The End of my Semester Abroad

I need a break! My eyes are strained, my shoulders ache and my mind is crashing. I just wrote a porfolio of 241 pages of writing for my schoolwork this semester.

Some people think that my school is easy and slack because it is an alternative, international program. Writing a portfolio of 241 pages of good, solid, researched essays is not easy. I can hardly believe that I even wrote so much.

I think my school is a lot more difficult than traditional universities. I have to live in a culture other than my own while studying. I have to live in a place where people do not speak my native language. I have to develop my own curriculum. I have to decide what I am going to learn. I have to do my own, real live field work and research, doing interviews, making visits, finding contacts. I have to draw my own conclusions from my own experiences, and not just regurgitate what a teacher thinks or what some dude wrote in a book. No secondhand experiences here.

My school is challenging. My brain needs a break. I am glad it is summer.

Racist Remarks

After some comments I decided to do a little bit of an explanation on my last post about the israeli kid who walked into my hotel room.
I am not racist, never was racist, never felt racist, wasn't raised racist. I do however know that race exists. I am an anthropologist. This is what I study. I think the fact that there are different races makes the world beautiful. If we all looked the same, acted the same, had the same values, wore the same clothes, the world would be BORING.
My last post was not aimed at being racist. Someone took offense to my statement, "This is why people do not like israeli travelers." I did not say that I do not like Israelis. I did not say Israelis are bad. I, personally, do not see anything wrong with Israelis. They are just people, like all other people who live breathe eat play work drink walk talk see love think.
I just meant that some people do not like them. All around the world there are hotels with signs posted in front "No Israelis." In Latin America, Thailand and Southeast Asia, India, in many places these are present.
I am not saying Israelis are bad. I am just saying that not everybody likes to have Israelis in their hotels. (Hell, a lot of people don't like Americans and don't want Americans in their hotels either. And Americans don't like Latins and don't want latins in their country, so it works in all directions) I am not saying it is because they are ISRAELI. It usually is because of the way they behave due to cultural customs. To some it may be abrasive. They can be loud people, and they are very direct. They ask for what they want and they are assertive. (Many cultures think it is taboo to ask for what you want directly. I was in a shuttle with an old Israeli couple. The lady was uncomfortable, so she told the driver, "I am uncomfortable, please change the seating arrangement." The other people in the van were annoyed by this and thought it was rude. But why should this elderly lady ride all smooshed up and uncomfortable when the driver was stupid enough to put the suitcases on the comfortable seats and made the elderly lady sit on the uncomfortable seat? She was assertive and asked for what she wanted.)
Mostly, this is called cross-cultural experiences. This is when 2 cultures meet and must interact. Some cultures are very different from other cultures. Not all cultures get along.
Also, people are individuals. Not all people are exact stereotypes of their culture. Some people are good, bad, loud, quiet, shy, friendly, out-going reserved....It all depends.
My comments about the boy being rude are not meant to take a strike at Israelis. I do not have anything against Israelis. I was merely stating the fact that this boy made a rude action, or at least an action that according to my culture is rude, but according to his culture may not be rude. Anyone, regardless of where they are from, I would be angry at for walking into my hotel room, anyone. This is my culture speaking. I am American. I was raised that if someone, especially a stranger, walked into your room without knocking that this is a rude intrusion. Not all people are taught this. This is a cross-cultural experience....
In all, please don't be offended by my writings. I am merely stating my impressions of the world...and the reader must remember that I am an american, a female, a young person, a gringo, or whatever stereotype other people place on me. to ask me to view things outside of my own cultural upbringing is a little difficult....for anyone...
Forgive me if I have offended you.

Ethno-Tourism and Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica

So often tourism and an intrusion of outside influences have worked against indigenous peoples. They have been exploited as exotic savages, with explorers searching them out on expeditions to tell of their strange encounters. Stemming from this, indigenous peoples have altered their own cultures, playing into these stereotypes for the monetary benefits that tourism brings. From colorful turbaned gypsies in India, the Sichuanese putting on the attire of Tibetan nomads, and the Cuna parading their naked children dancing in the streets, people have found dollar signs where tourists seek culture.

A shell of tradition, a costume, a craft, a dance becomes bastardized, losing the intricate internal meaning and bowing down only for almighty money. A beaded necklace that once took weeks to fashion and years of skill to learn, is sloppily thrown together and sold for half the price at sub-par quality. A song that once described the universe is now forgotten, and only unintelligible humming is uttered for money on the street corner. All too much, the beautiful diversities of humanity have succumbed to this plague of tourism.

