Authenticity-The Battle

I think of Dan Haggerty, in Grizzly Adams. There was one scene in a episode where his cabin was in the background. The familiar items were there, the shovel, the snow shoes, the furs, and of course his nylon fishing rod. Whoa, nylon fishing rod? That's right, nylon. The prop men goofed. In their quest for authenticity, one item was missed.

So, if we consider ourselves to be true collectors of western memorabilia, we have to be wary of our own prejudices. I have a penchant for the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Zorro, and Rex Allen. Others I know collect only Roy Rogers, and so on. In the truest sense, I am a collector of popular memorabilia. I do not have any Charlie Russell statues (I can't afford them), nor do I have an antique buffalo hide hanging in my basement (my nephew is allergic). But, what I do have, is a collection of items that represent part of my quest for identity, values, and childhood. I like the Lone Ranger because... is a question that I ask myself often. I like Roy Rogers because..., and I like Zorro because... are common queries I face from friends.

So, what about authenticity? Where do we, looking at history from a 21st century perspective fit in. I believe that we, if we consider ourselves to be sophisticated, are 'Great Grandsons of the Pioneers'. My grandfather was born on a homestead, and trapped, fished and farmed before he became a lumberyard owner. He knew the hardship. He tried to pass it on when I was a teenager, and I failed to learn an appreciation of his life experiences. He told my uncle and I about the laying of the railroad in central Saskatchewan. He was fascinated by the process-foundation, gravel, ties, track laying machines, and the eventual testing. We, on the other hand, were bored, and made fun of him. That was the last time he talked about his passions as a young man. We lost, and he closed up after that.

As ' Great Grandsons of the Pioneers', we are so far removed from a faint recognition of authentic western lifestyle, we would have to be branded to bring us to a point of acceptance. Our only responses, to gain an appreciation of the lifestyle, and it's attributes are education and experience. We can read about the history of our land, it's pioneers, and then, if we are up to it, experience it. We can go on a cattle drive, go on a working holiday at a real ranch, or we can choose to live with our neo western perception of our past.

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