There were many artifacts that were common to my cultural and that have a personal relevance to me and my family. When I was deciding what to bring and what to write about I notice that there was recurrent theme that kept coming up for instance, religion. I was able to find pictures of saints and of la virgin de Guadalupe. Some of the pictures, statues and jewelry with the religious symbols were brought from Mexico or belong to someone from Mexico that were brought from relatives. However, I also notice that in my house I had a lot of things that were hand knit, crochet and were hand weave from my Grandmothers. In my house there are manteles (table cloths), towels and some are used for house decorations. This manteles and servilletas (napkins) each have a purpose. For instance, some are used to keep the tortillas or bread warm. While some are only used for special occasions like decorating an ofrenda …show more content…
Besides that we been having them for a long time since I was little. Usually when my grandma comes to visit she makes them for the whole family. I really appreciate that my grandmothers took the time to make this. I really admired the dedication and every little detail they put in. Some follow a patterns, some are crochet, while others have embroidery design. I like how my grandmothers were traditional and were really talented. Although, my mom’s mother passed away a long time ago usually when a family member comes to visit from Mexico (which is not really often) they tend bring something that my grandmother made. Which it means a lot to me and family because I never had a chance to meet my grandmother and my mom was unable to go back to visit my grandmother. Although I don’t know how to hand knit and be as creative as my grandmothers. I do know how sew and hand weave. I’m not as good or even as close to the level they are but I have created my own weave purse and belt when I was
In "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, two sisters want the handmade quilt that is a symbol of the family heritage. Alice Expresses what her feeling are about her heritage through this story. It means everything to her. Something such as a quilt that was hand made makes it special. Only dedication and years of work can represent a quilt.
The three artifacts in the exhibition depicted the early days when the community was in immigration into the American boundaries, the importance that comes with these people upholding their culture despite moving into a new environment where there already exists a cultural belief and lifestyle that differ with theirs. The university museum is a modern establishment in the United States of America that historians and research analysts go to as a primary source of historical information concerning several cultures and beliefs that existed in the country in the early development days. Music on the hand is a core element in the Greek American culture and traditional beliefs that uniquely identifies this group of people. Handmade textiles as well are relevant in the exhibition because it represents the social and economic activities of that the Greek America community members were engaged in during the 1880 to 1910 period after immigration into the American soil. The textile tools were useful in their farming activities as tools for cultivation in the Northern American region; the textiles also comprised of beautiful artifacts that old men of the Greek American community had for particular traditional functions of the community. Wooden carving, for instance, was for decorations; these were sold out to members of other
Most families have some piece of jewelry, furniture, or other symbolic collectible that is passed through many generations. These things often remind a person of a beloved grandparent or great-grandparent and are seen as priceless. In Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," the family heirloom, a couple of hand sewn quilts, represents the family members' emotions concerning their heritage.
...an picking the artifacts. Although I did learn about William Morris and his designs in my history classes I learnt about the concept behind his design decisions and in depth analysis of Morris’s evolution as a designer only when I started working on this exhibit. It is imperative that you do research before arriving on any decision in regard to putting up any exhibit. Furthermore after analyzing the different options, it is imperative that you have facts to back up your decisions of the artifacts chosen. Every artifact that you pick for your case should have direct relation to your concept and it should be consistent among all artifacts. Overall a lot of thought should be put into the exhibit and the concept must reflect the ideas distinctly.
People go to see artifacts in museums for experience. What could be a better experience than going to the place they are from? Yes, the trip could cost a little more, but you cannot replicate the historical value an object holds in its origin country. The price is nothing compared to the true understanding of the history we gain from going out and visiting the place they should be. The place they should be is their home, where they were found and formed, their origin country.
