Bringing the Past to Life: The Kennis Brothers, Paleo-Artists

Figure 1: The Kennis brothers working in their studio (Source: Alamy Stock Photos)

 

If you ever wandered through a museum or opened a textbook on ancient life then you may have viewed any number of sculptures or illustrations of ancient creatures.  These creatures are often very far removed from their modern descendants, leading many to question how and why the artists decided upon the stylistic choices they made.  These criticisms have led some artists to draw upon scientific research to inform their creativity, which is very much the case for Adrie and Alfons Kennis, two highly sought-after paleo-artists (Figure 1).

 

If you ask Adrie and Alfons Kennis, identical twins from the Netherlands, what led them to their careers in paleo-artistry they will quickly admit that they were not good at traditional schoolwork, such as math or reading.  They loved art and spent much of their time drawing.  They drew inspiration from illustrator Zdenek Burian, who drew and painted various hominids, particularly Neanderthals.  They were fascinated by the scenes in Burian’s work, and during family vacations they would visit the various sites that Neanderthals had previously occupied.  Over time, they, too, became critical of the depictions of hominid ancestors, asking questions pertaining to the realism of the scenes.  Dissatisfied with what they were seeing they opted to enter the field and try their hand at reconstructing human ancestors.

 

They began by studying anatomy, art, biology, evolutionary theory, forensic facial reconstructions, and more.  They constructed a studio in their hometown of Arnhem, Netherlands, which the filled with casts of various human, nonhuman primate, and hominids skeletal elements (cranial and post-cranial remains).  They began creating their sculptures within short order.  First, they build a model of the individual’s skeleton.  They take great care in studying the features of every bone to understand the location, size, and depth of muscles and soft tissues that are then reconstructed onto the model skeleton.  This is where the forensic methods come in, but they also rely on their understanding of human and nonhuman primate anatomy and morphology to inform their modeling of the individual’s body. 

 

Additionally, they draw upon ethnographic anthropological methods.  By studying contemporary foraging groups they gain insights into how the physical environment affects the body.  Prolonged sun exposure will darken the skin over time, while repetitious physical activity will mold and shape the bones and body for functional precision.  Ethnographic photographs of foragers during colonization also provide insights into cultural elements that could be present on hominids bodies.  For example, many artists will depict clothed hominids, but the reality is that there is no evidence to support this stylistic choice.  Modern foragers are often naked, for both practical and cultural reasons (e.g., they do not feel shame in being nude), leading the Kennis brothers to leave their hominid models naked.

 

The brothers will draw upon the material cultural evidence found with specific hominid remains to decide if and what cultural elements should be present on the body.  For example, Neanderthals have been recovered buried with all manner of artifacts.  They wore jewelry and used pigments on the deceased, which are replicated in various sculptures of Neanderthals the Kennis brothers have created.

 

With the publication of ancient DNA results the Kennis brothers have a new avenue of information to draw upon.  These pieces of evidence have led them to make informed choices concerning skin, hair, and eye color for their sculptures.  This had led to some controversies, such as was the case with their reconstruction of Cheddar Man.  Cheddar Man was one of the first Homo sapiens in the United Kingdom, and ancient DNA analyses provided insights into his skin and eye color.  From this information the Kennis brothers created a sculpture of a dark-skinned man with blue eyes, leading to public shock and some outcry.  This was tempered by release of the ancient DNA results.

 

The Kennis brothers have created at least a dozen hominid sculptures and illustrations.  Their work is on display in various museums across Europe, as well as present in various publications (e.g., textbooks and magazines).  Their work is quite expensive, but it is worth every penny.  They do not let anything leave their studio without approval by the both of them, and they hold themselves to incredibly high standards.  This has paid off since the scientific community and the public love their work, which is in large part due to the humanity they bring to the creations.

 

References

Buchan, K. (2018, May 5). Meet the ancestors… the two brothers creating lifelike figures of early man. The Guardian.

