Dedication (noun)
- Self-sacrificing devotion and loyalty, the hard work and effort that somebody puts into an activity or a purpose because they think it is important
- An act or rite of dedicating someone or something to a divine being or to a sacred use
- A devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose
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As we consider other’s viewpoints, we become increasingly self-aware and realise our own identity as fluid and contingent on other people
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How do we become who we are?
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In 2019, artist Liz Crichton recorded autobiographical interviews with people baptised as infants at the small Episcopal church of St Michael and All Angels in a small hamlet in rural part of the Perthshire glens. Baptism is a rite of passage, one of the seven sacraments of the Christian faith, visible signs of invisible grace, celebrating the gift of new life in which other people promise to hold a light for you on your journey through life. Traditionally, the worshipping community of this church has been drawn from a perceived social elite of local landowners, |
much boosted in summer months by those families that gather here to indulge in their passion for field sports, whilst those who worked on the land tended to worship at the Presbyterian Parish Kirk in the neighbouring village. The shape of the community has changed in recent times, but some of the prejudices remain.
Now dispersed world-wide, interviewees were asked to share their life stories, what influences had made them who they were and what they might leave behind. The interviews provided a space for emotional remembering and deep reflection. What these people shared, their memories, reflections, challenges, achievements, moments of grief and despair, joy and hope formed the basis of my research into what it is that makes us who we are.
Now dispersed world-wide, interviewees were asked to share their life stories, what influences had made them who they were and what they might leave behind. The interviews provided a space for emotional remembering and deep reflection. What these people shared, their memories, reflections, challenges, achievements, moments of grief and despair, joy and hope formed the basis of my research into what it is that makes us who we are.
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Extracts from these interviews have been compiled into an augmented reality audio walk - The Strathardle Pilgrimage Trail, setting the voices in the local landscape, between this church and the Parish Kirk, physically and metaphorically bridging the perceived social divide between those who associate with each of these two congregations.
One's social identity may be defined through difference, or what we have in common with others. Listening to these stories enables us to identify both similarities with and differences from those interviewed, whilst at the same time shaping and reshaping our own identity. As we engage in meaningful encounters with others, we can discover new meaning for ourselves and increase the value we find in the things, places, situations and relationships. No matter whether you are a seeker looking to discover the meaning of life, or just interested in this place, its history, its landscape and the people associated with it, this pilgrimage trail offers something for you. |
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Moving from self centeredness into reality centredness
