reason. The public estates were notorious hotbeds for gangs. Nin had heard – albeit unconfirmed – stories from his peers that each flat was watched over by a petty triad boss. Some went as far as to claim that the head teacher of their secondary school had been receiving money from local juvenile gangs. Not all were rumors. In May 1997, a 14-man juvenile gang beat a 16 year-old to death before burning his body in the Sau Mau Ping Estate. Nin’s parents had worked tirelessly to afford the large flat; but today, it is no longer Nin’s home, Hong Kong is facing an abysmal shortage of housing, one of the contributing factors being rampant inflation. According to Hong Kong Centadata, by June 2015 the price range for an average unit in Granville Garden was 8.5 - 9 million, or HKD $9,827, for each foot of usable space, or Nin’s previous monthly salary

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per foot. Geoi-uk is a cheaper option but, for those who are desperately looking for a new home it is still out of reach, not only due to the price but also the scarcity. Data published by The Stand News in Hong Kong reveals that in late-January 2015, an opening for 2,160 new HOS units recorded a staggering 1.289 million applications. Sometimes queues as long as half a kilometer formed outside the Housing Authority’s office during the application period. Just like the private estates and Geoi-uk, even the Gung-uk is in short supply. The Hong Kong government Housing Authority (HKHA) made it a goal to preferentially allocate units for the elderly and family applicants (so-called “normal applicants”) within three years, but it ignored the non-elderly single applicants who were actually the majority: 140.6 thousand out of a grand total of 278.5 thousand applicants by June 2015. It is commonly believed that it takes around a decade, if not longer, for single adults to get their own home. Bearing this in mind, one of Nin’s secondary schoolmates lodged his application as soon as he turned 18. The HKHA has attempted to cut the waiting time. Since lodging his application, Nin has been receiving letters inviting him to participate in the “Express Flat Allocation Scheme,” a program allowing applicants to choose leftover flats—a romantic concept for those unaware of the more accurate reasons why these flats would be so readily available—either they are ‘haunted’ (as in, well, someone died inside), or they are located in backwater areas far away from the city. The housing situation has become so bleak that a piece of internet literature parodying the phenomenon – “Your Girlfriend Takes You Home for Dinner” – has rapidly gained popularity and became a viral internet meme. It describes how your girlfriend’s mother reacts to your residential status: Purchasing a private estate by yourself – she treats you warmly, and even gives you a chicken leg. After the meal, she asks you why not spend some time with her daughter in her room, privately, “for video games”. Renting a public housing unit – you may have some meat for the meal, but the mother keeps throwing questions your way. After the meal, she would announce loudly: “Girl, send out the guest!”

Hong Kong’s desperation to emulate the Western world is being significantly thwarted due to the rampant shortage of housing, leading to offspring living with one’s parents until old age; fairly prevalent in the East, far less so in the West. Nin completed his Bachelor degree and returned home in 2012 expecting to start his career; but he soon became disillusioned. For those without connections and experience, jobs are hard to get and often pay poorly. It is commonly expected that graduates should earn what is considered a decent HKD$12,000 a month; more if they are overseas graduates. Subtract living expenses and the shares you have to pay your parents, it peters into a number not quite as ‘decent’ by Hong Kong standards for those not in the upper income sphere. Nin landed in casual employment at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai. As a venue laborer in the HKCEC, Nin belongs to the lowest strata in the Convention Centre’s hierarchy. Commands are issued in yells and with profanity, the leaders themselves hailing from as low a background as most of their ‘mooks’. When Nin needs to rest it has to be in a cramped storeroom without chairs, or a backstage alley. It doesn’t matter if the place is too dusty, poorly ventilated, too cold, or whether the tools are broken or simply too old to be of use; what is important is that they should not be seen by the patrons – for they are the pariahs. Perhaps the attitudes could best be described by one of the written rules for the facility worker ants, printed on a locker door: use the disabled toilet. You are forbidden to use the patron’s toilet. This is where Nin’s bachelor degree from Australia got him. As tertiary education becomes easier to access and more students are chasing diplomas, decent employment becomes increasingly scarce. Meanwhile, jobs deemed to have little chance for upward mobility continue to face shortages of manpower. Although this problem is not restricted to Hong Kong, when a journalism degree holder fails to find a job apart from dish-washing in a backstreet Cha-chaan-teng (tea restaurant) one can see the prevalence behind the statistics. People of common plights were not the only ones that Nin came to befriend in his new workplace. Among the mix of workers were the so-called “new immigrants” from Mainland China.

The New China Hong Kong natives refer to China as Aa-je, or “grandpa”, even though the city exists as “a state of state” inside China, enjoying an ostensibly high degree of autonomy in its government functions and way of life. Hong Kong residents seem to portray a sense of being near the top of the societal hierarchy, if not dominant, as if China is the subordinated entity; however since the handover in 1997, China has been exerting its immense influence over Hong Kong to steer its course. Politics is the main battleground, but the mass influx of Chinese immigrants, students and visitors into Hong Kong means that the influence is increasingly felt at the social and cultural level. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration guaranteed Hong Kong’s autonomy; in it, China promised to keep Hong Kong’s British-style system unchanged for 50 years. On the surface, it seems to be keeping its promise: the courts retain the Common Laws,

enforced by a police front not subordinated to China’s Ministry of Public Security; the Hong Kong Dollar remains the official currency; and there are elections, protests, and rallies; but behind the façade, it’s a different situation. While the position of Chief Executive of Hong Kong is an elected position, the elected candidate has to be appointed by Beijing. In 2014, Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, made it clear that a Chief Executive candidate must “love the country (China) and Hong Kong.” Which begs the question: What does “love the country” really mean? The Chief Executive is not elected by the general population but by a 1,200-member election committee, which is formed by individuals and bodies from a parliamentary component known as the “functional constituencies.” A functional constituency represents a certain trade or special interest group; there are 28 functional constituencies

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D u s k i n H o n g Ko n g . C r e d i t : B e n G o o d w i n

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In Hong Kong, corporations that are powerful enough to be members of the election committee are usually those that have strong ties to Beijing. Thus, the election is biased enough to eliminate anyone the communists don’t approve of.

B u s s t o p i n M o n g Ko k , H o n g Ko n g Credit: Joel King

in total. Besides dominating the election committee, they also occupy 30 out of 70 seats in the Legislative Council, therefore, even in the Council the general population is underrepresented. In Hong Kong, corporations that are powerful enough to be members of the election committee are usually those that have strong ties to Beijing. Thus, the election is biased enough to eliminate anyone the communists don’t approve of. This helps to explain why figures from the main opposition – the panDemocracy camp – never stand a chance in any such election, despite wide public support.

