I had a really great time on the trip to Harlem yesterday. I wasn't really sure what to expect on the trip. I got to hang out with friends and visit places where I got to learn new interesting facts. I was sure that going to the mosque would possibly be boring, but it wasn't. I realize that it wasn't boring because I was learning about aspects of religion through a totally different view-point. So, surprisingly enough, I enjoyed learning about the Islamic Culture at the mosque. I enjoyed the bus tour where we toured around Harlem and passed the famous sculpture of Duke Ellington playing the piano. All in all, it was a great trip that provided a lot of insight on the Islamic culture.
My favorite part of the trip was the apollo theatre. The gentleman who showed us around was funny and interesting. The apollo theatre was beautiful and truly spectacular. The guide mentioned something in passing about the luck of the tree of hope. He briefly told us about it and let us touch it to get some luck as we walked across the stage. I looked up some articles on the tree of hope because i always think of my lucky charm when someone mentions something like this. The tree of hope was more than just a tree that was lucky according to the article on http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_newsroom/press_releases/press_releases.php?id=19913. The tree of hope symbolized the promise that Harlem held for African American people. The history of the tree of hope dates back to the Harlem Renaissance when musicians didn't have much hope and the tree was something that gave them hope. I think that the people, specifically blacks, felt that the tree of luck was imperative. IT was imperative because the tree held a promise, a promise that performing would be the way to success for them. The tree was cut down in 1934 but the luck continues through to this day. As people approach amateur night, in hopes of getting discovered, they rub the stump of this very old tree for good luck! I have my own good luck charm. It isn't as old as this tree stump is and I never chopped off pieces of my good luck charm. My good luck charm was warm and fuzzy. Her name was Snowy. Snowy was the luckiest bunny I know. Before playing games or going to track meets, I would rub her lucky feet.
Snowy has passed on, although, but her luck is still alive. For each time I seek luck, I go outside and arrive. It is at her grave sight that her luck will always thrive.
5 comments:
Ash, I love that you wrote a short poem commemorating Snowy. I am also interested in the history of the tree of hope. I think you could do more here with the meaning behind that tree-why did the African-American people need that hope so badly? Do you?
Ashley, I loved your blog and about the article about the tree of hope. I love how the gentleman who showed us the apollo theater let us touch the tree of hope, which so many people were privileged to touch. After reading your article, I finally realized that he let us touch a part of the African American History. I feel privileged to say "I touched the tree of hope."
The Apollo Theatre was definitely my favorite part of the trip too. I thought it was really sweet how you related the tree to your own lucky bunny. I think everyone has their own lucky charm, and that connection you made showed that the Tree of Hope was just as important to Harlemites as our lucky charms are to us.
Ashley, great job on the blog on the tree of hope! The Apollo Theatre was also my favorite stop, and I thought that touching the Tree of Hope was so cool. I felt honored to be able to touch it because so many great performers have in the past, so I was kind of hoping a little bit of their talent would rub off on me too! No such luck, however, I loved what you said about Snowy. I had a luck charm, too. Mine was a jacket. Weird, I know, but each time I wore it, something great would happen! I guess luck finds us all in different ways!
PS. I loved how you wrote the poem at the end!
At the mosque, I was surprised to see myself nodding in agreement with what he had said about how women pays more attention to their children and how males should be stronger in strength. I always thought that Muslims are extremely radical and scary because of the terrorist actions done by them, but I realized that I was wrong. They are just like any other religious people.
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