(Photo of indigenous mask artisan)

In Costa Rica, however, a very interesting movement in the indigenous communities is being developed and tested. They are using tourism as a way to revitalize and preserve their cultures.

I walked into the Namu gallery in San Jose, and my senses were blasted from all sides with vibrant colors and eccentric shapes. Every corner of the store displays baskets, masks, paintings, jewelry, textiles and all crafts imaginable made by the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica. The store is almost alive as these creatures crawl over the walls. It is so overflowed with such beautiful cultural works that I can hardly believe that less than 2% of the Costa Rican population is recognized as indigenous. Yet it is because of this colorful artesania that the indigenous people are finding a guiding light.

The Namu gallery was founded in San Jose almost a decade ago by an idealistic youth anxious to display the rich indigenous cultures of Costa Rica. At that time indigenous communities were hardly acknowledged and mostly unknown to the outside world. Conall French, after spending time volunteering with various tribes in the country, realized the need for these cultures to be rescued from extinction. The brightly painted masks, intricately woven baskets, and exquisitely designed handicrafts appeared to be just the eye-catching ticket to aid in the struggle.

As a family run effort, the Frenches now showcase work from all 8 tribes of Costa Rica in their fair-trade gallery. For the craftsmen this gives them an opportunity to sell their creations to a broader market for a better price than what they might earn selling locally on the side of the highway. The earnings are split 50/50 between the artisan and the shop, and the work is shown to international buyers. Some of the artists have even been able to solely rely on their crafts for income.

The Boruca masks are a very prime example of how tourism and Namu has affected the traditional culture. Originally these people carved wooden masks with demonic faces to be worn in the dance of the “diablitos.” They have now branched out in their craftsmanship. They have developed an “ecological” mask, which mixes the traditional style of iconology but now also portrays a medley of flora and fauna from the local region. The new mask forms express an indigenous cosmovision depicting an interconnectedness with nature. Because the diablitos masks were so popular the artists have been able to creatively expand and refine their skills.

A decade ago the mask-makers were mostly elders, and the tradition appeared to be in danger of survival. As the masks became more marketable to the tourists, the younger generations found importance, and a majority of the craftsmen are now young men. The involvement of these younger generations and pride in one’s traditional customs is integral for the continuation of cultural heritage.

In the Bribri reserve of the Talamanca region in southern Costa Rica, community efforts are striving to develop a system of sustainable tourism. The Finca Educativa is a network of 17 organizations of community, grass-roots tourism. It is used as a coordination base due to its close proximity to the outside and its access to phone, internet, and fax services. The Finca Educativa was formed to promote a kind of eco-ethnotourism. This is tourism that focuses on learning about ethnic groups and culture and also includes learning about environmental issues while communing with nature.

The Finca Educativa is very particular about the type of tourism that they allow into the community. The amount of tourists admitted must be ecologically sustainable for their area. They do not permit the tour companies from outside to bring in groups that may be culturally insensitive, such as the tourists coming in from the cruise ships in Limon. All guides must be local, and they prefer to take tourists in small eager-to-learn groups, rather than individuals. The Bribri do not want their towns to become a product of tourism, like so many other have, devoted to consumerism, partying, wiping out local traditions, foreign owned businesses, and an artificial “gringo” atmosphere.

In the indigenous pueblo of Watsi community members lead tours through the village to exhibit the way they live, how they farm, and how they make traditional crafts. Often other cultural events such as dances and storytelling are featured. The organization aims to include all members in the community from the youngest to the oldest. They believe that the more the wealth is spread the more of an aiding factor it will be. A theater group of children and teens has been created using the theory of indigenous theater developed by Pablo Presbere. Through theater arts they are portraying their indigenous culture with use of folktales, plays, and dances. The oldest person of the community of the ripe age of 107 is the grandfather and great-grandfather of a majority of the town’s population. He is often the leader of the traditional “Dance of the Vulture” as well as a storyteller during tours.

A major part of the Finca Educativa initiative is the women’s group ACOMUITA. This is a cooperative of 71 indigenous females started 19 years ago by Maria Lopez. Passed from her grandmother and founder of the community, Adela, she was instilled with the importance of continuing their cultural heritage. In the Bribri belief the indigenous bloodline is handed down by the mother and inherited by the girl-children. The females have supreme power over the family and household. In lieu of this, ACOMUITA was formed for helping community development by the traditional leaders, women. The women are usually enthusiastic about being a member of ACOMUITA because they can earn extra money to help their families and send their children to school while feeling empowered.