The result was the 31/8 Decision of the NPCSC in 2014. Under the Decision, the election committee would be renamed a ‘nomination committee’ but its membership and structure would not be changed. Instead of electing a single Chief Executive directly it would elect and nominate two or three candidates and no more, and only then would the general population be involved, voting for candidates who are basically politically identical. As public sentiments had already been fired up for months, the Decision became a spark to the powder keg and brought about the Umbrella Movement. Special mention has to be made to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a force commonly perceived as the ultimate guardian of Beijing’s power in Hong Kong. At the onset of the Umbrella Movement – when it seemed it would become a full-fledged revolution – there had been widespread fears on whether the military would intervene like it did in Tiananmen Square. For whatever reason, maybe because the eyes of the world were upon them, nothing happened. Another popular (but

Nin has a theory of his own. The modern PLA is not the same internal suppression force it was in 1989. Today, there are two “armies” in China: the PLA and People’s Armed Police (PAP). The PAP was a gendarmerie, a sort of ‘internal army’, and its formation allowed the PLA to concentrate on external defense. The “police” bit of PAP is deceiving because PAP enlistees are trained and armed as heavily as PLA servicemen. Therefore, the only reason the Umbrella Movement did not end in bloodshed was because it was simply not the PLA’s job, and the PAP are not present in Hong Kong. To the ordinary, apolitical Hong Kong citizen however, China’s menace is embodied by its people: the immense hordes of travellers, immigrants and cross-border parallel traders pouring into Hong Kong from beyond the Shenzhen River. Reminiscent of the issues faced by Tibet in 2003, Beijing launched the Zi-jau-heng: the “Free-Walking” or Individual Visit Scheme, allowing Mainland Chinese citizens to visit Hong Kong on an individual basis. Before that, they were only allowed to visit on business or group trips. Initially conceived to boost Hong Kong’s economy after the SARS epidemic and perhaps also to send political goodwill, the policy resulted in a mass influx of Chinese visitors into Hong Kong. Hong Kong government figures show that in 2010 alone, Hong Kong had approximately 2,270,000 visitors coming from the Mainland, a staggering figure considering Hong Kong’s limited accommodation and transport infrastructure, already straining under the weight of its seven million native residents. Zi-jau-heng did revive the hospitality and tourism sectors, but it also led to steady price inflation, an over-extension of numerous industries, and a scarcity of common goods. It has also resulted in China relying on Hong Kong as a secondary source for resources when their own run dry, with no provisions in place to ensure Hong

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According to Article 45 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, it is an ultimate aim of the government to select its Chief Executive “by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures.” Consequently, there have been persistent calls for reform even from the Establishment itself. Understandably, Beijing would not allow its grasp over Hong Kong to be challenged by actual democratisation—it needed a rubberstamping process disguised as “‘democratisation’ here instead?”

unverifiable) theory attributes it to the power struggles between the current Chinese leadership under Xi Jinping and the faction under a previous paramount leader Jiang Zemin. Yet another theory attributes it to the fact that the Umbrella Movement never escalated into a pillaging, raping, and burning kind of event.

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Kong can handle the strain. In 2008, a scandal relating to the safety of Chinese milk products led to widespread milk scares in Mainland China. Since then, Chinese mothers have flocked into Hong Kong for safe milk products. Before ransacking the northern districts of formulas, they also drew from ‘parallel trading’ across the border. Parallel trading is a long-standing economic feature in the northern districts but it used to be limited to expensive items like electrical goods. The massive consumption of these everyday goods soon led to an acute shortage, and added to the woes of local mothers. In 2012 this incident came to a head when an anti-parallel trading protest, Reclaim Sheung Shui, erupted in the district of Sheung Shui, and became a physical clash. It was also around that time a racial slur against Mainlanders was coined – Wong-cung, “locust”, representing a change of character in the Mainland-Hong Kong rivalry, going from one of cultural conflict to something resembling racial hatred. Education Languages and the education system have since become key issues constituting the cultural conflicts between the Mainland and Hong Kong. Beginning in 2008, the government launched Pou-gaauzung, or “to teach Chinese with Mandarin.” It is a subsidisation program designed to gradually replace Cantonese with Mandarin as the teaching medium in the Chinese language subject in schools. It was believed that the active use of Mandarin in classrooms could help improve student’s Chinese writing skills. Native English-speakers would probably be baffled by how we use our languages. While we speak in Cantonese, we seldom write in Cantonese. In school, Nin had been taught that formal writing should be in Chinese, which shares written characters with Cantonese but is different in many other ways. Cantonese can be expressed in written form, but to do so is considered informal and one does that only on Facebook or other social settings. Often, one has to use English letters for Cantonese syllables that do not exist in the Chinese vocabulary. Since modern written Chinese is fundamentally different from

Cantonese, the rationale of Pou-gaau-zung is that it is better to teach the spoken language that it is based on-Mandarin. But is that so? An article published in 2010 by Tam for The Stand News8 revealed that the different studies pertaining to Pou-gaau-zung, particularly Teaching Chinese in Putonghua in post-colonial Hong Kong: problems and challenges for teachers and administrators, introduced a shift to Mandarin that actually resulted in more problems than benefits. By making the teacher speak Mandarin, teaching now involves a certain degree of interpretation, such that the teachers cannot always convey directly what they mean, and as a result, students are more reluctant to express themselves. The study surmised that in-depth learning and interactive contact between the students and teachers occur less frequently and are more strained in a Pou-gaau-zung class. Language assimilation is not the only kind of cultural challenge with China, once a land rife with classic communism, China has more recently been experiencing dramatic changes from capitalism. In 2012, the government announced its plan to launch a mandatory National Education Curriculum, aiming to instill Chinese national identity and facilitate patriotism in Hong Kong primary and secondary school students. Widely criticised as an attempt to disseminate pro-Beijing ideology in schools, the absurdity of the curriculum is best represented by a controversial sample of its teacher guidebook released on the internet. In one chapter, the US political system is described as a system where “political parties viciously fight each other, making the people suffer.” The same chapter praises the Chinese Communist Party as being an “advanced, selfless and united ruling group.” Nin detested its ideological indoctrination, even more so when pro-establishment figures tried to justify it with obfuscation. The teacher guidebook claims that since every country in the world has their own “national education” (nation-wide education system) it is only normal to have a National Education Curriculum in Hong Kong. Eventually, word-games and authorities could not hold back the massive outcries. The plan to make the National Education Curriculum mandatory was dropped, although schools still have the option to implement it.

