Saga (event)

Saga is an annual musical festival organized by Royal College Colombo. The first SAGA was held in 2004 and since then has become an important event on Colombo's cultural calendar. It is named after the ancient Greek epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad attributed to Homer. In the aspect of oriental music the term referred to the oriental version of sing musical scales as ‘Sa’ refers to the oriental equivalent of the 1st degree- “Do” while “Ga” refers to the equivalent of the 3rd degree, or “Me”

History

For many years before Saga, an annual concert performed by the by Royal College Hostel named Miyasi Meerawaya. Miyasi Meerawaya was limited to hostelers, however Upali Gunasekara, the newly appointed Principal of Royal College Colombo wished to broaden the scope for every one to perform. As a result Saga I was organized in 2004 with the leadership of Principal Upali Gunasekara and Music Teacher Ashoka Pushpakumara. The project was joined by the School Development Society of the College which was in the process of developing a fundraising event to help development projects within the school. With it the two projects merged becoming one of the largest national events. Over the years dance and drama were added to the event.

Adenanthera pavonina

Adenanthera pavonina is a perennial and non-climbing species of leguminous tree. Its uses include food and drink, traditional medicine, and timber.

Common names and synonyms

Adenanthera pavonina is commonly called Red Lucky Seed. Other common names for the tree include Acacia Coral, Arbre À Église, Bead Tree, Circassian Seed, Corail Végétale, Coral Wood, Coralitos, Curly Bean, Deleite, Delicia, Dilmawi, Graine-réglisse, Jumbi-Bead, L'Église, Peronías, Peonía, Peonía Extranjera, Red Bead Tree, Red Sandalwood, Red Sandalwood Tree, and Réglisse. Barbados pride, Peacock flower fence, Sandalwood tree, Saga, and Manchadi are additional common names. Synonyms for the tree include Adenanthera gersenii Scheff., Adenanthera polita Miq., and Corallaria parvifolia Rumph. In Kerala where Adenanthera pavonina trees are abundant, the seeds are called Manjadi (മഞ്ചാടി).

Distribution

The tree is common within the tropics of the old world. It has also been introduced in the following countries of the Americas: Brazil, especially in Caatinga vegetation; Costa Rica, Honduras, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela, and the United States, especially in southern Florida.

Saga, Saga

Saga (佐賀市, Saga-shi) is the capital city of Saga Prefecture, located on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

Saga was the capital of Saga Domain in the Edo period, and largest city of former Hizen Province.

As of February 1, 2009, the city has an estimated population of 238,934 and a population density of 554 persons per km². The total area is 431.42 km².

On October 1, 2005, Saga absorbed the towns of Fuji, Morodomi and Yamato (all from Saga District) and the village of Mitsuse (from Kanzaki District) to create the new and expanded city of Saga. With this creation, the city now neighbors the city of Fukuoka (in Fukuoka Prefecture).

On October 1, 2007 the towns of Higashiyoka, Kawasoe, and Kubota (all from Saga District) were also incorporated into Saga, further expanding its borders.

Although Saga is the capital of Saga Prefecture, it can also be said to be within the Greater Fukuoka metropolitan area, and by extension, Fukuoka-Kitakyushu Metropolitan Area.

History

Municipal timeline

Sága and Sökkvabekkr

In Norse mythology, Sága (Old Norse: [saːɣa], possibly meaning "seeress") is a goddess associated with the wisdom Sökkvabekkr (Old Norse: [sɔkːwabekːr]; "sunken bank", "sunken bench", or "treasure bank"). At Sökkvabekkr, Sága and the god Odin merrily drink as cool waves flow. Both Sága and Sökkvabekkr are attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess and her associated location, including that the location may be connected to the goddess Frigg's fen residence Fensalir and that Sága may be another name for Frigg.

Etymology

The etymology of the name Sága is generally held to be connected to the Old Norse verb sjá, meaning "to see" (from Proto-Germanic *sehwan). This may mean that Sága is to be understood as a seeress. Since Frigg is referred to as a seeress in the poem Lokasenna, this etymology has led to theories connecting Sága to Frigg. Rudolf Simek says that this etymology raises vowel problems and that a link to saga and segja (meaning "say, tell") is more likely, yet that this identification is also problematic.