Historical Artefacts

My Collection:

"Historical Artefacts"

We all have different collections of things that reflect our personalities and what we love.  More often than not, we collect things because they have special meaning to us.  I have had many interesting collections over the course of my life, including quite an extensive rock collection, a stamp collection, and a coin collection, but the most significant or important one would be my “historical artefacts” collection.  Some of these artefacts are replicas because it would not be feasible to have the original, and others are authentic representations of my cultural background.  I have never really thought of all these things as a collection, but rather as just interesting things that add to the aesthetic appeal of my home.  My goal, however odd it might be, is to make my home into a quasi-museum.  Once I am done my education, I plan on travelling to as many places in this world as time or circumstances allow and bringing back an item from each place.  Each item has a special meaning to me and reflects an aspect of my life or interests.

Objects in the Collection:   

                    

European Theme:

One of the most interesting items in this collection is a traditional Ukrainian dish and vase that I inherited from my late grandmother.  Interestingly enough, she was not even Ukrainian by blood (my grandfather was), yet she had always took my sister and I to the Ukrainian Village as kids, cooked authentic Ukrainian dinners and decorated her home with Ukrainian items.  Unfortunately, I do not know from where she acquired the dish and vase or to which region in Ukraine the design is indigenous to.  Nevertheless, they are an integral part of my collection and I feel a personal connection to them because I am half Ukrainian.   These items have special meaning to me because, as a fourth generation Canadian, my connection to my ancestors from the Ukraine is very distant. 

My Grandmother's Bowl & Vase

Going along with the European theme are my mini Leaning Tower of Pisa and Eiffel Tower.  One of my friends recently went to Europe on a vacation and asked what I would like as a souvenir.  I asked him to bring back the most “cliché” historical item(s) he could find, and these are what he brought me.   These two items represent the beauty of both Italian and French architecture--one an old world creation and the other forged of iron reminiscent of the Industrial Revolution.  Italy and France are two places that I have fantasized about visiting since I was very young and it is nice to have souvenirs from there.

Tower of Pisa & Eiffel Tower

Asian Theme:

Harbin Gate

Chinese Culture has always intrigued me because of its long, rich history, beautiful architecture, and the effect it has had on the rest of the world.  I acquired two miniature guardian lion statues from a trip to Heritage Days in 2010.  Called “Shishi”, which means stone lion, these lion statues were believed to have mythical powers and were used to guard imperial palaces, government buildings and the like.  I have driven past Chinatown here in Edmonton, and the Harbin Gate on 102 Avenue and 97 Street has two of these lion statues in front of it—one on either side.  I have marveled at the beauty of the Harbin Gate many times, and this motivated me to find something similar for my collection.  Also from Heritage Days in 2010, I bought a miniature replica of a Chinese vase from the China tent.  Ceramics are a very significant form of Chinese art work and span as far back as the Paleolithic period in Ancient China.  Along with being a historically significant, Chinese vases also serve a pragmatic function, since a vase could be used to hold flowers or, depending on the size, could just as easily be used as a vessel for carrying liquids.

Closer up shows the intricate artwork

Another interesting Asian-themed item I have is a “Beckoning Cat”.  I inherited this item from my Mom, and how she came to possess it is unknown.  When she no longer had a use for it, instead of throwing it away, she knew I would appreciate it and gave it to me.  I originally though it to be of Chinese origin, but after doing some research, discovered that it is actually an item of Japanese concept.  The Maneki Neko--maneki meaning “beckon” and neko meaning “cat”--is a cat figurine that is usually made from ceramic and is thought to bring good luck to its owner.  Believed to have originated during the Edo period in Japan, many Asian restaurants and shops display these cats.  I have personally seen them many times in shops in Edmonton sitting near the front entrances, so I decided to place mine at my front door also. There is also a coin slot on the back, and when I got the thing it had a few dollars in it.

