The prevailing culture in a society influences individual and collective perceptions of materials belonging to people in a given culture. Artefacts, adornments, and other objects within a culture are also perceived within the realm of cultural beliefs and practices (Appadurai 304). However, different groups of persons within a society give different interpretations to such artefacts, objects, and adornments.
In many parts of the world, the mobile phone has acquired a certain level of symbolism that stretches beyond its prototypical function of communication. Through various and constant improvements on its use, the mobile phone has come to imply and project different meanings to various persons in different societies across the world. According to Pfaff, for the people of East Africa, mobile phone is much more than a communication gadget (343).
Firstly, mobile phone is a predictor of social status; for instance, a person with an expensive (looking) mobile phone is deemed to be economically above average. For teens and youth, mobile phones are communication gadgets, an entertainment medium – used to play stored music inside the mp3-enabled mobile phones – and a mini-radio from which they get their sports and entertainment news.
Most teens and youth also use their mobile phones for the Internet access. The same is true for most teens all over the world. For the elderly in East Africa, mobile phone is strictly viewed as a gadget for basic communication. For the businesspeople in the region, mobile phone is a tool for facilitating business transactions, as well as for sending and receiving money.
Similarly, a ring on any finger connotes different things in different cultures across the world. In many Judaeo-Christian societies, the ring on the “ring finger’ indicates the wearer is married. When the ring is worn on other fingers, it means/projects different perspectives in modern societies (Heisley and Cours 430).
Many youths wear a ring to convey their vows of remaining virgin until marriage. Sometimes rings made of expensive materials like gold or diamonds are simply worn as a form of adornment. Another form of adornment, a stud, also projects different meaning in various societies.
Ladies wear earrings/studs as a form of beauty enhancer; consequently, the society perceive earrings as a female adornment. However, in modern-day cultures, males also wear earrings. When a man puts on a stud, on one ear, it could signify his homophile sexual orientation.
Believers wear the crucifix symbol, a powerful symbol in the Christian society (especially for those of Catholic faith), on the neck for different purposes. Some believers wear the crucifix to offer them a form of spiritual guidance and they get a sense of comfort from the same. On the other hand, unbelievers wear the crucifix simply as a form of jewellery, especially the ones made from precious stones.
Finally, the head cap is another signifier that plays a role in the material culture of many societies in the world. In the religious sphere, the cap is used as a symbol of one’s religion. The Catholic cardinals, Jewish rabbis, and Muslim faithful wear head caps to signify their different religions.
In many of the disciplined forces of the world such as the police, the cap signifies ranks and seniority within the force. Many people in society also wear caps for the ordinary purpose of enhancing their looks. Therefore, different adornments, objects and/or artefacts carry different meanings to different people in a given culture.
Works Cited
Appadurai, Arjun. The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.
Heisley, Deborah, and Deborah Cours. “Connectedness and Worthiness for the Embedded Self: A Material Culture Perspective.” Consumption, Markets & Culture 10.4 (2007): 425-450.
Pfaff, Julia. “A mobile phone: mobility, materiality and everyday Swahili trading practices.” Cultural Geographies 17.3 (2010): 341-357.