The Soul of Things

Finders Keepers by Craig Childs is a book that investigates the past and asks questions about who it belongs to. This book was chosen as the “One Valley, One Book” reading for 2023. Initially I wasn’t excited about the choice but wanted to participate in the community event so read the book. It opened my eyes to the meanings of artifacts left behind. Although not the chief point of the book, I have taken away the idea that things have a spirit and should not be unlinked from their intent and location.

Childs talks about the “precious belongings that people cared for” and how best not to disturb them. He admonishes that to remove a relic, keep it as a personal possession, sell it, or even give it to a museum violates his personal ethic. For indigenous traditionalists these items may be seen as alive, extremely powerful, and dangerous when not treated with proper ceremonial care. Through the discussions, I learned that Federal law honors the ownership rights of Native American tribes to the remains of their dead ancestors and the funerary objects buried with them.

One of the important life passages is death, which is understood by many cultures as a transition and not an ending. Native American traditions appear to conceive of human beings as complex entities that bind together essences or spirits that undergo transformations after death.

Understanding more about these issues has resulted in my thinking about the “soul” of things that hold magnitude for me. I have items made by my father and mother that hold great power especially since my parents have made their transformations from their earthly lives.

Back in my “cowboy” days as a child, my dad hand-made me a holster for my toy gun. He crafted it of leather from a draft horse collar. I have it carefully stored away and periodically get it out to hold. I experience a powerful connection with my dad and that personal artifact. Similarly, my mother made a quilted bedspread for me when I graduated from college as well as several quilted wall hangings. When we had to be evacuated from the wildfires, those were the precious items I took with me.

I feel the spirit of my parents in these personal treasures and would never want them taken away without my permission. These items may not hold cultural significance, but they have a soul that resonates deeply with who I am.