In many countries, traditional dress and costumes are considered effective ways of maintaining links with the past. How effective can traditional costumes be, in this sense?What other ways exist to help citizens connect with a country’s past?

Most people would agree that preserving connections with our past is an

admirableobjective

Suggestion

admirable objective

, especially as the world evolves so rapidly. I feel that traditional costumes are one part of doing

this

, but they are by no means the most important, as we shall see.Admittedly, historic

dress

plays a key role in social events

such

as religious rituals or military parades, and these events are helpful in

transmitting

Suggestion

Transmitting

social memes

such

as

public duty

Suggestion

a public duty

and self-sacrifice. Traditional costumes

also

remind us of the origins of cultural traditions and mythologies,

for instance

the historic Swiss national

dress

which evokes their medieval independence.

However

, it must be said that costumes are an accessory in these situations, and do not appear to constitute the central message. It is the ceremonies

themselves which

Accept comma addition

themselves, which

convey the cultural norms that help to maintain the fabric of society. In

this

sense, the costumes are of secondary importance.

Furthermore

, it seems that there are in fact much more powerful ways in which culture is conserved and

handed

Suggestion

Handed

down between the generations. Most countries have a rich heritage of legends and folklore about the birth and development of their nation, some of which are mythological and some being grounded in truth (as we see in the English stories about Robin Hood or George and

theDragon

Suggestion

the Dragon

,

for example

.) These stories are a cultural inheritance which embodies important

symbolsand

Suggestion

symbols and

concepts far more effectively than

dress

Suggestion

a dress

.

Similarly

, we must remember the significance of art

andmusic

Suggestion

and music

in passing on our traditions, in forms ranging from fine art to handicrafts, and from opera to traditional shanties and dirges.The presence of visual or

linguistic

Suggestion

Linguistic

messages in these media

makethem

Suggestion

make them

more effective than costumes, which convey no language.Overall, we must recognise and welcome the use of traditional

dress

in helping to

maintainour

Suggestion

maintain our

cultures

Suggestion

culture

.

However

, the forms of story, art and music would appear to be the driving forces in

this

invaluable process.