Easter Island

March 6th, 2010 No Comments

Easter Island was first contacted by the western world by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen in 1722. It was named Easter Island because it was discovered on Easter. It is officially a territory of Chile, located in the South Pacific Ocean about 2000 miles from Chile’s west coast. Easter Island is probably most famous for its 887 gigantic statues, called Moai. What is less known, but equally fascinating, is the rich cultural history and mythology of these islands.

Archaeologists have long disputed when Easter Island was first inhabited by humans. Estimates range anywhere from 300 CE to 1200 CE, but the general consensus is somewhere between 700-1000 CE. These estimates are similar to the estimates of first known inhabitants of Hawaii. At this time in history, seafaring people from Indonesia were colonizing islands all over the Pacific ocean.

Because Easter Islanders are descended from the Polynesian culture, their mythology shares many characteristics with it. However, because of the island’s extreme geographic isolation (the nearest inhabited island is more than 2000km away), their mythology evolved in unique ways. For example, they believed that their people came from a mythical homeland, which they called Hiva. Most Polynesian cultures also believe this, but they usually call this land Hawaiki. Despite their origins from the Polynesian islands, the people of Easter Island believed Hiwi lay in the east, where the sun rises.

Easter Island mythology proceeded through two distinct stages. The first was an ancestor worship system. The Moai statues were erected as a tribute to past important members of the group. These statues represent a very impressive creative and intellectual feat. The statues were often 30 feet tall and weighed more than 75 tons. They were almost always carved out of volcanic rock and were erected on the shores or the island, facing inwards. The inward orientation of the statues is thought to represent the ancestors watching over the island inhabitants from the edge of the sea. Like most island cultures, Easter Island’s mythology consisted of a significant marine component.

In the 19th century, a civil war erupted amongst the Easter Islanders. A new group, which anthropologists have dubbed the Bird-Man Cult, rose to power after several years of a fierce war with the traditional Moai group. During this time, almost all of the Moai statues were toppled. The Bird-Man Cult worshiped a god called Makemake, who was the creator of humanity and the world.

In recent times, peace has returned to the island, and the Moai statues are in the process of being restored and re-erected by the island’s inhabitants. Easter Island is undoubtedly one of the strangest and most fascinating places on earth.

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Effective Marketing

February 26th, 2010 No Comments

If your target audience are the other business houses, then you should choose a gift item which is more professional. You cannot gift them items like desk calendars or gift pens which in other scenario are suitable options to give away. But because you want gift items for your professional clientele, you should opt for things like wine baskets, professional desk sets, and other accessories like mouse pads.

So to begin with you need to decide who your target audience is. Once you know this, you need to find out about your budget, the amount which you can use for buying these professional gifts for your customer base. You will thus be able to decide if there is any need to downsize on these gifts. You will also get an idea of how many gifts you can afford to purchase.

These gift items can prove to be expensive if you get them personalised or get any embossing done on them. Thus, the wise thing to do in this case is to buy these embossed or personalised gifts in bulk or from some special companies so that you are offered discounted rates.

Another option is to buy these gifts from an online store which may have a discount going on rather than buying it from some public market. Once you have the budget handy, you can go about looking for these items. You can get your name and logo along with your location and brand name printed or embossed on these gift items for a reasonable fee. Get it done from the service providers who offer you discount.

Be selective about the items you want to use for promotion of your brand. While doing so, always keep your target audience in mind. As you would not like to use a gift item which your clients cannot relate to and something that does not goes with your service your product. Just going on giving gifts to all in the market is not going to help you establish your brand and product.

You need to think out of the box and come up with something that will grab your customer’s attention in the first instance itself and help you promote your business!

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Running Your Own Business

February 17th, 2010 No Comments

Many people who work a 9 to 5 day in their regular jobs often dream of running their own business. The thought of not having to take orders from someone else and been in control of your own destiny is very appealing but there are a number of possible downsides to this idyllic dream that need to be taken in to account before you make the move.

