Sand Tray Therapy Miniatures Multicultural Midterm- Student # 5

by Student #5
(Atlanta)

Ethiopian Culture
Ethiopia is a land-locked country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Eritrea in the north, Sudan and South Sudan to the west, Djibouti and Somalia to the east and Kenya in the south. It is the most populous land-locked country in the world. In researching Ethiopian I found three symbols to represent the Ethiopian culture which are the Lion of Judah (a lion), a pentagram and the coffee bean
Lion
One of the most well known national symbols of Ethiopia is the Lion of Judah. This particular lion can be found at the center of the Ethiopia flag from 1897-1975. On the flag the lion is seen marching east carrying a cross and wearing the Imperial Ethiopian crown. This lion is a symbol of the Emperor of Ethiopia. The Emperor of Ethiopia was known as the "Conquering Lion of Judah,” due to having defeated many of the nation’s enemies during his reign.
Within Judaism, the Biblical name Judah is the original name of the Tribe of Judah, traditionally symbolized by a lion. In the book of Genesis, the patriarch Jacob gave that symbol to his tribe when he refers to his son Judah as a "Young Lion" when blessing him. In Christian tradition, the Lion of Judah represents Jesus. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah and he is mentioned as the Lion of Judah in the book of Revelations. Many Christian organizations and ministries use the lion of Judah as their emblem or even their name.
Within the symbols and dream dictionary the lion tends to symbolize moments of real fear linked to someone or it can symbolize specific fears connected with life in general and problems you would like to avoid. Lions can be linked to moments when you have faced real danger or to people who are acting fiercely. The lion can also symbolize someone's power, strength or overwhelming courage, while it may also symbolize your own rage and bad temper.
Pentagram and the Flag of Ethiopia
The flag of Ethiopia consists of three equal horizontal stripes, the top stripe is green; the middle is yellow; and the bottom stripe is red. The green stripe represents the land and hope; the yellow symbolizes the church, peace, natural wealth and love; the red stripe stands for power, faith and blood. In 2009 Ethiopia adopted a new symbol on their flag which is a pentagram. A pentagram usually has strokes through the center and has 5 points. The emblem is intended to represent both the diversity and unity of the country. The star testifies to Ethiopia's bright future and possibly and the equality of all Ethiopians regardless of race, creed, or sex. The pentagram also known as the National Coat of Arms,is a symbol of the current government.
A pentagram can also symbolize humanity and protection. The five points of the pentagram symbolize the connection of your spirit to the earth, air, fire, and water. An inverted pentagram means negativity and aggression. Originally in Christianity, the five points of the pentagram represented the five wounds of Christ on the Cross and was a symbol of Christ the Savior.
The Coffee Bean
Another major symbol of Ethiopian is the coffee bean. The effect of the coffee bean plant on human mood was first recognized in the south west of Ethiopia. Through the passing down of stories it is said that a goat herder from Kaffa (a coffee plantation center) one day discovered his goats were excited, dancing on their hind legs. He noticed a few mangled branches of the coffee plant, which were hung with bright red berries. He tried the berries himself only to find that they gave him renewed energy.
The growing and picking process of coffee gives employment to over 12 million Ethiopians and produces over half of the country's wealth. Coffee holds a sacred place in their country and Ethiopian coffee ceremonies are held regularly. Ethiopia's coffee ceremony is an integral part of their social and cultural life. An invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect. Performing the ceremony is almost mandatory in the presence of a visitor, whatever the time of day. The ceremonial process of grinding and preparing the coffee can take hours and when guest are present the coffee ceremony takes place three times a day; in the morning, at noon and in the evening.
Coffee beans can symbolize your connection to your roots and to humanity or being stimulated by something. Beans can signify good luck or feelings of being in high spirits.