Miguel's Best Friend

I follow a page on Facebook called 'Wild for Wildlife and Nature' and the following post appeared on my Facebook feed:

"For the past 6 years, a German shepherd called Capitán has slept next to the grave of his owner every night at 6pm.
His owner, Miguel Guzmán died in 2006. Capitán, the dog, disappeared while the family attended the fueral services. A week later reatives of Guzmán were visiting the cemetery when they were astounded to find the dog next to the owner's grave.The cemetery director says that the dog comes around each night at 6pm, and has done so for the past 6 years!"

I found the above posting really sweet. Archaeologically the odds of seeing this are slim I think. Or rather archaeologist might not conclude that it was Miguel's best friend that didn't want to be separated. Perhaps some of my classmates who are working on the case study of 'Animals in Burials' can shed some light on this case study.   

Departures

I remember a few years ago my mum put on a movie for her and myself to watch. The movie was, and still is, called Departures. The movie later went on to win for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars that year.

It is a beautiful story and I highly recommend anyone who has not seen it yet to go out and watch it. I do not wish to give anything away but I will say this. Departures shows the culture aspects of death. All of the preparations and social reactions to death. I think that anyone in Archaeology of Death should watch it. If only to see how the living interact with the dead and to see a work of art.

Below you will find the trailer. I hope you enjoy.

 
Until then,
A

A Little Bit about Me…

Academically speaking I am a fourth year Anthropology major at the University of Victoria. This year I am the Anthropology Co-op Student Rep and I have completed three separate co-op work terms. Originally I transferred to the university to study Environmental Studies and I was going to pair that major with Anthropology. As I took more and more Anthropology courses I realized where my true interests lie.

Last year I took some time away from UVic to study at North Island College where I became a certified drafter. This year I am taking electives outside of the Anthropology department, primarily in the Phoenix (or rather the Theatre Department). Recently I have fallen in love with Costume and Set designing and, I’ve realized just how well they fit with Anthropology. Currently I am assisting in costume design for the upcoming show ‘Reasons to be Pretty’ which opens in February J.

I have heard a lot of great things about the Anthropology of Death course. The topic has been one that I’ve always been interested in. And if you have read my previous post then you may understand why I think that it’s an important course for me to take, especially right now. The day of our first class was the day of my Great Uncles funeral service. Unfortunately I was unable to attend because it was taking place in another province and because I had class. But from what I understand the service or rather the part after the service, was like a big family picnic (in January). It’s kind of nice/interesting that the way my family marks/celebrates death is through an event that is similar to one that happens every other summer.

On a personal note I love tea, I’m trying to teach myself Gaelic (hence analaich), I enjoy reading E.E. Cummings, and one of my favorite quotes (which is not by E.E. Cummings) is as follows:

“When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin, It works not because it settles the question for you but because in that brief moment when the coin is in the air, you suddenly know what you are hoping for.”

Until then,

A

New Year. New Start. New Death?

A month ago I could have told you that I had never really experienced a death in the family. That all changed two and a half weeks ago.

I have known family members that have past away over the years, but due to the circumstances at the time I was not overly fazed by them. I never went to any of the services. I never learned how to deal with the aftermath. I just saw the events for what they were. Someone had died, and that that event fit into the larger circle of life. It seems somewhat fitting to me, that I; someone who doesn't really know how to react right now to the recent deaths in my family, to be taking an Archaeology of Death course.

The irony is not lost on me either. The day I found out that our first class was cancelled was the day after my dog died (whom I got when I was 7) or that the day our first class was supposed to be on, my Great Uncle died. Perhaps through this course I'll find some solace.

Until then,
A