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This is Group 5's Google Cultural Tour. We first start off in the vernacular region
of Hollywood, California. Hollywood, prior to its 1910
merger with the city of L.A. from the late 19th to early 20th centuries,
was just a small borough-like town that flourished into an
agricultural community known as the Cahuenga Valley.
Originally called Nopalera, U.S. authorities seized Hollywood
when the Spaniards and Mexicans failed to understand English and couldn't have their land grants confirmed.
when the Spaniards and Mexicans failed to understand English and couldn't have their land grants confirmed.
After the efforts of H.J. Whitley
and D.W. Griffith in the early 1900's,
Hollywood had morphed from Spanish farmland into white settlement
and finally into the motion-picture industry that it is today.
Now, present-day Hollywood is an English-speaking community at large
and welcomes all characters and cultures including
Little Armenia and Thai Town but is still dominated
by a Hispanic and white ethnic background. Christianity is the main religion
although Hollywood itself emits many atheistic practices.
Regardless, the most iconic and recognizable features
of Hollywood are Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign,
which protrudes from Mount Lee and read "Hollywoodland" prior to 1949.
which protrudes from Mount Lee and read "Hollywoodland" prior to 1949.
That's it on Hollywood, and that concludes our first stop.
We will now direct our tour to Bangkok, Thailand.
Located in the center of Bangkok, there is an Emerald Buddha Temple,
which is the most sacred Buddhist shrine in Thailand.
Now, we will take a closer look at the architecture
through some photos. The temple was built
in 1785 and is elaborately decorated with holy buildings,
statues, and pagodas. This temple is a landmark
of Thai art and architecture. The language that dominates Thailand
is Thai. Many people who come to the temple to visit believe in Buddhism.
Many people who come to the temple to visit believe in Buddhism.
Buddhism strongly influences Thailand's landscape to this very day.
There's strong belief in ancestry and natural spirits.
Many monks pray inside
and give their vows, which is an important function in Asian societies.
An important statue is the Kinnara.
In Buddhist mythology, this is a half-human
and half-horse, which represents
the everlasting life, and this will end our second stop.
We will now be heading to
the Cathedral de la Asuncion de Maria Santisima located in the downtown area
of the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. This is a churrigueresque-style cathedral featuring two neo-gothic towers.
two neo-gothic towers,
which, you will be able to see from the following pictures.
The architectural characteristics of the cathedral
are a testament to the Spanish influence
on Colonial Mexico, which is still very present to this day. Mexico's official language
is Spanish.
It was inherited from the Spanish conquest of 1519.
However, eight out of every thousand people speak an indigenous dialect.
From the 1560's to the present, the cathedral has been a central point to the city's social life
serving as a backdrop for political
and cultural events including the Annual International Mariachi Festival.
This is a Roman-Catholic cathedral, which is very representative
of most of the citizens' faith. The city of Guadalajara
is home to both mariachi and tequila. The city is known for its cuisine,
which is a mix of pre-Hispanic and Spanish influences
In the post-NAFTA era, Guadalajara's pop culture has been greatly influenced by
the United States.
Chains such as Starbucks, McDonalds, TGI Friday's amongst
others have become a part of everyday life. The city has its own soccer team,
which is Chivas, and it's the citizenry's pride and joy.
For our last stop, we will be heading over to Suva, Fiji. Fiji has a cultural fusion primarily of Melanesian and
Polynesian traditions.
It has four languages: Bau, Fijian, Hindi, and English.
Bau, Fijian, Hindi, and English. English is typically spoken
as a second language. Despite the fact that Fiji became a British colony in
1874, most aspect of indigenous culture
have remained untouched. However,
in recent decades, the hip-hop dance known as
"krumping" has greatly influenced pop culture.
Youths now communicate through YouTube sharing
this new influence. Most
of Fiji's 18 urban centers are on the two largest islands, Viti Levu
and Vanua Levu. Today, 80 percent of the
ethnic Fijians live in cities and towns
and trade in the central market. In most towns, the bus station
is at the center of activity, lying near the market
filled with vendors. Fijian culture
places strong emphasis on family units. People reside in family units
led by hereditary chiefs. "Meke" is the traditional art form,
which is expressed through music, dance and food. The traditional clothing
includes loin clothes for men
and grass skirts for the women. In the colonial period, there was
a lot of ethnic segregation; however, that has subsided since the country became independent.
since the country became independent. As you can see from this last picture,
United States influence is very present in their pop culture.
And this finalizes our tour. Thank you!