California-TV, U. o. (Director). (2018). CARTA: Imagination and Human Origins: Adrie & Alfons Kennis - Using Imagination to Create Reconstructions of Ancient Hominins [Motion Picture].

Hendry, L. (2018). Bringing a Neanderthal to life: the making of our model. Retrieved from Natural History Museum: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/bringing-a-neanderthal-to-life-the-making-of-our-model.html

Kennis, A., & Kennis, A. (n.d.). About. Retrieved from Kennis and Kennis: https://www.kenniskennis.com/about/

 

A Christmas Witch: La Befana and Celebrating Epiphany in Italy

 

Figure 1: Actors depicting the Three Wise Men in an Italian Epiphany Parade (Source: Ruffner 1)

According to Christians, Jesus was born on December 25, but the Three Wise Men did not arrive with their gifts to commemorate his birth until 12 days later, on January 6.  This day is known as Epiphany, which is celebrated in various ways among some cultural groups.  For Italians, it is an important national holiday wherein businesses close and large community wide festivities commence.  Italians are entertained by parades full of marching bands, performers, the “Three Wise Men,” and La Befana, popularly referred to as Italy’s Christmas witch (Figures 1 & 2).  Yes, a Christmas witch, but unlike what may come to mind La Befana is a benevolent individual who plays an important role in Italian folklore and culture.  This blog post will explain more about La Befana.

 

La Befana reportedly dates to the 8^th century, but her name was first recorded in 1549.  It is believed that La Befana is a derivative of the Greek word “epiphany”, which coincides with her relationship with this sacred holiday.  According to Italian folklore La Befana was an old, impoverished woman who paid a kindness to the Three Wise Men as they journeyed to Bethlehem to receive baby Jesus.  There are variations on the legend.  One claims she allowed the men stay in her home free of charge for a night, but another says that she merely gave them what little food she had to spare, some water, and directions to their destination.  They encouraged her to join them on their journey, but La Befana, the devoted housekeeper, declined, citing the need to keep her house clean.  Shortly after the men left, she realized that she made a mistake.  She loaded up a collection of fruit to gift baby Jesus and grabbed her broom as she began her trek to catch up with the Three Wise Men.  Ultimately, she failed to catch up to them, but she visited various homes along the way, giving the children in the home a gift in case one of them was the newborn babe she was looking for.  She continues this trek annually, starting on the night of January 5, in hopes of fulfilling her mission of meeting the men and ultimately Jesus.

 

Figure 2: La Befana Figurines (Source: Ruffner 1)

 

Scholars believe that the tale of La Befana has deeper roots and a longer history among Italians.  It may have been a carry over of an old Pagan tradition wherein an entity associated with Mother Nature was celebrated at the end of December.  As Italians converted to Christianity they appropriated this important pagan deity into their new Christian rituals associated with Jesus and Epiphany. 

 

Today, La Befana is considered a cherished cultural symbol and her acts of kindness replicated within Italian homes.  She is depicted as an old woman with a crooked nose, rags of a dress, and a long scarf that she wears to cover her grey hair and keep her warm.  Throughout the night before Epiphany La Befana flies from house to house, entering the homes through either a keyhole or a chimney.  Families are expected to leave a glass of wine (to keep her warm), as well as some sausage and broccoli, reportedly her favorite foods that she eats to sustain her on her journey.  The morning of January 6 is welcomed by children who awake to see what La Befana left them.  Good children are traditionally gifted dried fruits and candy, whereas naughty children are left coal (a tradition similar to the German St. Nicholas custom). 

 

While La Befana remains an important cultural symbol throughout Italy, demonstrating a mixture of old and new traditions, customs, and values, there continues to be changes in how she is celebrated.  There are large scale La Befana festivals throughout the country, with the largest being celebrated in the city of Urbania.  Throughout the day of Epiphany (January 6) people celebrate the Three Wise Men and La Befana, the latter of whom is commemorated through the consumption of her favorite foods and drink throughout the day.  There has also been an element of commercialization of La Befana that has crept into the holiday.  Vendors sell a variety of La Befana figurines and goods, and children no longer receive small gifts of fruit and candy but instead larger gifts, like what you would expect under an American Christmas tree.

