Thursday, October 31, 2019
Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14
Response paper - Essay Example As far as gender roles are concerned, this movie has been specific about how women are subjected to abysmal behaviors at the hands of the people all around India and how the men in their lives play a very dominant role which basically destroys their lives more than anything else. Deepa Mehta has emphasized how widows have been at the forefront of being subjected to some of the harshest possible behaviors on the part of the society. Deepa has been vocal about this philosophy emanating out of India with this topic under consideration. The movie has highlighted how the society bears the brunt of such attitudes by its own people and what could be done in order to bring a level of sanity within the relevant quarters. Since these widows are already undergoing an ordeal at the hands of the society that they are a part of, it is the pertinent role of the society to give them happiness rather than inflict one pain after the other one, which has been the case as has been portrayed within this movie. This is one of the most pressing issues that women face within an underdeveloped society in this day and age. The gender roles therefore take the precedence within this movie since women are shown to be in a much shabby state, which does not speak well about their well-being. The manner in which the society has to come out clean is something which will play a positive role all along as far as future domains are concerned. Basically the traditional role of women in India is debated upon by different stakeholders of the society on most of the occasions and Water is one such movie that highlights the related subject (Thomas 2006). The credit for this must rest on the shoulders of Deepa Mehta for bringing a subject which has hurt the cause of the Indian society on more than one instance. In essence, this movie is an eye-opener because it highlights quite a few significant pointers and gives all and sundry food for thought to change the norms which are prevalent within India
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Nurses dealing with the death of their patient Essay
Nurses dealing with the death of their patient - Essay Example There are several tips that can help those entering the nursing field for the first time and who need guidance on how to handle death and the bereaved family once the death of one of their patients occurs. The tips will be discussed in detail below. The first thing to always remember and put in mind is that death is inevitable for anyone no matter whether the patient had signs to die or not. This therefore calls for acceptance once it happens. Acceptance is not always easy but reminding oneself that the patient wherever he or she is has no more pain and is better off comprises acceptance. One has also to think about the rest of the people who are living and how lucky they are to be alive and this will help with the acceptance process. There is no time limit for this process of acceptance just as there is no time limit for grieving (Kasher, 2009). The other thing the nurse has to remember is that everyone is allowed to grieve and in whichever way they want to as long as if it is in the workplace, one has to still maintain professionalism unless under closed doors, in the presence of a counselor or fellow nurses who have also undergone the same thing in the past or more often. One can shed tears in the work place and once at home, they can fully grieve and breakdown. Grieving even though is another step of acceptance is a channel to express the feelings of pain, anger and unhappiness that come with death. Talking is another way to cope with bereavement of a patient. Talking can be with family members, with grief professional, with other nurses who have had to undergo the same during their career or even with close friends and spouse as long as they understand. It helps to talk to people who will not judge but who will be understanding and considerate of your feelings and hence the coworkers and grief counselor are the best. Talking will also help to heal quickly and move on so that you will be able to pay more attention to the rest of the loving patients who
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Nurses On A Palliative Care Unit Nursing Essay
Nurses On A Palliative Care Unit Nursing Essay According to Olade (2004), nursing practice using observed phenomena and evidences is an example of education which refers to formalized experiences designed to enlarge the knowledge or skills of nursing educators or practitioners. Through experiences and evidences, the ability to learn actual clinical practice and the orientation in health care protocols and policies in handling patients needs will be achieved. This method is also termed as Evidence-based practice. Evidence-based practice involves a combination of many disciplines, including aspects of multidisciplinary sciences to promote the restoration and maintenance of health in our clients (Davies, 2005). Much literature has been published on this topic in recent years, an evolving subject and concept for specific practices that promote more effective, safer and more efficient ways of caring (Drenkard Cohen, 2004). Maintaining and improving high satisfaction among nurses is an important area to discover (Ebell, 2008). To achieve this, we need a workforce to continually strive for excellence, specifically in caring for clients experiencing loss and bereavement be responsible and flexible enough, have the confidence to face the challenges, and inspire everyone with a shared vision. These are strengths needed by nursing staff to motivate others health care provider to fulfill their potential and achieve goals (Littlefield, 2005). Researches, studies and articles were utilized and analyzed in gathering the necessary information needed. Clinical education, skills and practices are the key concepts used in this paper. Possession of knowledge and competency in performing skills and interventions for clients experiencing grief and bereavement which can be acquired in hands on training are essential in practicing the profession especially in the palliative care unit of NHS hospital is important. As a nursing professional, tangible skills and knowledge in a hospital setting is very important in managing clients and supervising clients (Burns Foley, 2005). Evidences were identified through thorough assessment and research. The