The chosen artifact
The artifact chosen for this project is the Haitian Flag.
The description of the artifact
The Haitian Flag is blue and red with an emblem on a white background in the middle of it. The selection of colors was conditional upon the local crop of indigo used by local people for a dye, and the roots of madder, which is a red dye (Thrasybule, 2021). As for the emblem, it depicts a palm tree native to the tropics with a blue and red beret on the top of it, cannons, and bugles.
The most important elements of the artifact
The most important elements are the ones on the emblem in the center of the flag as described above because they reflect on people’s lives. They show their desire to gain independence (kepi), living in abundance (palm tree), their local products (cannons made of copper, tin, iron, and other components), and hunting as a traditional occupation (bugles). The selection of these items catches one’s senses due to their relation to this place’s inhabitants, and the experience of observing it is beneficial for learning about their culture.
Assumptions about your artifact
The purpose of the artifact
The purpose of the artifact is to demonstrate the specificities of local people’s lives, and they are efficiently transmitted by their creator due to the particular attention to detail. The message they wanted to express was the presence of characteristics distinguishing them from other places in the world. It is successfully expressed since viewers instantaneously notice the elements in the center of the Haitian flag.
How the artifact reflects the culture (or context) in which it exists
This artifact reflects the culture in which it exists by incorporating the essential elements of people’s lives. Thus, the aspects relevant to it are history and politics reflected by the dependent position of the region and technology implied by the production of goods made of unique materials. They are complemented by social perceptions, which are expressed by opportunities for growth and the emphasis on the place’s abundance in terms of species of plants useful for the population. In other words, the specified components present a solid basis for prosperity in terms of social, political, and economic affairs.
How the artifact and the person who created it have impacted each other
As follows from the consideration of the Haitian flag, acts of created expression are interrelated with people’s living conditions and the environment. The presence of resources alongside the opportunities for their use adds to the mutual influence of artifacts and their creators. In this way, the latter’s abilities are limited by the materials available to them and cultural convictions. In turn, artifacts and culture can affect each other as the former’s shaped by the latter, which, in turn, is a product of a variety of items of this nature. These objects enhance the understanding of people’s lives while contributing to the dialogue regarding the symbols’ possible interpretations.
Reference
Thrasybule, M. M. (2021). Elements in color: A symbolistic approach to analyzing the Haitian flag. Journal of Languages and Culture, 12(1), 1-12. Web.