Bienvenidos!
Thank you for joining me in what should be a wonderful trip and productive fieldwork experience here in Ecuador. I must admit that I myself am very excited, albeit a little nervous as the next few months will most likely determine the course of my dissertation. For those of you who may not be aware, I am planning on conducting ethnographic fieldwork among the Afro-Ecuadorian communities here in Ecuador [see personal information]. Specifically, I’m interested in exploring the musical traditions of the Chota-Mira valley and in tackling questions of identity and ethnic relations here in Quito, Ecuador. My study will take me from the Chota valley and Esmeraldas to Quito and possibly Ibarra and Guayaquil. As such, I anticipate being in Ecuador for at least the next ten months, possibly more if funds permit.
Aside from the dissertation, this trip has deeply personal significance for me as I myself am of Ecuadorian (Afro-Ecuadorian) descent. My father is originally from the Chota-Mira valley, and while he now lives and works as a musician and educator alongside my mother in Minnesota, much of his family live now in Carapungo (just north of Quito) and Cuajara (a former hacienda in the Chota-valley). While making progress towards my dissertation, then, I also hope to reconnect with my family, explore my own cultural heritage, and learn something of my own identity in the process. Needless to say, this project is only the beginning of a much longer and more personal journey.
That said, I am very excited and anxious to get underway. So I thank you once again for taking time to join me along this path. This blog will serve multiple purposes, communicating with different audiences (family, friends, advisors, colleagues, and other academics) so please excuse its shifting tone. At times it will read more like an ethnography, at other times like a journal. It will include fieldwork and personal experiences not otherwise related to my dissertation, anecdotes, comments and reflections. It will also include digital photographs and hopefully audio and video (internet connection permitting).
Considering the diverse audience, please be aware that the thoughts posted here are nothing more than that—my perceptions at the moment. They are not meant to be definitive statements about any particular experience, tradition, situation, place, person, etc. In fact, I expect that my thoughts and comments on my experiences here in Ecuador will continue to develop with time, reflection, and further dialogue. If anything, I hope this blog will provide a space for fluid commentary and open dialogue. As such, I encourage you to engage the questions raised either explicitly or implicitly in the content of this blog, and to contribute your thoughts, questions, and constructive criticism.
One last comment . . . I hope to update this blog every few days depending on my internet access and the speed of the connection. My next posting will bring you to speed on my trip to date. Hasta entonces, estaremos hablando!
Un abrazo,
Pacho
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