Make-up Journal #2

Ah yes, another make up journal for the ones I missed before I was in the class.
Yesterday, I got the opportunity to talk to professor Ostraff from the art department. He spoke to me about how in Tonga, they don't even have a word specifically for "art." This makes sense, in that pretty much everything that people do is art. The way we walk or talk, the clothes we wear, how we style our hair... even things like cars, shoes, pillows, architecture etc they are all some sort of art, and it's such a broad and generally term that the word doesn't even mean anything! The things that people do that are creative can also have a utility, and at the same time things we use for utility can have aesthetics to which we can ascribe artistic qualities.
I like that Tonga doesn't have a word for art, in that, everything they do is art so there just isn't a word for "everything you can do." It makes a lot of sense.
As I go to Tonga, I am studying the weaving houses, and the women create art, but it's also their "job" or source of income, at the same time it's a social space where she can spend time with her family and/or friends, and at the same time, it's traditional and cultural, and the cloths will be used for important ceremonies or for gift giving. When you look at it this way, it's clear to see why there isn't a word for "art," because everything is sort of woven together (pun definitely intended). In Tonga, the womens relationships to the cloth is so much more than just a way to make money, or a form of art. It's multi-dimensional and it's super beautiful. I am excited to be able to take a closer look at what all that is like in the weaving houses!