Thanks Warren, I know it's Winter Now

            Bodies flipping, twisting, turning, soaring through the air, and then they finally, flop into snow, Warren Miller has been creating blissful ski movies for over four decades.  They circulate every year, appearing late October or early November, bringing anticipation for the offspring of the mountain and winter to return to Eden.  Bountiful mounds of snow adorn the screen as Warren’s movie play, as the master artist crafts his tool across the mountain’s canvass you begin to get that familiar feeling, an addiction present in your mind; it’s time to go skiing again.  Warren’s movie is a signal for the pilgrimage to the mountain to begin.  The master’s of the mountain grace the screen, every flip, spin, grind, turn, line is unique and a statement by them filled with the passion and love that one cannot help but feel while in the harmonious presence of the mountain; what peace and freedom.  No master is greater than Warren Miller, not in terms of skiing or riding ability, but because his films evoke the feelings one has when winter is approaching and skiing is on the way. 

            Since long before I was born his movies symbolized the ski season, they have evolved along side of the sport.  A mix of mountains (freeskiing/riding, backcountry and Heliskiing) and street, although predominantly mountain and skiing (it is a Warren Miller movie) this year’s movie was a sublime mixture of the direction skiing is going but also a tributary of Warren Miller, and skiing’s, big mountain past.  The amazing locations like Squaw Valley (where I do most my skiing), the Himalayas in Kashmir, and Alaska were where the master’s created the artworks, dreaming of new lines and building new jumps where they were previously unimagined.  One cannot help but drift back into their one mind a dream that first run down the mountain.  The innovation of helmet cams made that desire all the more apparent; the tease of being there, engaged in the steeps, ripe with fear and exhilaration, the goal of the movies are simple: make you want to ski, goal achieved.  Wanted to upload videos from the movie and can't, I'll settle for the link.

Videos from Warren Miller

Globalization, Art, and Culture

            To understand the social life of objects, one must understand the multiple processes that affect how an object is perceived.  In the examples discussed in the reading, aboriginal/native art, the processes of globalization and its affects on the culture producing an object must not be ignored.  These representations are widely seen in anthropological study and, in class, we have seen multiple examples of the products of globalization affecting indigenous or native cultures.  Examples that come to mind are: the telephone-wire basket crafted by Zulu basket weavers, the changes in aboriginal art over time (in Waiting for Harry, the burial ritual would have usually been preformed at night, but because of the threats on Aboriginal Australian culture due to colonization and globalization, they must now have detailed records of their culture so it is not lost), and La Dia de Los Muertos, which has the hybridization of Aztec and Spanish culture from colonization, as well as the commoditization inherent from globalization.  As the reading says, we cannot treat a culture with boundaries that are not affecting by the current social, economic and political forces that currently present within the ever changing global arena, culture will be greatly altered and morphed along with the pressures of an evolving world, after all, the idea that culture changes over time is present within most anthropological definitions of the term.  That stagnation faced within anthropological theory is a malevolent force in understanding culture, as anthropologists, we must evolve along with culture, which seems to be the underlying theme from the reading.  Is this evolution being realized? I believe it is.  The presence of globalization undeniably alters culture and recent anthropological works indicate that the understanding of the affects of globalization is relatively strong. 

            The study of objects and participant observation are definitely not obsolete, on the contrary they are more crucial to the understanding of culture now more than ever.  One must participate in the activities of a society and culture to fully understand their significance to the people that are involved in expressing values present within their society and culture.  The study of objects can lead one to a further understanding of a culture through the symbolism present within it.  Through symbolic analysis and observing a culture through participation in significant activities of that society and culture, one may be able to gain a more holistic understanding of the pressures causing cultural change.

            

The Ethnoaesthetics of Ballet

            The author, who’s name is way to complicated spell and long, so she will be referred to as “the author” hereafter, discusses the concept of ballet being categorized as a form of ethnic dance for western culture, an assertion with which I agree.  She describes the relevant literature of the study of dance being ethnocentric and inadequate for the analysis of other dance forms beside that of western culture.  In describing the literature she has gone through, a theme of marginalization occurs when scholars are not analyzing the value and impact of western art.  The belief is embodied by the usage of specific terminology like primitive, ethnic, and folk dance, all of which carry a stigma of inferiority to the precise beauty of western dance.  They are written off as spontaneous, inexact, no technique or artistry, and being on the verge of orgy (the author highlights other assumptions of characteristics involved in traditional dance).  These characteristics are often misleading; the author shows this in the examples she uses, specifically Hopi dance and its traditions.  She discusses how the definitions western society has for dance further convolutes the picture of traditional dance.  This discussion moves into the characteristics of ballet that exemplify the attributes of western society that are virtues.  Considering that western society is comprised of multiple countries and backgrounds she considers ballet a form of international dance.  The nature of ballet explicitly portrays many characteristics that are constantly present in western society, some are: religion, sex, perfection, fear, beauty, love, misunderstanding, self-sacrifice, emotional and physical suffering, as well as tragedy (40).   All of these aspects contribute to ballet being viewed as a form of ethnic dance, as well as being an example of ethno-aesthetics. 

