Inter-schools Literary
Competition
“Teenagers and tradition – do they go together?
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1st prize Teenagers and tradition-do they go together? In one word: YES! Teenagers and traditions do go together. All around the country (Portugal) one can see many examples of this. Young people usually follow their family traditions or traditions from wherever they come from, but with their own “twist”. Every single generation is different, and the way they face tradition is different as well. My parents lived traditions with a different intensity than me. It’s important that traditions are kept, even if they appear a little weird in the first place because they keep the past alive. Every new generation embraces tradition in a different way, and I think it’s a good thing. Teenagers and traditions go together, but of course, it often depends on the person and on the traditions. With the new means of communication, traditions are adapted and adopted all around the world! Nowadays one doesn’t need to be Portuguese to eat a Christmas codfish recipe that you learnt from your mother in Portugal. Everyone around the world can follow a foreign tradition, and teenagers in special are a big part of this. In conclusion, I repeat: yes, teenagers and traditions go together. André Nogueira, 9th year Escola Básica de Eixo-Portugal
2nd prize Teenagers and traditions
Actually, what are traditions? The generel definition says that tradition are customs, passing through one generation to the next. A lot of modern psychologists assert that today´s youth faces traditions with a kind of disrespect. But what can be the reasons for this phenomenon and is this as bad as it´s described by psychologists? First of all, I want to show you why traditions were so important in the past. Traditions gave the people a feeling of togetherness, a feeling that they had someone else with the same ideals, ideas and way of thinking. Traditions were also often linked up with religion and language. You can visualize the way of living backwards if you imagine that a group of people having the same traditions is a bubble. The whole world is full with an uncountable amount of bubbles, some of them very small but some also very very big. Like in every other life situation, the bubbles that are anyway very big want to grow bigger to get more power and influence which can be also the reason for the religion wars etc. Such a bubble is like a wall protecting the people inside, giving them not only a home, but also a feeling that they belong to something special. There are a lot of different traditions, e.g. the bloody human sacrifices of the Azteks or the nice week in Russia when you only eat pancakes.
Cont. So as you can see it´s not about what you are doing as tradition, it´s only about the tradition itself and the feeling it gives to them who are doing it. The reason for the start of disrespect of traditions in our days is very easy to identifie: the globalization. Children nowadays don´t need appreciation by their family members. In addition to that, the meaning of "family" changed dramatically. It´s like all the small bubbles just combined to one very big bubble where traditions, religions and language doesn´t have such an importance as before. The feeling of togetherness which is an aim in everybody´s life is now not given through practicing special customs together but through the internet. This is understandable: it´s much easier, faster and more comfortable to chat with somebody or laugh about funny pictures from facebook.
cont Children are inderectly forced by their environment not to spend time with their family but to sit in front of their computers or cellphones, searching for things making them feel good. I think these are the worst problems for the disrespect of traditions and in the following I want to show what consequences this has. So what do children in our days to get accepted? Because of the fact that there´s only one big bubble, people don´t want to be special, nobody wants to attract attention. We try to live in that way which is seen as "normal". And the ones who doesn´t do this are labeled as crazy and mad. That´s the reason why we are so influenced for example by fashion: they tell us "this looks good" and we buy it just because we don´t want to be different. The most children are ashamed doing their traditions and that´s why everyone spend time in the internet. It´s something that connects all of us and gives everybody the feeling of being accepted. But we don´t understand that it´s not really an appreciation. It just seems to be one. And only when we turn our computers off we understand, that deep in our hearts we are as lonely as before and that internet is only like a drug giving us temporary a good feeling, but to get it again you need more and more false appreciation from the internet. People just should understand that there´s nothing shameful of being special and that the acception we get in real life is much more worth than the internet.
