Shakira is a female celebrity we all know and many of us love. Not necessarily as well know in the states, she’s an international celeb known for her music, great singing ability, and exceptional beauty. Interested in learning more? Then read on.

Born in Barranquilla, Columbia on 2nd February, 1977, Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is one of the world’s most prolific singer and songwriter. Shakira means “thankful” in Arabic.

FAMILY

Her father was an American of Lebanese Italian descent and her mother was Colombian of Spanish-Italian descent. She was multilingual. In other words, she spoke Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian and Arabic with relative ease.

THE START OF HER CAREER

At a tender age of four years, she wrote her first poem and since then never looked back. ‘Tus gafas oscuras’ (Your dark glasses) was the first song written by her in memory of her brother who was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident. The song title was inspired from her father who used to hide his grief over his son’s death by wearing dark glasses. At that time she was 8 years old. Also, during that time she started to learn belly dancing.

When Shakira turned 14 years, she made her first studio album. One thousand copies were sold off the album and she went back to the studio for a second attempt. Even though the second album got better reviews, it didn’t do much to her career.

After graduating from high school, Shakira made her third studio album, Pies Descalzos. This album gave her overwhelming recognition and fame in Latin America. Over 5 million copies were sold off this album. After releasing two more albums, she became a global star.

SHAKIRA GAINS MOMENTUM

Shakira teamed up with Wyclef Jean for her song ‘Hips Don’t Lie’. Needless to say, this song was a tremendous hit in the year 2006. Her fourth cross-over English album, Laundry Service sold over 13 million copies all over the world in the year 2001. Since then, Shakira has become an international icon.

In the year 2005, the Oral Fixation was announced releasing Volumes 1 and 2. These albums were a big hit. Shakira has won 2 Grammy Awards, 8 Latin Grammy Awards, 15 Billboard Music Awards, 3 MTV Music Awards, People’s Choice Award and has also received a Golden Globe nomination.

According to http://www.wallstreetfighter.com, Shakira is one of the top 10 highest earning “hotties”. Shakira, 31, certainly surprised me with the amount of money she earned last year. But when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. She’s dominating the Spanish-speaking world with endorsements, and tours all over South America. And now she’s a household name in the United States. Plus she’s super short and wears skimpy clothing. Therefore, she probably saves a lot of money on wardrobe.

OTHER SHAKIRA DETAILS TO KNOW

Shakira was named #20 in FHM’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006″ in the year 2006.She started dating Argentinean President’s son, Antonio De La Rua in the year 2000. In the year 2001, they got engaged and have made plans to marry in future.

Shakira has done a lot of charity work. Based on reports, Shakira has contributed about $55,000 annually to charity. Also, Shakira is voted #38 in the AskMen. com’s Top 99 Women 2008 Edition. Based on BMI reports, Shakira is the highest selling Columbian artist of all times having sold a whopping 50 million albums globally.

Shakira will be awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She will be the first Columbian to receive such an honor.

So as you can see, she’s a celebrity worthy of the title “celebrity”. She’s a born singer and performer, and has made great strides gaining international recognition. If you don’t know who Shakira was before you read this, you definitely know who she is now.

Pre-Columbian America

It was the Andean Indian cultures of ancient Peru who produced the most accomplished weaving in pre-Columbian America. The technique of Tapestry weaving among these peoples dates back to the beginning of the Christian Era, and was well established by the 6th and 7th century. Tapestry was used to decorate garments and was often integral to the fabric itself. Surprisingly, due to the dry desert climate, a number of these weavings survived in Peruvian coastal burial sites. Examination of these relics reveals some of the most skilled and varied techniques of weaving ever present in any culture.

The study of Spanish chronicles and ancient Peruvian pottery inform us that the weaving was generally done by greatly skilled women. Such was their skill that some of the relics discovered have been found with 150 to 250 weft threads per square inch. Most of the tapestries are polychrome as the use of natural dyes made for a vast range of colors. Strong colours were favored over more subtle graded tones, especially in the Inca period. The designs were often of geometric patterns, or human and animal figures. Plant motifs were uncommon.

The viceroyalty of Peru, after the Spanish conquest, imported looms and the practice of tapestry weaving was continued throughout the colonial period. The Inca and mestizo people developed a surprising blend of Indian traditions and European Influences that is still witnessed today.

It is probable that climatic conditions in Central America and Mexico impeded the survival of tapestry relics so it is not certain whether these weaving techniques were present in other pre-Columbian cultures.

From Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages

The Tapestries of the Native Egyptian Christians, (Copts) are of particular interest. Produced between the 3rd and 12th century they provided a link between the art of the Middle Ages in Western Europe and the art of the ancient world.

In the 4th century the practice and ritual of mummification was abandoned and the dead were buried in their daily clothes (tapestry trimmed) or wrapped in discarded tapestry wall hangings; as a result many fragments from the 5th to the 7th century have been discovered in the Egyptian burial sites of Antinoe, Saqqarah and Akhmim. Most of the early Coptic tapestries were woven with native designs often related to the Egyptian funerary cult of Osiris and included the wine amphora and the grape vine or ivy. Because of their relevance to revival in a life after death these motifs were considered appropriate. Other favourite subjects included the lions and the hares, hunter on horseback, mythological creatures, dancing figures and baskets of flowers and fruits. Christian figures and biblical stories are rare.

Tapestries were also used for the ornamental decoration of Christian Churches but few of these tapestries survive today.

Although a few silk weft tapestries have been preserved the majority of Coptic tapestries were woven with woolen wefts on linen warps. In the 7th and possibly 8th century embroidered borders or margins often supplemented the tapestries ornamentation. The earliest Coptic tapestries were done using the silhouette technique whereby a stunning effect was created by use of a single dark color for the design or motif against a lighter background color. Polychrome tapestries became increasingly common after the 5th century.

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