A tribute is an event or an action that is carried out in honor of an event or a person. The term comes from the Occitan word homenatge .
For example: “Tomorrow there will be a tribute to the famous singer at the National Theater,” “During the tribute the woman was very emotional,” “We are going to organize a tribute to Marta who will retire after fifty years of work in the company.” ” .
Tributes can have multiple motivations and develop in different ways. Sometimes they are celebrations that are dedicated to something or someone as a recognition or award .
For example, among famous singers it is common for tributes to be held to recognize the career of certain figures, especially from the youngest to the veterans. In this framework, a current star can sing one or more musical songs by the person honored at an awards ceremony or even at a ceremony dedicated exclusively to them.
After winning an Oscar Award , for example, a filmmaker can be honored in her hometown. The authorities of said town decide to pay tribute to him for the achievement he has obtained and, in this way, they organize a party in his honor in a public space.
A footballer who reaches five hundred games for the same club can also be the protagonist of a tribute. The institution , to thank him for his commitment, gives the player a plaque and a diploma in a ceremony open to the public.
In addition, there are acts dedicated to the memory of certain events or certain individuals that are called tributes. Soldiers who died in war conflicts are usually remembered through this type of tribute.
The tribute, on the other hand, can become permanent with the installation of a bust , a statue or another monument . In these cases, the tribute is not an event, but is materialized through a fixed work .
Although good faith leads us to think that the majority of tributes are absolutely spontaneous and legitimate, it is known that many times there are interests of various types that lead a person to publicly recognize another, regardless of whether he or she truly respects or He admires her. Perhaps even worse, in some cases it is the recipients of the tribute themselves who organize everything or who request the carrying out of acts or statues in their honor .
Among true tributes, there is also a wide range of reasons why they are carried out, and this can give rise to the discontent of certain people who do not accept the value of an acting career compared to the performance of someone who gave his life for his work. homeland on the battlefield.
In some cases, the homage is very subtle. For example, it may be a phrase or a visual image in the context of an artistic work, which only the most detailed can discover. In a book it can be a fragment of a quote or perhaps an expression that the person being honored often uses; In a film, on the other hand, it may be a photograph or even the presence of a similar actor among the extras.
Whatever the way of receiving a tribute, it is still a gift that a few receive each generation and that is why it is usually received with open arms and with a deep mix of emotions. For the people who prepare these gestures of recognition and gratitude, the process carries a great responsibility, especially because they are often immortalized.
In medieval times, finally, homage was called the oath of fidelity that a person swore to a feudal lord or a king .