            In the section above, which I summarized the aesthetic aspects of western culture that make ballet an ethnic dance, it is clear that this an ethno-aesthetic analysis of ballet.  The author describes specific aspects of ballet that reflect the culture of western society.  All of the present characteristics mentioned above are aspects of western culture that are seen everyday, by every person within it.  Specifically sex and beauty, which are highly present in ballet, are perfect examples of this truth.  An individual in western society cannot go through daily routine without seeing imagery of sex or beauty.  Advertising is ripe with these two characteristics and considering the commercialization within western culture; a person cannot go more than a day without being reminded of sex and beauty within any kind of advertisement.  The high prevalence of the rest of the characters, which I will not get into in the interest of time, also exemplify this belief, and make the ethno-aesthetic analysis of ballet very fruitful.  

Good example of the characteristics discussed by the author (plus I've liked Aronofsky since his Pi days)

Ethno-Aesthetics

            Ethno-aesthetics can be defined as a regional, local, or indigenous beliefs expressed artistically through various mediums including, but not limited to, the ritualistic or the ceremonial purposes of that society or group of people.  Ethno-aesthetic analysis is trying to uncover specific cultural and social traits from that group of people.  It can be analogous to conducting an ethnography.  The medium of interpretation is through a dramatically smaller lens, and the conclusions drawn cannot begin to express the complexities of the culture, but it can gain some knowledge and understanding through the mediums analyzed.  Ethno-aesthetics encompasses a wide array of activities and mediums of expression.  It could be ceremonial, ritualistic, celebratory, painting, song, dance, sculpture, and many other mediums.  The purpose is to gain some sort of understanding about the cultural and ethnic expression through the medium being utilized by that group of people.  The largest hazard of this form of analysis is that is through such a small lens and does not generally encompass the whole of the culture or society.  The analyzer is only subjected to a miniscule portion of that culture; the preverbal tip of the iceberg.  This limited analysis cannot possibly gain a holistic view of the culture that is aesthetically expressing their cultural values. 

            The implications of globalization and hybridization in ethno-aesthetics are pretty prevalent.  La dia de los muertos is an excellent example of globalizations effects creating a hybridization of cultural values and expression of those values.  The day of the dead is a great example of this because of the connection between catholic colonist view combined with indigenous aspects of Mexican culture, specifically Aztec.  The day of the dead is a celebratory expression of hybridization in ethno-aesthetics.  

Totems

“’It is the figurative representations of this plant or animal [on ceremonial objects]…which have the greatest sanctity’, because it is these which provide the tangible expression of the group’s place in society. ’personified and represented to the imagination under the visible form of the [picture of the] animal or vegetable which serves as a totem.’” 

            Totems presence as art is reflected in this statement of Durkheim’s relayed through Layton.  This quote illustrates the importance of artistic totemic representations for small-scale societies that follow totemic religious beliefs.  The symbolism that is present in totemic depictions of animals or plants is a more than just a painting or drawing that is both representative and abstract.  The totem is representative of the people, and their ancestral patterns, that associate with that symbol.  These religious beliefs all have the underlying presence of the group’s ancestry.  It is the connection to the groups past.  It defines how the world unfolded its mysteries to the group defining certain principal and practices to live in a truly positive manner.   

            Totemic religious beliefs play a massive role in small-scale societies; it delineates kinship patterns, a process for resolving disputes between groups, and subsistence patterns. Kinship patterns are reflected in totemic religious views.  One group is expected to produce a husband or wife for the other.  This is the basis for the ancestral patterns that are associated with totemic beliefs.  Once a member from a related group joins another through marriage, they, and all future family members, depending on whether they are male or female, are now a part of that group, or destined to be attached to another associated group.  Totemic beliefs also transcend religion into the realm of law and order.  Totemic beliefs can also develop into a basis for handling disputes between group members.  They involve processes for handling a wide-range of issues, like “property” disputes, issues involving the mate of another group member, or witchcraft.  Symbolic totemic representations can also be related to subsistence.  They can be related to a resource that a group exploits seasonally.  Clearly totemic symbolism is not limited to this concept, there are plenty of other reasons a specific representation is used, and they vary from culture to culture, but it can be related to a specific subsistence pattern.  The presence of symbolism in totemic representations stretches far beyond my analysis, but these are just a few reasons to show how far beyond mere artistic symbolism totemic representation extend.  It is a religious system that encompasses many aspects of life.   