My Beckoning Cat

Indian Theme:

In my first undergraduate year I went to Concordia University College, and one of their requirements for obtaining an undergraduate degree was to take a course in religious studies.  I was extremely adverse to taking a theology course, so I opted for a course in world religions instead.  What interested me the most about this course was not the Western religions but, rather, the Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.  I had very little knowledge in this area at the time, but this course taught me to understand the major tenets of some of the most significant religions of the Eastern part of the world.  I recall being particularly interested in Hinduism, and found the information on the pantheistic pantheon extremely enlightening.  On another trip to Heritage Days, I checked out the Eastern Indian tent to see if they had any interesting artefacts pertaining to Hinduism, and found a little statue of a four-handed God, which I believe is Brahma; however, I am not entirely certain.

African Theme:

Ever since I was a child, I have always been interested in Ancient Egypt.  I would go to museum exhibits when they came to Edmonton, read as many books as I could on the subject, and eventually studied the subject further in university classics courses.  The Bust of Nefertiti is an iconic artefact representative of the splendor and beauty of Ancient Egypt, and happens to be one of the most replicated works of Ancient Egypt.  I do not recall where I acquired my replica, but it is a nice representation of my love of Egypt in this collection.

The last two items from my collection are a tribal mask and a lion figurine.  I was given the tribal mask by my Mom who, like me, has decorated her home with different cultural items from various cultures.  I am not sure whether it is of African, Polynesian, or another similar culture, but I do know that my Mom acquired it in Hawaii.  The lion figurine, which is hand-carved, I found at a garage sale in my youth.  When I was young I was motivated to choose it because I loved the Lion King, but as an adult it takes on a different meaning to me because it is symbolic of the handiwork that an African tribesman might produce to represent one of the major carnivores of Africa. 

Historical Significance:

This interesting conglomeration of historical artefacts that I have collected over the years reflects my interest in and love of culture.  Part of the reason I decided to major in history was to expand my understanding and knowledge of the many other cultures and people of this world.  I believe that one of the fundamental ways in which people can better co-exist harmoniously together is through educating ourselves and each other on the various different customs and history of each nation and people on Earth.  Because I was raised in a small town in rural Alberta, my experience with people of different ethnicities while growing up was minimal, and this made me all the more curious about and interested in the many other cultures and customs of other people in this world. 

Two interesting themes emerge in regard to this collection.  Firstly, and above all, this collection represents the growth of myself as a person.  Since moving to Edmonton, a multicultural city, and as I have progressed through four years of university studying History and Classics, I have gained an extensive knowledge of culture and met many interesting people of all walks of life.  These interactions further fueled my already burgeoning interest in culture and, because of this, I have chosen to decorate my home with historical representations in order to experience cultural diversity firsthand.  When I gaze across any room in my home, I want to lay eyes on something that has a story or a special significance to me.

Secondly, I feel that this connection to culture also represents the spirit of Canada as a multicultural nation.  We are a “cultural mosaic”--an amalgamation of people with diverse histories and backgrounds.  Canada prides itself on celebrating the diversity of its inhabitants while encouraging people to be proud of being Canadian.  Each person’s culture is something that they can identify with and feel connected to, and be proud of.  This provides a feeling of unity when in unfamiliar territory and a feeling of safety when around people like oneself.  By being a nation that is, in effect, a cultural mosaic, Canada becomes a place where different people of different cultures can interact and learn from one another.  It is interesting that many of the items in my historical artefacts collection came from my visits to Heritage Days in Edmonton, which is an event that seeks to do just that. 

As I grow older and visit more places throughout the world, my collection will undoubtedly grow, as will my knowledge and understanding of the people who inhabit this world.  The items in my collection that I now possess, as well as my cultural understanding of what those items represent, is just a small taste of what I am hoping to amass over the years of my life, which I hope will continue to make me a more enlightened and wiser person.

Sources:

All photographs of items my own.

Asian Theme section:

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/imperial_guardian_lions.htm

http://asianlifestyledesign.com/2012/02/12/maneki-neko-japanese-beckoning-cat/

http://www.virtualtourcanada.ca/edmonton/cityfeatures/chinatown/lion_big.jpg
http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/ceramics/

Canada Mosaic Picture:

465_mosaic_canada2006b.jpg