They have many projects already established and in the making for sustainable tourism development while preserving cultural values. One of the most elaborate projects is the making of organic chocolate. Cacao is a sacred plant chosen by the almighty deity Sibu to make human, and therefore, it is believed to be a representation of the mother of people. Traditionally the indigenous have grown cacao and made chocolate candy and drinks. Yet, the custom was failing due to lack of interest and a devastation of cacao plants caused by the Monilia fungus beginning in 1978.

In 2003 Maria Lopez and the other women initiated the chocolate project through ACOMUITA to revitalize it. They are establishing themselves as organic chocolate producers, farming the fruit and cooking the chocolate. So far, 25 locally involved farms have been certified as organic by the APTA. Tourists come to watch the chocolate making process and sample the delectable treats. It is also sold in nearby towns such as Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and at other markets throughout the country. Their efforts are keeping tradition alive throughout the community as well as producing ways to gain a much needed income.

Quitirrisi is home to another indigenous community, the Huetar, whom are using tourism as a tool for revitalization to bring back their lost culture. Don Sanchez has started an agenda of tourism based on education and sharing of cultural experiences. Most of the tourists visiting his organization are school children or educational programs.

He showcases many traditions, such as the native style of building houses, an ancestor alter and a sacred corner placed in the farm. There is even a museum of Huetar archaeology of artifacts that he has collected from the region. Don Sanchez gives lectures on the indigenous cosmovision and the history of his people. Finally, he hosts a traditional sweatlodge in which his guests may participate in the sacred ceremony.

Although the Huetar people were once thought to be the largest indigenous group in Costa Rica, their population has dwindled and their culture has followed in the decline. Don Sanchez was raised in the indigenous community of Quitirrisi, but much about his own culture he has learned secondhand through books. Over the passing of time the Huetares has lost their language, customs and belief system. Don Sanchez is desperately struggling to rejuvenate his heritage before it is lost forever.

Tourism is a very weighty force in determining the fate of indigenous peoples. It has the power to destroy or the power to build. If it is regulated properly, it may be used as a significant tool to preserve culture. It must be, however, undertaken by the indigenous communities themselves in a sustainable manner. When this occurs it can be cultivated as a positive cultural exchange in which tourists are happy yet educated, and the indigenous societies may preserve tradition while breaking chains of poverty instilled by the first world.

Happiness and Globalization

(This little Bribri indigenous girl wants to learn English instead of her native language of Bribri. I think she looks happy living in her community.)

The article Gross National Happiness in Bhutan offers a very interesting view on country development. The king of Bhutan Jigme Siongye Wangchuck has developed a new theory called Gross National Happiness. Instead of only pushing for growth in economic sectors, industry and monetary means, he is implementing a social plan of happiness. This includes a push for better education, health care, environmental conservation, and governmental soundness. Most importantly he is stressing the pertinence of community and cultural preservation.

To me, this is most unusual because often economic growth details a complete destruction of cultural traditions. I think this is a very idealistic model. If it should work it may be a solution to many of the detrimental affects of globalization.


This theory could be helpful in many developing countries. For example, in the technology hub of Bangalore, India, only economic growth is being promoted. Because of the vast seas of call centers, the cultural heritage of India is being viewed as ignorant, hackneyed, backwards, and not as “good” as Western culture. As a result, it is being rejected by a majority of the youth, as they adopt Western attitudes, media, ways of dressing, etc. Yet correlating to this, it seems that there is also a growth in social problems, depression, and loss of community, even though people may now have a greater income. Definitely plans like Gross National Happiness could aid developing countries facing such realities.


I feel that this concept, however, cannot be universally applied. Already developed countries, especially in the West, may be too far gone into “money making” mode to return to find happiness in the same sources as the Bhutanese. For instance, the consumer culture and separation of church and state in the USA is so great that culture often seems hard to find. The country is so obsessed with dollar signs that it would be a difficult habit to break. The secularism in state affairs would not allow for the promotion of cultural preservation, or such healthy growth of social programs.


All in all, I would like to see the future outcomes of Gross National Happiness in Bhutan. As a student of anthropology who has seen the traumatic devastation of globalization on culture, it is thrilling to see an implementation of preservation. All too often economic growth is valued over culture, thus destroying tradition. This plan aims to embrace both in a sustainable manner for a holistic vision for improvement in Bhutan.