Aborigines Make Death Special

           This film showed exactly why Aboriginal Australians are so rich for study.  The complexity of the their culture provides rich insight into how previous hunter gatherer groups may have lived.  The interconnectivity of their law, totems, myths, painting, song, dance, rituals, religion, and how these aspects of their culture vary regionally from a connected group in one region to another group in another region, these similarities are the main reasons why it is so complex and difficult to gain a true holistic understanding of Australian aboriginal culture.  The film did such a beautiful job of displaying the vast cultural richness of the Australian aborigines.  Most of the aspects of the aboriginal religion are connected to totemic representations of ancestral kinship patterns (excuse me while offensively generalize about aboriginal religious belief, they would put me under spear-fire if my generalizations reached their ears).  In the build up to the funeral, there were methodical, meticulous efforts made in preparation for the event.  Over the course of these preparations, the religious songs of the ancestors of the deceased were sung, the dances celebrating that ancestral lineage were celebrated, paintings were drawn for the coffin, the sand sculpture was made, food and subsistence items were gathered, the right number of people with the correct status had to be present, and the bodies of the group were painting towards to culmination of the ritual.  All of these artistic acts and processes of making sure the ritual was properly realized; are acts of making special.

            The preparation of the aboriginal funeral rites is a long daunting process.  The proper hollow log must be chosen for the coffin, certain songs and stories must told and sung, certain dances must take place amongst the correct number and status of people, the correct sand sculpture must be made, and the deceased person’s ancestral lineage must paid homage to with the right people present.  All of these acts define making something special and represent ceremonial art.  The songs, dance, and stories are art; and the painting of the coffin and bodies of those participating in the ceremony are definitely artistic expression, making the impact and importance of these ceremonies all the more impactful.  The symbolic and abstract nature of the painting of the coffin is the most dramatic example of making special.  A specific, boring, plain piece of wood, although of a specific type, is selected for the ceremony.  Then over the course of the days leading up to burying of the dead, the coffin is painted methodically in a specific manner, with specific symbols representing that person lineage so that they can become part of the spiritual realm in which their ancestors reside and still live through the songs, stories, dances, and totemic landmarks that make up the aboriginal culture and life.

Sand Sculpture

A Painting of a Fish

Some Aborigines with Ceremonial Attire

More Interpreting

            Anyone reading my blog the last couple of weeks has already noticed that I have basically been toying around with the idea of interpreting the cave paintings and prehistoric art; so this post may seem a bit repetitive.  When discussing the study and interpretation of prehistoric art it undoubtedly revolves around two fields of study and analysis, ethological and archaeological.  It is necessary to make the statement however that these two fields of study should be highly interdependent on one another, especially regarding the potential interpretations of the artworks of an extinct culture.  In order to fully understand the culture producing these works of art, one must engage in all activities surrounding the methodological collection of data and the ethological interpretations of that data.  One cannot possibly “make sense” of all the potential interpretations of these artworks unless fully understanding all of the data surrounding that presuppose that analysis.  Ethological data referring the to composition, juxtaposition similarities, size of the works, choice of animals used, and the relationship of the works to unidentified markings all include the potential for ethological interpretation.  However, all of these activities involve the collection of data.  Archaeological data would include: the frequency of certain animals used, the artifacts/ecofacts present in the caves, and once again the general composition of the piece.  All of these aspects are just data until one tries to make sense out of them, which requires ethological interpretation.  One of the common interpretations of prehistoric art, particularly cave paintings, is often they served a spiritual purpose.

            Due to the lack of a written language, it is not out of the ordinary to speculate that these works of art were used in a spiritual, mythical capacity.  From my own armchair perspective, this interpretation seems legitimate.  You can almost picture a group of people ritualistically surrounding the artwork in the great hall of bulls while elders speak a great tale as torchlight flickers along the works, breathing life into them.  But, in this same analysis, there can also be totemic interpretation arising from this manner of thought.  A work of lions and rhinos juxtaposed together can be seen as a totemic relationship between groups identifying with the totem of the lion or the rhino.  Now, what exactly these totems represent is highly uncertain, and I won’t begin to insult the proponents of this theory with my simplistic analysis, but, through this example, it is easy to discern how similar theories can develop and how not one can ever be definitive due to the death of the culture that has produced them.  The one interpretation that we know is undoubtedly true is that the production of these artworks was highly important to the culture that created them.