Recently I went to the Indiana Jones exhibition in Montreal. And yes, I came from Toronto, Ontario and my mission is to attend the show that only lasts until September, I think. The train ride was about 6 hours long, stayed at Rue de La Montagne for four days, three nights. You may think: SIX hours for Indiana Jones???- because I think at some point I asked myself if I should go. So I try to think positively: Montreal may bring me other bundle of happiness, I would experience other city in Canada. But back to the subject matter, why give so much for Indiana Jones?

First of all, Indiana Jones is the public’s image of an archaeologist- from the hat, the clothing, adventurous journey he’s on, artifacts that becomes icons of each Indie movie, and many more. But really, from what I know, an archaeologists do not go on quests like what Indie was on. Infact, archaeologists (North American, at least)sometimes work on one site/excavation project for weeks or even years. They also concentrate on reconstructing the past through material cultures, artifacts and its context/its relation to the environment. It seems like Indie’s tasks are quite different from archaeologists. However, I do find that through the popularity of the movies, people who have never heard of archaeology, get a glimpse of archaeology. They would perhaps take further research about archaeology and archaeologists and possibly, become interested in it.

I personally would have never thought of going for Archaeology in my life. I come from Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta, where subject areas other than Business, fashion, medicine, computer science, are hard, even impossible to find. I even come to my current university as a Cinema student. Cinema did not work the way I wanted to, it brought me great dissapointment no matter how hard I try (or I have not try hard enough, but really the courses are not hard to some people).

I took Anthropology course (have never heard of what Anthro is before) and realize that this is the course I have dreamt to exist. It  captures so many things I have experienced (cultural relativism, for example) and taught me the things I have been passionate about. At one point, they made me choose a topic for the course’s essay and I chose Archaeology- Venus figurines. From then, I became interested in Archaeology.

I remember when I was a child, I really liked Egyptian comics (Nofret!), history and anything that has pyramids, the sahara, Hieroglyphic script, mummy tombs attract my eyes. Then during 2010’s Spring, my mom told be about the exhibition of King Tutankhamun in the Art Gallery of Ontario (surprisingly, but I kinda get why instead of the ROM they exhibit them at AGO). I spent $16 for the entrance, and ended up spending 3 hours in the gallery, witnessing the artifacts found in the boy King’s tomb. Everything connects suddenly.

What about archaeology, though that attracts me because I would be studying about stones, old antiquities, scientific techniques and others that include the past?

I like going to museums, I actually find as if I am on a journey, a mysetrious adventure when I am in museums, visualising artifacts and paintings. I think Museums, whether they are institutions, private, independent, or anything!, they are special places. I find these places are lucky because they get to be a place where people go and interact with the past. I feel the thrill, goosebumps and emotional connection when I am confronted with somethng that is 100,000years old. THIS particular object was used 100,000years ago! by the people I would never have the chance to meet, to get to know, or perhaps communicate or interact with because they probably did not speak English, or Indonesian. And the fact that those objects have a particular purpose, I become more interested of what life is like back then. I also like the part where we get to do research and if we are successful, we would tell a story to the world about the past, a story that people have not heard in their lives before, but somehow it connects to our origin, our past, the world’s origin, the world’s past. I guess I love stories behind these artifacts, particularly those that involve different cultures at different times and spaces.

There are so many things we take for granted in life. An example would be the technology that we have been developing during the past years. I, as a person who came from one of the biggest cities in the world is able to see the that there are things that I take for granted because my life was always on the go, it’s very quick, busy, rapid, like it’s on a traintrack. I have grown with luxury, expensive dinners at hotels, big houses. Moreover, I have never ride a public transportation. Because holy mama seven cars owned along with drivers, who needs the bus? My recent move to a small town in Canada with a complete different lifestyle, climate and culture have helped me realize the things I have been taking for granted. I have taken myself away from my original lifestyle and surroundings, and see from an outsider’s point of view. Archaeology, I think, in some ways help people to consider the things they tend to take for granted, it gives you a chance to be critical, help to develop analytical skills because every LITTLE thing is important.