This was a paper written for my Junior research class on Concpets and Research.

Baby Boomers Smoke Up

February 6, 2008

Baby boomers are now reaching the ripe ages between 40-60 when the risk of cardiovascular disease drastically jumps. This article suggests that these former hippies are in greater danger of heart attacks if they are marijuana users. Research for this study included interviews with almost 4,000 individuals aged 20 to 92 who recently suffered myocardial infarctions. The average marijuana smoker in this sampling was around 44 years old.

The independent variable is the use of marijuana and the dependent variable is the related heart attack. The external validity of this study is addressed by including many other possible independent variables that need to be examined before this study is proved conclusive. For example, the author proposes that the marijuana users were mostly men, obese and also smoke cigarettes. These three variables are all known causes of heart attacks as well. As marijuana consumption is not isolated as the only variable in a patient’s life that was able to cause a heart attack, it is difficult to conclude that it was the marijuana alone which triggered the attack.

Also, only 124 of the patients had smoked marijuana in the year before the heart attack, while only 9 of these had smoked within an hour of the attack. This sampling is rather small for any conclusive, diehard evidence to be drawn. Just because of the small numbers, the study needs more participants and research before it can be convincing.

This study will be difficult to research because of the vast number of variables that can influence a heart attack. The external validity due to the sheer number of possible independent variables is so extensive that isolation of marijuana smoking alone is nearly impossible. Clinical studies that inspect the exact effects of smoking marijuana in a controlled situation may be a more effective way to study its impact on heart attacks, rather than conducting interviews.



This is another paper written for my Junior Research class. The assignment was entitled making a stament and providing evidence. The information for this assignment was about Baby boomers smoking pot.

Derby Suave Costa Rican Cigarettes

January 31, 2008

Driving along the highway from San Jose to Heredia I noticed a huge billboard advertisement for Derby brand cigarettes. There was an image of a very attractive young woman dancing in what appeared to be a nightclub, party, or other situation that young people would typically enjoy. Behind her was a young man admiring the girl with a “wow” expression plastered across his face. Neither of these people was smoking and the only indication of an ad for cigarettes was the oversized, red and blue labeled package of Derby cigarettes in the bottom corner. What struck me as most unusual about the ad was the words of caution neatly printed along the bottom of the billboard; “Smoking is bad for you health.”

On a whole, the company was using a very simple advertising scheme, with roots as deep as our species; physical attraction. Males will look at the sign because it pictures a pretty girl. Females will look at it because it has a boy admiring a pretty girl, and most females want to feel “sexy” and be admired likewise by the opposite sex. Using intuitive knowledge and common sense, an average onlooker would come to the conclusion, “If it works for these two people portrayed in the advertisement it should work for me.” Can it really be so simple that one will have more fun and become more sexually desirable if they smoke Derby brand cigarettes?

I will state my opinion as no, placing distrust in the advertisers. The company is trying to sell their product, but at the same time is denouncing it for its potential health risks. These are obvious contradictory statements. Why would I trust a company that does not even trust itself? Why would I buy a product from a company that so observably is aware that it is physically harming its consumers?

Through some sort of traditional knowledge, i.e. cultural ideals, the media, and peer pressure, we are led to believe that smoking is “cool.” James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Danny from Grease, and countless other teenage American heartthrobs and role models of cool have asserted that smoking is attractive. Through advertising, this still appears to be the most weighted gravitational pull to entice smokers.

On the other hand, the “Smoking is bad for your health” statement is an authoritative projection of the experts. Through scientific research these experts have come to the conclusion that this knowledge is truth. Empirical evidence, systematic research, and quantitative data have proven that cigarette smoking is dangerous to the health of humans.

However, a century ago medical experts believed just the contrary. Cigarettes were widely thought to have beneficial health effects. Tobacco cigarettes were even prescribed as treatment for many pulmonary problems such as asthma and used by athletes to “open the lungs.”

Clearly, this advertisement for Derby cigarettes portrays an important aspect of information intake. It plainly illustrates that not all sources are trustworthy. Information should be scrutinized and sorted, rather than directly accepted as truth.


This is an essay written for my research class. The assignment was titled ¨What is research?¨ and asked the student to critically look into the information being presented in popular advertisements.

