Sunday, November 7, 2010

Canes for Support

When my doctor suggested that I use a walking stick to prevent further deterioration of my knee joint I was aghast and rebelled at the idea of using a stick even before turning 60. Three years later after quite a lot of damage was done to my knee, I realized the error of my ways when a young friend told me “When you did not hesitate to wear spectacles why are you hesitating to carry a stick both are aids after all!”

Inspired by the wisdom of that little girl I began to use a walking stick and from the word go there was no dearth of reactions. The shopkeeper, who had known me for long, refused to sell me the usual orthopedic sticks with tripod or quadri-pod support. Instead he convinced me to buy a foldable stick, which would not make me look too disabled. Everyone from my family members to acquaintances was shocked, and continue to be shocked, when they see me with the stick. I did appreciate their concern but it also made me feel a bit depressed and wallow in a bout of self-pity. Once I emerged from the trough of despair my academic curiosity was kindled and I decided to research the walking stick or cane as it is often called. It made a very interesting study and made me realize that behind the lowly cane rests a saga of glory and grandeur unmatched by other aids used by human beings.

The history of walking canes or sticks, as we know it today started when humans walked the earth. The use of walking stick or "cane" has its roots in the "big stick" wielded by prehistoric man as a weapon of self-protection as well as belligerence. To the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks staffs, carried by rulers and gods, symbolized their authority and during the Middle Ages these staffs became the scepters of kings. While the pilgrims used the cane as an aid to travel; shepherds and cowherds used theirs as support as well as a device to herd the animals under their care. Travelers usually used heavy wooden sticks about five feet long with secret compartments on the top for carrying valuables or for smuggling contraband. Records show that silkworm eggs were smuggled into Europe in a hollow staff as were the first tulip bulb introduced into Holland.

The walking stick evolved into a dress accessory in the 11th century France, where women carried slender sticks made of apple wood but it was not until the end of the 15th century, however, that the walking stick was adopted as a general accessory to dress, this time as a masculine rather than feminine fashion. From the 18th to the early third of the 20th century, cane was an indispensable part of the Western gentleman's formal attire. It was popular not only among the old but also the young who used it as a means of defense or as functional support over uneven terrain since paved roads were not very common.

While in the West they were presented to the oldest member of the town in India it was commonly presented at the time of superannuating from a career or at the time of shastiabathapurthi. Canes, necessary for ceremony and ritual are usually ornately decorated with insignias, symbols, or life events of important people. “Bragging Staffs” intricately carved with details of the life of its owners are coveted by many museums for their historic value.

My advice to people who need support to walk is the Japanese proverb that says “Depend on your walking stick not on other people.”