Overview
The early story of tea is the story of empire and cultural contact. It creates the opportunity to examine the tea industry in the context of colonialism, and provides a basis for further study of the impact of the tea industry on world history, the environment, immigration labor, and globalization.
Packing tea in Ceylon, c. 1908
Tea and Photography
Large-scale production of tea began in Ceylon in the mid-nineteenth century, at about the same time that photography firms established themselves on the island. Many photographs that were produced for tourists highlighted the unique scenes and people, portrayed in an “exotic” manner. Additionally, the photography firms took specialized photos of the tea plantations, which tea planters used to support requests for funds from their banks in England.
By the early twentieth century, photography took on an additional purpose with regard to tea, that of marketing the product. In particular, the Lipton tea company took full advantage and, in 1908, produced a postcard series that documented their tea processing in Ceylon. Picture postcards had begun in the 1870s, so they developed alongside commercial photography in Ceylon, both reaching a peak in the early twentieth century. Examining images helps us decipher their purpose, including the creation of a positive attitude among the public toward tea.
Because postcards and photographs were created for commercial and advertising purposes, we have to take into account that some of the scenes might be staged or created, and that they might not accurately reflect conditions and situations. Keep your minds as well as your eyes open when viewing these scenes!
PowerPoint
In these times of instantaneous communication, we can see, talk to or read about people anywhere in the world. Yet we may not clearly understand how small actions, such as just drinking a glass of iced tea, can affect people on the other side of the world, now and into the future. Placed in the broader context of international community, this PowerPoint uses a variety of images, to convey information for discussion and understanding.
Download this PowerPoint presentation of images and charts of the characteristics of the tea industry as it grew and developed in Sri Lanka, ultimately distributing tea throughout the world.
PowerPoint Text
The information and/or questions matched to each slide is provided to assist students in visualizing how tea was/is grown and prepared, serving as a prelude to more in-depth study of course content related to the specifics of tea but addressing larger issues.
