Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Being a Researcher Tourist

So far, I have learned that this program is designed to get students to question everything. We question the facts we are given, the methods we use to research, and especially the populations we study. We ask questions because the information is always changing, and as researchers, it is our responsibility to get the most accurate and unbiased information. Since everyone has his or her own ethnobiological lens that they are looking through, obtaining accurate information becomes much less simple. 

From the three days in Kekoldi that we spent with two indigenous Bribri clans, I realized just how complicated getting information could be. The leaders welcomed us into their homes and were extremely forthcoming in explaining specific aspects of their lives. However, because of the touristic nature of our visit, we were unable to delve any deeper into what we were being told. Of course questions could be asked with respect to certain activities, but not the questions that we so had recently been learning to ask. The activities were planned, even rehearsed, and when I broke away from the group I noticed how few actual indigenous people were there. Instead, most were located further from the Usure hut, and were spending their days as “normal”. But how could we know what a normal day even was? Without first spending time and gaining the trust of the population, we were unable to ask substantial questions about their daily life.

For this reason, I had mixed feelings about this visit. By no means are either the program or the leaders of the clans at fault, instead the disconnect I felt indicated that there was a more interesting issue here. How do researchers shed their “tourist” label if they do not have much time? Can this even be done? During this trip I learned about many new plant purposes and about different indigenous traditions, but I think more importantly, I learned that there are always questions to be asked. I just hope I’m always aware enough to recognize them. 

Liz Stratton

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"


Visiting a Cacao Farm in Talamanca was a sweet surprise. I’ve been travelling with a group of 13 girls in Costa Rica through a program called Organization of Tropical Studies: Tropical Medicine and Global Health. Our first stop was in La Selva, a biological station in Sarapiqui. While we were there, we visited an indigenous community close to the Caribbean Ocean near the city Puerto Viejo. We stayed in the Bribri clan’s territory, and it took about two hours on foot, up a mountain to get there. The Bribri community is a matrilineal society that involves women in many important rituals, like working with the deceased, and of course, in cacao plantations. Upon visiting a cacao farm, I learned about the poly-culture system that they use in their agricultural system. A local plantation that does not use pesticides, and only sells for profit after all familial needs are met, plants not only cacao, but also pineapple and banana plants. The Bribri women focus on supporting the biodiversity of the environment, and the soil in Talamanca, a highly tropical wet forest. Similarly, beautiful poró trees are used as living fences in the plantation. What is interesting about the poró tree is that it is very often used as shade for plants in the hot sun, and is also commonly found in coffee farms.

Acomuita, the cacao plantation, was liberating to visit while traveling with a group of just women. It was a widely different sight from any kind of farm work that is done in the United States. As women, we were able to see the elevated role that women were given to handle this sacred plant. Cacao is a central crop that is used in the Bribri community. The women dried the cacao seeds in the sun, grinded it multiple times, shifted out the shells, and rested the pieces over hot water to make a paste. The paste is used for absolutely everything that has to do with chocolate. When we were promoted to try the paste, I took a big scoop with my finger…unaware of the unpleasant forthcoming taste in my mouth. The paste is actually very bitter, and lots of sugar must be added in order for it to taste like what we all know as chocolate. I was so surprised that I knew so little of a delicious treat that rules the sweet world. Later we entered their storefront area where I was confident to buy many of the homemade chocolates that I knew would be authentic in every way. I loved visiting the Bribri cacao plantation, and living in the reservation. Listening to the beautiful sounds of at least 20 species of birds, following a very slow sloth climb a tree, and watching a raincloud pass over us were the best things to contemplate when sleeping under a mosquito net. I can’t wait to see what other beautiful people and sites we get to see next. Pura Vida!

Meghna Purkayastha

Thank you, Mother Nature

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Even though I have only been in Costa Rica for a month now, my time abroad, so far, has been one of the richest learning experiences of my life. I have never been able to learn in a way that has been so active and hands-on; so much of my time has been spent directly applying my knowledge either in the field or in the community. Previous to the start of the program, I knew little in regards to global health, tropical medicine, or ethnobiology, but in just the four weeks that I have been here I have gained such valuable insight.