challenges discussed below were identified through gathering of recent information in the palliative care unit and data that focuses on this subject. Decisional Teachings and Interventions As a nurse, you need to ensure that the client is treated with dignity, that is, with honor and respect. Dying clients often feel they have lost control over their lives and over life itself. Helping patient die with dignity involves maintaining their humanity, consistent with their values, beliefs, and culture. By introducing available options to the client and significant others, you can restore and support feelings of control. Some choices that clientss family can make are location of care (home, hospital or hospice), time of appointments with health professionals, activity schedule, use of health resources, and times of visit (Matzo and Sherman, 2004). The family of dying patient wants `to be able to manage the events preceding death so she can die peacefully. You can help client to determine her own physical, psychological, and social priorities. Dying people often strive for self fulfillment more than for self preservation, and may need to find meaning in continuing to live whi le suffering. Part of the nurses challenge is to support the clients hope and will (Smeltzer, 2009). Nevertheless, the communication between clients families may not solve all decisional differences, her mother insist on interventions that health care professionals consider inadvisable. In case like this, the initial step is for all parties to focus on having clear goals of care. Hospice Support to facilitate proper bereavement The decision of clients family for home care with hospice support focuses on symptoms control and pain management. Hospice care is always provided by a team of both health professionals and nonprofessionals to ensure a full range of care services. In the case of many patients, palliative care will be the option. This care may be given to meet their physiological need (Matzo, 2005). Ventilatory support for patient can improve her respiratory functioning and relieve symptoms of respiratory distress using mechanical ventilation. While the decisions made by the family wanting their family member to be vented are often reached by consensus with the patient and her family, patient does have an opportunity to designate a family member as a healthcare proxy. Family Teachings and Interventions The reaction of any person to another persons impending death depends on all factors regarding loss and the development of the concept of death. In spite of the individual variations in persons view about the cause of death, spiritual beliefs, availability of support systems, or other factor, responses tend to cluster in the process. To help the family, spiritual support is of great importance in dealing with death. Although not all clients identify with specific religious faith or belief, most have a need for meaning in their lives, particularly as they experience a terminal illness. Establish a communication relationship that shows concern for and commitment to the family and client. There are also communication strategies that let client and her family knows that you are available to talk about death (Smeltzer, 2009). Caring for clients family members is an important intervention in caring for the terminally ill patient. Family-centered interventions and care is focused on the goal, needs and values of the family and patient including their understanding of the treatment options, illness, prognosis and their preferences and expectations for decision making and treatment (Matzo and Sherman, 2004). Specific interventions appropriate for clients family includes providing hope within parameters of individual situations without giving false reassurance. Listening to their expressions regarding their perceptions of the situation is also important to determine how they handle the situation (Zerwekh, 2006). Giving honest answers to their questions and giving correct information will assist the family in dealing with the situation. Encouraging strength, promoting support systems and referring to other resources such as pastoral care, counseling and organized support groups will promote wellness and facilitate long term action (Smeltzer, 2009). Communicating effectively at all levels is a common barrier in the implementation of change among health care in various settings (Kleinman, 2004). As a member of the hospital workforce, a nurse must have the capability to communicate effectively in a non-judgmental way and stimulate other colleagues to think critically. They must also arouse enthusiasm and develop quick thinking and imagination. Moreover, they must also demonstrate resourcefulness and professionalism with infinite patience, understanding, confidence and perseverance are also challenges (Bryar et al, 200). Emotional and Physical Support The skills most relevant to this situation of the family are attentive listening, silence, open and close questioning, clarifying and reflecting feeling. Less helpful to family members are responses that give advice and evaluation, those that interpret and analyze, and those that give unwarranted reassurance. To ensure effective communication, the nurse must make an accurate assessment of what is appropriate for the client. Communication with the family needs to be relevant to their feeling and situation. Whether the clients are angry or depressed affects how the client hears messages and how the nurse interprets the clients statement (Matzo, 2005). In facilitating nursing interventions, the nurse must explore and respect the familys ethnic, cultural, religious and personal values inn their expressions of feelings. Teach the family what to expect in the process, such as certain thought and feelings and that labile emotions, feeling of sadness, anger, guilt, loneliness and fear will lessen or stabilize over time. Knowing what to expect may lessen the intensity of some reactions. Encourage her family to express their thoughts and feelings, not to push the family to move on or enforce their own expectations of inappropriate reactions. Encourage the family to resume normal activities after death on schedule that promotes psychological and physical health. Some family member may also try to return to normal activities too quickly. However, a prolonged delay in return may indicate dysfunctional grieving (Matzo and Sherman, 2004). Physiological and other specific end-life care Support Nursing management