belonging M-E-X

In Geertz’s essay, “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture”, (Geertz 1973:3-30) he explains that he adopted the term from philosopher Gilbert Ryle. Ryle pointed out that if someone winks at us without a context, we don’t know what it means. It might mean the person is attracted to us, that they are trying to communicate secretly, that they understand what you mean, or anything. As the context changes, the meaning of the wink changes.

Geertz argues that all human behaviour is like this. He therefore distinguishes between a thin description, which (to extend our example) describes only the wink itself, and a thick description, which explains the context of the practices and discourse within a society. According to Geertz, the task of the anthropologist is to give thick descriptions. source: Wikipedia

Friday afternoon, on the beach in Playa del Carmen

Friday afternoon, on the beach in Playa del Carmen (2)

friday Leave for Mexico; Arrive Cancún; Dinner in Playa del Carmen – introduction to the tourism context; Drive to Felipe Carrillo Puerto
saturday Artisan Workshop with woodworkers from the Mendoza and Aguilar workshops part 1, Noh-Bec
sunday Artisan Workshop part 2, Noh-Bec; visit Gualberto Casanova and organic farm project
monday Overview of artisan projects with Elsa Torres and Basilio Velasquez, Offices of U´yo´olché
tuesday Fieldwork in Buena Vista: artisan workshops of Celso and Audimaro
wednesday Attend inauguration meeting of Kuxtal Sian Ka’an collective brand.
thursday Tour of Caste War Museum in Tihosuco; Meeting with natural medicine producer Graciana Uicab Canul.
friday Workday – proposal writing.
saturday Tourism research: 1/2 group to Playa del Carmen and 1/2 group to Chichén Itzá, Visit to Hammock and wood workshops
sunday Return to UF via Orlando and JetBlue.

— Maria

“Yo se que mi producto es unico”
“El publico me exige mejorar”
“No me gusta copiar”
“Yo vivo 100% de la artesania”
“Hay que tenerla mente muy centrada y estar siempre trabajando”
“Hay pensar a quien venderle”
“Hay que salir y mostrarle al publico; yo estoy 50% del tiempo produciendo y 50% del tiempo vendiendo”
“Siempre hay que pensar que se puede”
“Me gusta enseñar a la gente”
“Hay que tratar bien a la gente”
“(El resto de los artesanos) no son mi competencia”
“Siempre estoy motivado”
“Todo (los productos) tiene su lugar y su momento”

Mike, Enrique, Mirtsa, Laila

Both of them were very engaged, and after a little help on initial ideas they came up with different alternatives for products.

Showed creativity.

Felt more confident working with us, in a group. 

Great ideas for new products:

Wine holder- stackable pieces that each would come apart for easy transportation. Pyramid shape structures with Maya inspired patterns carved or die cut on one of the sides; the other side, solid wood. 

Key holder

CD holder for the car 

Bookmarker

Napkin holder

Bowl (turtle shape)

Mug holder

(A Post from Laila, brought to you by Morgan…)

He is very enthusiastic and has great ambitions. At the beginning he was very shy, but today, the second day he was a lot more extroverted.  He shows a lot of interest in developing new projects, like opening a wood stand as part of a group project in Majahual. He was especially interested in the ‘resources’ section of the first day’s presentation. He already has a logo but was inspired by some of the images we showed, to create a stamping/signature system for all his products. We will bring him a tool from the US that serves as a stamp that is burnt into the wood; this is a sustainable tool that will make his products become a line that carry an identity, and somehow tell more of the artisan’s and the wood’s history.  This would also be developed by having a sign with the characteristics and history of the wood (sustainable/certified wood and where it comes from, maybe history of Noh Bec) that would be displayed next to the products in the stand.

Enrique and his family are extraordinary people and very smart and nice individuals.

I was trying to envision how the workshop would go before we got there, so I could prepare to run out of the nearest exit when things went south. No, I’m kidding, I would never bail. But seriously, I thought I could at least prepare mentally for the place or context of the workshop before I got there.

I think I was expecting a workshop like the kinds of workshops we have at UF, in an academic setting. Something in a stale classroom, with a definite teacher or lecturer and a definite audience, and the attention of those participating. But none of those expectations were met which is fine, actually better in some sense, because I think that the environment of Enrique’s store, workshop, and house really fosters creativity. Chickens walking around and people driving down the road yelling into a megaphone. A guy walking down the street with a big thing of cotton candy and little kids running around barefoot. I would feel much more creative in that environment than I would in a classroom. 

But I was a little disappointed when I heard there would only be 4 men at the workshop. I was happy to be doing this for them, but I was hoping there would be more artisans there to share this with. But we went with it and began. Somewhere during the introductions the man in this photo, Joaquin, walked out. I think they actually all walked out at one point or another, but he didn’t come back in. I wasn’t sure about him, he was the only one of the men who did not make eye contact with anyone (or tried not to). He almost seemed like he was in pain, I think it was his body language. The way he leaned over his knees made me worried he wasn’t feeling well. He just seemed to struggle, but he was just sitting. Someone brought up that he may have been shy, and didn’t want to have to introduce himself. Someone else mentioned that he might have had something to do that day, and that he simply couldn’t stay because of other obligations. In any case, I was a little frustrated with what seemed like a total lack of interest. But I can’t assume anything about him, I can only observe. 

The following day, when we were doing the activity with the other artisans, he was very anxious about participating. When Maria offered for him to go take part in the activity with a group he shyly walked parallel to everyone else and picked up something on the table, like he was suddenly busy looking at a puzzle hes probably seen a hundred times. He didn’t want to say no, either. I almost felt bad for him, just because I wished that he had the courage, motivation, open-mindedness or whatever it was he was lacking to take part in this activity.  I think what Laila was saying about these artisans is completely valid. I think they just need a little push. A little kick in the behind to do what we ask them is their greatest dream. They are talented, smart, capable workers, and it seems like the more we interact with them, the more we are rubbing off, whether we are teaching them anything or just visiting.

I didn’t really know what to expect getting into Mexico yesterday. Maria kept telling us to write down our expectations, but every time I sat down and thought about it, I drew a blank. I felt like even if I did write some of my expectations down they would be contrived, because I really had no clue what it would be like. Its hard to envision a place you’ve never been, kind of like how I couldn’t tell you what I’d expect to see on Mars (not that Mexico is a distant planet, but for the sake of a metaphor…). Anyways, when we got to Playa del Carmen, I felt this strange tug between being an outsider and feeling welcomed by people who wanted me to buy their stuff. I’ve never really felt comfortable going to a place where the people know you don’t belong there, but I guess as much as they stare at me, I stare back. Its just unfamiliar, thats all.  

So I took this photo of the reflection of the Mexican flag in the second story of a building across from where we ate dinner the first night, and it kind of summed up my first day there. I guess my experience in Mexico hadn’t quite been tangible yet; it was the first day, I was in an area where scorched pasty American midwesterners and way too many white people with cornrows roamed, and everything was new. All I knew of Mexico up to that point was what I read in school books and saw on Flickr accounts, so I only really got a reflected, filtered version of Mexico. I tend to dwell on being outside rather than work on being inside, but each day so far has been more and more encouraging and comforting, especially because of the people I’ve met. 

Language barriers are big intimidators, which I knew from being in France, but its no different here. I lack direct communication with the people here because I’m always asking a translator to speak to someone or translate something, so I feel like I can’t connect very well sometimes. I also never know who to make eye contact with when I am speaking through a translator, I end up looking at the translator but feel like I am being disrespectful to the person I am speaking to. But I can’t let that stop me from noticing meaningful moments that may not have anything to do with language.