Germany
3rd prize Teenager and tradition? First think that comes into everyone's mind - two totally different things. But it's not as different as it looks like. There are few things that connect teenagers world with traditions. One of the biggest and most popular tradition is joining to the Folk Dance and Sing Group. In Poland is a big tradition. Girls and boys sing traditional songs characteristic to every region and dance dances like Mazurek or Karokowiak. Girls have braided hair with red ribbons and long flowery skirts with white blouses. Boys wear white blouses with vests, trousers and high boots. They usually wear hats, but outfit is different in every region. There is something closer to youth than folk group, but it's also connected with folk. I'm talking about music. In Poland there is a rapper named Donatan and singer Cleo. They've just recorded a CD with music which has folk elements. Also in music videos we can see traditional elements like outfits, villages and farms and music is something strongly bonded with being young. We don't only have big traditions. We also have the small ones like family traditions. It can be giving a ring for girl's 16'th birthday, getting a job after members of family, visiting grandparents every Sunday, eating dinner with then whole family, taking brother from kindergarten after school and much more. This traditions are the strongest ones and most cherished. Youth like the whole family are particular about them to keep them alive. Teenagers are connected with traditions, more then we think. Maybe not as good as they grandparents, but we can't say that they don't do anything to keep them alive.
Aleksandra Ćmiel Gimnazjum nr 2 z Oddziałami Integracyjnymi im. J. Kubisza Poland
Other texts in competition Do teenagers and tradition go together? There aren't that much local traditions that today's teenagers keep on, but fortunatelly some of them are still present. To start off, there are the well-known "Capra" which means goat and "Ursu" which means bear. Some people disguise themselves in bears and some in goats but this happens in separate groups. With the diguised men there are other people with flat drums, who play a specific rythm which the "Capra" (the goat) dances on. They come before and on the Christmas day to carol the people who live in the neighbourhood. It's said that their presence brings good luck for the upcoming year. Another tradition that comes, in this case, from religion and also detoxifies the organism is that 29% of the Romanian teenagers keep the fast oft the Advent. Most of them don't eat dairy products and meet during the 40 days of Advent either because they are faithful or becouse that's the family tradition. Now let's talk about the band "Subcarpați". They're a duo that debuted their music project in 2010. This combines electronic and hip-hop music with the Romanian folklore. A lot of artists participated in this project like "DJ Limun" and "Mara și Dragonu"; they are really popular between teenagers and personally, I think this musical genre says "We are moving on but we still have our roots with us".
Bernad Remus Catalin Ady Endre Gimnazial School, Sf. Gheorghe Romania
Other texts in competition A teenagers and traditions- Do they go together?
I think, a teenagers and traditions go together. In my family, we have got a lot of traditions, in example: at Christmas we decorate a house, hang a mistletoe, bake cakes. At Christmas Eve, we eat twelve dishes, share a special wafer, wish ourselves. It all expand our Christmas. It also unite our family, because we meet with our loved ones. We’ve got also a “Wet Day” – boys pour girls, girls pour boys and it’s very funny! These traditions pass from generation to generation. In Poland, in different parts of the country, Polish speak different dialect. In Silesia too. In Silesia, we’ve got a traditional folk costume. Once, women and men went in them to the church, for important ceremonies. My grandmother had it too. And she gave it my mother, And I had it too! I think, traditions consort with teenager. It’s OK to celebrate tradition ceremonies with your family and friends! I like it very much! Justyna Żebrok
Gimnazjum nr 2 z Oddziałami Integracyjnymi im. J. Kubisza Poland