of the client experiencing a loss is important. Physiological need must be addressed first including palliative care such as pain management and life support. Weakness and paresis are common symptoms that may affect muscle groups. With the loss of muscle innervations the muscles athrophy, paralysis and progressive fatigue result. Dysphagia, dysathria, fasciculations, hyperreflexia, immobility, respiratory failure and aspiration will likely occur. Emotional effects such as lability, loss of control and depression are also common. The goal of management in end-of-life care for every client is the prevention or alleviation of these symptoms. Hygiene and psychological support is also important factor to consider (Zerwekh, 2006). To gather a complete database that allows accurate analysis and identification of appropriate nursing diagnoses for dying client and their family, the nurse first needs to recognize the states of awareness manifested by the client and the famil y members (Smeltzer, 2009). In case of many patients, the state of awareness shared by the dying person and the family affects the nurse ability to communicate freely with clients and other health care team members and to assist in the grieving process. The nurse must also need to be knowledgeable about the clients death related rituals such as last rites, chanting at the bedside and other rituals. The nurse must also recognize the states of awareness manifested by the client and family members. As nurses, we also need to maintain physiologic and psychological comfort and achieving a peaceful and dignified death, which includes maintaining personal control and accepting declining health status (Matzo and Sherman, 2004). The roles of health care team in care management of dying patient are very important. This implies the vital responsibilities of nurse to do the best and competent care to achieve the peaceful death of the patient. The primary role is to ensure that the patient recei ved the highest possible intervention best suited for her. Nurses must include the family of the patient in the care management, emphasizing nurses role as essential factor to maintain dignity of dying client (Matzo, 2005). Conclusions Knowledge and competitiveness is a product of excellent nursing practice. In caring for patient experiencing grief and bereavement, experience and effective learning are essential processes in actual clinical practice of the nursing profession. To be an effective nurse, one should begin with the individual appraisal of ones self competency and enhanced education based on practices and trainings taken previously during undergraduate and graduate studies, workshops, trainings, continuing education, and preparation for teaching seminars or modules including the conceptual, academic and clinical orientation (Foster, 2007). Competitiveness is largely based on innate potentials and motivations afforded by the familiarity of a learning environment. Accordingly, the primary responsibility of the nurse to the patient is to give him/her the kind of care the patient condition needs regardless of race, creed, color, nationality or status (Salsberg, 2008). Advocate the rights and serve as facilit ator of patients well being (Foster, 2007). In doing so, the patients care shall be based on subjective and objective evidence, needs, the physicians order and the ailment; shall involve the patient and the family. It promotes understanding of the differing values held by people in other cultures (Henderson, 2009). For example, it helps client to understand why other people in one culture may regard with approval of their practices of exposing their elderly members to the harmful elements, while people in other cultures may abhor such practice. The strength this critical thinking and decision making is its recognition of the relationship between personal values and a choice of action and it equates personal values and wrong action, it also recognize limits of personal experience and perspective and it implies that a persons moral judgments are infallible. I believe the richness or intensity of the inculcation of knowledge, positive values and skills of a person is not simply based on the innate capacity of one to evaluate, think, reason and interact in a learning situation. It also equally depends on the quality of the nursing experiences which are either limited by the nurses ability and will to choose or by what is desirable to her which is readily accessible in the environment. Nursing education, concepts and programs for improving the knowledge in health facility should also be provided to maintain theoretical and clinical competence of health setting and facilities. From what I have learned in my own area of practice, the key to successful knowledge development is competent learning and effective communication during the practice to achieve the goal of competency. This will determine the path of being an effective and competent nursing professional. In general, the main role of nurses in palliative care unit is focused on providing effective, quality care. Hence, more advanced and competent means of preparing nurses to supervise and manage their patient is important (Briggs et al., 2004). These challenges must be addressed properly by the implementation of appropriate approach and programs to increase the knowledge and experience. Skill development for nursing educators must constantly be framed within the context of individualized patients. Nursing educators should make themselves aware of every situation happening in the field and make it a motivational means to improve the profession by proper preparation and education (Welk, 2007). Therefore, the need for implementing evidenced-based approach to nursing practice is essential in addressing these issues. As nursing profession enter a new era not knowing what to expect. Yes, patient care is the same everywhere, but they must be comfortable with the environment they are placed in. Adaptation is crucial in the clinical arena (Kleinman (2004). Evidenced-based practice and clinical experience may become a highly useful and effective strategy in clinical practice. The nurse becomes less apprehensive about the clinical environment and becomes more client-focused, therefore increasing the effectiveness of care. This also provides the nurse an opportunity for role modeling as the client and family maintains and develops standards of practice and competent care in a familiar environment (Foster, 2007).