Next Page Image: Ev e n i n g i n H o n g Ko n g Credit: Ben Goodwin

Hong Kong has an over-stretched and unbalanced academic infrastructure, further complicated by a prevalent obsession with elite schools and early child education.

Be it economic problems, fears of being politically subjugated, a determination to pervert their ways of life or ethnic tensions, these motivations have brought Nin and half a million Hong Kong people onto the street for 79 days and nights. Government supporters didn’t hesitate to verbally abuse the protesters. Nin was frequently referred to as ‘Red Guard’. The Red Guards were student rioters loyal to Mao in the Cultural Revolution. From 1966 to 1976, they were allowed to wreak havoc across the whole of China because Mao needed them to batter the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bureaucracy, which

he felt had betrayed him. In Hong Kong, the “Red Guard” has since become a coded phrase denoting political figures that act irrationally with a tendency to fight authorities. While the Cultural Revolution had never directly engulfed the then-colony, Maoist rioters inspired by the Red Guards did incite riots in 1967. There were bomb attacks and assassinations. Hence the irony of government officials calling Hong Kong civilian protesters Red Guards, yet acting like Red Guards themselves. The Umbrella Movement was ultimately a failure. It did not relieve the many frustrations of the people. Even the most steadfast advocates for the passive resistance strategy could not deny that. Meanwhile, the Movement itself did bear witness to a fair share of mass violence, especially at the protest site of Mong Kok. There was a popular slogan in Mong Kok then – Ji-mou-zai-bao, “to counter violence with force.” The seeds of violence had already been sown, and the subsequent Reclaim protests – all ending in clashes – seemed only to confirm that violence feeds violence. Can we truly avoid another Tiananmen? With the current trend, Nin does not hold high hope for the future. It was nearly a year after the tear-gassing of 28/9, and Nin spent his time going to the occasional protest, indulged in one flame war after another on internet forums or on Facebook, anything to vent. Otherwise, he resumed his endless quest for employment, money, and housing opportunities that would never come, just like the seven million other worker ants stuck in the same city with him. §

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The Mainland-Hong Kong rivalry stemmed in part from a lack of resources, and one of those resources was access to schools. Hong Kong has an overstretched and unbalanced academic infrastructure, further complicated by a prevalent obsession with elite schools and early child education. With quotas for new pupils to the limit, it is no wonder so many brows are raised when the children of Mainland immigrants are thrown into the mix. Universities also face this problem. Each year, hundreds of thousands of local high school students pit against each other for admission into the eight universities in Hong Kong. Out of the already few 15,000 places available, a certain amount are reserved for students from Mainland China. Since Nin was not a local tertiary student to begin with, this aspect did not affect him directly but what did leave him dumbfounded was just how culturally-unprepared the few Mainland students he met turned out to be.

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Pack ing it Rig ht

No matter what the era, there is something debonaire and rebel-without-a-cause about pipe smoking. Apart from just being swank, pipe smoking carries symbolic and functional purposes in various cultures. Pipes, and the hazy ether they produce, come in many forms and modes.......Hmmm....meerschaum or clay?

Words : Matth ew Ke e l e r

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THE SMOKING PIPE

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L a n g d e v i l l a g e , L o n g S k i r t M i a o , K a i l i G u i z h o u , C h i n a . C r e d i t : Fr a n s D e v r i e s e P r e v i o u s P a g e I m a g e : T h e O l d M a n a n d t h e S e a , F o w e y, C o r n w a l l . Credit: Neil Moralee

The Smoking Pipe: “My companion at that most miserable time.” - Sir Walter Raleigh

F

Pipes were smoked for medicinal, social, religious, and ceremonial purposes, marking war, peace, trade, and politics. The pipe engendered universal respect, the rising smoke considered a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. French missionary Jacques Marquette reported in 1673 that Native Americans he encountered along the Mississippi River would cease fighting when presented with a pipe during battle. The arrival of Columbus in the New World in 1492, and the Europeans who followed him, precipitated the spread of tobacco’s use and cultivation around the globe. The British were the first of the Europeans to use smoking pipes on a large scale following their forays into North America in the 16th century. The explorer, Sir Walter Raleigh, is often credited with introducing his countrymen to tobacco, but it was earlier explorers such as Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake who first carried it across the Atlantic in the 1560s. Raleigh, nevertheless, played an important role in popularising smoking in Britain, and he remains one of history’s most outstanding

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ire, the wheel, Christianity, gunpowder, the printing press: all things that may or may not have originated in America. The smoking pipe, though, can stake a much stronger claim to roots in that part of the world. Methods of smoking varied among the many different native cultures of the Americas, but the pipe was generally used in North America proper, while rolls of tobacco were favoured in Central and South America. Tobacco, a member of the Solanaceae family that includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, and mandrake, was thought to have been grown in the Americas, particularly for smoking, centuries ago, around 6000 BCE. It remained exclusive to the Western Hemisphere until the Europeans arrived just over 500 years ago.

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The cigar became fashionable among the English aristocracy in the first half OF the 19th century, leaving the pipe as the smoking method of the masses.

pipe enthusiasts. Legend has it that while relaxing alone with his pipe, one of his servants, on seeing the unfamiliar sight of smoke billowing out of his master’s nose and mouth, threw a pint of ale over him. Raleigh had his pipe with him on the scaffold when he was beheaded, leaving behind a tobacco pouch in his cell with the Latin inscription: Comes meus fuit in illo miserrimo tempore (“It was my companion at that most miserable time”). Smoking spread throughout Britain and by the end of the 16th century, pipes were made from white ball-clay, based on Native American designs. Initially considered to be of medicinal value, pipe-smoking became tied more closely to socialising, with the middle classes forming private clubs, and the working classes partaking in public houses. The cigar became fashionable among the English aristocracy in the first half of the 19th century, leaving the pipe as the smoking method of the masses. It reached the height of its popularity in the second half of the 19th century, with phrases such as ‘The Thinking Man’ accompanying drawings of pipes as popular advertising fodder. The smoking pipe rapidly found its way to other regions beyond Europe. Dutch traders, whose countrymen also had early contact with North Americans, influenced the development of the Kiseru pipe in Japan, where tobacco had previously been introduced by the Spanish and Portuguese. Although the Japanese were wary of the reliance that the Dutch had on their pipes, the shared smoking ritual helped ease the tension of cross-cultural exchanges hindered by suspicion and language difficulties. The Kiseru had a smaller bowl than European-style pipes, and its long metal stem enabled the smoke to cool before reaching the mouth. The angle of the stem

