Capellani

In the 6 weeks or so since I first set foot in Capellani, I'm finally getting to know it a little more. And I'm learning that I haven't even scratched the surface. Once again the anthropologist's job seems impossible. How can I just plop down in the middle of a community that has a longer and more complex history than I could ever understand and expect to learn anything? You might think that a small community of a few dozen families would be easier to study than a big society, but you have to realize that these families have lived, fought, married, celebrated, mourned, and died together for centuries. But here goes anyways. . .
Just to give a little sketch of the village, it is in the mountains on the side of a canyon between 2850 meters and 3400 meters above sea level and covers a few square miles. The schoolhouse, where my room is, is more or less in the center of the community, at 3167 meters, or 10,390 feet, above sea level, according to google earth. In fact if you want to take a tour, get on google earth and put in the coordinates (17degrees 26'51.56''S 66degrees 26'05.31''W) and that should take you straight to the school house. There are 80 families registered as community members, but many have migrated which the many empty houses I walk past remind me of each day. The people are very friendly and eager to show me how they live (often seemingly looking for approval from me, which makes me a little uncomfortable.) Everyone calls me "Engineer" since I guess everyone before me have been an agricultural engineer, and I don't really feel like correcting them because I don't want to explain what an anthropologist is.
I've spent 3 or 4 days each week this past month there, each week returning with new blisters on top of my blisters from last week. This is a busy time of year and everyone is planting and looking for extra help, so I've helped clear fields, plow with a team of oxen, hand plow with a pickax on the steep mountainside where bulls can't walk, weed, and plant potatoes and corn. During all this hand-toughening I've also found muscles in my back, arms and legs that I never new I had. And the lack of oxygen is never helpful. Why do all this if it doesn't really have to do with the theme of my thesis? Well first of all, I have to get to know the people first, and besides, the conversation flows much more naturally when they are in a place and doing something they are familiar with. I actually have to answer probably more questions than they do, but I don't mind. It is always a good for the ego to be put in the middle of a place where everyone speaks another language and they all look at you and laugh and you hear the word "gringo" every once in a while and realize they are talking about you.
But anyways, this weekend Ann got to come along for the first time since there was no school on Monday (Day of the Dead is a national holiday). I think it was really fun, and she thought so too except for the hike up that she says almost killed her. It was good for her to see where I am and who I'm with and good for her to see that I am not suffering. Although now I'm sure she just has more vivid things to worry about.
Ann hiked down Monday and I staid until today, so last night I got to go visit the church for the first time. It is a small room, actually about the size of our church here, with 6 small benches. I realized near the end of the service that everyone on my side of the church was female, all the men were on the other side. I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not, but no one bothered to tell me. It was nice and the people were very glad to see me there. I really want to be able to be true to my faith and the church while I am a part of this community, but it will be hard while I have to live with the non-Christians as well. We'll see how that goes.