Friday, October 25, 2019
Great Gatsby :: essays research papers
Greatness Prevails à à à à à Is Gatsby truly great? There are a couple of different types of greatness. In fact there is ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠greatness and ââ¬Å"badâ⬠greatness. Adolph Hitler, although a horrible man was a great leader, he convinced and entire army that it was right to kill non-white, non-Christians. There are war heroes who are great because they fight for the cause and risk their own lives to save others. Gatsby was great in a different sense though. Gatsby is truly great because he led an incorruptible life in devotion of following his dream of a romanticized life with Daisy. à à à à à Gatsby started off as a poor man who has to struggle through life. The only nice clothes that he has is his army uniform, which Daisy, his girlfriend enjoys when he wears she thinks that he looks nice. Gatsby is in love with Daisy and she is in love with him but because he was so poor they cannot get married. To survive Gatsby has to join the army and when he goes to war Daisy marries Tom, a rich stockbroker from New York, who gives Daisy a life of luxury. The problem, unbeknown to Daisy is that he is cheating on her. When Gatsby returns from battle he notices that Daisy has married a rich man and after realizing that Daisy was after Tomââ¬â¢s money Gatsby figures that the only way to get her back is by becoming rich himself. Once Gatsby has his dream of being rich he makes it his goal in lifeâ⬠¦to fulfill the needs of Daisy and marry her. Although luring ones wife into marrying yourself is not polite, it does make Gatsby great because it takes a strong willed man to make a li fe goal and stick to it Gatsby changes many things in his life when he makes his decision of becoming rich, he wants money, and he wants it as fast as possible. Since he had no real education he decides that he must attend college. Gatsby spends six months in Oxford University in England, but obviously it isnââ¬â¢t enough because he then seeks help from another rich man. This person supported Gatsby in his quest for Daisy and even gave him money to start his investment. A quick way to get rich fast is to be a criminal and steel money various ways. This man taught Gatsby the ââ¬Å"trick of the tradeâ⬠or the secret behind being steeling money to become rich.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Chinatown
What is the central theme of Chinatown and what key symbols and motifs are used to develop this theme? Fashioned as a great film nior the 1974 classic; Chinatown is a crime drama in which central themes coincide with the idea that the world is an inherently corrupt place where men of vice conquer over the helplessness of the innocent and ignorant. Plot, characters, and setting mark this piece as a neo film nior. However it is the use of pessimistic tone, also found common in many film niors, that sets to assist develop the central themes through common motifs and symbols.The motifs within the film include the ignorance to truth, an inescapable past, and a daunting fate. We also find abstract ideas within the symbolism Chinatown itself. The term motif may be defined as recurring structures, contrast, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the major themes. With in Chinatown we find that the characters are ignorant to the point in which they are unable to see the truth . Each character is surrounded and involved to some degree within the corruption that leads to there down fall.The protagonist of the film J. J. Gttes ( Jack Nicklson), a former police officer of chinatown turned private investigator in a neighboring town, spends the majority of the film investigating a murder only to find that once he has discovered the murderer that the police are corrupt as they turn a blind eye. Gittes is ignorant to the fact that not only in Chinatown money is power and those with in power stand above the law. The intertwining of the past and fate that parallel corruption also are used as a motif.The past haunts just about every character to the point that they are unable to overcome the adversity of the corruption of the world. It is the past and secrecy of the past the past that becomes the undoing of Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), which in turn once again lets the corruption of her father prevail. Symbols within the film include Chinatown. Chinatown is not o nly the place from Gittes past that haunts him but is also the symbol for corruption in a ity. As lawlessness runs rampant and justice is silenced by those in power. The only scene to take place in Chinatown is the final scene in which the story unravels to show the corrupt Noah Cross (John Huston) triumphant as he gets away with fraud, incest, and murder. Filmed during a time of political unrest director Polanski film Chinatown may be used as a commentary on the corruption in the institutions that are suppose to provide for the well being of all.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Transformations of the American West