also resulted in a liquid consumption of nicotine that would drip onto the tongue. Over time, the Kiseru became smaller, in part due to the fire hazards posed by larger pipes in a country where so many buildings were made of wood. It remained popular until the middle of the 20th century when it was forced into obscurity by the mass production of cigarettes. Smoking had multiple entry points around subSaharan Africa where the pipe also became the dominant delivery method. Moroccan Arabs, who had learnt of tobacco from the Spanish, introduced pipes to Timbuktu and the surrounding area following their military victory there at the end of the 16th century. The Portuguese brought tobacco to the south of the continent, and French merchants in the west came bearing terracotta pipes of a similar style to those used by the Native Americans of Louisiana, where the French had been trading. By the middle of the 17th century, the pipe was established throughout Africa, becoming part of commerce, politics and religion, as well as being used for pleasure and social purposes. T o b a c c o M a k e s I t s Way t o t h e O r i e n t Tobacco made its way to the east primarily through China. There were two main entry points - in the south where Spanish and Portuguese traders were operating, and in the north-east, where the soon-tobe-invading Manchus introduced it to the Chinese soldiers who were stationed there. The Manchus acquired the habit from the Koreans. By the middle of the 17th century, China had become a fully-fledged smoking culture, and the pipe was the favoured delivery system. Unlike most other parts of the world,

where women who smoked had to do so discreetly, Chinese society saw men, women and, indeed, children, unashamedly puffing on their pipes in equal measure, although the belief that women needed protection from hot smoke meant that their pipes tended to have longer stems.

The 20th century saw a gradual decline in the popularity of the pipe – initially due to competition

Improvising on an Old Theme The addition of opium to pipe tobacco, a habit that reached mainland China via Taiwan courtesy of the Dutch, had a profound effect on the country. As tobacco became more difficult to obtain due to an imperial ban, the Chinese found a way of smoking pure opium using a pipe known as the ‘smoking gun’. This was designed to distill rather than burn the substance. It consisted of a smoking tube and bowl that was heated over a lamp. Despite attempts by the country’s rulers to ban opium, its popularity grew throughout the 18th century, and reached a peak in the 19th century when attempts by gweilo (foreign devils) to flood China with the substance resulted in two wars, and the loss of Hong Kong to the British. This marked the start of what is now referred to in Chinese school textbooks as the country’s ‘Century of Humiliation’. As the 20th century progressed, as with the Kiseru in Japan, opium and tobacco pipes were increasingly seen as outdated, and mass-produced cigarettes supplanted them.

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Back in Europe, porcelain pipes were made in France and Germany although their popularity never spread outside the borders of these two countries due to their impractical nature. Germany, along with Austria and Hungary, became the workshop for handcarved pipes made of hard woods such as maple, cherry, rosewood and walnut. Trees would be drained of their sap before being cut down, dried for several years and then boiled or steamed. Meerschaum, a clay-like mineral found mainly in Turkey, became a popular choice for making pipes in 18th century Europe due to its ability to soak up moisture and tobacco tar, resulting in a more flavoursome smoke. Corncob pipes were popular with the European settlers in North America, and the labour-intensive calabash pipe, made of gourd and, with a distinctive curved shape, became a highly prized item. Across the world, innovations with metal, stone, bone, shell, horn and other indigenous materials resulted in a vast array of tobacco pipes. However, all of these eventually had to step aside for the Daddy Of All Tobacco Pipes: the Briar. Originally produced in France in the first half of the 19th century, Briar wood was found to be the most suitable material for making pipes because it could absorb moisture, and was durable, fire-resistant, attractive and affordable. The majority of pipes sold today are made of briar.

from the cigarette, and then mounting evidence of the health risks posed by smoking tobacco leading to its diminishment. New uses have been found for the pipe with modern intemperance such as crystal meth and crack cocaine, both of which are commonly smoked using a glass pipe. The tobacco pipe has survived as a niche pastime, and has become associated with images of authority and intelligence thanks to high-profile users such as the brilliant fictional detective Sherlock Holmes and real-life clever clogs Albert Einstein. Former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who privately smoked cigars, capitalised on this by puffing on a pipe whenever the cameras were rolling.

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Cannabis had been smoked in the Middle East and South Asia long before the Europeans introduced tobacco, but the region’s own take on the smoking pipe most likely came into being as a consequence of European influence. The water pipe, known as the hookah, originally consisted of a hollowed-out coconut with an inserted bamboo reed. Tobacco was mixed with cannabis, spices, sandalwood, other various leaves, and, by passing the smoke through water, it cooled to create an experience more suited to a hot climate. Unlike Europe, where each social class gravitated to a different method of smoking, the hookah was universal, and status was asserted by the quality of the paraphernalia. While the poorest continued to use the basic coconut, the wealthy had elaborate and intricately-designed pipes made of glass, silver, and gold. The hookah has become closely tied to Muslim culture, and survives to this day, although the relentless ‘roll’ of the cigarette has dented its popularity. Cannabis became popular throughout Africa after entering the continent in the north-east, courtesy of merchants from the Middle East and India. In addition to the conventional tobacco pipe and the hookah, many Africans replicated the pipe by making small tunnels into the earth, and lying on the ground to take in the smoke. If, like Prime Minister Harold, you have political ambitions, or simply want to enjoy a pleasure from a bygone era, here follows a guide to smoking a tobacco pipe. (For advice on smoking crystal meth and crack cocaine, please contact your local dealer.)

Choosing your pipe 1. M at e r i a l The novice may be overwhelmed by the variety of materials that can be used to make pipes, but if you are not a collector, and will actually be using your purchase to smoke, there are three basic options: meerschaum, briar, and corncob. Meerschaum: Pipes made of meerschaum are light and will absorb nicotine and tar, producing a sweet flavour and deep reddish-brown smoke. Meerschaum is a magnesium silicate clay, primarily harvested from plains in Turkey, with some deposits found floating in the Black Sea. They are usually beautifully carved, and will last a lifetime with good care. Unlike briar pipes, they do not need to be broken in. However, they are fragile and expensive; the cost of buying just one can be prohibitive, and you will ideally need several. But if money is no object, go for a meerschaum. Briar: The majority of pipes on offer are made of briar, which is absorbent enough to produce a good smoking experience, and also durable, light, and heat-resistant once it’s been baked and dried. The shorthand of briar refers to wood from the white heath plant (Erica arborea). Briar pipes can be attractively carved, but not as intricately as meerschaum. Unlike meerschaum and corncob

There is a huge variety of pipe tobacco to choose from, and individual tastes vary greatly, so the best advice is to try as many as possible until you find what’s right for you.

