ECUADOR SUMMER FIELD SCHOOL

The Andes and the Amazon Field School Arizona State University

First Summer Session: June 8 - 30, 2002

Second Summer Session: July 5 - 27, 2002

 

This course is a field study of the oral history, literature, art, and religious life of the Quichua Indian people. It provides immersion in the Quichua language and practical training in contemporary field work methods. A unique perspective is gained by living and working with native communities in the Andes Mountains and Amazonian forests. Members of these communities serve as co-teachers in the courses. LOCATION Ecuador is known for its array of indigenous cultures, well preserved colonial architecture, dense rainforest, and otherworldly volcanic landscapes. The high point of each session is a two week stay in an Amazonian Runa community on the banks of the Napo River. Other destinations include the colonial city of Quito founded in 1534, Andean communities around Otavalo and Salasaca, and the volcanic hot springs of Baños and Papallacta.

 

PROGRAM ITINERARY

Session 1, June 8-30, 2002: QUITO (June 8-9)

Inca and colonial city founded in 1534. Visit Renaissance and Baroque churches built with Inca gold while studying the impact of the Spanish missions. PAPALLACTA (June 10) - Mountain resort. Rest. Soak in volcanic hot springs under towering mountains. AMAZONIAN QUICHUA COMMUNITY (June 10 -24) - Learn the oral history of ancestral hunting grounds while camped out in the rainforest with an Amazonian family. Observe the ceremonial planting of manioc while helping a family clear secondary forest with machetes. Listen to the songs of a Napo Runa medicine woman. BAÑOS (June 25-26) - Mountain pilgrimage site and spa. Study Quichua. Visit Inca ruins. Rest. Ride horseback on the slopes of Mt. Tunguragua. OTAVALO/CAYAMBE AREA (June 27-30) - Observe the Inti Raymi/San Pedro dances.

 

Session 2, July 5-27, 2002: QUITO (July 5-6)

Inca and colonial city founded in 1534. Learn the history of this city and the sacred mountains that surround it through the eyes of the Quichua people native to this valley.

COTOPAXI PROVINCE (July 7) - Study the ruins of an Inca temple devoted to the Cotopaxi volcano.

SALASACA (July 7-9) - Work with a grassroots school where volunteer teachers use quipuus and other Inca calculating devices to teach math to children.

BAÑOS (July 9-10) - Mountain pilgrimage site and spa near Salasaca. Rest and soak in volcanic springs while continuing to study indigenous life with Salasaca teachers.

AMAZONIAN QUICHUA COMMUNITY (July 11-25) - Camp in virgin rainforest. Work in small groups to interview local families. Study native interaction with plants and animals, the ayahuasca healing tradition, and the reasons for indigenous resistance.

PAPALLACTA (July 26-27) - Mountain resort. Soak in volcanic hot springs under towering mountains.

 

ELIGIBILITY

This program is open to adventurous students willing to be challenged by the difference of indigenous life. Prerequisites: Session 1 - None, Session 2: B.A. or permission of the Director. Teachers and mid-career adults wishing to continue their education are encouraged to enroll. Students or alumni from any university are welcome. To reserve a place in the program, submit a completed application form with the $350 ($50 non-refundable) application fee by March 15 , 2002. Applications will be accepted after due date until all spaces are filled.

 

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

All participants must enroll for seven credits each session: four in Quichua Language and three from any of the other courses listed below:

Session 1: June 8-30, 2002 FLA 494/590 ST/RC: Quichua Language and Literature I (4) FLA 494/590 ST/RC: Quichua Language and Literature III (4) ASB 494/591 ST: Field Study of Andean/Amazonian Cultures I (3) HUM 494 ST: South American Indian Cultural Expression (3) REL 332 South American Indian Traditions (3) REL 494/591 ST: Field Study of Andean/Amazonian Religion I (3)

Session 2: July 5-27, 2002 FLA 494/590 ST/RC: Quichua Language and Literature I (4) FLA 494/590 ST/RC: Quichua Language and Literature II (4) FLA 494/590 ST/RC: Quichua Language and Literature IV (4) ASB 494/591 ST: Field Study of Andean/Amazonian Cultures II (3) REL 494/591 ST: Field Study of Andean/Amazonian Religion II (3) REL 494/591 ST: Teaching Indigenous Culture (3) IED 498/598 ST: Teaching Indigenous Culture (3) Session 2 is designed for graduate students preparing for a lifetime of serious research on indigenous culture; K-12 teachers who wish to develop course materials on Amazonian culture or environment; or mature students seeking to enrich their lives through continuing education. This program is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for Graduate Summer FLAS Fellowships. To qualify, FLAS Fellows must enroll in both sessions. Four $1,000 Teacher Fellowships are also available for K-12 and community college teachers. Teacher Fellowship applications are available on the program website at http://www.asu.edu/clas/latin/ecuador/teacher.html. The deadline for these is 03/04/02.

 

FACULTY

Professor Tod Swanson is Director of ASU¹s Center for Latin American Studies. His specialty is Quichua religious history. Swanson was raised in the Ecuadorian Amazon and is fluent in Spanish and Quichua. Professor Luz Maria de la Torre Amaguaña is Otavalan Quichua. She has published a Quichua dictionary and numerous articles on Quichua language, culture, and bilingual education. LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS Varies from a health spa nestled in the Andes to camping under palm thatch in the Amazon forest. In indigenous communities, basic American-style meals alternate with opportunities to sample native cuisine. COST OF PROGRAM The cost of $2,095.00 per summer session (subject to change) includes tuition and fees, ground transportation in Ecuador, access to Indian communities and forests, lodging, and three meals a day. Not included: airfare (approx. $775 with a group rate), passport, health insurance, and personal expenses.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND APPLICATION FORMS CONTACT:

Professor Tod Swanson Center for Latin American Studies Arizona State University

PO Box 872401 Tempe, AZ 85287-2401

Phone: (480) 965-5127 Fax: (480) 965-6679

E-mail: tod.swanson@asu.edu

Program website: http://www.asu.edu/clas/latin/ecuador

Includes more information about our program & a downloadable application form

 

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Stefanie L. Bobar Secretary, Administrative

Center for Latin American Studies Tel: (480) 965-4191

Arizona State University Fax: (480) 965-6679

P.O. Box 872401 E-mail: slbobar@asu.edu

Tempe, AZ 85287-2401 http://www.asu.edu/clas/latin

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