By Nissar. H. Gilani
History of Canes
James Biggs of Bristol is believed to have invented the white cane in 1921, soon after an accident claimed his eyesight, the artist wanted to readjust to his environment. Feeling threatened by heavy rush of motor vehicle traffic around his home, Biggs painted his walking stick white to make more visible to motorists.
Marking Cane was not in existence until the sixteenth century up until then, walking sticks had been used from times immemorial, originally as an aid for travelling over uneven ground and on hills and tough terrains. Some used it as defensive weapon, and gradually as a sign of power, authority and, finally as a symbol for social status.
During the periods when they became a fashionable item walking sticks began to be carved-out of the joined stems of tropical grasses such as bamboo, cane etc. hence the term canes! During early 18th century, a high quality wooden cane was an important accessory for the fashion able man.
The ladies, too, had canes that were meant to accessorize their outfits during the Victorian age. But ladies canes date back much earlier to the middle ages, when french women carried slender apple wood walking sticks, according cane collector Jeffrey.
The handles of canes are most interesting and can take the form of snake heads, eagles, staghorn, and even human heads.
Selected few are of gold or brass knob with engraving. Some were given as gifts at retirement or other mile stone events.
Cane was also used for different purposes. In fact, caning was mostly punishment for minors in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A time when boys as young as 12 could join the British royal Navy. Offenders received six to 12 strokes with a thick three and a half foot cane. some times in private sometimes in front of the other boys on the ship.
Canning was widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore now stopped.
I was a victim of canning during grade 7th in my school days when our theology teacher Molvi Noor-u-din alias Santa in Islamia high School Srinagar paraded me and my class fellow Gulzar Ahmad Gojri naked for missing ‘Zuhar Neemaz’ followed by punishing us with excessive canning, leaving me fainting for hours together that resulted finally my change in school. Molvi Noor-u-Din was latter reprimanded verbally by the principal Late Mufti Ghulam-u-Din a gentleman par excellence, after my father showed serious concern that was associated with the use of corporal punishment , used excessively by the teacher.
Somewhere in the human lineage between homo erectus and modern man, one of our upright aneestors cut a tree branch and realized he could base his rival over the head with it. He also realized it would help him with his short excursions over hilly terrain thus the walking stick was born.
In Mexico and Spain, the cane is a real symbol of authority,”
The history centers collection of canes runs from extremely beautiful and delicate exotic to dull but all comes with a story.
One was a gift from Theodore Roosevelt to Dr. Charles Zieman, who latter donated, his collection of canes to the museum in 1921.
As we know now the orgin of the canes, the fact remains, a cane may make it possible for a person to live independently while remaining, active and mobile, besides helping with balance and provide support.
Reasons that compelled me to take a cane
As a lover of morning walks, I invariably rain or shine do have around 40 minutes walk. Of late I observed that stray dogs in the city have increased in population and it becomes extremely difficult for commuters to walk without a stick in hand. As most of us want such troublesome dogs out of the areas, colonies for good, but that’s not possible. SMC wants them sterilized, but the way the dog population has increased it appears that they have sterilized the operations rather than the stray dogs.
I saw during last two months, an elderly lady got bitten early morning near the Zainul- Abdin gate of Kashmir University. Thank God one of the morning walker came to her rescue, and chased the dogs with oversized umbrella, he was carrying.
Not only this I too got chased by stray dogs near my house each time I stepped out. Even their barking keep one from sleeping peacefully at night.
To combat this nuisance I finally decided to take a cane in my hand and purchased one online.
Next day early morning when I started with a cane in my hand for a routine walk, was surprised to find out an entire pack of dogs lying outside Kashmir University gate near Habak, they had already started barking on a jogger nearby. Somehow I made my way inside Kashmir University Campus trying to remain calm and easy. This time of course Confident because of a cane in my hand.
Finding me different this time from normal Joggers all the pack of dogs remained at bay with eyes of revenge. Over the months they have disappeared, remaining few stay calm the moment they spot me. Courtesy cane in hand.
The writer is former Assistant Commissioner of Revenue Department.