Brittany Exam 3 Essay 9 Dec 2012 Transformations of the American West The three most important transformations of the American West were the completion of the railway system, economically, the diversity of the people, socially, and the conservation of land, politically. All of these transformations have made an unmistakable impact of the American West and what it is today. The largest economic transformation in American Western history was the building of the railroad systems. It was the key factor in united the East and West. The railroads were by far the biggest, most impressive technological achievement ever for that time period.The pace at which goods, people, livestock, etc. changed from the steady speed of a horse, ox, or mule to the most powerful driving force the country had ever seen. The United States would finally be a united continental nation. Barren fields that flowed as far as the eye could see were turned into boon towns like Wichita, Abilene and Dodge. People of an e normous diversity traveled to the West. Civil War veterans, former European peasants, poor families all wanted to own land and start farms. And so they did, fields that had once been nothing but grass became rolling fields of wheat.Railroads carried hundreds of thousands of western longhorn cattle to markets in the east for sale. This was the key to making the ââ¬Å"cowboyâ⬠much more famous than just a young, dusty, man with nothing but a saddle and a horse. Buffalo hunters also traveled by railroad. So many people traveled to hunt the animal, that it almost became extinct. The building of these railroads was no easy feat. The mountains of the Sierra Nevada were a big slow-down for the production by the Central Pacific railroad company. Making that even more difficult, was the fact that the companies had a hard time holding onto workers.About 3 out of 5 used the company for a free ride to the West and then disappeared. The plans called for about 5,000 workers, but only about 600 were showing up. Thatââ¬â¢s when the Chinese immigrants came into play. A large part of their population was making a living looking for leftover gold and silver. At first, they were thought to be incapable due to their size and inexperience, but they proved that to be untrue. Before long, nearly 11,000 Chinese were employed by the Central Pacific and there were advertisements in China offering employment for immigrants.This large work force in addition to lots of black powder gave them what they needed to make it through the mountains in about 3 years. Beef prices were low due to the amount of cattle in the West so, to compensate cattle needed to be sold in eastern marketplaces where they werenââ¬â¢t as present. In less than 20 years, 6 million steers and cows were moved along cattle trails to railheads for shipping. As the railroads were being laid in the Great Plains, people were flocking to the west. People who had never before seen a buffalo. They shot the bison for s port, even organizing hunting excursions.People enjoyed it. So when word got out that people were being paid to kill bison because of their interference with the railroads, their meat, and their hides, they were slaughtered extremely quickly. The government even provided free ammunition. The bison population dropped from about 25 million to almost 100, nearly causing extinction. All of these aspects not only created many jobs, but also drew enormous profits, while moving crowds of people to the west. The railroad was an economic machine and absolutely transformed the west.The biggest social transformation of the American West was the amount of diversity in the people moving west. The West represented a lot of the same qualities that the original new America represented. Anyone could be a land owner, have a fresh start, escape racial inequality, find a job, etc. People of all races and religions were pursuing the same dream. The Homestead Act played a large part in attracting people to move to the west, by way of railroad, and work the land in order for nearly free ownership rights. The population skyrocketed in the west.States even competed to get the most people to move to their state. Immigrants moving to those states included Scottish, European Jews, German-Russian Mennonites, Swedish, Dutch, French, Bohemian, Norwegian, and many Americans from the East. Cowboys also came in an array of ethnicities. They were confederate veterans, assimilated Indians, freed slaves, and white men, and they all rode the long dusty trails together just trying to make a buck. After the civil war, many freed slaves and former buffalo soldiers moved to the West and worked the land in peace from racial inequality.All these people played a part in settling and transforming to West, making it the diverse place it is today. The biggest political transformation of American Western history was that of the environmental/conservation politics. The country had never had such a need for la nd conservation because before, we had so much unsettled land, but as people moved westward, things changed. Land was being destroyed to build railroads, trees were being cleared, animals were being hunted, land was being settled very quickly, and natural resources we diminishing.The frontier was being lost, and it would take government and political action to help preserve some of the land that was remaining. Lumber and coal companies wanted to do anything and everything they could to maximize jobs, growth, and profits. Conservationists, scientists, and outdoorsmen wanted to reduce waste, emphasize beauty for tourists, and protect wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter, and