Nothing Like the Present

When travelling to different countries it’s interesting to see the effects of globalization and general trends that have taken up in multiple parts of the world. We see much of the fashion, food and other industries coming into contact with each other, reaching the masses and realising a sort of uniformity. Experiencing life at Sovereign Hill was a reminder of how different life was in the past compared to now. The fashion trends of the present that can be found on an international scale would not have existed in this era. Global trade was limited and perhaps even minuscule by today’s standards. Cultural acceptance has also come a long way since these times and diversity has spread throughout the world.

As I wondered through the various activities going on, I felt a great sense of immersion. Even bits of the language being used in the performances had been adjusted to reflect accent and vocabulary of the past. As I walked down the bare street, I came across a trio that stood out with their outfits. A mother with two daughters, showing what would have been worn during this period in the town. The mother in red, with a head dress and golden locket round her neck. She stood out in stature also, the dress itself was designed in this way and saw a grand silhouette form. It very much reminded me of the movies I used to watch that are set in similar periods. The two daughters in blue were adorable and I feel the effort and detail that went into these outfits were amazing, Even the doll caught my eye as I snapped this photo as it very much reflected what a little girl would have been playing with in this time.

As I continued my tour I began to wonder what other differences I would be able to find on my tour here. Even the ground surface was portrayed to be muddy to reflect the state of infrastructure of the times. The décor and general attitude to certain things was entirely different but there were also many similarities too. It’s easy to see that society has built on many fundamental ideas over the years.