As the elders of a small hunter-gatherer
community told the story of how their people came to be, University of
Delaware assistant professor of art Jonathan Cox and Summer Scholar Sarah Driver sat and listened, intrigued by the tale.
Over the course of seven days, they learned firsthand about the
Ese'eja (ess-a-eha) Nation, a community of three distinct villages
living in the remote areas of Infierno, Palma Real and Sonene, Peru.
Cox, who recently completed a widely acclaimed "cultural mapping
project" to document and preserve the Hadza hunter gatherers of
Tanzania, sought to work with the indigenous Peruvian community, which
had already, independently, begun a similar project.
"They are really taking the initiative to tell not only their
children and their grandchildren but the world about the story of the
Ese'eja people and how they live sustainably within the forest around
the Amazon basin," said Cox.
"Our job is just to help them be their
voice not just in Peru but internationally."
During the weeklong July trip, he and Driver traveled through the
Amazon rainforest, slept in one-room huts and spoke to the people about
their history and way of life.
Driver, a junior anthropology and visual communications double major
from Darlington, Md., said she found the way of life intriguing and
enlightening.
"It was so eye-opening seeing how people who basically have one room
to live in can be utterly happy," she said. "Instead of their house
being their home, everything around them in nature is their home, and it
was really good to see that such a different way of life can work."
In addition to the community's simple lifestyle, Cox said he believes
the Ese'eja people's ability to live sustainably is important to
document, especially when the knowledge won't necessarily be passed on
after the elders die.
"This particular group of people live a unique way of life that we've
forgotten, and to hold that knowledge that has been passed on for
thousands of years is something important to share with the world," he
said. "Moreover, there's so much that we as a Westernized society can
take away from how these hunter gatherers live and how they interact
with their environment."
The Ese'eja Nation is currently writing letters of support for a
variety of grants to fund their independent cultural documentation
project, one of which includes National Geographic. If funded, Cox will
return to Peru in May 2014 to further document the community.
Like his project in Tanzania, he plans to release a hardback book and also include a short film of the Ese'eja.
In addition, Cox said he has considered creating an alternative
spring break opportunity for students to help him complete the initial
stages of the project, in hopes that it will spur a deeper appreciation
for the power and value of art.
"It's important to show students what we as artists can do to promote
social change, or environmental change, or bring about awareness to
some cause that needs attention," he said. "Art isn't just about hanging
something on the wall; it's about making a difference in your
community."
By traveling to Peru, Driver said the experience was more genuine
than simply looking at pictures or reading about it. Additionally,
getting the chance to see a society become more involved as one solid
community within a developing country was exciting, she said.
If given the opportunity, Driver said she would like to return to
Peru next year to study the Ese'eja further. Whether she goes or not,
however, she said the trip has encouraged her to strongly consider doing
anthropological work on hunter gatherer societies in South America
after graduation.
