Artisan Craft Heritage

I’m gonna beat around the bush with this one. But I’ll eventually get there.

Culture and/or systems of belief are all around us in countless forms and perceptions. Societies in general breed specific norms and common understandings of how things work. Be it socially, economically, spiritually, educationally, so on and so forth. These aspects weave throughout our lives, how we live, and why we live to whatever end we choose. Some are steeped in its rich well. Some are simply apathetic to its presence. Whatever point on the broad spectrum you yourself reside. If you are not living in the sticks far from any other human being; the society you live in, in some manner, dictates your actions and choices.

For example if you live in Japan, sitting down on the ground in public, like a sidewalk, or in an airport, is considered improper behavior. You most likely will see people squatting down instead; if there aren’t any areas to sit. In the US, there are laws that prohibit “loitering” (sitting down on a sidewalk and the like). Like a lot of other countries. However, in many parts of the U.S., nobody really cares, depending on where it is of course. It is not a cultural tradition that is ingrained in its history, like in Japan. You can walk into an airport on a travel holiday and see 100’s of people waiting around for there flights. If all the seats are taken. You probably will see people sitting on their butts. Maybe even lying down. You, for the most part, won’t see that in Japan. This is just one insignificant example in an ocean of behaviors.

What of laws and the rules that we live by? Well, these are all just a form of belief. Simply put, if enough people agree on something. It usually is adopted into how “things should be or not be”. Whether you yourself think it to be relevant. Don’t punch people in the face. Unless there is a licensing commission involved. Don’t pee on random people... Yeah, that one is pretty much an all around rule. This of course doesn’t stop everyone from “not” doing that. You see what I am getting at? Churches are for worshiping. Shopping malls are for buying stuff. Hospitals are for fixing your broken bodies. Court rooms are for punishing Ted for punching Kyle in the face and then peeing on his pretentious blue suede shoes. So on and so forth. Depending on where you live, your society culture/system of beliefs affects you. You can safely say that Kyle believes he should not have his face punched and his shoes watered by Ted’s man fountain. Granted, religion plays a very different part in society. It actually can seriously conflict with the society you currently live in, if your spiritual beliefs dictate your behaviors and choices. I don’t know if Ted was drunk off his a$$, or if he was just trying to humbly greet Kyle. Because in his culture, maybe face punches and relieving one’s self on another’s feet, is considered a glorious praise to the nature spirits. Don’t ask me. Ask Ted.

Anyway, what the hell was I beating around the crazy town bush for?

Ah, yes. The title of this post… that seemingly has NOTHING to do with what I just wrote out.

It does… in a matter of speaking. No Ted stuff, obviously.

You see, society is a culture in of itself. But there are many “cultures” inside of society. Tons in fact. Ways of living that don’t conflict with the rules one has to live by in a society. I am going to write about just one small snippet of one of those cultures.

Artisan craftwork. In my culture’s history, handcrafting items was a way we survived in the many societies that we lived. In the way-way back, we actually hand crafted and sold items that coincided with our spirituality. As time moved forward, that tradition of survival eventually sputtered into a side hobby in modern times. Being replaced with modern crafting needs and wants. Changing with the society cultures that we lived and currently live. There are still a few that practice this old tradition to survive. But most of us don’t. A lot are craftsmen of a different nature. Carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, etc.. Also, a lot of people from my culture don’t even know how to hand craft. I myself chose a different path inside my cultural traditions. Though I embrace the traditions none the same. Mostly just for me and gifts for friends and family.

Being able to make jewelry, build furniture, weave clothing, or carve wood and stone; gives me a pleasure almost equal to creating visual art. Granted, I am in no way good at most of it. Though it is a way I tap into my bloodline. Knowing that I am an artisan like the countless people that came before me.

This is where I get absolutely FASCINATED with other artisans. Doing things that I can’t even begin to create. Have you ever been to a craft market? When I used to live in Portland (before the homeless drug addicts took over and littered the streets). I visited the three local craft markets close to three times a week... Hmm, I guess you could say it was an addiction... Now that I think about it. There weren’t any faces being punched, but there were quite a few peeing incidences. Lots of booze at those gatherings. That, and for some reason, lots of drum circles with dancing naked people covered in paint. Can’t imagine what it is like there now.

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Ok. I’m done rambling. I have no idea what the point of this post was supposed to be. But there it is.

Maybe I should change the title to something else…

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Meh.

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(Should I be worried that I clumped ‘peeing on shoes’ and ‘religion’ in the same paragraph?)

Side Note: This will be my last LogBook post for a while. I have been putting off editing my first novel and need to stop procrastinating.