Abstract

This essay will about my personal artifact that means a lot to me(Komsa keychain), and what I feel best represents me and my culture. I talk about why I chose this artifact and what it means to my culture. I touch on the history and what it reminds me of personally.

The personal artifact I chose was my Komsa keychain. Komsa means “Five” in Arabic. The Khomsa is a hand with an eye on the palm. In islamic culture it is believed to reprsesent the five pillars of Islam. In Tunisia, which is where I am from, it is known as a way to gain blessing or protection from the evil eye. When the hand is pointing upward it is to ward off evil, and when the hand is faced down it is meant to bestow blessings. The evil eye is a malicious stare that is believed to inflict some type of harm to another person, such as illness, death, or bad fortune in general. The eye in the Komsa is believed to protect against the evil eye. It can also represent peace or God’s blessings. The symbol is seen on things like, Jewelry, plates, tea cups, or anywhere around a Tunisian household. I got my Komsa keychain when I was in Tunisia about six years ago. It is usually seen as a good luck charm or protection from the evil look, but I see it as a symbol of where I come from. The reason I chose this symbol is because I felt that it most represented Tunisia and its culture. The Komsa is seen almost everywhere in Tunisia. At first choosing this artifact was difficult because it doesn’t have one simple meaning and is shared by many cultures. Ultimately I decided to choose this artifact because I’ve always seen it when I am with my family and it reminds me of when I was with my family in tunisia. There are a lot of memories I have growing up where the Komsa is around me. Even when I am at home I see the Komsa in my living room. When I see it I think of home and my parents. The Komsa culturally is tied tied to Islam so it also has religious signifnance to me. The Komsa is a very superstitious symbol, and to me that shows that Tunisians and other Muslims are very hopeful and optimistic. The Komsa helps me remember the country I come from because often I forget about Tunisia because I don’t go for a year at a time. It’s difficult to remember what it’s like there because the U.S. is very different from Tunisia. The cultural significance of the artifact is that people use the symbol as a way of having hope in one way or another. The symbol became so prevalent because people believe in it.The Komsa is also very prominent because it is seen as aesthetically pleasing. It is used a lot when decorating a home or decorating anything else. It is a representation of the style and arts in Tunisia. The historical symbol dates back before it had religious significance. It was first known to be worn by a very important woman in religious history, and became a symbol that women used. In Islamic culture, The Komsa is also referred to as the hand of Fatima. The Komsa originated in Carthage which is now Tunisia, but has become a symbol in many other cultures and religions. Overall the Komsa or hand of Fatima definitely has a sentimental value to me as well as many different cultural and historical values.