Focus Area 3 – Week 2 Material Culture Objects

Object 1 (Historical): Blue Witsie original bandana with white print

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For this week’s historical object I chose my Witsie Original bandana which I received on welcome day during my first year. This, for me, qualifies as a historical object because it represents a moment in the past and whenever I look at it or use it I am transported back to that time, even though that time is just 3 years ago and not a 100 years ago. In my understanding, history doesn’t have to be a century ago, but it can be a day ago or a few hours ago, as long as it’s not in the present. I feel that the public can relate to this object because it is a widely known wits tradition for first years to receive a piece of regalia in first year. This bandana is a marker of my first official day as a witsie and it has much more sentimental value than that. For example, I used this as a teargas mask during fees must fall protests in 2016. So it not only reminds me of my first days at Wits but also the protests that I took part in. It is a very significant part of my story at this institution.

Object 2 (Ritual): Colour photograph of my Dad

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The above image is my favourite picture of my father, matter of fact I’ve had it as my profile picture on whatsapp for over a year. So I’m clearly into this picture. To give a bit of context, I lost my dad in 2007 and he was everything to me. He basically raised me as a single parent (story for another day). I love this picture because here he looks really happy and I’m a fan of random action photos that aren’t posed for, basically because they capture a real moment in time that wasn’t staged. My dad was that on person that believed in me no matter what and as a result he taught me that I can do whatever I put my mind to. He was my number one fan and that really built the foundation to my confidence and self-esteem. This, for me, is a ritual object because I carry it with me wherever I go and I also have it on my phone and as my profile picture. I carry it because sometimes life gets really heavy sometimes and its easy to lose oneself, the picture reminds me of who I am, what I stand for, what I live for, and all the values that I was raised with. It keeps me grounded. It’s good to have an object that carries all of that meaning and that I can go back to whenever I need to. Looking at the picture feels almost like my dad is here encouraging me or cheering me on whenever I need that little push.

Object 3 (Contemporary): Leather necklace with a harmonica pendant

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This is a necklace that I bought at Menlyn Mall a few years ago. It was a bad decision buy to be honest coz I really wasn’t thinking when I bought it and it was quite expensive. I wore it for a few months after I bought it and it has since been in my closet. It’s basically just there to remind me of my stupid spending tendencies. It is, however, still very valuable to me coz I still think it’s really cool… I mean it’s real leather with a mini harmonica that actually plays. So it’s a really cool necklace with a harmonica.. which I play from time to time.