Heritage bearers

In cultural anthropology, we have a term for certain members of society that are especially diligent about learning things from their parents or grandparents, ways to do things that are perhaps no longer necessary in today's society. These people are called heritage bearers. They can be story tellers or carvers, seamstresses or basket weavers, reindeer herders. People who took the time to listen when their grandparents prattled on about the old days. These people are considered especially good informants for anthropologists.

In some countries, people like this can be nominated to receive Living National Treasure designation. They may live out their lives in quiet simplicity, but such an award allows others to take note of what they can and do offer society, even when it has no monetary value what so ever. 

I work with someone like that, Gunnar Marel Eggertsson. Unfortunately, here in Iceland, there is no award for people like him, people who consider the past more important than the future. I sometimes find myself impatient with him, because he does things at his own pace, never sticks to a schedule. But today I was looking through the photo albums of the building and sailing of the ship, and I was struck by what a steadfast pursuit this has been on his part. He feels it is all coming to an end now with the opening of the exhibition, and I think that is sort of sad.  

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