Traditional Cultural Patterns

I have researched the different traditional cultural patterns from around the world, and looking at the meanings behind them. I want to use these to inspire the marks on my piece signifying the different communities coming together to help the planet.  I looked at some papers written on the cultural patterns and how they can be lost as just for looks.

North America

Native America has quite a distinct look among their patterns with shapes and symbols. Above is a combination of many of the individual symbols used within their work which are used like a language. The arrows symbolize different things depending on their direction and can mean protection and peace while others ward of evil as defense. The birds and bird prints mean light-hearted freedom, while brothers show two people bound together and have a shared journey through life, and the connecting line represents their equality. Their is a butterfly which symbolizes transformation with colors specifying their meanings. The crosses represent the earths forces, their origin and the manner in which they work and the dots show the passage of time with the position of the sun. These are just a few of the meanings of these symbols.

South America I found it quite hard to find a pattern that can be distinguished as South American,  I decided to look at what is often associated with it and looked at one of their biggest celebrations, The Day Of The Dead. It is about respecting and honoring loved ones who have passed but to also celebrate their lives. I also want to include some nature elements as South America has the most animals and plants found anywhere else in the world.

Europe

For Europe I looked at many different patterns such as Swedish, Spanish and more but I focused more on the Celtic knots for what they represent and it also being personal. These knows are complete loops with no start or finish, can can be said to represent eternity and how this is connected to life, I think this is relatable to my work to keep life going. They have been used in many ways and have been seen among other cultures.

Africa

When looking at African Patterns it has many similarities with those of Native American as well as the symbolic meanings. Both the shapes and the colours all often represent something, often about where they have come from, symbolizing their status, hierarchy and tribes. They tell stories within them and are all unique, as some have historic significance and have been carried down through generations. Generally white is seen as spirituality and purity like other cultures and is saved for only the purest people and situations so is not used much, Gold represents wealth and fertility. Green also represents prosperity and a medicinal colour for health in life, while red is seen as trouble as the colour of blood and blue is seen as love and peace, also symbolizing the earth, sky and water. In addition the shapes used like in the Native American patterns also represent things.

Asia

There are many patterns used within Asia with each country having their own style and versions. One iconic one is the wave crest which is made of rows of ocean waves forming a fan-shaped patterns, it symbolizes the desire for continued peaceful living like the tranquil waves. There is also a tortoise shell pattern made from tortoise like shell shapes, being a symbol of longevity and long life. Asia is often known for its intricate yet delicate patterns.

Australasia

The work seen specifically in Australia is very distinguishable among the world with its dotted markings. It is a language used by Aboriginal people to pass on stories through generations using symbols and icons. For example n like shapes represent people with the genders shown by how many lines are next to it. These circles and lines shows water holes and journeys, tracks and rest stops. These are uses also on people to show their unique tribal patterns. This is also one of the oldest forms of artistic expressions in the world, as they were created by using soil and rocks creating carvings, ground designs and paintings. There is also a strong technique to create an authentic aboriginal piece which takes a lot of learning on how to do it right.

I found researching these patterns fascinating with what is show just a brief outline of what I looked at as their is so many different meanings and cultures.