Corncob: If you are on a budget, and just want a good smoke, corncob pipes are the best option. They are light and absorbent, producing a cool, sweet flavour similar to the meerschaum. Unlike briars, which vary in quality, nearly all corncobs will produce a great smoking experience. However, they have a rough feel and are unattractive and disposable, so if you are embarrassed to be seen with one, consider placing a bag over your head while smoking.... actually, don’t do that - it’s dangerous. 2. Size Choosing the size of your pipe is a trade-off between smoking experience and portability. A larger bowl and longer stem will cool the smoke before it reaches your mouth. And the cooler the smoke, the better the experience. A longer stem also has the added advantage of keeping the heat and smoke from the bowl away from your face. One of the best-known longer pipes is the churchwarden, which can have a stem measuring up to 16 inches. This is unlikely to fit in your pocket with your iPhone, so unless you are prepared to walk around with your pipe in a backpack, choose the largest model that you can comfortably carry.

3. Bent vs str aight Pipes with bent stems are more popular because the smoke has further to travel, and is, therefore, cooler and more pleasurable. Straight stems do, however, have the advantage of keeping the smoke and hot ash from the bowl further away from your face and clothes. The choice comes down to what you feel is most aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to hold. It’s worth trying out both options before purchasing. Choosing your tobacco There is a huge variety of pipe tobacco to choose from, and individual tastes vary greatly, so the best advice is to try as many as possible until you find what’s right for you. The main distinction is between aromatic and non-aromatic. Aromatic tobaccos have flavours such as coffee, vanilla, nut, or whisky added to them, and pipe novices often start with these, as the sweeter taste is more familiar. Non-aromatics can still be flavoured, but the effect is achieved in a less direct way such as ageing in a whisky barrel rather than pouring whisky over the leaves. The line between the two categories is often blurred. A good tobacconist will offer sampler packs with a range of different tobaccos in small measures, so that’s a good place to start. Many smokers mix different tobaccos to create their own unique blends. If you do this, remember to write down your recipes as you go – there’s nothing worse than finally discovering the perfect blend, only to forget how you made it.

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pipes, briars need to be broken in by forming a cake (thin layer of carbon) inside the bowl. They are more affordable than meerschaums, but quality varies greatly with price, and it is worth paying the extra for a decent model.

Other things you will need

3. L i g h t i n g

While your tobacconist will have an array of paraphernalia for which you can exchange your hardearned cash, there are only three must-haves: a pipe lighter (or long matches), a pipe tool, and pipe cleaners.

The first light is called the char. Hold the flame of your lighter or matches over the bowl, and pull long, slow draws through the stem so that the flame is pulled down into the tobacco. The flame needs to be moved around the bowl so that all the tobacco is evenly lit. Remove the flame, and take a few more long puffs, then gently tamp the burning tobacco as evenly as possible until the surface is black. Next, relight the tobacco and draw as before. The pipe is now lit. If all is going smoothly, continue with long, slow draws, but if the tobacco is struggling to stay alight, you can take short, quick draws while gently tamping down to create a more intense heat.

H o w t o s m o k e yo u r p i p e

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1. B r e a k i n g i n If you have chosen a briar pipe, you will need to break it in by creating a layer of carbon around the bowl, which will insulate the pipe, and create a cooler smoke. This is achieved by firstly smoking a quarterfilled bowl to the bottom, and then carefully removing the excess ash so that the newly-formed carbon layer is not disturbed. Repeat the process five to seven times, gradually increasing the amount of tobacco on each filling. After several months of smoking, this lining will thicken, and need to be trimmed to about 1.5mm using your pipe tool. Some briar pipes have a lining pre-added by the manufacturer, but it is still worth following these steps. 2 . Pa c k i n g t h e b o w l This is the most tricky and crucial part of the process. Pack the tobacco too tight, and it will be difficult to draw smoke; pack it too loosely, and it will get too hot, and won’t stay alight for very long. Lightly sprinkle the tobacco into the bowl until it is full, then gently tamp it down with your pipe tool so that the tobacco is about halfway down the bowl and has a spongy feel. Repeat the process once or twice more, with each tamp being slightly firmer than the last. Finally, check that you can draw air through the mouthpiece – if you can’t, you’ve packed the tobacco too tightly.

C l e a n i n g yo u r p i p e After you have finished smoking, use the pipe tool to break up the ash, then discard it along with any unburnt tobacco. Remove the stem, and run a pipe cleaner through the hole, then repeat with a second pipe cleaner, and blow to remove any loose particles. Periodically, dip a pipe cleaner in grain-based alcohol like whisky, and use it to clean the bowl and stem. Repeat the process with a second pipe cleaner, and then use a dry pipe cleaner to absorb any remaining fluid. The last word goes to Sam Slick, a fictional newspaper columnist created by Thomas Chandler Haliburton in the 19th century – when the smoking pipe was at the height of its powers. “The fact is, Squire, the moment a man takes to a pipe, he becomes a philosopher. It’s the poor man’s friend; it calms the mind, soothes the temper, and makes a man patient under difficulties. It has made more good men, good husbands, kind masters, indulgent fathers, than any other blessed thing on this universal earth.” §

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Illus t rat i on s : Wil l ia m B l a c k

br andy

The Apple has a short soft shape with generous curves. It often has a bent stem and a round beefy shank, making for a comfortable smoke. The Apple is like your doting grandmother, with a plate of cookies that you know you’ll need to finish.

Popular among Danish carvers, the Brandy pipe is shaped like a brandy glass, with a wide rounded base which tapers to meet the narrow rim of the chamber. It often has a very smooth finish, to mimic the smoothness of glass. Warm and sophisticated, the Brandy is the perfect pipe to take with on that ski vacay in the Swiss Alps.

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A P P LE

bulldog With its diamond shank, bulky body, and short powerful build, the Bulldog pipe is as easily recognizable as its namesake, the English bulldog. Its rugged look conjures up images of salty ship captains, hulking lumberjacks, and zombie apocalypse survivors.

CANADIAN

CHERRYWOOD

The long stemmed Canadian has a shank one and a half to two times longer than the height of the bowl, which allows more room for the oil and heat of the smoke to be absorbed. This all makes for a cooler smoke. It’s perfect for those who would prefer to skip the warm sandy beach to go climb the Rockies.

The Cherrywood is a form of the Poker, which means it has a flat bottom allowing it to stand on its own. With its thick chamber walls, long cool smoke, and ability to set down, the Cherrywood pipe is great while reading “War and Peace” in front of the fire, or putting together a bookshelf from Ikea.

