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6. ANIMAL & TOTEM


Smart breeding and training and keeping and nurturing have transformed the herdsman’s animals into precious treasures. Without farm animals the pastures remain full of grass. Thanks to the animal tables and cooking pots have milk, cream, meat and lard. Tall stacks of wheels of cheese roll onto the export lines. Returning earnings and discreet wealth.

The animal also becomes a cult figure, a leading figure, an amulet and finally a totem. People make use of horn, hoofs, claws, fur and bones not only for utilitarian purposes, but also for conjuration and guarding purposes. They hang them over their doors, demonstrating their desire to appropriate the animal’s powers and defenses. Within the alpine region the testimonials of this transcendence of animal power into the entire human sphere are numerous.

 

Taurus


December 19th 2004, Iron, tree fungus, h 53cm, w 23cm

Ueli Dubs

 

Compassion with the Cow


Japanese people can be a lot more than just funny. They can be very compassionate too. A Japanese tourist saw some poor naked cows in the cold snow on a steep mountainside of the Bernese Oberland. Having compassion with them, he asked why nobody had given them any clothes? Either the people did not understand his language, or they thought he was joking, if he was not crazy. Out of politeness, probably, they only shook their heads and muttered: “It is not necessary.” The Japanese tourist was very disappointed with the heartlessness of the farmers of the Bernese Oberland.

When he returned home, he took charge of this cow question. He turned to Professor Mosaku Sakurai, who had already created coats for Japanese cows. The sixty-one year old scientist only had one difficulty - as a scientist he was aware of the fact that Swiss cows would need a different size coat from the Japanese cows. He sent a team out on a measuring mission.

Later, based on the results of the scientific inquiries and in order to avoid the size issues, the professor determined that Swiss cow apparel needed to be in the form of three-piece suits. The three pieces were for the head, the back and the underside of the cow. Based on such solid data, the professor hoped to produce custom-made cow apparel.

In Japan the professor’s ideas found a market. He has had no reply from Switzerland to date. Is it lack of interest or speechlessness? A further fact finding mission to Switzerland is scheduled to leave Japan in order to research apparel marketing in the service of freezing cows.

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Al Imfeld

 

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