Indigenous Sentiments

Essay written for Contemporary Indigenous Peoples of Latin America

February 4, 2008

I was raised with Native American spirituality. Both of my parents followed and studied it, from my mom building a sweat lodge in our backyard and holding ceremonies, to my father becoming a sort of mystic medicine man, communing with nature, and going on vision quests. Neither of my parents have a drop of native blood (that we know about), but they both had a calling towards this way of life.

As such, I was instilled with “indigenous” ideals and values in my upbringing. My beliefs lie in a native cosmovision. This faith was of those who are the ancient inhabitants of Turtle Island. I was born on Turtle Island as well. I was brought up to believe I am a child of this planet. The Earth is a mother to us all, and, fortunately, I was born on the North American continent, also known as Turtle Island. The sky is my father. All living creatures, from the largest leviathan to the smallest protozoa, are my brothers and sisters to be treated equal. Each has a special value, story, and spirit. The four directions are places of great spirits and my ancestors. In ceremony we pray to our ancestors.

Does this make this religion mine, too? Am I indigenous? Can these beliefs be my own? I have many questions like this because of my indigenous sentiments, but I am still a “white man.”

This creates a major incongruities in my distinct cosmovision. My ancestors were not the indigenous peoples of my homeland, but, on the contrary, the people who conquered the natives. My ancestors were the invaders who brought diseases. My ancestors were the pioneers who slaughtered all of the buffalo. My ancestors were the militias who massacred the Indians to steal their land. My ancestors were the promoters of hundreds of years of mistreatment, broken treaties, and prejudices.

For me, approaching the study of indigenous peoples harbors mixed feelings and emotions. It is a topic I am passionate about, and I find it very interesting. On the other hand, I hold a sort of guilt associated in the issue. I feel imperialistic myself, as if I am imposing my ideals of indigenousness onto actual people.

Anthropology, in the past, has been a wave that crashed on many indigenous peoples throughout the world. They were studied as subjects rather than as real living people. They were put on display in museums and circuses, thought of as exotic, and distinguished as “them” through what was called scientific research.

Anthropologists who actually assimilated themselves within cultures, and treated indigenous as they would any group of people, were often criticized for their research methods. A prime example of this is Kevin Duffy in his studies of the Mbuti pygmy people in Children of the Forest. Duffy viewed the Mbuti as people, friends, family, making personal connections and relationships with his subjects. Duffy threw himself into the midst of tribal life through total participatory action, even going so far as to have sexual relations with the females. Yet, today, his works are regarded as some of the best and most interesting ethnographic studies by contemporary anthropologists. His methods were revolutionary and paved the way for anthropologists to gain a greater understanding of their subjects. I admire his methods, his honesty, and his view on anthropology as a sort of integration, rather than simply a study.

So where is my place in indigenous studies? Am I able to objectively study indigenous cultures without making them objects? Will I be able to take off my imperial glasses and not place my own values and beliefs on those of others? I feel that this will be a great challenge for me. I do not want to assert my own ideals upon other cultures.

Indigenous peoples are considered marginalized, but the tribal peoples of the Brazilian Amazon do not have money because they do not use it in their societies. Because they do not have money, they may be considered “poor,” but they themselves do not consider themselves as poor. They may be considered “savage” because they are nomadic and live in “huts” and in Western society people live in houses, totally removed from nature. There is a great rift in the beliefs of my society and those of many indigenous peoples.

All over the world I have been studying indigenous or tribal peoples. I am drawn to these unique minority cultures that appear so different from my own. This broad view of a myriad of peoples throughout the globe has shown me just how vastly diverse our planet is. I can see the complications of defining “indigenous” as a result.

I road camels with the tribal Bhils of Rajasthan, once known as fierce and noble warriors, but now are nomads and gypsies lost in the vast sands of the Thar desert. I met with an empowerment organization working with the Koragas, a scheduled tribe so low in the caste system that they are forced to do unmentionable deeds just to feed themselves. I briefly studied the Hui people scattered across China. They are descendents of Muslim lineage of the merchants who came along the Silk Road and have long since established themselves in Chinese society while keeping a distinct culture from the rest of the Han Chinese. I have had countless encounters with indigenous organizations, native rights groups and politicians in Latin America. Every culture was so diverse and varied that I myself would not be able to pin down a common definition of indigenous people to cover them all.

I look forward to my further studies with indigenous peoples. In studying this field I am also looking through a window into myself, my own culture, values, and beliefs, while discovering how I fit into the whole, greater unity of our species.