Notes from the Field

Although it has not yet been used at my fieldsite, a community nearby developed its own currency (the "Tumin") several years ago as a way to stimulate their local economy in a way that didn't depend on money being injected from the outside. It helped to facilitate barter within the community by allowing people to sell products for Tumin, which in exchange could be used to buy other local products. Over time, established businesses in nearby towns also started accepting the currency. Businesses accepting Tumin display a sign that reads "Aceptamos Tumin" (We accept Tumin).  Within the community, people can use Tumin to buy anything from honey to a taxi ride.  Both Tumin and Pesos coexist, although prices in Tumin tend to be lower than prices in Pesos. In order to get Tumin, one must offer a product or service for sale in the community and accept Tumin as payment.  Roughly the size and texture of a business card, Tumin come in several denominations.  This is what...

Pepper is harvested in the area once a year.  Branches with pepper clusters are picked from the tree, and afterwards, people sit and pluck the pepper from the branches at home while they gossip and joke with each other.  After plucking the clusters from the branches, one's hands smell really good; sweet like cloves. Once the pepper is separated from the leaves and branches, it is dried and sold to middle-men.  When I asked about its ultimate destination, I was told it gets sent to Japan where it is used to make explosives.  I do not know if this is true, but here are some pictures of the process: A sack full of branches ready to have pepper plucked.  Pepper trees below.     Plucking the pepper from the branches.                      Pepper, ready to be dried and sold. 

In the past, farmers at my field site used to grow corn for consumption and sale of the kernels. Today, however, they grow it mainly for the corn husks which are worth nearly twice more than the corn itself.  Middle-men come around to the area to buy the corn husks from producers and then take them to facilities where they are bleached and exported to the United States.  I asked producers, "Do you know what the corn husks are used for?" Their answers included "they use them in the production of dollar bills" (I don't know if this is true) and "they are used to make tamales."   Here are some photographs of the corn-husk harvest and sale.                       

When I arrived to the field, I noticed that people liked to read but there was no library.  One man told me how he sometimes found books in the garbage and took them home to read.  This motivated me to ask friends in Mexico City to donate used books, and start an online funding campaign to raise money to buy shelves and additional books.  Through monetary and in-kind donations from relatives, friends and their friends, as well as a bookstore in Mexico City, the library project has taken off. Here are some photos of its progress: This is the space in a community building that was provided for starting the library. The building also houses a community kitchen.   The library started with 17 used books, and then grew until it filled one bookshelf and then two.               Adults and children like to come and check out books to take home.                       ...

While I have been in the field, I've noticed some very creative recycling ideas. When people don't have a reliable trash pick-up service, they find ways to re-use items that would normally go in a landfill.  Here are some of my favorites:            Trash bin made out of empty plastic bottles.                             Christmas tree made out of plastic bottles, and handbag made out of plastic bottle rings/safety seals.              Chair and speed bump made out of old tires.                         Broken refrigerator used as a tool box.