Other texts in competition Easter and the teenagers Easter is one of the most important religious feasts of the year, which is the occasion of commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sprinkling and egg painting Among the Hungarians sprinkling on Easter Monday is a popular tradition for a long time ago. The custom dates back to its origins in ancient times , based on the root of the water’s purifying and renewing power. This has still remained in a slight modern form. In the past, in many places of the country, especially on countryside, boys went to girls’ houses and poured fresh water on them, pulled from wells. Nowadays fresh water is replaced by perfumes, but boys and men still visit their women friends to sprinkle them on Easter Monday. At sprinkling boys also say different traditional rhymes, or short poems. After watering the girls in the old days, the boys were rewarded with eggs painted red. Traditionally the eggs were painted red using natural colours: purple onion peel, red cabbage or green walnut juice were used to paint different colours . Decorating the painted eggs in the old days required some artistic skills to . The easiest way was to use a fresh leaf. It was tightened fast to the egg and the egg was put in the paint afterwards. Thus the place of the leaf remained white, and the rest was coloured. However, there are a number of decorative techniques ( Fighting , embroidery, writing with wax or shoeing). (cont)
cont. The technique of painting eggs has developed and today traditional ways of painting have given way to a man-made chemical ​dyes. Chocolate eggs or bunnies are also becoming more and more popular. Today, the girls and women also offer to their visitors (sprinkles) a variety of food, especially drinks, milk-loaf and other cookies, sweets, and even some money for the children. The origin of the Easter Symbols • The egg is an ancient symbol of fertility , which in almost all nations of the world can be found, in Christianity it became a symbol of the resurrection . • The origin of the Easter Bunny somewhat uncertain. It was adopted from German influence at some time during the nineteenth century. The rabbit has also become a symbol of fertility, and across Europe it is associated with the celebration of Easter. In Transylvania it is not so traditional, but nowadays as the influence of other European cultures it is more and more popular The Easter lamb is one of the most common symbol, whose role has recently dropped significantly and has been replaced by the Easter ham. In Transylvania the roasted lamb is an indispensable element of the festive table. The origin of the symbol can be traced back in a number of biblical stories. Bodi Arnold Csaba Scoala Gimnaziala Ady Endre, Sf. Gheorghe, Romania
Other texts in competition Do teenagers and tradition go together? In our country, especially in Moravia, there are lots of traditions like Easter, Christmas, Folk festivals etc. As a matter of fact keeping them has recently dropped off. Is keeping traditions still important? Nowadays teenagers care less about it. It might be caused by our upbringing. From generation to generation the traditions and habits have been less shared and kept. Teenagers are interested especially in those habits, which they can have fun by. For example the folk feast – peple dance in folk costumes and drink wine. Christmas – it means family time and lots of presents. Easter – it is hated holiday at least in our opinion. Boys spank girls with rods to give them health and energy. This is pretty unfair because boys get sweets a eggs as a reward but girls have just bruises. In the conclusion, we would like to say that we can still see the importance of our habits because we should know something about our culture and nation and should be proud of it. On the other hand, many of less known habits will probably disappear in a few years so there will be space for something new.
Pavla Krotká and Petra Appeltauerová Gymnazium T.G.Masaryka, Hustopeče, The Czech Republic
Other texts in competition Romanian Easter traditions Easter is the most beautiful holiday. Me and my family celebrate Easter in a traditional way every year. The most important thing is the red egg, a symbol for the death of Jesus: the blood spilled on the eggs which were brought by Virgin Mary to the cross of Jesus. Traditionally, girls and women paint red eggs, but now the people paint them in another colours too, like blue, green, or purple. In the Easter morning, the Romanian people go to the church. In the countryside, villagers go to the church dressed in traditional folk costumes. It is very beautiful, when I go to my grandparents, who live in a small village. I see in the churchyard a lot of people in wonderful old clothes. At midnight, before the Easter morning, we go to the church, with a candle, to bring God light. In the Easter morning, we clean our faces with fresh water from a bowl where a red egg and a coin is put. We bump two red eggs and we say “Hristos a inviat!’’(Jesus has resurrected!) and the answer is: “Adevarat a inviat’’(He indeed resurrected!). We say this words as a special greeting until the end of this holiday. This is a very beautiful holiday, because we make traditional things, and we are happy because we can return to the old days. I think this is the tradition that teenagers like the most. Dochioiu Irina, Scoala Gimnaziala “Ady Endre”, Romania
Other texts in competition Discover, Understand and appreciate do teenagers and tradition go together?
