Sunday, May 26, 2013

Conservation Of Customs Through Black Memorabilia

By Tisha Greer


People of different races have different ways which they use to preserve their heritage. The native Africans in America had an eventful history that was comprised of long periods of slavery, discrimination and racism. Their history was preserved through methods like documentation of the events and experiences they went through or by keeping black memorabilia.

In the current generation individuals can learn about this heritage through various methods that were used to preserve the knowledge of this era. They include mammy items, antiques, posters and historical items. More elaborate ways like use of poems, songs and film are also presently used to give out this information. These are normally performed by African American artistes especially when commemorating their ancestors and freedom from slavery.

Controversy has been raised as to the issue of keeping and collecting these antiques. A number of people view it as bringing back replenished miserable memories and atmosphere. They claim that the antiques shed negativity on the culture and heritage as well.

Contrary to the negative view, some individuals find the art necessary and significant. They see the antiques as a way of making them appreciate their original culture. They also do this in as a way of recognizing the lengths at which their ancestors went to in order to stop slavery. Others do it purely out of beautification purposes.

The value of these artifacts appreciates with time. This mostly depends on the era it was collected. Those collected in the slavery era appreciate up to over five hundred times the original price that was set upon discovery. This is because of their originality. With time most of these original pieces have been duplicated and introduced to the market. Most people settle for the duplicates as their price is fairly affordable.

Most of the original antiques can be found preserved in museums. This is done in a bid to preserve their authenticity and educate people on the history of the continent. Those who have no access to the specific museums end up settling for the duplicates. These duplicates are distributed largely in many retail or gift shops. People keep personal ones depending on the kind of attachment they have to the antique.

Most of the eventful experiences are said to have been left to go to waste due to lack of proper preservation methods during that era. People rely on available documentation and speculation for this information. This poses a threat of extinction or alteration of the original experience. Most people also refrained from making these antiques due to the offensive nature that the artifacts are thought to carry. This approach faded out with time.

Other than viewing black memorabilia as a reminder of a bitter past, individuals can choose to see the positive side instead. Heritage and culture are highly significant in defining an individual. Individuals should therefore view the art of keeping these artifacts as a way of understanding their origin and way of life. Proper research on the significance of the artifact should be initially conducted before acquiring it.




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