Artifact Ritual Design

My artifact helps offers encouragement in the idea of giving power to the choice back to the unknown.

This past summer, I went on a very long walk called the Camino de Santiago.

So long, that it took about a month. What I found in that walk is something that will stay with me forever: the power of decision making and where the magic lies within it. During my time on this trail, I made it a point to never visit the first spot in a town just for the sake it being there after a 10 mile day. This habit became a ritual in my day to day. Every village I encountered, I made it a point to go beyond the expected to wander into the unknown even if it were off the beaten path, literally. Hiding was an experience that left lasting impressions. Ever since these unexpected encounters that happened or didn’t, the ritual had stuck with me. So much that every new place that I wander I still decide to go to the second or third or fourth location because I believe that there is a value in taking a chance on the unknown.

Pictured: Me and my mom, Cathy, in the last 10 km to Santiago.

THE CALL OF THE CAMINO

For some, the walk can be a rare and highly significant experience. Others, whom are called by the camino multiple times consider the ritual still value it as a very important experience for every moment they find a different resolution. Historically, the walk starts from a pilgrims front door but many now consider the start in St. Jean Pied de Port, France.

Observation

The Camino de Santiago, known in English as the Way of Saint James, is a network of pilgrims’ ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried in the cathedral. Many follow the routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. The spiritual ritual is usually between one person and their pilgrimage. There is no specific time that a pilgrim sets out on their camino, it is more of an internal calling that they have with themselves. A purist will start walking the camino from their front door, however, many start in the sacred city of Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Pictured: Me at the Iron Cross, also know as the highest point on the camino.

The value of the pilgrimage is a time of reflection and varies depending on the individual. The ritual is a time of passage where a new soul comes to the path to find their way through hardships that they have been dealing with in their life. The stages of the journey offer a sort of holistic rehabilitation for a loss whether it be physical or figurative. Social and environmental factors are present everywhere along the pilgrimage. There are no constant factors other than the terrain that must be passed which provides physical barriers to overcome. Social factors include conversing with other pilgrims, locals and travelers in which offer all kinds of language barriers. However, a universal language is spoken on the path and that is of the Buen Camino greeting to your fellow pilgrims.

Historically, the ritual was for devout christians who resided in Europe during the middle ages. However, the ritual has been spread throughout the continents and hundred or thousands of travelers come to Spain to complete the camino every year for religious and non-religious reasons.

Below is a journey map that discusses the four different stages that I endured as a pilgrim on the trail.

Personal Journey Map of the Camino and Insights through travels.

Further Insight can be found here.

Precedents, Considerations and inspiration for the artifact

Existing Artifacts in the Ritual:

Seashell - the symbolism of the Camino completion
Buen Camino - A thoughtful greeting between two strangers when you passed each other on the trail.
Credentials - The ability to sleep in Alburgeus and credentials as a pilgrim.
Journaling - To recount your days; a daily reflection.
Mass - Respect on the camino.
Tend to your wounds - respect yourself.

Constraints and Considerations for the Artifact:

Weight
Size (Needs to be able to fit into a pocket)
Ability to withstand weather conditions and various terrains
Language barrier (no language at all) - Symbols

Inspiration Drawn from Literature:

In novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, two stones Urim and Thummim are used to guide the protagonist through challenging decisions to guide him back onto his path. The stones were my immediate inspiration for the artifact that I wanted to create for helping guide pilgrims on their path and ideally not get stuck in the “routine”. Much like the pilgrims on the camino, Santiago is trying to find his personal legend but is challenged by the safety of the existing and known. The stones guide him back to his path and reveal the truth.

In Jewish history, Urim and Thummin have traditionally been understood as “light” and “perfections”; the perfect light. The Urim and Thummim were used at critical moments in the history of God's people when special divine guidance was needed.

Purpose of the Artifact (Goals):

To not fall into a routine and allow for the stones to lead you to your path.
Keep an open mind and accept challenges based on the gamble of random choice.
Want to remind myself of the simplicity of choice that was on the camino in my day to day.

In all, I wanted my artifact to help offer encouragement to give power back to the unknown choice.

The Artifact

First Iteration: Urim and Thummim inspired Stones

In my first iteration, I played around with the experience of simplicity. On the trail, most pilgrims are carrying a pack that holds water, a change of clothes and hygiene products. The way is suppose to be minimal, pilgrims are to embrace the simplicity of the path with emphasis on body, mind and the soul. The stones are meant to help keep you on the path or provide the “light”. The materiality of the stones represent the simplistic, almost primal, experience in order to focus on what the trail can provide for you and not you can provide. Although, the experience provides a minimal yes or no answer, I thought it was too simple to apply to different context.

Second Iteration: Symbolism and The Gamble

In my second iteration, I wanted to experiment with the idea of assigning physical objects in the wild with symbols. Using symbols to represent needs like food, water, shelter and rest. I wanted my artifact to aid in determining those needs and how they are altered before encountering a village for those needs leaves the choice up to accepting the unknown. After choosing one of the necessities that would be altered in the decision, the person then encounters the gamble. The Roll of a die to determine the number associated with the location, event or other pre-established system for a specific need.

Being able to use this ritual form of choice, I gave the symbols representative agency to the beholder because each person has a different experience. It also provides growth into other aspects of your life and does not have to only be applied to the camino.

Iteration 3: Personal Camino Map

Although being able to choose what ‘stones’ symbolize to any context, I wanted to make the ritual artifact more specific to a day on the camino.

Personal Map with Legend for the Camino Frances Way

I decided to create a map of the trail on the camino that represents those specific needs that I applied my stone in the beginning. Since the map is a replica of the actual trail and the villages along it, the choices will play out and possible lead you to the unexpected challenges or enlightening situations.

Final Process

Step3: Locate the place or need that is made through your embraced freedom you gave to the chance.

Reflection:

By engaging in critical making, I was able to approach the process by means of truly understanding the ritual through a different lens. Although I had experienced the ritual, stepping through the emotions experienced and events triggered by reflection I was able to pinpoint specific moments that impacted me a great deal on the journey and how an object while making it would impact it. The artifact may be specific to my camino but it truly critiques how we value choice. Furthermore, how to approach choice in a way that lets us give up the freedom and allow chance to decide.

In regards to designing the future, my artifact may alter how we look at time and essence of it. We value it so much and that is why our choices are incredibly important in our lives. If we were more comfortable in allowing life to play out and provide the way, I wonder how our society would interact with each other.

Citations

Brierley, John. A Pilgrims Guide to the Camino De Santiago: St. Jean Roncesvilles Santiago. Camino Guides (Findhorn Press), 2012.

Coelho, Paulo, and Jeremy Irons. The Alchemist. Harper Audio, 2001.

Fox, Esme. “A Brief History of the Camino De Santiago.” Culture Trip, 19 June 2017, theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-camino-de-santiago/.

“Urim and Thummim Definition and Meaning - Bible Dictionary.” Bible Study Tools, Salem Web Network, www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/urim-and-thummim/.

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