"Monuments as Artificial Memory"

Preserving the sanctity of our nation's monuments isn't as easy as it sounds. Monuments were built as a reminder, a testament to what where we stood historically and what we have fought for. Monuments serve as snapshots of the past that illustrate one perspective of culture, an event or a person. Our memorials and monuments where built synomynously by the ruling powers to honor those who have given their lives to nationalism and patriotism. However, when monuments are commissioned by a member of the ruling class, either bourgeois or governmental, they can be illusory. In this manner, monuments are intended to glorify a piece of history to appease the masses, instead of question it.

Monuments act as bridges to tell of culture and social tradition. For example, various American Indian and indigenous tribes raised totem poles for a variety of symbolic and tactful reasons. Monumental poles were used as house frontal poles placed against the house, often serving as doorways of houses. Totem poles were also carved into the interior house as posts to support roof beams. Today, in Western society, monumental and totem poles are imagined as free standing memorial poles to honor deceased chiefs and spirit animals. While it is sometimes possible to identify different animals, such as bears, ravens, eagles, it is not possible to interpret what the pole really means without knowing the history of the pole and the family that owns it.

Monuments either question or confirm the past. But regardless of their constructors original intent, monuments serve as markers for human memory.