Excavating the days away

SMU-in-Taos is my second field school, and it has served to only solidify my goal to be an archaeologist. I mean come on, we get paid for being outside and playing in the dirt. It is more organized and precise than that, but you understand what I mean. Those not in the field tend to not understand how much patience and time an excavation takes, but those are two of the most important qualifications in an archaeologist. Before I left for New Mexico one of my friends asked me if our professors buried items for us to find. He commented, "Well it's a school right?". For all of you out there new to the concept of field school, they do not bury objects in the dirt for us. This is a real excavation with real artifacts. We are trusted and trained to do an excellent job and gather as much information as possible.
One of my favorite aspects of this field school, is that it is community based. Before I arrived I did not really know what that would entail. Now, as the field school comes to a close I know that this aspect is what truly made the experience. There is so much you can learn from those in the community, for they live there and have stories that reach far into the area's past. Community based archaeology does not just entail talking and listening to members in the community, but also to actively participate in it. We were able to do this through activities like the mudding of the church. This is a focal point of the community, as every year the community comes together to redo the church. As we helped with the walls and cleaning the inside we were able to talk to the community and become close with them. Through this the community becomes even more important to the archaeologist, and more vital. Throughout the past archaeologists have come in and worked on what and where they wanted to work, regardless of what the descendant community's wishes. Times have changed and presently it has become very important to work with the community and have their permission. However, complete community based archaeology is a burgeoning concept. Through the course of this field season we had the privilege to meet and be invited to meet many members of the community. From priests to potters, community based archaeology opened many doors.
Though our focus was on the historic plaza of Taos, we were also able to explore rock art in the surrounding areas. I really enjoyed this experience, which took place the first week of the field school. We were all hiking around the hills and valley's of New Mexico. During this time we all found out just how graceful we were, and there were many days when we came home with numerous bruises. For myself, I discovered that I am a cactus magnet, but that they luckily do not hurt as much as you would think. Regardless, one of the next purchases on my archaeology list are cactus proof shoes. Anyway, hiking around with the experts, people who, just by looking at the petroglyph, can tell whether it was made thousands of years ago or a few hundred, was a truly amazing experience. It was a true hands on learning experience, and incredibly exciting.

Sweating It Out

On the list of all of the things that I never thought I would be able to participate in, an Apache sweat lodge ranks pretty high up there. Yet, through this program and our professor, Sunday, we were able to be a part of this experience.
To start from the beginning, every weekend we have optional trips(usually on Saturday), and a few weeks ago we had the opportunity to go and watch an amazing micaceous clay potter, Felipe Ortega, work. He creates beautiful clay ware out of mica clay. In case you have never seen micaceous clay it is a gorgeous bronze hue with sparkling flecks within it. The clay, in addition to being beautiful, is incredibly durable. Felipe scared me when he took a piece of green ware (a clay form that has dried but has not been fired) and started to bang it against the table. Usually with a solid tap green ware will shatter or crack, and with the way he was hitting it i expected to have to duck from flying sherds. The fact that not a single speck broke off amazed me, and made us all appreciate the clay.
We were all very excited to sit there and watch him work. Watching Felipe work is an experience, to say the least. He is completely outrageous and so funny tears literally came out of a couple students' eyes. So when he set down some clay and told us to get to work we were all very excited, but a little nervous that we might make fools our of ourselves in front of him. We were all able to make some micaceous bowls, and I am so excited to take mine home. Though I am a little nervous about getting it home. So I am prepared to strap it on like it's my baby and have it be my carry-on.
While Felipe is incredibly well-known for his pottery, he and those he has taught have mentioned in numerous publications, he also runs a sweat lodge at his house. The sweat lodge takes place on every full and new moon, which works out to be about every 2 weeks. Though about 12 people came up to Felipe's for the pottery demonstration, only 4 of us stayed, plus our professor Sunday. I was really excited, because who ever thought they would be able to take part in a real sweat lodge, and not some cheesy tourist re-enactment. The sweat lodge lasts 4 rounds, and each round has a different theme: beginnings, youth, middle age, and old age. The theme dictates what you talk about and share with the others. The 4 of us were a bit nervous, we didn't know if we would be strong enough to stay in the entire time. Only one of us lasted all 4 rounds, and sadly it wasn't me. I did last for 3 of the 4 rounds, which I was alright with as some of the veterans had to leave the lodge as well. Some even said that this lodge was unusually hot. It was such an amazing and eye opening experience, and completely unique to this area and to these people. It is an experience that I will remember always. In fact when I go home I will probably brag about it to everyone, right after I show them all my new piece of pottery.