Water Buffalo Reminds Us of Who We Once Were
I recently visited a friend and they have this inside their home. It’s one of the most beautiful water buffalo sculpture that I’ve ever seen. It’s about 30 inches tall, and he said that he has the burden to carry it around, they’ve moved 3 times and can’t get rid of it.
It belongs to his father, it’s over 30 years old and his father brought it to America with them 30 years ago because they were farmers in Taiwan, and this is to remind them of who they once were, so every time his dad visits his family, this is the first thing that he would ask to see. None of the other children wanted it, so the burden falls on him.
I wonder if he thought it is ugly because he has it in the basement’s bathroom, and the only time that it is placed at the front entrance is when his dad visit. If my dad were to give this to me, I would think it’s such an honor, but of course, everyone see things differently.
Wow, what a beautiful piece of art and with so much family history surrounding it. I would put this in my living room proudly because it is part of who I am. If nothing else it would make such a great conversational piece. Just imagine your guests visiting you and ask you about this unique piece of art. Even if you don’t like it much at first once you started telling all your guests about it over and over, you just might fall in love with it and feel somewhat connected to it.
I have a sticky rice basket aka thip khao on my side coffee table in the living room. There is no picture on the wall and not much decoration but my sticky rice basket. Next time I go to Laos I will buy me a khene so I put it in the living room also.
To put such an art object tucked away in the basement is like you are ashamed of it or ashamed or your roots. Perhaps I think too much.
Darly, he once said that his dad’s teaching to all the children is that if you want anything in life you have to get it yourself, and I think for his dad to wanting this piece of sculpture to pass down to the family is to remind them of who they once were, farmers, and also emigrants, no matter how success you are, don’t forget your roots.
From talking to him, I can’t say that it’s shamed, but more like it’s huge and ugly and doesn‘t fit into his home decor, and I offered to buy from him, but he said that his dad will kill him. His mentality is very different from mine, he said that when he was growing up, he had very little, and anything that he wants, he has to get, anything that he didn’t have growing up, he has to get, even if it means working two jobs and not having much time spent with his family. It is almost as if expensive material things equal success and happiness. He has a convertible Porsche and a Mercedes parked in his garage as his car collection thus far.
I guess I’m different, after seeing all this, I don’t see it as happiness, to me happiness is the simple things in life, it’s within and not material things, I can’t even say that he has time to enjoy the things that he has, his life is like a rat race.
I know a lot of people that are ashamed of their roots, but at the same time I think they are the ones that are very unhappy with themselves.