In writing this blog I have learned so much about specific differentiation's between history and memories. In penning Joan Darcy and the 27th Observer I knew up front that memories (After a specific event.) were turned into history because someone, or a scribe, notated the event in detail. Afterwards it became history. As long as the historical tome didn't fall into the hands of the next overlord who conquered their kingdom, who might burn the historical account of his predecessor, the written history of the old king would continue. Historically speaking, it was not unusual to have a conquering army rewrite history to show themselves in a favorable light. Then they waited to have the people die off so their memories wouldn't interfere with the newly written account.
The Roman's conquered Europe then changed historical records specific to why the conquering needed to be done. Interestingly enough they, as a republic, revered history. It made their form of government important to the people with libraries filled with tomes of stories about world history.
In each and every instance historical accounting relied on current memories or what was written in a book somewhere. If the book managed to finally make to a huge library then it was safe to assume that whatever portion of history was accounted for would be preserved for all time. Sometimes that didn't workout well either We all heard of the massive library at Alexandria. The consensus is that not all of that information was preserved through time. What have we lost that can never be re-inked?
But we all know that there are huge gaps in the historical record in every civilization on every continent. American Indians preserved their account through memory. Someone in each and ever tribe was chosen to use their memory to preserve their tribes history. From the beginning of their time they would have the most important historical accounts committed to memory. That was their job, their only job. They didn't hunt, cook or take a political positions within the tribe. That individual was the walking library of the tribes most important events. They taught the children history and it was important.
When writing the Joan Darcy and the 27th Observer series, I wanted to convey that memories are equally important as history books. Sometimes more. To live through a long portion of history is to be able to understand a much larger picture of what is to come in the future. So my story is about what was forgotten and not recorded somewhere. If only Joan could remember all the important parts of her life, she could understand her role in life and its importance to the world.
Those people who changed the world sometimes didn't live long enough to see what those changes turned into. Luckily there are a few who did. Nelson Mandela was one of those few who over came his trials and became a beacon of light for his people and others around the world. I'm sure the memories of his past is now well documented enough for all of us to see and understand what sacrifice truly can accomplish. I'm also sure that the short life of Joan of Arc was not fully understood for anyone to see what might have become of her extraordinary life. The accounting of her remarkable life mostly covers her trial. The remainder was taken from memories of those who knew her many years later before they died. The church was to slow to record her life shortly after death. We can thank her mother's instance that the church do something before it was to late. As much as she despised what the church allowed to happen, she knew they were the right organization to compile her daughters history. They have the ability to keep memories for all time. And that was the most important part. For if no investigation was ever made, the accounting of her short life would only exit through the trial documents. A sad culmination of recorded deceit and control.
What kind of life would Joan of Arc revealed to the world if she lived to be as old as Nelson Mandela? We will never know.
"The Passage of time is marked by the living memory of those witnesses who made history. Woe is thee who sought to suppress the most important memories of all time…."
Quote from Joan Darcy and the 27 Observer, book one, The Telescope of Elsewhere.
