March 14th, 2009 
Cindy Bethany
|
|
Bethany Victorian Pink Flower Hat Teddy Bear Mohair Artist Donna Hinkelman BNWT $140.00 |
|
|
GREAT SALE~1999 JOINTED BOYD’S BEAR NAMED ” BETHANY THISTLEBEARY ” W/ALL TAGS $3.99 |
|
|
Boyds Bears ** BETHANY THISTLEBEARY ** 1999 TJ’s Best Dressed $4.99 |
|
|
Boyds Bears ** BETHANY THISTLEBEARY ** 1999 TJ’s Best Dressed $5.99 |
|
|
Cherished Teddies Bev, Bertha And Bethany Ballerinas $37.49 |
|
|
Boyd Bears Retired RARE NEW bethany thistlebeary $13.00 |
|
|
Boyd’s ~ BETHANY SANDITOES … A Day At The Beach *1E* NIB $22.50 |
|
|
Boyds Bears ~ Bethany Heartlee $19.99 |
|
|
Boyds BETHANY BLOOMBEARY Bear High Fashion Society 10″ EC All Tags $12.99 |
|
|
Boyds Bears BETHANY SANDITOES large music Globe Plays Happy Days are here again $39.95 |
|
|
Boyds Mindy and Bethany bears $12.00 |
|
|
EUC ADORABLE RUSS “BETHANY” Plush TEDDY BEAR in Cream Dress 13″ tall SOFT $14.00 |
|
|
Boyds Bears MUSIC Water Globe BETHANY SANDITOES 1E NIB $49.95 |
|
|
Cherished Teddies Bev, Bertha & Bethany NIB $45.99 |
|
|
Boyds Plush #913955 Bethany Thistlebeary 6″ mint w tags $10.00 |
|
|
New Boyd’s Bears J.B. Bean Collection Bethany Thistlebeary 913955 Mint Condition $16.00 |
|
|
ANGEL & BETHANY STUFFED ANGEL BEARS FROM GRANDMAS HEART MILL MOUNTAIN 1999 USED $19.99 |
|
|
Cherished Teddies Bethany NIB $29.99 |
|
|
Bearington Plush 28″ Bear “Bethany” 198870 New with Tag, she really is adorable $35.99 |
|
|
Boyds Plush Ornaments~BECCA & BETHANY ANGELWISH~QVC~ $19.99 |
Head on Collision Between Two Cultures When Rare Secret Art Was Released Recently
Receiving an invitation to the opening of art exhibitions at the prestigious Annandale Art Gallery, a converted Masonic hall, is a common occurrence for Bethany.
The stately building in Trafalgar Street, was opened in the 1860’s as a Methodist Church. In the 1920’s it was converted to a Masonic Lodge. Now an upmarket art gallery in a trendy inner city suburb of Sydney, Australia.
The owners of the Gallery have earned their enviable reputation in the art world, through specialist showings of the very best in Australian and overseas modern art.
The invitation, on the 22nd July, appeared to be exceptional from the start. It spoke of secret rare art. Never before had the sacred art been seen outside of the tiny remote tropical island, South Pacific archipelago, Vanuatu.
Dressed in full custom regalia, a group of nine Ni-Vanuatu artists would perform a sacred ceremonial dance from the island of Ambrym, at the opening.
Bethany eagerly arranged with two friends to attend the opening, which sounded rather mysterious and lots of fun. Afterwards they would enjoy dinner at one of the fine restaurants of Darling Harbour. The problem of working their way through the Sydney traffic and finding parking for the Mercedes-Benz was averted with the firm decision to take a taxi, or be dropped off by one of the husbands
“Arriving a little later than we expected because of the Sydney traffic, we were greeted by the lovely sounds of a string band playing island music as we approached the doorway to the Gallery,” Bethany told me. “It sounded as if the South Seas had come to town. Made one think of swaying palms and blue green tropical oceans. It was inviting to think of taking that South Pacific cruise my husband and I have been promising ourselves,” she mused.
As they joined the other guests sipping French champagne, Bethany and her two friends buzzed with excitement as they admired the rare artifacts. These included beautifully carved wooden figures and masks, plus a four metre drum (upright tam-tam). One of the world’s largest free standing musical instruments in the world.
“We understood this art to be very ancient and rare, yet it could easily be mistaken for pieces of modern artwork”, said David Baker the Gallery’s curator. “There is only one similar piece of work to this in a British Museum.”
A barely clad figure appeared. Stepping up to the gong he began a steady methodical beat, on the lip of the wooden gong’s face. The carved face stylized to represent an ancestor. The long slit up the front of the drum giving the ancestor a voice once more.
Four dancers came next, dressed in what looked like a head-to-toe tent made of dried leaves, with brightly painted masks, topped with chicken feathers, covering their faces. In a slow rhythmical, yet dreamlike shuffle, they began making their way to the center of the room. Their voices filled the gallery in a monotonal chant.