 

Works Cited

Correale, Marta. "La Befana: the story of Italy’s Christmas witch." 1 June 2016. Learning Escapes. Electronic. 24 November 2024.

Giglio, Von Michael. "Taking Flight with Italy's Holiday Witch." Spiegel International 12 December 2008. Electronic.

No Author. "La Befana: The Italian Christmas Witch." n.d. House of Good Fortune. Electronic. 24 November 2024.

Ruffner, Allison. "Italy: La Befana." 2017. University of Delaware Abroad Blog. Electronic. 24 November 2024.

 

For Luck and Money: Exploring an African American New Year’s Day Tradition

New Year's Day Meal: Collard Greens, Ham, and Black-Eyed Peas

 

As previously discussed on this blog there has been a problem erasing the role of African Americans in Southern traditions by simply referring to Black cultural traditions as being Southern.  This commonly happens with African American cuisine, such as was the case with Soul Food being referred to as Southern comfort foods or cuisine.  It is important to recognize, however, the role of African American cultural traditions in the greater American Southern identity, as well as the contributions of White Southerners in the shaping of some African American traditions.  This is very much present in the African American New Year’s tradition of eating collard greens, pork, and black-eyed peas.

 

It is common among African American households to make and eat a dish made up of collard greens, pork (traditionally ham hocks), and black-eyed peas on New Years Day.  The reason these foods are eaten is because of what two of the ingredients represent.  Collard greens represent money, and black-eyed peas represent good luck and prosperity.  Taken together, it is believed that the consumption of these foods will bring about financial security and good fortune to the consumers throughout the New Year.  The inclusion of pork in the meal is often written off as a means of flavoring the other ingredients, but it, along with the meaning of the meal, demonstrates a merging of European and West African traditions. 

 

When West Africans were kidnapped and enslaved in the Americas they brought with them their cultural ways, which they prohibited by force from practicing.  It is very difficult, however, to fully stop anyone from continuing their culture completely since it is such an integral part of one’s identity and behaviors, leading to the result of enslaved Blacks continuing with their culture in often altered ways.  These alterations were either forced upon enslaved Blacks or the outcome of intentional or unintentional cultural diffusion, according to food historian Adrian Miller. 

 

This explains the creation of the New Year’s Day culinary tradition of consuming collard greens, pork, and black-eyed peas.  Europeans would consume a leafy vegetable, such as kale or cabbage, on New Year’s Day as a means of bringing about good luck in the new year.  Italians would consume lentils cooked with pork because lentils represented coins, thereby ensuring financial success in the new year.  West Africans reportedly did not have any specific New Year’s Day traditions.  They did, however, have beliefs tied to black-eyed peas, which they brought to the Americas in the 1600s.  They believed the consumption of black-eyed peas prevented attacks from evil spirits, and it was commonplace to consume black-eyed peas on holidays.  Enslaved Blacks observed European immigrants’ New Years traditions and adopted it as part of their own traditions, making some notable changes to accommodate the foods they had access to.  These included collard greens (a substitution for kale or cabbage), pieces of pork that White slave owners did not want (e.g., pork feet), and their own black-eyed peas. 

 

As time went on European immigrants to the US assimilated to American culture, abandoning their New Year’s Day meal traditions, but African Americans continued theirs.  Today, many people will say that this meal is a traditional Southern (American) meal, but it is one that was born from the unification of distinct cultural traditions.  Its abandonment by European immigrants and adoption and continuation among African Americans is an important aspect that should be acknowledged and remembered.

 

Works Cited

Foster, Alexandra. "Why We Eat Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens on New Year’s Day." Food Network 2 December 2023. Electronic.

Hagwood, Kayland. "Why people make black-eyed peas for New Year's." WCNC 31 December 2023. Electronic.

Stewart, Kayla. "Tracing the Origins of a Black American New Year’s Ritual." New York Times 24 December 2021. Electronic.