CUTTY

DI P LOMAT

As early as the 17th century, you could find gentlemen of a certain status puffing away from their clay Cutty pipes, while they talked about old timey things like their new horse carriage or how about that plague. The Cutty is one of the oldest pipes still available today.

The Diplomat is a shanked Apple, with a squat bowl and bent stem. Its large size makes it a sought after pipe for smokers. The Diplomat is beau ideal for the continental traveler enjoying a lobster brunch on the coast of Manarola.

FULL BENT

The Dublin is one of the oldest pipe shapes, dating back to early Europeans who smoked clay versions. It has a conical shaped bowl and tapered chamber, which allows the tobacco to grow more flavorful and intense the longer you smoke it. If you smoke a Dublin you probably also wear brogues.

Very popular in the 19th century, the Full Bent has a shank bend of up to 90 degrees, usually with a stouter bowl. It’s a walking pipe, and paired with a tweed jacket and elbow pads it completes that absentminded professor look.

HORN The Horn has no hard lines or edges, just one continuous taper from front to stem. Due to its unique shape, the Horn should be cradled carefully. There’s no better way to show your Viking spirit than smoking from a Horn.

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DUBLIN

hungarian The Hungarian has a Billiard shaped bowl, large chamber, and fully bent shank, often with a flat bottom. The Hungarian is also known as the Oom Paul, named after Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, or Uncle Paul, president of the South African Republic who often was photographed with his Hungarian hanging from his lips. A unique shape for a unique individual.

l o vat The Lovat is a member of the Canadian family, distinguished by its round shank and saddle stem. The name comes from Lord Lovat, a title given to Scottish nobility. The Lovat can be often be seen on the back nine at St. Andrews, being smoked by haggard linksmen.

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lumberman The Lumberman is another member of the Canadian family, with a long oval shaped shank and saddle bit stem. The shape is reminiscent of a piece of lumber. Although it sounds like a burly outdoorsman, the Lumberman’s slender, taut build makes it more like a Pilates instructor.

pa n e l

poker

The Panel derives its name from the symmetrical flat panels on the sides of the bowl. It can have four to eight walls - square, hexagon, or octagon. It’s a great shape for architects, nerdy hipsters, or fans of crop circles.

The Poker has high walls and a cylindrical bowl with a flat top and bottom, which allows the pipe to sit up on its own at the poker table per se. This makes it a popular choice among those who work with their hands or prefer to multi-task. The Poker is perfect at the track, because when Dancing Queen beats Pacific Patriot for your trifecta, you’re going to want to set that baby down a sec.

pot

prince

The Pot is a short straight pipe, like a Billiard with half the height of the bowl. Its shape lends itself to smoking strong blends on the go, and it makes an excellent pocket pipe for smuggling into that double performance of Shakespeare in the Park.

The Prince is named for the Prince of Wales, and was the favorite pipe of Prince Albert, later known as King Edward VI. They are known for their elegant design and showmanship, the pipe of a British dandy.

t o m a h aw k

The Rhodesian is similar to the Bulldog, except it has a rounded shank instead of a diamond. It is most likely named after Cecil John Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. There is a lot of arguing over whether any Bent Bulldog is a Rhodesian. Like Arsenal vs Chelsea, the answer probably ends in fistacuffs.

The Tomahawk is inspired by Native Americans who smoked out of similar pipes. With its bent stem and pointed base, the Tomahawk bears a striking resemblance to the ancient weapon for which it’s named. It is a fierce and festive piece.

ya c h t The Yacht, or Zulu is an easy shape to smoke because of its lightweight design and gentle bend. The bend makes it comfortable to hold in the teeth. Can you picture yourself hoisting the sails on your schooner, with a Yacht pipe clenched between your wind chilled teeth?

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rhodesian

T he Att ari

Persians take their beauty regime very seriously, so much so that it is common for them to stay loyal to a bar of soap for a lifetime. They respect their bodies to the utmost and it pays off. Their stunning skin can attest to that. Persian beauty 101. Here, Heidi shares an ode to her grandma and her local Attari owner, Akbar.

Word s : He id i G h avid e l

T hreep ence Jo urnal | I s s ue O ne

Persian Pampering

T hreep ence Jo urnal | 134 Apothecary in Old Rasht, North Iran. C r e d i t : J a fa r S h a h r i - F a r d a n e w s

Previous Page Image: Heidi Credit: Hossein Fatemi

When it comes to beauty, Persian women are no strangers to pain. We even have an expression for it: kill me if need be, but make me pretty!

Unlike other women in my generation who cannot live without Botox, sun beds, cosmetic surgery, and a lot of makeup, when it comes to beauty, I have always preferred the simplicity and organic approach of my grandmother’s generation. Over the years, the changing perception of beauty for Iranian women has gone from the trademark thick unibrows and painted-on beauty marks of the Qajar era (1789–1925) to nose jobs, cheek implants, lip fillers, and bleached blond hair of recent years. When it comes to beauty, Persian women are no strangers to pain. We even have an expression for it: kill me if need be, but make me pretty! This is no joke. In the 18th century, when obesity was a sign of status, affluent women would endure a slew of health problems but continue to overeat in order to achieve the desired double chin look of the day. Today, despite the toll it takes on the body, some Iranian women use extreme methods including the use of dangerous narcotics to shed as many pounds as possible and get the waif-thin look. Like other Persian women, I have at times opted for the painful approach to meet the beauty standards of

Iranian society. I have suffered the pain of threading (Band-e Abru) at the hands of a beautician to shape my brows, and waxing to remove body hair; each time promising myself never again. I have even contemplated enduring the pain of getting eyelash extensions. When I told my grandmother about eyelash extensions, she laughed at me in her good-natured way, and told me to cut off my eyelashes instead. In her day, if a mother thought her daughter’s lashes were not thick or long enough she would snip them with scissors so that they might grow back thicker and longer. My grandmother swore by it--this is what she had done to my mother, and the proof was in her long lashes. Needless to say, I wasn’t willing to take the risk of my lashes not growing back again, so I never tried grandma’s method. Not everything the women of my grandmother’s generation did was this extreme though. Before they closed the public bathhouse in her neighborhood, grandma and I would visit the hamam (Turkish bath) once a week. There was nothing wrong with the shower at her house. She loved the hamam as it was a reminder of her youth when ‘hamam day’ was a fun event to look forward to. In those days, women would begin preparing elaborate meals and Sekanjebin or Khakshir (Mugwort seeds) sherbets one day in advance of their bathhouse rendezvous. This was in anticipation of spending time with other women at the hamam from dawn till dusk.

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M

ost of the beauty secrets I know, I learned from my grandmother. She was a kind, soft-spoken woman who even at the age of 86 had nearly a wrinkle-free face. I was the fourth of her 11 grandchildren and the one to whom she was closest.

