Starting Fieldwork

On Wednesday, we went with Matthew out to the church where he will be conducting his research to meet the head women, Dona Teresa. I was a bit nervous and was told to wear a dress or skirt and that I shouldn’t bare my shoulders. I felt as though I was preparing to meet the Pope, and I guess, that is what this women is to her congregation.

We bumped along the dirt road out to her house, my back started to pain me a bit from the pot- holes. I could see a statue of Dona Teresa’s late husband in the far distance. A broken down fence blocked any view of her home from the outside. In fact, I was quite unimpressed with how the house looked. Older in appearance, with chickens and roosters milling about. A low hanging thatch roof covered the walkway up to the porch. Here is where we waited, in what looked like a make shift waiting room. Chairs and porch couches lined the perimeter and a large throne-like chair with red velour coverings on the arms and foot stool, stood at the center. After waiting for about 10 minutes, a small, frail looking woman, in a polyester dress and rubber flip-flops walked slowly up to the chair and took her place. Matthew stood up and so did I, and greeted her with a small hand shake and head bow. And then small talk commenced. Much of which I didn’t understand.

She made much ado about the kids. Matthew told her that Grace had been sick and she quicked reasoned that someone jealous of us had put a curse on us. She advised us to seek out a shaman for help. In the meantime, Cosmo had captivated Grace's attention with a Cicada about the size of a hummingbird he found under his chair. He picked it up and cradled it in his hands, soon it slowly crawled out onto his arm and rested. Grace was amazed and look closely into its eyes before it took off in thunderous flight and scared her half to death.

There were young women helping out, bringing out coffee and treats to eat. One woman had a 3 year-old boy that ran around with Gracie. I've made note of her name to ask her later for an interview. On the 15th of September the church is having a "work" which will start at 6pm and end our 4 in the morning. I'm a bit apprenhensive about going. The thought of bringing out the kids for the night is something I'd rather not do. However, Cosmo assures me that we can bring out our own hammacks and be in the children's room, where all the kids play and rest. We'll see. It would be interesting ethnographically...

This encounter was interesting and I can't wait until I can understand the babbling of Portugese so I can participate in the conversations. It is tough being on the outside of things...