Throughout our time reading Mumbo Jumbo we've constantly asked ourselves what Jes Grew is. Our initial thoughts were to look it up, but the only results found were linked to Mumbo Jumbo. Therefore most of us came to the conclusion that it wasn't a "real thing." While "Jes Grew" exists only within the context of Mumbo Jumbo, the idea of it is very real and still prevalent today. My conclusion of what Jes Grew is, I don't think that it is a solid thing. I think it is the idea of letting culture and tradition live on or in other words, the spread of culture. And I think in terms of Jes Grew specifically, the spread of culture in a way that actually teaches origin and stories.
Throughout the novel things like museums are criticized because while yes, they show ancient artifacts and give facts about them, they also don't really tell a story. I can see traditional clothing from an ancient tribe and know what it's made out of and how they ate. But it doesn't allow me to paint a picture and truly tell a story of their culture. Going along with that, the book cracked down on the idea of washing out or simplifying culture in order for it to appeal to others in a way they can understand. This again has the same concept in the sense that sure, you may know a couple moves from traditional dances, but what's important is the life. The story behind the dances, why they are important, the joy, the laughter. This is again what I think Jes Grew is getting at in the sense that yes, spread culture, talk about it, show artifacts, teach language and dances, but also tell the story and the significance.
The book also introduced the idea of Jes Grew needing some sort of text. And originally I was thinking about in terms of religion. They have texts that not only include stories from their basis, but also guidelines on how to follow the basis of the religion. And while yes, that is a possibility for Jes Grew after thinking it over and coming up with the definition of Jes Grew I did, I think the text of Jes Grew could also be books or music. Jazz is very prominent in the world of Jes Grew and music is something that always lives on because people now can play original pieces created hundreds of years ago. Books also fall into this category because they allow you to tell the stories and expand on them. In a sense Mumbo Jumbo is the text of Jes Grew. It tells the story, it goes back to the origins, and it paints a picture of what it was like to live through the time.
I really like the idea of the cultural artifacts in Western museums as a kind of anti-Jes Grew! You're right, they're both ~kind of~ ways to convey culture, but drastically different ones. These museums trap an artificial kind of culture, which, stripped of any context, isn't all that meaningful. They're sort of like Jes Grew quarantines
ReplyDeleteI like how you give Mumbo Jumbo as the final text of Jes Grew because it feels like there wouldn't be a more fitting one. Mumbo Jumbo gives the context of feelings of early Jes Grew, its war for survival, and its eventual defeat (?), it truly is the perfect text. I also liked the general discussion of the importance of culture alongside artifacts because it points out how the defense of "the museums are spreading these obscure cultures" is sort of false because of how the culture is barely being spread at all, just its artifacts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that Jes Grew is about the significance of the culture and the lessons you learn from it. The western world has suppressed it with the museums and simplifying cultures. I also originally thought of the "Text" in a religious sense, and I like your discussion on Mumbo Jumbo itself being the Text. Maybe the Text isn't one object; it could be many pieces that collectively make up Jes Grew. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI like your take that Jes Grew is about spreading not only culture, but also the origins of how the cultures came to be. You brought up an interesting take on museums that I'd agree with. Although I think it's cool to see the various artifacts that these cultures used, I'd agree that I don't really know much about those cultures apart from surface level facts. I also like the idea that the Text might be books that tell origin stories, and that Mumbo Jumbo is an example of such a Text. I think that second idea makes a lot of sense considering that the book doesn't just go through the Jazz period, but also often touches on outside cultures and mythology that helped lead to the culture we see in the story.
ReplyDeleteEven beyond the implied criticism that museums (or "Centers of Art Detention") fail to fully contextualize artifacts from diverse cultures, Reed's mu-tafikah are committed to the idea of *returning* these objects to the cultural contexts within which they *have life*--the idea is that these are sacred religious and ceremonial objects that represent actual living gods and spirits, and their "detention" overseas has weakened and marginalized these cultures. The return of their amulets will, according to Berbelang, "awaken" the gods and lead to a larger shift in cultural power and influence. In this view, art and culture are *hugely* important, and therefore the theft of that culture is profound in its consequences.
ReplyDeleteNice post! As others have stated, I too believed the Text was a religious work, however, in general, the Text may be any preservation of Jes Grew. In terms of Jazz Jes Grew (Jazz Grew?), it may be the sheet music or historical books regarding jazz. The Text may even be something less literal than a physical text, but rather the memories of an undying culture which can then be passed from one person to the next.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how we think about Western Civilization and the main principles America represents. We celebrate our differences and how our country is diverse and compiled up of so many ideas from various cultures. We try to have specific museums to host various objects from cultures so that people can learn about them and be intrigued by the wide range of human experience across the world. However, I think it's important, as you mentioned, to remember where these objects come from because there's only so much that a few written paragraphs on a plaque next to the showcased item can display about the real story. These understandings of other cultures, despite our efforts, will be rooted in an artificial nature unless we genuinely immerse ourselves in that culture.
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