2009 Field School - Students’ Reflections
Andean Culture and Society
“There is a strong integration of the spiritual, cultural and physical in almost
every aspect of Andean life. A clear example of this is the Quechua cosecha
dance, imitating the action of planting and harvesting, performed to celebrate
the provision of Pachamama.”
“I’ve learned a lot about an overlying structure of Andean philosophy – the
cosmovisión that Professor Martín often brought up during Quechua lessons,
which suggested it was deeply enmeshed in the history of the Andean people
and their lives right down to the formation and structure of their language.”
“I’ve learned about the cyclical Quechua view of everything that is in being,
and about the inherent equality of everything, the balance and co-dependence
that exists in this cultural view.”
“Talking with midwives and learning about traditional medicine I began to
understand the difficult struggle of traditional culture in the face of modernity.”
“Visits with healers revealed the understanding of health and wellbeing as
defined just as much by social and environmental factors as ‘organic’ or
‘biological’ ones.”
“The holistic perspective on the body and how it fits into social and
environmental spheres, is significant of how individuals view their well being
and role in the community.”
“Walking to and from town people are always on their feet, ready to do what
needs to be done next; whether that be selling of goods at market, taking a visit
to the nearby healer, attending mass, purchasing bread or chicha at the local
shop.”
“The cuy healing diagnostic is an extremely powerful tool, and an ancestral
one, as well as natural and economic.”
“The saints seem to act as intermediaries between church and people.
Apparently, the church designates the saints, but the people choose how to
interact and celebrate with them. Saint Ursula, coming down from Hualcán
with a hat on, adorned with maize and potatoes, is a prime example of this.”
“Shamefully, I had never realized the relationship between the words ‘culture’
and ‘agriculture’ until now, and it is only now that I see how the two are so
closely linked. It is no accident that 4000 types of tubers and potatoes grow in
Peru, and even their names are closely linked to Andean culture and practices –
it seems that they are most often named for function, use in cooking and
aesthetics.”
“The people I have met and interacted with in Andean communities have not
only been kind and generous, but have been welcoming. They have allowed me
to see more clearly how their lives are defined – less by their own individual
experiences and more by their relationship with one another and to the land.”
“I was delighted to see, touch, smell and taste a wide variety of potatoes, all of
which had their own rainbow of sensory attributes. The time, care and culinary
(as well as cultural) knowledge that goes into creating the pachamanca (earth
oven) is mind blowing. Choosing the rocks, the timing of when and how to
place the food, which branches to cover the mound, and finally the feast – all
this knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation.”
“The stress of globalization presents a demand on the local community to
conserve their biodiversity while familiarizing themselves with the processes
that threaten it.”
“I have learned of the deep respect campesinos have for the land and
Pachmama; the reverence with which they describe Andean musical practices,
and the pride they take in sharing the bounty of their lands. I have also learned
of the turbulent past in the Andes and the current constant encroachment of
global corporations, hungry for minerals.”
“The sustainable views shared in the Andes – seeing water as a dynamic part of
nature rather than as a resource to ‘use,’ natural foods and herbs preferred in
their pure form, and crop diversity over monocropping, are all healthy for both
the people that consume them and for the soil.”
Field Work
“Learning to develop open eyes and ears to all opportunities and to take them,
regardless of how tangential they might seem, has been an amazing experience
and one I look forward to furthering. It’s tough to feel like you have your sea
legs so late in the journey, but learning to talk to people has been extremely
productive. Thinking of questions and conveying information across a language
barrier has taught me a lot – especially about the willingness and kindness of
some people to open up and communicate.”
“Building relationships is the key to any field experience.”
“I became conscious of the importance of reciprocal relationships. What am I
taking from individuals who talk with me? How can I show that I honor the
knowledge they’re sharing with me?”
“I have learned that you just need to go out and talk to people; once this was
learned and I began to relax, I found my experiences became better and better.
If you stop expecting a specific outcome and simply let the people teach you,
you learn so much more.”
“What I have learned most is that the simple acts of listening or doing prove to
be the most informative ways of collecting cultural data.”
“For future scenarios, I now know how to get along with and collaborate
collectively with a group whose backgrounds and opinions are different from
my own and still be able to have my beliefs and be heard.”
“My core finding is that language is important but not to be completely relied
upon. Teamwork and collaboration are probably the key to a good project.”