Christmastime is full of traditions. Our comeniuspartners got to know it during their visit in Germany last December. For example Christmas markets, the visit of St. Nikolaus and much more. But for me one the most beautiful Christmastradtions is baking Christmas cookies in the weeks before Christmas. This tradition came from the Near East, where arabian bakers refined their pastries with cinnamon, anise and cardamom already in the 10. century and came to Europe in the Middle Ages.The oldest Christmas pastries are the "N端rnberger Lebkuchen", a kind of gingerbread. So baking Christmas cookies came into the families and has become an important part of Christmas. Also in my family we love this tradition very much. Already as a little girl of about 2 years I was allowed to bake Christmas cookies with my mum. My mother has got a lot of cookie recipes from her great -grandmother, which are collected in very old cookebooks and which have always been left to the daughters of the family.
cont Also some of the cookie cutters are very old but they are still used as well as new recipes and baking accessories are added every year. In the meantime I also create my own cookie recipes, but also bake the traditional family recipes. And I love to decorate my cookies with sweets or chocolate, so they look nice and taste fantastic. So the smell of chocolate, cinnamon, nuts and much more shows us that Christmas is almost upon us. I love it making myself comfortable with a cup of hot tea and some homemade Christmas cookies, when it`s cold outside. And most of all I like Vanillacookies. Yummie!
Viktoria Trottmann, Klasse 10, Ludwigsgymnasium Straubing, Germany
Other texts in competition Do teenagers and tradition match together? In my point of view, yes they do. The real question is why wouldn’t they? I mean, we were practically born from tradition. Nowadays, you find traditions everywhere: in fashion, gastronomy, music, etc. Some people say traditions are for “old schools”. But I think it shouldn’t be like that Personally I think traditions are cool, and I’m a teenager. I’ve been in Germany for a week where I learned lots of traditions. So, I would enjoy doing it again. I think it is necessary to preserve our national traditions because probably people don’t even know what tradition is. And I don’t mean just the Portuguese traditions. I also mean the Czech, the German, the Polish and the Romanian. Together we are the European Comenius project. Together, we are the past, the present and the future. Do teenagers and traditions match together? Well, now that’s up to you!
Paul Apolinário, 9th Year Escola Básica de Eixo, Portugal
Rules Concurso Literário inter-escolas Comenius Escolas de Portugal, Polónia, Alemanha, Roménia e República-Checa, países envolvidos no projeto Comenius 2012/2014 Discover, Understand and Appreciate promovem o concurso literário “Teenagers and tradition-Do they go together?2 Objectivos do concurso: Desenvolver a escrita em inglês Estimular a criatividade, imaginação e espírito crítico Envolver os alunos na temática O tema dos trabalhos a concurso é “Teenagers and tradition - Do they go together?" O concurso destina-se a todos os alunos dos 2º ou 3º ciclos da EBI de Eixo. Os trabalhos deverão ser manuscritos e individuais; ter um mínimo de 150 palavras e um máximo de 200; ser originais Os trabalhos deverão ser entregues na secretaria, à Sra. Carla Azevedo, em envelope fechado e não devem conter a identificação dos participantes. A data limite para entrega dos trabalhos é no dia 31 de janeiro de 2014. O prémio será atribuído por um júri constituído por 3 elementos. O prémio será a participação em todo o programa Comenius (visitas, viagens, workshops, jantares, actividades) de 1 a 6 de junho, aquando do acolhimento dos parceiros no projecto. O júri delibera com total independência e em plena liberdade de critério, por maioria dos votos dos seus membros e em caso de empate o Presidente do Júri, Mª Isaura Teixeira, terá o voto de qualidade. O trabalho vencedor será enviado para todas as escolas dos países intervenientes no projeto Comenius e publicado em diversos meios de comunicação social e redes sociais.
Os casos omissos e as dúvidas de interpretação deste regulamento serão resolvidos pelo júri. Das decisões do júri não haverá apelação.
Concurso Literário
inter-escolas Comenius
Teenagers and tradition–do they go together? Tens imaginação e criatividade? Queres participar no programa Comenius em Junho? Sabes escrever em Inglês?
INFORMA-TE no facebook, no blog do clube europeu, ou junto das professoras Isaura Teixeira e Lurdes Borges.