Where are the stone carvers, the wood carvers, the blacksmiths?
Does anyone know what a wainwright is?
A bodger?
A cooper?
(see bottom of article for answers!)
These are only a few of the craftsmen that any village could not sustain itself without.
Yes, I know, times have changed. A lot. But believe it or not, there are still a few of us out there who care about such things. Those of us who would rather lose themselves in a marathon of PBS' Folkways, than find out "what's hot on YouTube".
So what is this "strange" pull to keep the old ways? It's knowledge. Or more importantly, the fear of losing it. But it's certainly not just that.
We've created such a disposable society. We allow ourselves to believe that it's better to buy that plastic flimsy tool because it's cheaper. It's better. But guess what, you'll be buying that tool over and over again (that's what they want by the way). Adds up to a lot after awhile.
But really, that's not the point. It's better to buy from your local craftsmen (and they are out there, quietly trying to scratch out a living doing what they love), instead of big corporations. We all know that. It's better for the economy, and much more importantly, it's better for humanity.
Humans don't do well being cogs. We invent. We create. Let's not let this part of ourselves die out.
100 years ago stone carving was one of the most prevalent trades in America. Currently, there are only around 200 carvers left in the entire U.S., and only 8 to 12 percent of these carvers are the next generation. That is an extremely small percentage of people left, carrying this trade into the future, the way to stop this is through education and public awareness.
Is it too late? No. There's too many out there that share these thoughts. But we must do something to keep it from happening. We must support our local craftsmen. And just as important, if not more, we must teach our youth.
Definitions from Collins English Dictionary
1. Wainwright: a person who makes wagons
2. Bodger: a labourer who traditionally lived and worked in the forest, making chairs from felling trees.
3. Cooper: Also called hooper; a person skilled in making and repairing barrels, casks, etc.
Would you like to be involved in the grassroots movement to reeducate our youth in the importance of keeping our time honored artisan trades alive? Contact us through http://www.CarverRoad.com
Carver Road is a business and organization dedicated to keeping our time honoured crafts and trades alive. [http://www.CarverRoad.com]
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