and with her heritage because quilts can show a lot about a person 's heritage ( Martin
In the short story, “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, is written in manner to inspire the reader to show them how deep some family traditions can go. Walker, in her writings, tend to talk about issues that she had experienced in her life, and being an African American, she has learned the value of certain things in her life that her parents and grandparents had taught her. The quilt is so important to Dee because it is something that tells a story of the previous generation; the quilt actually consists of pieces of material that the family once used. The issue of the quilt also sets the mood for the story. It helps the reader to understand the deep rooted power simple things can have when it comes to family relations. All this helps explains
Although the story many vary in its intended audience. In Weil’s essay, the story is intended toward for a public audience, whereas in Benjamin’s essay and the Mardi Gras documentary, the story behind the collection is one that is personal. Additionally, there are significances to the object itself within each collection. In Weil’s essay, the objects within a museum collection are used as a foundation for people to further build their knowledge upon. In Benjamin’s essay, each itself has a background story and the collector is able to complete the book’s journey by making it a part of their collection. In the Mardi Gras documentary, the significance of a specific bead necklace represents extra money for the workers and it makes the difference as to whether or not they fulfill their quota. Additionally, each bead is a symbol of how their work will pay off; whether they will use their wages to support their family or to pursue dreams of their
...cause she had been “savin ‘em for long enough with nobody using ‘em” (12). After Dee gets the picture she walks out of the house and tells her mother “You just don’t understand. . .Your heritage. . .” (13). Dee is in fact the one who does not understand. Dee thinks of heritage to be as tangible as hanging the quilt on her wall or using the churn as a decoration for her table. Her mother, on the other hand, knows about traditions and heritage. Using the quilts would put the memories of their ancestors to everyday use.
Symbols are displayed in both stories; the quilts in “Everyday Use” symbolize the memories of Mama’s family. The quilts are made of pieces of old clothing from Mama’s family. Each piece of the quilt represents that person and who they were. They are passed on to future generations along with stories of the ancestors’ past. The quilts represent pride of their ancestors’ struggles, where they came from and the fight to preserve their individuality. Unlike Dee, Mama and Maggie acknowledge their heritage from memories of their family members. Dee bases her heritage off ...
...e able to use this in a classroom and teach the students how to create these bracelets and how they are originally made. I could use this activity in the classroom by sharing the information that I received from the members of the First Nations Educational and Cultural Center. A lot of this information would be extremely helpful when talking to my students about Native Americans it gives information from the perspective of a Native American. My thoughts after this activity was how friendly and welcoming the members of this group are. I was also amazed on how much I actually learned there not only about beading but also about weaving and the Native American culture. From talking about different Native American tribes to the dances and outfits worn for these dances. I definitely would like to attend either another craft night or an event held by this cultural center.
The introduction of of European materials, tools, and techniques transformed Native American art aesthetically as well as it’s role within Native culture. European technology produced goods that made Native American art easier to create and allowed Native American art to become more elaborate and detailed. However, the distinctive styles of each unique tribes’ art was diluted as the tribes obtained the same European materials rather than what was native to the land they lived on. in many cases European encounter caused Native American artwork to become less culturally significant; For instance, many crafts that held religious ceremonial roles, or served spiritual symbolism, became available to anyone, as a greater emphasis on its economic
The quilts were pieced together by Mama, Grandma Dee, and Big Dee symbolizing a long line of relatives. The quilts made from scraps of dresses worn by Grandma Dee, Grandpa Jarrell’s Paisley shirts, and Great Grandpa Ezra’s Civil War uniform represented the family heritage and values, and had been promised to Mama to Maggie when she married. However, Dee does not understand the love put into the making of the quilts, neither does she understand the significance of the quilts as part of her family heritage. It is evident she does not understand the significance of the quilt, having been offered one when went away to college declaring them “as old-fashioned” and “out of style”. She does not care about the value of the quilts to her family, rather she sees it as a work of art, valuable as an African heritage but not as a family heirloom. She wants the quilts because they are handmade, not stitched with around the borders. She tells Mama, “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!... She’d probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use… But, they’re priceless!.. Maggie would put them on her the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that!” (317). The quilt signifies the family pride and history, which is important to Mama. She makes the decision to give the quilt to Maggie who will appreciate it more than Dee, to whom she says, “God knows I been saving ‘em for long enough with
Dee then replies that Maggie would “be backward enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker, p.114). Mama says she hopes Maggie will use them every day. This begins with what it means to use and misuse heritage. Mama is hoping that Maggie will use the quilt as a practical everyday item. She sees the quilts for their functional use that they were made to use in everyday life.
I would have to say our family’s most important legacy and treasure would be our rare coin, paper bill and foreign currencycollection. I consider this a legacy because it’s been handed down for generations. It’s also considered a treasure because of the family history involved with the collection. The collection has been handed down in our family for generations. I first gained interest in collecting coins when I was a young boy. I and my grandfather would look through each other’s collections often. I think between my own interests and the connection with my grandfather, I have gained a passion and love for coins and rare money. Not just for the passion of collection but also for the sake of keeping the tradition alive.