La Transmission X Gaël de Dorlodot

Transmission, the gift that transcends generations

Oral transmission has long been the main or only means of perpetuating knowledge, traditions and values from one generation to the next. Tales, songs, accounts of battles or great epics were passed on by the elders to the younger generations, forming an unbroken chain of collective memory.

Today, at a time when the written word has replaced the spoken word in most of the transmission of knowledge and information, and when new technologies make it possible to replace certain skills, oral transmission remains a unique way of nurturing the link between generations.

Who better than a grandparent to be a fascinating witness to an era that is already distant for their grandchildren? Or passing on family recipes or anecdotes that will help them feel part of a 'tribe' and build memories that will last a lifetime.

Traditional skills, particularly manual skills, are also passed down from father to son, from master to apprentice, from chef to apprentice cook. In the crafts and arts (culinary, jewellery and watchmaking, for example), skills are passed on orally and through training, and it takes time to achieve excellence.

The 'master' has no greater aim than to pass on his knowledge, and so puts his own stamp on the work of the pupil, who will bring his own personal experience to it over time. In Japan, temples built entirely of wood by master carpenters using ancestral techniques are regularly dismantled in their entirety, not only to be maintained and reinforced, but also to train young carpenters and perpetuate this knowledge. Transmission becomes an end in itself.

A journey between past and present

Passing on also means passing on from generation to generation an asset that we have built or cherished, such as a family home, a work of art, a piece of jewellery, a watch, writings... Passing on an object is not just a material gesture. It is an act charged with emotion and symbolism. A piece of jewellery passed on becomes a silent witness to significant moments, a bearer of personal and family stories. It reflects values, aspirations and sometimes promises made to those who came before us.

Passing on a piece of jewellery or a family home is a tangible way of preserving the past while bringing it into the present. It embodies the idea that, despite the passage of time, certain values and emotions remain unchanged.

With each generation, the object accumulates new meanings, while retaining those of the past, creating an indestructible link between generations.

These imperfect objects, marked by time, have a unique beauty that can never be reproduced identically.

They fuel our imagination: who knows what they've been through? They must have seen a lot since the stone they're made of was cut. They've changed hands, necks, ears and wrists. Each symbolic leap strengthens their sentimental value.

In our Western societies, are we doing enough to nurture the passing on of knowledge that is necessary for the survival of memory and certain skills? Are we not tending to devalue these traditional trades in favour of new technologies? Or to prefer new objects bought in 2 clicks to older objects that have to be hunted down, sometimes imperfect, but often the fruit of the work of a goldsmith?

Taking the time to look for these nuggets, to imagine their history, also puts the process (the search) at the centre and makes possession of the object secondary. It's the journey, the treasure hunt that counts more than the result.

And it becomes natural, later on, to pass it on in turn. We become the temporary custodian of an object that will have to be passed on again to keep the link alive. In this way, we experience a form of immortality.

Like this woman who received a jewellery watch from her aunt - who only had boys - and wore it for 20 years. Then, the day her aunt became a grandmother, she gave it back to her so that she could give it to her granddaughter.

Stories of transmission are beautiful, full of generosity and emotion. The proof is that we enjoy telling them to our children and listening to them like so many fairy tales. Encouraging them to seek, to give, to enrich the story rather than possess it.