Another five men, dressed in the full regalia of their secret society, moved in the centre of the first four dancers. Stomping their feet and clapping their hands, they lifted their voices in the chant.
Unaware of the sensation they were causing, the five mature Ambrym men, were dressed with only a wide bark belt slung low over their hips. A Namba penis sheath, barely covering the essential part of manhood, they concentrated on their sacred dance. A bright red hibiscus flower adorned one ear.
Unaware of the sensation they were causing, the gleaming and well formed buttocks of the dancers jiggled up and down in time to the beat of the drum, the matrons of Sydney stared in utter shock.
“When the dancers first entered the room it was rather awkward to know where to put one’s eyes. I haven’t seen that much bare bottom since my four children were tiny,” laughed Bethany.
It is one thing to imagine these men dancing in the soft lighting of a tropical island forest, bare feet pounding out the ceremonial rhythm on a dirt floor, but to think of them as having just come from a modern hotel room, braving the Sydney traffic and Australian winter, was a mind bending thought.
“We were told these men are taboo and no women are permitted to touch them even today,” laughed Bethany. “In fact, if any female saw them performing the dance they had to be killed. A good thing that doesn’t apply now.”
Life moves at a different pace in the tropical islands of Vanuatu, voted the Happiest Country on Earth in 2006. A beautiful nation of over 153 distinct languages and cultures with few modern communication devices spanning the remote distances.
Education is an oral tradition and many villagers still live as their ancestors have done for generations. Tradition and culture is handed down from father to son through dance, song, sand drawings and carvings. Many of the younger generation have lost the ability to understand the mystic language of the carved gongs.
The chiefs are starting to recognize the educational needs of their people. They decided to share the secrets of their society and release some of their sacred rare art, to ensure its survival, setting the art world on its ear. Their aim is to inspire their young people and make them more aware of their ancient culture.
Few people are aware that the tiny neighbor of Australia still has such wonderful secrets tucked away in the ‘Must See’ Travel Adventure destination of the south Pacific.
Education needs beyond the main islands goes to the bottom of the list of priorities for a government who in 2007 admitted that they do not have the resources to meet the educational needs of the nation.
YouMe Support Foundation offers a unique once in a lifetime Blue Moon Opportunity. Not only is it a world first, it will make a very real difference in the lives of these children. You can’t afford to miss this. You can make a difference in your own life, plus help some really deserving kids. Kids who will reach out and embrace the head on collision of two societies.
|
|
Presto 07039 Professional 22-Inch Jumbo Electric Griddle $32.38 Great for every meal. This griddle’s extra large cooking surface makes enough food for the entire family. Control Master heat control maintains proper cooking temperature automatically. Premium nonstick surface for stick free cooking and easy cleaning. Slide out drip tray catches cooking drippings for healthier cooking. Griddle is completely immersible with the heat control removed. 1 year limited… |
|
|
Chef’s Choice 839 Krumkake Express $44.99 Features: Baking and ready lights. Nonstick baking surface. Compact unit stands upright. Instant temperature recovery. Easy-clean overflow channel. Built-in cord wrap for easy storage. Dimensions: 12-1/8″ x 12″ x 4-1/2″. Select the color, from golden to brown. Makes delicious krumkakes that are ready to serve in two minutes. Professional baking system includes a krumkake maker, a cone rolling form… |
|
|
Krumkake Roller $10.11 Perfect for rolling krumkake and other flat dessert cookies. Size: Roller is 6″ long. The cone width is 1.25″ to 4.25″ wide. Cleaning and Care * Hand washing recommended. |
|
|
Be Lifted High $8.35 CD Be Lifted High by Bethel Live… |
|
|
Sing Over Me: Worship Songs & Lullabies $5.97 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
Friends with Benefit: Music from the Television Series One Tree Hill, Vol. 2 $5.25 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
|
|
Touched By an Angel Collector’s Edition, 1st and 100th Episodes [VHS] $3.99 “Psalm 151,” the 100th episode of the popular series Touched by an Angel, is a thousand-hankie watching delight. At moments it’s overly sentimental and as sweet as treacle, but at the same time the viewer will find it as irresistible as chocolate cake. This episode guest stars Wynonna Judd, who surprisingly has an amazing screen presence, and Celine Dion, who should definitely keep her day job as… |
|
|
Pelvic Yoga with Kimberlee Bethany Bonura $1.99 … |
|
|
Danielle Steel’s Remembrance [VHS] $3.98 VHS Tape… |
|
|
One Tree Hill: The Complete Ninth Season $14.99 All 13 episodes from season nine–including “Know This, We’ve Noticed,” “Love the Way You Lie,” “The Killing Moon,” “Danny Boy,” and “Anyone Who Had a Heart”–are collected in a three-disc set. 9 1/4 hrs. total. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English (SDH), French, Spanish; audio commentary on selected episodes; featurettes; deleted scenes; gag reel. **13 … |
Posted in 
Tags: 
