A believe balance in the field is important. For each minute I spend alone writing, reading and thinking, I try to spend nine out and about connecting with the people who generously grant me a glimpse into their lives. Bario, a remote Kelabit community in the highlands of Borneo, provided top-rate hospitality; I barely had …
The only difference between an explorer and a tramp is an excuse begins Charles C. Miller’s colonial 1946 account of the tribes of Borneo. Waiting for my twin otter plane to Bario, I was happy to have an excuse to visit this unofficial capital village of the Kelabit highlands of Sarawak. Not that I needed …
During one of my final weeks with the Surui, while giving Surui youth an English class, the Metareilá office received a long-distance phone call. The student who answered ran to me. “They’re speaking English! Come talk to them!” she pleaded. The United Nations in New York was lucky I was in the office that day. …
First of all, I apologize for the extended blogging absence. After an excruciating three-day journey from Brazil, I arrived safely in Kuching, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Sarawak (as pictured in the featured image for this post). Malaysia is the furthest East I’ve ever traveled and I have thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality …
On our lunch break a few weeks ago, members of the Surui Metareilá association gathered around Almir’s tiny MacBook Air to watch his most recent public appearance at a summit in Rio de Janeiro hosted by the publication The Economist. He appeared in a sleek grey sports coat, accented by traditional Paiter Surui necklaces and …
I’ve done many things for the first time since I arrived in Brazil. Here are just a few: Ate grubs Got a root canal Met a man whose father killed someone and ate the victim’s heart. The Surui have seen some rough days. Traveled to a country where I was not already proficient in the … Continue reading »
Here are three things you should never leave home without in the Amazon: water, insect repellent, sunscreen. And if you’re Chief Almir Narayamoga of the Surui, make sure to remember your high-tech video recording sunglasses. New field sites often require weeks of cultivating trust, understanding, and the relationships to yield interesting work. Which is why when I … Continue reading »
“Are you laughing or crying?” my mom asks when I call her on Skype to tell her the news. Both. Definitely both. I’ve been fortunate to have seen a lot of the world in my short time on this planet, and I’ve been through your run-of-the-mill inconveniences along the way: parasites, lost luggage, muggings, robberies, … Continue reading »
For those of you who missed my presentation in Norway this week (I guess technically, I missed it too), you can watch it on Slideshare below. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments and feedback and feel free to get in touch with me with further questions. Arctic Issues On-line: Decolonizing the digital North from … Continue reading »
Humans are altering the physical composition of the world. I am reminded of this fact as I fly into Cacoal, a small city in the province of Rondonia Brazil I will call home for the coming months. From the window of my plane, destruction etches itself out in contrasts of light green farm pasture and … Continue reading »
“So, I just digitized my entire music library,” Mark Oppenneer mentions the last time we talk via Skype. “And I’m just thinking…I’m such an idiot.” To the casual observer, this conversion might not appear like a problem; indeed, it could be an improvement. But Mark is a bit tortured by his decision. He takes a … Continue reading »
I am happy to announce that I will be e-giving a presentation at the 2013 Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway this month. Headed by Tom Fries – Nonresident Senior Fellow and commander-in-chief of communications at the Arctic Institute – our talk is titled ”Arctic Issues On-line: Social media, Research, Networking and Branding.” His portion of … Continue reading »