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Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse, Kashan, Iran. Credit: Shahin Kamali

While ‘hamam day’ did not stay the same, grandma still loved going to the bathhouse as it gave her a chance to mingle with other women from the ‘hood,’ socialise over tea, and have someone wash her back. The women would wash their hair, some with shampoo and others, like my grandmother, with handmade Sonati (traditional) soap. Grandma liked the green-colored Sedr (Christ’s Thorn Jujube) bars because Sedr prevents hair loss, dandruff, and split ends. My hair never quite took to using Sedr bars but I have finicky hair. When we had time to spare, grandma would make hair masks with two egg yolks and olive oil. We would massage the treatment into our hair and sit and chat for an hour while we waited for the mask to work. I never liked the smell of the mask and couldn’t wait to wash it out, but the silky feel of my hair and its shiny look was convincing enough for me to continue reapplying it.

Grandma and her girls had an almost religious passion for exfoliation; a full body scrub concluded every hamam session. They did this by rubbing Sefidab, a small white, odorless ball made of animal fat and mineral stone, on a Kiseh or a scrubbing glove. The trick was letting the steam from the hamam work its magic on the skin, or ‘soak the skin’ as my grandma said, before using the Kiseh and Sefidab. Communing with one another was also as refreshing and health-promoting as the beauty treatments. The women would trade recipes and parenting tips and, of course, gossip while scrubbing their bodies and taking turns at washing each other’s backs. You were done when your skin turned pink and no more dead skin cells rolled off. For the face, grandma would never use a Kiseh. She would instead break off a small piece of Sefidab and use a small amount of water to turn it into a paste. She would apply the paste to her face, gently work it in, then rinse the Sefidab from her face with warm water. Many of the women of my grandmother’s generation used rosewater from Kashan as their perfume of

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Using a Sang-e pa or pumice stone made of volcanic rock is another thing we did at the hamam. The best Sang-e pa is made in Qazvin, a small city four hours away from Tehran. These durable egg-shaped stones remove calluses, dead skin cells and dirt from the feet.

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For my grandmother, everything in nature had a purpose. She would tell me to eat quince for healthy skin, to use cucumber peel on my face to hydrate it, or to remove the flesh of a fresh lemon and rub the inside of the skin over my hands when they were extra dry during winter.

choice but my grandma used it as a toner. She would dab a cotton ball in rosewater and wipe her face with it every time she washed her face. Rosewater is a distillate extracted from Damask Rose. For my grandmother, everything in nature had a purpose. She would tell me to eat quince for healthy skin, to use cucumber peel on my face to hydrate it, or to remove the flesh of a fresh lemon and rub the inside of the skin over my hands when they were extra dry during winter. If I ever felt a pimple coming on, grandma would make me a turmeric, lemon, and honey mask. When my face looked dull, she would mix a tablespoonful of powdered Sedr with plain unsweetened yogurt. Once dry, this mask actually worked like a face scrub, unclogging pores and making my skin glow. Grandma’s go-to remedy for sunburn was Mast-oKhiyar, a yogurt and cucumber dip that is served as a side dish with most Persian dishes and similar to the Greek Tzatziki sauce. According to her, Mast-oKhiyar “draws out the heat trapped under your skin.” Grandma’s remedy has saved me on a number of occasions when I forgot to apply sunscreen. Once, a friend during her travels in Thailand, had fallen asleep on the ferry and woke up with a nasty

sunburn on her arm. She told me when she visited a Thai spa for help they used a yogurt and cucumber wrap to sooth her friend’s skin. We both laughed at how grandma’s Mast-o Khiyar remedy was now international! My grandmother taught me many things, some of which she had learned from her mother, others were what the local apothecary, Akbar Aqa, had prescribed at one point or another. Among other things, Akbar Aqa was an expert when it came to crafting Henna hair colors. My grandmother kept her locks dark brown with one of his Henna recipes: 1 tablespoon Henna powder, 1 tablespoon ground coffee, juice from two freshlysqueezed lemons, and one cup of hot water. She would boil this mixture for five minutes and let it cool for 30 minutes before adding an egg yolk and applying it to her hair. An hour and a half later, all the grey would disappear and her hair would be a gorgeous dark brown. For black hair, Akbar Aqa’s recipe required mixing 4 tablespoons of Henna powder and hot water, and 4 tablespoons of Vasmeh (Woad) powder with water in two separate bowls. After applying the Henna and waiting for two hours the hair had to be washed with

A p o t h e c a r y i n O l d R a s h t , N o r t h I r a n . C r e d i t : J a fa r S h a h r i - F a r d a n e w s

The Face

lime (calcium salts) but then evolved to contain animal fats and powdered minerals, and is now most likely still mainly calcium salts such as limestone. Sepidab was used like foundation to powder the face, Sorkhab is made from powdered ochre mineral and was applied to the cheeks like blush, Vasmeh was used to fill in the eyebrows, and Henna was used to paint fingers and toes like nail polish.

Archeological finds show Persian women have been using makeup since 4500 BC. Historians tell of Greek admiration for Persian use of makeup and some even attribute the origin of beauty products to ancient Persia. Persian fondness for makeup is no secret. Even today women in Iran are the seventh largest users of cosmetics products in the world and the second largest in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia.

When grandma was young, every bride received a jewelry/makeup box containing Sormeh, Sepidab, Sorkhab, Vasmeh, and Henna on her wedding day. Grandma never used Henna as nail polish like her mother had. In her 30’s, she stopped using Vasmeh in favor of charred hazelnut; she said it prevented the eyebrows from thinning. She gave up using Sorkhab and Sepidab in her 50s, and the Sormeh in her 70s.

When it came to makeup, Sormeh (Kohl), Sepidab (powdered minerals), Sorkhab (Ocher), Vasmeh (Woad) and Henna were all the rage in my grandmother’s day. Sormeh was traditionally powdered antimony but now made from burnt and powdered soot from nuts or candle wicks. It came in a small satin pouch with an applicator that was used to line the eyes and place a beauty mark above the lip or on the chin. Sepidab, now more commonly known as Sefidab, was traditionally made of dried sheep spinal cords, alkali and powdered

I inherited my grandmother’s blue velvet makeup box with golden flowers embroidered on the lid. I use the Sormeh, but the Sorkhab and Sepidab, I keep as mementos. T h e Ap o t h e c a r y For thousands of years, Persians have relied on the knowledge of plants and remedies to cure ailments, maintain health, and of course, look attractive.

