Why Old Places Matter by Thompson M. Mayes

Author:Thompson M. Mayes [Mayes, Thompson M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2018-06-25T16:00:00+00:00

Mount Taylor, in New Mexico, is considered sacred by the Pueblo of Acoma and other Native Americans

Theresa Pasqual

Theresa Pasqual, the former tribal historic preservation officer of Acoma, says,

In the United States, we’re uncomfortable talking about particular beliefs. Yet to have a full and rich understanding of the sacredness of place, we have to look at the core values of the people. Our language does not have a word for ownership. We don’t have a word for preservation. We have a word for stewardship. We have a word for sacred. Perhaps for preservation to be all-inclusive we need to talk about the sacred. It’s the transmission of knowledge that is important—the stories, the songs. These give us a sense of who we are as a people and give us the understanding of sacred places in the landscape. Those values are the things that bind us together. We have to get over our uncomfortableness of talking about those core values or we won’t have the rich understanding of place.”16

Preservationists tend to be more comfortable grappling with old places as simply material objects or buildings rather than spiritual places. I was intrigued by an article in The Getty about a site in India called Sarnath, a site holy to Buddhists. Also an archaeological site, Sarnath remains a place of pilgrimage, and the article highlighted the challenges of honoring its history as a holy pilgrimage site while also maximizing its value as a historic archaeological site: “Candles and sheets of gold leaf are often stuck onto the stupas and architectural remains, despite signs discouraging it. These gestures are ones of respect and are not intended to mar the site, yet they do pose a concern for the long-term preservation of these remains.”17

As the article highlights, although it’s important to protect the site from damage, we have to be careful as preservationists not to let our preservation instincts prevent the ongoing use of these places—it’s the ongoing use that causes people to continue to value them and that in fact gives them much of their power.

I understand why government agencies must apply objective criteria for what is historic. But for the rest of us, our reticence to talk about the sacredness of old places seems to cut us off from the potential power of these old places. Perhaps we should allow ourselves to give voice to the places that we really care about and consider sacred in our own way. After all, these places have the capacity to provide deep spiritual and psychological benefits; for me, this is really what preservation is all about—making our present and future lives better.

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