Paper short abstract:

Seeing collecting as a relationship between people and things, this paper traces biographies of collected objects in rural areas in Japan and tries to elucidate how everyday life objects turned into something collected and preserved by local people.

Paper long abstract:

Everyday life objects, such as tools, furniture, clothes or personal adornments, are collected and preserved in local sites although most of them are still discarded when no longer useful in everyday life. This collecting and preserving behavior can be explained as "conservatory processes" defined by an American archaeologist, Michael B. Schiffer, which occurs mainly when the major function of an object changes from a "techno-function" to a "socio- or ideo- function" (Schiffer 1987). Collecting is a universal phenomenon of relationship between people and things as it has been observed by many anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists.

What makes collections of everyday life heritage distinct is that they are collected as 'local heritage' or 'our culture' in local communities where people have used the objects as utilities in their individual lives. How does this transformation to a collectable object happen? What type of socio- or ideo- functions of the objects cause them to be collected?

This paper tries to trace biographies (from procurement, manufacture, use/reuse and discard to collection and preservation) of the collected objects in rural areas in Japan through observation and interviews with users, donors and collectors of the objects. As a result, it will elucidate human relations, people's idea on everyday life heritage and socio- or ideo- function of the objects as a background of local collection. Moreover, local people's ideas and activities show diverse collection and museum models in local sites, and reveal gaps between actual needs in the sites and current museum standards.