WORLD CLASS IGNORANCE

Stuff reported on the shock horror allegedly felt by the organisers of a 420 strong stall-holders in a Wellington street festival when it was discovered one particular stall flogging jewellery included a small swastika.

As Stuff correctly pointed out, the swastika was and continues to be a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism.

But aside from that, even if it was a Nazi relic, owning it as a curio is perfectly understandable.

The German nazi period and in particular the holocaust, was one of the worst episodes in human history of mankind’s inhumanity to their fellow humans.

Owning relics of it is thus understandable and no different than possessing a maori patu club for which there’s a continuing market.

The Patu’s sole function was to kill an enemy. They continue to be manufactured to this day, as being highly ornamental they have an aesthetic value over and above their historic purpose and are thus attractive to tourists.

I own one which is over 200 years old. I also have a small Second World War German army compass enclosed in a round metal case, with a swastika on its top.

Being a sucker for historic curios, among other things, my homes are filled with historic ornamental weaponry I’ve acquired over the years, notably old blunderbusses, ornamental daggers, swords and the like. That’s not inconsistent with my life-long anti-military position nor is my possession of religious relics such as icons with my atheism.

But mostly, ornamental wise, my homes are filled with art and also oriental porcelain. In both cases I’ve been a collector for nigh on six decades.  I also own numerous sporting relics, most notably the mouthguard Muhamed Ali used in the Thrilla in Manilla 1975 historic fight. Ali’s trainer, Angelo Dundee was a close mate and allocated me a ringside seat alongside Norman Mailer just below his corner.

When Frasier’s corner pulled him out after 14 torrid rounds the Ali camp in it’s usual chaotic manner came tumbling down the steps alongside me. Angelo, spotting me and still holding Ali’s mouthguard he’d just removed from his mouth, thrust it at me saying “You want this Bob”.

The following morning I had Angelo and Ali sign on each side of it with a thick black pen.

So back to the swastika which caused the Wellington street festival organisers such distress.
Their shock horror response suggests they’re not very worldly-wise.

Throughout the western world antique and bric a brac shops are filled with such relics. They’re part of our history regardless of whether they reflect good or evil.

But most of all consider this.

One of Europe’s most pleasant cities is Poland’s Krakow. It pulls tourists in vast numbers, mostly sitting in the numerous cafes which line its city squares.

But significantly it draws tens of thousands of Jews from all over the world, solely to visit the worst Nazi death camp, Auschwitz, an hour and a half’s drive, or train ride away.

If I was Jewish, I would definitely visit Auschwitz. But I’m not so have no wish to see the gas ovens etc, in the flesh. But I can readily understand why Jews feel otherwise.