The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundamental unit of human social life, which includes shared language, values, and culture. Thus national treasure, part of the ideology of nationalism, is shared culture.
A national treasure can be a shared cultural asset, which may or may not have monetary value; for example, a skilled banjo player would be a Living National Treasure. Or it may refer to a rare cultural object, such as the medieval manuscript Plan of St. Gall in Switzerland. The government of Japan designates the most famous of the nation's cultural properties as National Treasures of Japan. The National Treasures of Korea are a set of artifacts, sites, and buildings that are recognised by South Korea as having exceptional cultural value.
Notable examples
There are thousands of national treasures around the world. Listed here are samples of the different types of things that can be national treasure:
People
Examples of people who have been described as national treasures include the following:
- Certain countries officially designate individuals or groups as Living National Treasures. See, for example, National Living Treasures of the Philippines and Living National Treasures of Japan
- Comedian, actor, author and director Stephen Fry, broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, activist and Royal Catherine Princess of Wales, Monarch and head of Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II and racing driver Stirling Moss have in several high-brow non-industry-specific publications been referred to as national treasures of the United Kingdom.
- Tāme Iti, a Tūhoe activist, artist and rangatira who formed Ngā Tamatoa, and Kim Hill, broadcaster, are considered national treasures of New Zealand.
- Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, the voice of Gaelic games, has been described both as a "national treasure" and "Ireland's greatest national treasure", often with reference to the tendency in the neighbouring United Kingdom to declare such people as this.
- After the Brazil national football team won the 1962 FIFA World Cup, wealthy European clubs offered massive fees to sign their young star player, Pelé, but the government of Brazil declared him an official national treasure to prevent him from being transferred out of the country.
- The late German humorist Vicco von Bülow alias Loriot had the status of a national treasure in Germany.
In 2013 the British satirical magazine Private Eye began running a column poking fun at an exponential increase in references in the press to "national treasures".
Cultural artifacts
- Stonehenge and Magna Carta in the United Kingdom. The National Treasure for Public Life is called The Magna Carta Award.
Geographic features
- The Constitution of Greece of 2001 declared that the Greek coastline is a national treasure (see Patras).
Music
- In 1997, the United States Library of Congress recognized the song "Truckin'" by the rock band Grateful Dead as a national treasure of the United States.
- Andy Williams's voice was described as a national treasure by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
See also
- Monument
- List of Chinese cultural relics forbidden to be exhibited abroad
- National Treasures of Japan
- National Treasures of North Korea
- National Treasures of South Korea
- National Treasures of Vietnam
- World Heritage Site
References
- "Stirling Moss at 80: the interview". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- Fordham, Mike (21 October 2009). "Sir Stirling Moss: The Knight of the Road". Influx Magazine. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- "Sir Stirling Moss: Still Stirling stuff". The Independent. 27 November 2007. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- Stephen Fry gives some Quite Interesting answers The Daily Telegraph (London), 29 February 2008
- Waldemayer, Winston (28 January 2009). "Short Sharp Science: Eye-burrowing worms, national treasures... and creationism". Newscientist.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- Kendall, Paul (31 January 2009). "Sir David Attenborough: 'Man was given permission to exploit the natural world by the Bible'". The Daily Telegraph.
- "Margaret Thatcher, Richard Branson and Judi Dench picked as National Treasures". The Daily Telegraph. 18 September 2008.
- "I Will Not Speak Māori Exhibition". www.wellingtonnz.com. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
- "The Post". www.thepost.co.nz. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- "Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh - A National Treasure". Off the Ball. 29 August 2018.
- "The Definitive Ranking Of Micheal Ó Muircheartaigh's Greatest Internet Moments". Balls.ie. 22 October 2020.
- "A national treasure speaks about spending his 90th on the Blasket Islands, the death of his brother – and why we need to reach out to elderly people this Christmas". Irish Independent. 4 December 2020.
- "Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) The King of football". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
- "Germany mourns king of comedy Loriot". The Guardian. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- For example, Private Eye no. 1340 (17–30 May 2013), "National Treasures", p. 13, contains excerpts from newspaper reports which attach the status to Olivia Colman, Clare Balding, Graham Norton and (formerly) Stuart Hall.
- "National Treasure for Public Life: The Magna Carta Award". Telegraph.
- Grateful Dead: The Illustrated Trip. Jake Woodward, et al. Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2003, pg. 112.
- "'National treasure' Andy Williams dies of bladder cancer at age 84", Fox News, 26 September 2012
External links
Media related to National Treasures at Wikimedia Commons