Why do we learn history?
Well, we learn history so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes that we did in the past. We also learn history to know and have knowledge about what has happened in the past.
So, what if we mixed this knowledge with breathtaking buildings and sculptures? That’s what monuments are, they define our past using symbolism so people can know more about it, but also they serve as a place to honor the event, not just learn about it.
Kinda like applying history into the real world, because in history, even though we use books, everything is super real and real people have suffered because of these events.
Monuments are a place to silently honor these events, these histories. They bring history to life through symbolism.
However, these monuments depend on perspective, it is crucial. Monuments cover history, but they must cover all of it, not the bright parts. Since that is the whole history, we must commemorate all of the story.
While monuments are a beautiful and symbolic way to commemorate and spread awareness, we must do them correctly, or else they can become controversial. Take for example, Mount Rushmore. While to some people, it honors four of the US presidents, to the Sioux Native American group, it lies on land that was snatched away from them. This place, which has been used to commemorate the great American leaders, is vandalizing the land meant for the Sioux.
We can take another example: Christopher Columbus. People know that Christopher Columbus is known for the “man that discovered America”, but the truth is, the Native Americans were there first. Columbus was the start to a long struggle for Native Americans and honestly, tortured them, took their land, called them “Indians” wrongfully since he thought he was in India, and so much more to these poor people. Yet, we still have a memorial of him standing majestically with a cape wrapped around him surrounded by thr mist of the New World.
