Month: August 2020

Maison du Roi

The Maison du Roi was the entourage that attended to the needs of the French royal family from the 14th to the 19th century. It was administered by the chief steward of France until the 1700s, when a ministry was organized to oversee the thousands of employees tasked with duties such as managing the king’s stables, hunting for the king’s meat, providing the king’s food and entertainment, and attending to the king’s spiritual needs. What was the Grand Panetier charged with overseeing?

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hanagasa Odori Matsuri

One of the largest festivals in the Tohoku region of Japan, Hanagasa Odori Matsuri is held in Yamagata on August 5-7. Thousands of dancers holding hanagasa, which are hats made out of bamboo or rush and decorated with flowers, dance through the city while spectators cheer them on. The rhythmic pulse of the hanagasa songs keeps the dancers moving together as they march down the city streets yelling “Yassho! Makasho!” and twirling their hats to the left, right, up, and down.

Source: The Free Dictionary

Antigua Carnival

In Antigua and Barbuda, to coincide with the already established celebration of the slaves’ emancipation, Carnival is celebrated in late July and continues until the first Tuesday in August. Music, competitions, and pageantry dominate the proceedings. Calypso music can be heard throughout the celebration, and the annual calypso competition produces a Calypso Monarch. Other contests include two beauty pageants, which crown Caribbean Queen and Miss Antigua. Every Carnival also features street parades that are famous for their elaborate glittering costumes.

Source: The Free Dictionary