What heritage is and how heritage works can be a bit puzzling. Identifying or connecting with heritage can be a complicated process to experience. It can also be difficult to explain. The cloud gazing exercise described below helps illustrate steps that take place during the process of understanding and connecting with heritage.
What is like to discover and to identify with cultural heritage?
An example of the Process of Discovery and Expression.
If you have gazed up at an open sky and observed amorphous clouds drift by, then you may have gotten excited about seeing certain shapes and subjects in the clouds. It is possible friends and family members have shared in your ideas and observations. It can be fun to discuss these observations with those around you. Some things you see or pick out may cause you excitement or laughter but other things could cause you sadness or deep thought. When talking with others you may each hold steadfast to your points of view about what you see and feel.
How is cloud gazing like tuning in to Cultural Heritage and Connecting with History?
Understanding, feeling and identifying with cultural heritage can be similar to the cloud gazing described above. A very similar circumstance takes place when people discover and connect with cultural heritage and cultural resources. Archaeology, artifacts, sites, landscapes, museums exhibits, and historic structures provide an opportunity for thoughts, ideas, and emotions. They provide connection with times, places and persons that are no longer physically available. These objects, places or events generally provide communication and transmission of information and knowledge.
The Power and Forces in Heritage and Culture
Because the past often had limitations on what was recordable or capturable there is much that took place that was not accounted for. Many things about the past were not written down or photographed and often stories and knowledge may not be passed to the next generation. There is a lot of information about the past that has been lost. However much information remains locked up in the landscape as archaeology sites.
Have you visited a meandering stream and observed it change coarse, eddy, or be forced around rocks, logs or trees? If so then you may also understand the effects cultural heritage and cultural resources can have on people and communities. Contact with heritage can inspire and enrich our daily experiences and lifestyles. Heritage can provide opportunities for events, ceremonies, rituals and pilgrimages. Heritage can facilitate communication, transition, community and self discovery, and healing. Connection with culture and heritage may provide personal milestones.
Culture, History and Heritage at Risk
A variety of circumstances place historical and cultural resources at risk.
For example, the need for safer and more efficient working and living conditions can often set up the oldest structures and places in the community to be off limits, forgotten or destroyed. In many instances the oldest generation in the community has many stories and important life events that are tied to these aging facilities.
Another example is illustrated by the fast paced global society we live in today. People, families and communities may chose to engage the global culture and can often loose touch with or sacrifice the culture or heritage that they have always known or practiced. There are instances where heritage is ignored, denied, or destroyed. Many times cultural objects, places or events help preserve heritage that is not visible. The physical items found on an archaeology dig, in a museum, or as part of a family collection can be rich with knowledge, emotion, and imagination. Anthropologists call this intangible cultural heritage meaning that you cant reach out and touch it or see it.