Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize

As the majority of my readers might already know, Obama was selected by the Nobel Prize Commettee. I will not argue pros and cons in this blog, just state my opinion:

I think this is a wrong way of using the prize; politicly. I know the prize goes to Obama personally, and not as a president, but he is the American president nevertheless.
He is, as president, supporting the war in Afghanistan. Americans are still in Iraq. Americans are supporting Israel with weapons, etc. Why did Obama get the Prize?

"...for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics..."

First of all, I am going to agree with the above statements. But as long as Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan and Israel have Nuclear weapons, so will the US. It is great that he has adressed the issue, but it is such a difficult task to get rid of all these weapons, that we should wait to see what he can actually do. And yes, Obama has created a new climate. But is that enough? Is "not being Bush" enough to get a Nobel Prize? I think that this prize should confirm relevant achievements rather than encourage good intentions.

So, no doubt that Obama can deserve the prize in the future, but just not yet. I do, however, really hope that he will prove worthy of it in the years ahead.

Totems and Totem poles

What is the difference, and what is the connection between totems and totem poles?

Totems
Totemism is a tribal religious belief, and the term derives from the Ojibwe tribe (third largest tribe of Native Americans). The Ojibwe people divided themselves into several clans (called "odoodeman"), and each clan had their own totem (pronounced "doodem"). A totem is a spiritual protector, usually an animal. Totemism is not unique for the Native Americans; we find similar beliefs in parts of every other continent.

Totem poles
The totem poles were, when discovered by christian Europeans, assumed to picture religious icons. Truth is, the poles were never objects of worship. The Natives used these poles mainly to illustrate stories and tell about historical events or persons. Some poles decorate graves, others are outside the home of a family to tell about their achievements, or they can even be "shame poles" for public ridicule. Some poles could also represent Shamanic powers, but the pole itself was not a holy object. The name "totem pole" is therefore misleading as, even though they were important to the Natives, they weren't directly linked to the Totemism.

Modern Totemism
To the Ojibwe people, totems were a symbolic representation of the group, such as the bear clan; so big that it was divided into sub-clans of the bears body parts. In modern times some individuals have chosen to adopt the idea of a personal animal spirit for guidance, and call it their totem. Particularly people within the New Age movement have "totems". There are actually several websites where you can figure out for yourself; which animal is your guiding spirit?

Find your "totem":

• Have you ever felt drawn to one animal or another without being able to explain why? This could be animal, including birds and insects.

• Does a certain kind of animal consistently appear in your life? This doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical appearance, it could be represented in other ways such as receiving card and letters with the same animal pictured over and over, unexplainable dreams of a particular animal, watching television and seeing the same animal featured time and time again, or, actually having the animal show up.

• When you go to the zoo, a park, wildlife area, or forest, what are you most interested in seeing?

• Are there any animals that you find to be extremely frightening or intriguing?

• Is there a particular animal that you see frequently when you’re out in nature?

• Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal?

• Have you ever had a recurring dream about a certain animal, or a dream from childhood that you have never been able to forget?

• Are you drawn to figurines or paintings of a specific animal?

(When you have decided on your animal, you will find the most detailed descrption in the "totem animal dictionary" at http://www.starstuffs.com/animal_totems/)

My Totem
I am certain my animal must be cat, after asking myself these questions. So I looked up "cat" on the website.

Cat:
Magic, independence, clever, unpredictable, balance of energies and actions in life, mysteries will unfold in life if a cat comes around. Cat shows how to clarify perceptions which allows new ideas to manifest, encourages mental and emotional agility, aids in being resourceful and stealthy tactics, teaches courage and confidence. Do you need to be more independent? Are you using your resources the best of your ability? Is it time to start a new project? Cat will show how to continue the process of opening your intuition for soul growth.

Finally, another picture of my cat Aponi (which is actually a Native American name, meaning "butterfly"):


Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem_pole
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojibwe
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem
- http://www.starstuffs.com/animal_totems/
- http://www.legendsofamerica.com/NA-Totems.html
- http://culturalmind.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/fact-file-totem-poles/