he fought for the conservation movement when he saw the destruction of the natural animal habitat in the West.Roosevelt used his entire career to make this a national agenda, and it is still present in politics today. The Newlands Reclamation Act in 1902 created dams to help irrigate and preserve 230 mi llion acres of farm land. The Yellowstone Act set aside a large portion of land in the Wyoming/Montana area to be a park. It was created to preserve timber, mineral deposits, and natural wonders, like the geysers in the park. It was enacted by the Senate and Congress in 1872. It was the first national park.In 1889 preservationist started organizing a movement to save the sequoia trees in the Yosemite Valley of Californian, eventually leading to the creating of Yosemite National Park. In 1891 Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act. This allowed the President of the United States to set aside forests which cannot be destructed. There became political groups, conservationist and preservationists, that had really never before existed. Conservation and preservation were political transformations that still hold true to be extremely important in American politics today.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Free Essays on Kimpa Vita
Kimpa Vita The story of Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita, a Kongolese woman alleged to be possessed by the Saint Anthony is a narrative that discusses the Catholic movement she led in her home Kingdom of Kongo. In his book, Thornton follows the life of Kimpa Vita, giving the reader a sense of the culture and daily lives of the Kongolese. Kimpa Vita grew up in a very unstable time and heard about local events from her family and neighbors. Three ruling families competed for power in the Kongo. This resulted in numerous, seemingly unending civil wars throughout the Kingdom of Kongo. In fact, her own father was often away at war to defend the people of the Kibangu region. Turmoil had gripped the lands for many years, and the people of the Kongo began to think nothing short of a miracle would bring peace and stability back to the Kingdom. In 1704, when Kimpa Vita was twenty years old, she apparently died and then returned to life, possessed by the Catholic Saint Anthony. As Saint Anthony, she began to preach her version of Christianity, a mix of Catholicism with traditional Kongolese beliefs. Much to the dismay of the Catholic Church, Kimpa Vita quickly attracted a large following of common people, as well as some nobility. Her message was simple and believable, and in a time of such distress, people were willing to believe almost anything that would bring them peace. Kimpa Vita taught that Jesus was actually born in Sao Salvador, and therefore wanted it to be restored as the capital of the Kingdom of Kongo. Jesus, Mary, and the Saint were also of Kongolese origin. She changed the prayer Salve Regina to Salve Antonio and dismissed the ritual of baptism. After converting many Catholics to Antonionism, Kimpa Vita was burnt at the stake on the charge of heresy. There are many different aspects of the Antonian Movement that can be identified and examined, but perhaps the most interesting is the relationship and conflict between Christianity a... Free Essays on Kimpa Vita Free Essays on Kimpa Vita Kimpa Vita The story of Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita, a Kongolese woman alleged to be possessed by the Saint Anthony is a narrative that discusses the Catholic movement she led in her home Kingdom of Kongo. In his book, Thornton follows the life of Kimpa Vita, giving the reader a sense of the culture and daily lives of the Kongolese. Kimpa Vita grew up in a very unstable time and heard about local events from her family and neighbors. Three ruling families competed for power in the Kongo. This resulted in numerous, seemingly unending civil wars throughout the Kingdom of Kongo. In fact, her own father was often away at war to defend the people of the Kibangu region. Turmoil had gripped the lands for many years, and the people of the Kongo began to think nothing short of a miracle would bring peace and stability back to the Kingdom. In 1704, when Kimpa Vita was twenty years old, she apparently died and then returned to life, possessed by the Catholic Saint Anthony. As Saint Anthony, she began to preach her version of Christianity, a mix of Catholicism with traditional Kongolese beliefs. Much to the dismay of the Catholic Church, Kimpa Vita quickly attracted a large following of common people, as well as some nobility. Her message was simple and believable, and in a time of such distress, people were willing to believe almost anything that would bring them peace. Kimpa Vita taught that Jesus was actually born in Sao Salvador, and therefore wanted it to be restored as the capital of the Kingdom of Kongo. Jesus, Mary, and the Saint were also of Kongolese origin. She changed the prayer Salve Regina to Salve Antonio and dismissed the ritual of baptism. After converting many Catholics to Antonionism, Kimpa Vita was burnt at the stake on the charge of heresy. There are many different aspects of the Antonian Movement that can be identified and examined, but perhaps the most interesting is the relationship and conflict between Christianity a...
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