The Re-Invention of Tradition and the Marketing of Cultural Values

Authors

  • Cath Oberholtzer Trent University

Abstract

The concept of the invention of tradition has gained widespread acceptance and innumerable applications. However, consideration of the re-invention of tradition, particularly in the scope of material studies, has received minimal coverage. Increased production and marketing of Native-made "dream catchers" provides an excellent example. Derived from traditional baby charms no longer made to protect the developing infant, as a re-invented tradition this form is now rendered as earrings and ornamental items for car and home. For Natives, dream catchers serve a dual purpose in providing a cash return while simultaneously "marketing" Native values and spirituality.

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Author Biography

Cath Oberholtzer, Trent University

Cath Oberholtzer is a SSHRC postdoctoral fellow and part-time lecturer in the Anthropology Department at Trent University. She received her Ph.D. from McMaster University. Her research focusses on the material culture of the Cree of the James Bay area. Her assessments of museum collections in Europe and North America, as well as her discussions of this material with Cree in their northern communities, have resulted in several articles.

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Published

2022-06-02

How to Cite

Oberholtzer, C. (2022). The Re-Invention of Tradition and the Marketing of Cultural Values. Anthropologica, 37(2), 141–153. Retrieved from https://cas-sca.journals.uvic.ca/index.php/anthropologica/article/view/2014

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Articles