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lukewarm water before applying the Woad paste; then one had to wait another two hours to wash the hair with lukewarm water again. I tried this hair color once and while I liked the outcome I did not have the patience or time to repeat the four-hour process.

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A p o t h e c a r y i n O l d R a s h t , N o r t h I r a n C r e d i t : J a fa r S h a h r i - F a r d a n e w s

These recipes, mixes, blends, and methods have been passed down through families, such as mine, as well as practiced by apothecaries. For us the body is a temple and the apothecary holds the key to keeping our ‘temples’ in top shape. Even today, many Iranians still seek the help of apothecaries for various conditions despite advances in modern medicine and chemical pharmaceuticals. These herbalists work in almost every major bazaar in Iran as well as in smaller neighborhood shops.

For most of her life, grandma trusted Akbar Aqa and his father before him, to cure her indigestion, keep her skin smooth, give her the right Henna hair dye, and cure her joint pain. Akbar Aqa was one of the most respected and busiest men in the neighborhood. Five minutes of his time meant waiting in line outside his shop for hours. His shop, the Attari, was filled with rows and rows of jars containing herbs, spices, soaking salts, oils, handmade soaps, teas, and herbal distillates. He prescribed ant oil for hair removal, rosemary oil to regrow hair on bald spots, almond soap for cystic acne, and bitter almond oil for split ends and nail strength. While I never tried the ant oil or almond soap, the bitter almond oil worked magic on my hair. Before the sanctions hit the Iranian economy, I decided to start an online shop called Attar or The Herbalist. The idea was to work with Akbar Aqa and use his knowledge and the things I had learned from grandma, to design and sell spa baskets; but sanctions made international online sales impossible and the Iranian government’s regulations for online businesses made sales in Iran impossible. Not long after I gave up on Attar, Akbar Aqa passed away. His son had no interest in carrying on the family business. §

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I am no exception. I have never liked taking pills. I prefer drinking a Chehel Giah (40 herbs) infusion for colds and clove tea for coughs. I wash my eyes with an infusion of jujube for better eye sight and to reduce redness. I drink fennel tea to regulate my hormones and ease the pain of menstrual cramps. A shot of mint distillate or araq na’ana helps with indigestion. In my teens I drank one shot of chicory distillate almost every day to keep my skin pimple-free.

G randma’s Sherbe ts Sekanjebin syrup is also served as a dip with fresh lettuce as a summer afternoon snack.

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1

To make Sekanjebin Sherbet you must first make Sekanjebin syrup by mixing 2.5 kilos of sugar with seven cups of water and bringing to boil over medium heat. Tie one end of kitchen string tightly around the stem end of a bunch of mint and place the leaves inside the mixture. Reduce the heat and boil for 10-15 minutes. Add two cups of white vinegar to the pot and simmer for half an hour until it has the consistency of syrup. Remove the mint and pour into a bottle and store in the refrigerator. To serve as sherbet, in a pitcher mix about 1 cup or less of Sekanjebin syrup with water and ice. Stir well before serving. You can add shredded cucumber to the pitcher depending on your taste.

2

Khakshir (flixweed or teff) are small reddish brown seeds used to make a sherbet that is said to be good for quenching thirst in the summer. Rinsing the Khakshir is the most important step in making this sherbet. Pour 1 cup of Khakhshir in a bowl and fill with cold water. Let the Khakshir rest for a few minutes before pouring the contents of the first bowl into a second one. If there is any residue at the bottom of the first bowl rinse and repeat the first step a few more times. Pour the clean Khakshir into a pitcher and add half a cup sugar or less and 2-3 tablespoons of rosewater according to taste. You can also add two teaspoons of chia seeds to this sherbet. Stir well before pouring into cups and before drinking.

Time Honored Hair Color Recipes From G randma and Akbar G ra n d ma’s Ha i r Mas ks

1

T o strengthen hair and prevent excessive hair loss, mix 50 grams of Henna with 150 grams of Sedr powder and 150 grams of myrtle powder and water. Apply to hair and leave in for an hour. This combination prevents the Henna from changing your hair color.

2 Make a paste from myrtle powder and sesame oil and apply to hair. Leave in for one hour before wash.

3 To treat dry and flaky scalp mix 3

to 4 tablespoons of Sedr powder with water to make a dark green paste. Massage into scalp and leave in for one hour before wash.

Akbar Aqa’s Henna Hair Colors Ronas is a plant that has been used as a source for red pigment in natural dyes in Iran for housands of years.

1 For light brown hair mix 1

5 For blonde hair mix 5 tablespoons

2 For red hair mix 6 tablespoons of

6 For strawberry blonde hair mix 200

tablespoon of ground coffee, 2 tablespoons of chamomile powder, and two teaspoons of dry Ronas (Rubia tinctorum) powder with one glass of hot water to make a paste. Leave paste for 4 hours before applying to hair. Leave in hair for one hour before wash.

3 For burgundy hair boil a small

beetroot in water. Strain the water and mix it with 6 tablespoons of Henna powder to make a paste. Leave in for one hour before wash.

4 For Sangria colored hair mix

6 tablespoons of Henna powder, 2 tablespoons of ground coffee, 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and 1.5 cups of chamomile infusion. Apply to hair and leave in over night.

grams (1 cup) Henna powder with 2 cups of lemon juice and let it sit for 6 hours. Apply to the hair and leave in for 3 hours before wash.

7 For chestnut hair mix equal parts

Henna powder and ground coffee with enough water to make a paste. Apply to hair and leave in for two hours before wash.

Note: Remember that natural hair colors last longer and do not lift easily. Henna makes hair softer and less porous, preventing chemical dyes from attaching well to the hair. Chemical hair colors can be used on Hennaed hair to go darker but going lighter using regular box dye is impossible without heavy bleaching.

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Henna powder with orange blossom distillate in a non-metallic bowl to create a paste. Leave paste for 4 hours before adding some water and applying to hair. The longer you leave in this paste the redder the hair becomes.

of chamomile powder and five tablespoons of rubarb blossom powder with 3 cups of water. Boil for 20 minutes on medium heat. Once the mixture cools, apply to hair and leave in for one hour before wash. All grey hairs will turn blonde.

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/e l e m e nt a ry l iv i n g

A jour na l th at c e l e brate s bygo n e e ra s, nat ure’s prov i d e n c e , c ult ura l ri tu a l s a n d t he p e op le wh o co n se r ve th e m .

ins t ag ra m : @ th re e p e n c e jou rn a l fac e boo k: th re e p e n c e jou rn a l pint e re s t: th re e p e n c e jou rn a l

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c ult ure s | e ra s | n atu re