Month: August 2021

Nebuta Matsuri

Nebuta Matsuri, the main festival of Aomori Prefecture in Japan, features processions of huge, elaborately painted papier-mâché figures called nebuta. In the capital city of Aomori, the nebuta figures, up to 49 feet wide and 26 feet high, depict ferociously scowling samurai warriors. Illuminated from within by candles, they glow as they are carried through the streets at nightfall. Spectators wear hats made of flowers and dance in the streets. Discuss

Electric Eels

Electric eels are the sluggish inhabitants of slow freshwater basins in South America. Cylindrical, scaleless, and gray-brown, they can grow to nine feet (2.75 m) long and weigh up to 49 pounds (22 kg). The electric eel, however, is not a true eel, but is rather a knifefish that can produce a shock—powerful enough to stun a human—while hunting or in self-defense. The shock is produced by the electric organs in its body that generate charge in a manner similar to what common household item? Discuss

Virgen de Los Angeles Day

Costa Rica honors its patron saint, La Virgen de los Angeles (also known as La Negrita), on this day. La Negrita is a statue of the Virgin Mary carved in dark wood, which is how La Negrita (“little dark one”) earned its name. It is housed in the Basilica Virgen de Los Angeles in Cartago, next to a small stream. People from all over the country come to Cartago on August 2 to celebrate the mass at the Basilica, pray to Little Negrita, and collect water from the stream. Celebrations include street fairs, live music, and feasts throughout Costa Rica. Discuss

Rush Hour

Rush hour—a misnomer, as it often lasts longer than a single hour—is a period of the day when traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transportation is at its peak. These periods usually correspond to the start and end of the typical workday, when most people are commuting. Thus, there tends to be both a morning and an evening rush hour. Some areas even have a lunchtime rush hour. What system have some cities, such as São Paulo, Brazil, instituted to help curb rush hour traffic? Discuss