“My vague notion of anthropological field methods was greatly altered through
my time here, and the term Participatory Action Research became a mantra. I
realize now that research and social programs are all well and good, but they are
meaningless without community participation, action and sustainability.”
“Participating in field in this type of field work has greatly expanded my ability
to connect personally with the people I have involved myself with, which will
only allow many more interesting and beneficial relationships into my life both
personally and professionally.”
“I have found that the process of Participatory Action Research could satisfy
my yearning for community involvement.”
“Participatory Action research was the best thing I got out of field work –
designing and modifying research to help and involve the community. The
cyclical way of constantly reflecting and improving your methods is a new way
of thinking for me. I look forward to learning about a community through its
social dynamics, local people, traditions, power structure, interaction with
politics and any other immediate concerns to the community members.”
“The most significant aspect of Participatory Action Research is that it is about
creating relationships. But doing so in a manner that is engaging many
different types of people…listening to all the voices and truly being present and
open to know how to create something of value in the community.”
“I have learned that field work needs a lot of four things (among others): a
defined focus that is something that you are genuinely interested in and willing
to talk about, as well as persistence, patience and flexibility.”
“This has been my first taste of field work and I learned that no matter how
much you plan, you have to realize that everything can change, and something
wonderfully unexpected could come out of it! Flexibility is definitely key to field
work.”
“The most important thing I have learned from this field school is that field
work is not easy. Engaging with others and their community takes time,
patience and constant reflection on yourself.”
“When studying one specific aspect of Andean life the researcher must have
knowledge of every other part of life. Healing cannot be understood without
including farming livelihood and social hierarchy, as well as the meaning of
religion, etc.”
“I now know that you need a balance of interviews/academic research and
participatory research to do field work. I would like to work on the action aspect
because as I have observed religious practices and I have become aware of the
politics involved, and would like to know different community perspectives.”
“At the Archaeology museum in Huaraz, it was amazing how vibrant and
intricate all the objects were – pottery, tools, sculptures, textiles. After gazing at
certain ceramics I noticed how similar they looked to contemporary ceramic
cooking pots, which led me to explore the ceramic making village of Taricá
where I was again able to see similarities and continuities of style with ancient
cultures of Chavin and Recuay.”
Overall I would argue that that field work exists wherever there is someone to
do it, and that it is both a conscious and unconscious effort.
The setting and environment
“Learning the ecology side of things here we have all become more aware about
the insane amount of trash humans create. It doesn’t just disappear once we are
done with it, it has to go somewhere.”
Throughout this program I have realized the usefulness of everything around
me, almost every plant you can see has some sort of medicinal property. All of
this was greatly enhanced by the eco-friendly setting we were in.
“The solar ovens and solar panels were fascinating – something I’d be
interested in doing at home. The water heater in particularly worked really well
and seems like a great option for this environment – and for getting people ‘off
the grid’ and paying less to the government.”
“One of my favorite parts of the field school was the hikes where I learned most
about the environment. During the dawn hike I learned to say ‘I saw the
beautiful snow-capped mountain’ in Quechua, which made me realize how
Quechua is inclusive of nature as a being to be respected, rather than a separate
‘thing’ as in English.”
“La Casa de Pocha, these mountains and the town of Carhuaz have given me a
good space and time to find some peace, adjust and rebalance my life, as well
as enjoy the rich company of the other students.”
“Pocha’s lifestyle and home have brought a new level of harmony in my life
during my time here. We’ve been blessed to live at place like this!”
“Simply living at La Chacra de Pocha I have been exposed to so many possible
methods for conserving the environment and sustainable living.”
Changing perceptions
“My experience in Peru has been very fun and informative. Even though it may
be easier to grab a book to learn about Andean culture, it is better to actually
experience it and gain knowledge. To fully understand the culture, a person
must live and embrace it.”
“This program has allowed me to further explore the concept of wellbeing and
to ponder the ways this concept changes, not only in terms of our
understanding of development, but also with regard to our relationships with
others.”
“Overall, this experience has helped me to gain a greater understanding of
Andean cultural practices, Peruvian society, the environment, and myself. All
these learnings came through the generosity of self, spirit and mind which has
been shown to me by everyone here. The experiences and knowledge gained
will help me in my future endeavors and inform my decisions about my
profession, and life in general, for many years.”