One of the main barriers is fear. This is fear of the unknown and fear of leaving a secure job that pays the bills. If you are in a job that pays the bills and you have a family to support leaving the security of this job to work for yourself can be scary indeed. The new business could work and be profitable but it can take years to build a business up and the lack of money in the meantime can be a major strain not only on the person starting the business but on the whole family.

When you run your own business you encounter pressures that you do not experience when you work for someone else. The buck stops with you, as the boss you will shoulder all the financial responsibility and problems in the business. It will be down to you to solve issues and problems. You will need to be fairly physically fit as working for yourself requires a lot of hard work, stamina and dedication. You will easily find yourself working many more hours than you did as an employed person.

The main thing also to consider is how sound your business model is. You will want to be sure that your new venture will be profitable and that there will be enough demand for your product or service to keep you afloat.

You will also have to find new skills that you might have not had to worry about before. Its true that you can hire an accountant but you will still need to have a good grasp of the every day finances and be able to plan ahead. Do you have a back up plan if things do not go according to plan and how do you handle competition? It is very important to have the support and understanding of friends and family as the early stages of a new business will require much sacrifice not only in time but also financially. You might find that you have to make cut backs in your lifestyle until the cash flow in your business improves.

To sum up running your own business can be very rewarding but it will be something you are prepared to work hard at and make sacrifices along the way.

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Ever Been to India?

January 29th, 2010 No Comments

Tourism in India flourishes mainly on the existence of the fascinating historic monuments spread across the nation. The country with a history of opulence and Kingly rule has affectionately preserved its rich heritage by incorporating traditional practices in life today and by preserving its historic monuments. Heritage India tour is an ideal travel theme for the lovers of ancient art and architecture forms. These tours unfold a world of opulence and grandeur to the onlooker; it showcases the regal excesses of the past rulers and their flamboyant ways of living. On a travel to heritage India the places one must not miss includes Rajasthan, Khajuraho and Agra.

Rajasthan is the ultimate princely state with imprints of royalty sprinkled throughout. A vast state laced with numerous stunning edifices, Rajasthan is all about grander palaces, overwhelming experiences and extravagance. On your heritage tour to India a plunge into the regal era of the royalty with a visit to these heritage properties. A horde of palaces and forts dotted throughout the state can make it a little difficult for the traveller to choose from. However some of the must see citadels in the region includes the imposing Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Chittorgarh Fort in Chittorgarh, Amber Fort and Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, City Palace Complex in Udaipur and more. These palaces and forts are magnificent emblems of Rajputana and Mughal architecture carving a niche for themselves and creating inspirational pieces for the coming generations to admire.

Khajuraho, the temple town situated in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, is one of the most popular destination amongst travellers opting for heritage India tour packages. The city houses the largest group of medieval temples of Hindu and Jain faiths. These beauteous temples are famous for their erotic sculptures carved on the exteriors of their walls. Dating back to 950 to 1150 these temples were built over a span of 200 years. Out of 80 about 25 now stand in good state and are scattered over an area of 20 square kms. These temples are spectacular examples of Indian architecture and thus are designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Khajuraho temples are mainly made of sandstone and there is no usage of mortar but the stones were simply put together with mortise and tenon joints and the incredible architecture is studied even today for its excellence and longevity.

Your heritage tour to India is incomplete without a visit to the city of Mughals, Agra. The city ruled by Mughals in the past has been decked by its rulers in the most extravagant fashion. The city is laced with three awe inspiring edifices of world fame. Amongst these edifices the name of Taj Mahal is dazzles the onlooker’s eyes the most. This white marble mausoleum’s construction was built by the Mughal King Shah Jahan to commemorate the death of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. A gorgeous edifice, Taj is India’s most fascinating monument and is also counted amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. Next on your tour you must capture the captivating sight of Agra Fort another of the UNESCO acclaimed World Heritage Site. Fatehpur Sikri is the third UNESCO World Heritage Site in the city and a visit to it completes the experience of Heritage India tour.

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