Our first three weeks of the program were spent at La Selva Bological Station in Sarapiquí. Our time at La Selva was focused on gaining an understanding of the Costa Rican health system, looking at how the rainforest and humanity impact each other, and learning about the various social determinants of health. One of my favorite aspects of the program so far has been our focus on ethnobiology. This field is one that I had had very little exposure to, but now that I have, it is subject that I find fascinating. I think that many doctors in the United States underestimate the power of natural medicines, especially as western medicine has become more dominant. One of the most valuable things I have learned and have been able to witness here in Costa Rica is how resourceful the rainforest, and nature in general, can be.

For three days we traveled to Talamanca to visit the Bribri people, an indigenous community in Kekoldi, and I was humbled by their understanding and incredible use of the rainforest’s rich resources. Our guide referred to the rainforest as the hardware store, the pharmacy, and the supermarket of the indigenous people because of how heavily they relied on their surroundings to survive. Our guide showed us leaves that had the texture of sandpaper that were used for polishing floors or washing pots, leaf fibers made to use ropes, plants that had digestive properties, other plants that treated anemia, and even plants that could be used to heal ear aches. I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to learn about this field of medicine because it is one that many people do not take the time to appreciate.

I am excited for what the following months have to offer and am so thankful for the knowledge I get to take home and share with others.

Karina Handal

The Bills are on the House

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Imagine a life where almost everything you need to survive is on the house; but in order to afford this luxury you had to stick or go back to basics. This is the case for the Indigenous people in Kekoldi, the “house” I am referring to is the forest and “back to basics” is referring to a time of no electricity, electronics or internet. This is how the Bribri people of Kekoldi live their daily lives. They don’t have to pay for food, medicine etc. They have almost everything they need in the forest, giving to them by their God, “Sibu.” Sibu build this world only for the Bribri people. The forest acts as their supermarket, hardware store, pharmacy and water source. According to the Bribri people, Sibu only put non-Bribri people on this world to provide the people with clothes and shoes. I was intrigued by their way of living and beliefs about the world because everything their actions and belief were very traditional but also very new to me.

We had to hike three hours up a mountain to get to the Bribri community but it was totally worth it when we got to the top. The view and house, our host Sebastian built with two other men also Bribri, were amazing. On our second day we took walk from the forest to learn about many of the plants the Bribri people use medicine and food. We also climbed to the top of a bird watching tower, also built by Sebastian, where we were able to see Panama from one side and the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. We watched the rain come from the city toward where we were, which was pretty cool.

Living in a generation where electricity, internet and phones have become necessities, it was nice to see that people are able to live happy lives without them. Visiting Kekoldi was like going back in time. Even without electricity my group had so much fun hanging out and playing card games. The food there was some of the best food I had in Costa Rica. The Indigenous way of life and mentality of preserving the forest is beneficial to the world. For example, Sebastian and his two partners cut 24 trees in their forest to build the house we stayed in. To make up for cutting the trees, they planted 2400 trees. 100 for each tree they cut. Although they know they will never see the trees actually become adults in their lifetime, they know that they will become huge trees in future generations. The people of the world can learn a lot from Indigenous people. Especially, when worrying about who gets the bill?

Le’Shauna Phinazee

La Selva dreams (+1 Nightmare)
















The La Selva Rainforest is like the setting of dreams that I had as a kid. Dreams where I explored and felt at home in the wild. And dreams where I was afraid and I had to run.

Every time I walked in the woods, I felt a change. The sounds and sights overwhelmed me and shifted my focus outside of myself. During our forest adventures, there were moments when I felt like a loud human intruder; barging through an ancient forest that didn't want me or need me. The trees that towered over me shaded the path long before I was born, and will (hopefully) cast their shadow long after I'm gone. There were moments when I felt one with the forest, completely enveloped by the dense green. My head would clear, my heart would slow and, I would be in this dream-like state. Finally emerging from the cool jungle interior into the sunlight was just like waking from a dream. Even routine walks had a surreal quality to them. I was in this rainforest-trance when something actually surreal happened to me.

I was running along the main paved path at twilight, where I had run many evenings before. We had only a few days left at La Selva, and I wanted to spend as much time on the trails as possible. Now, this entire day I had felt off- anxious, unable to concentrate. My hands kept shaking and my heart would start racing for no reason. I figured some time in the forest would calm me down.
On my way back, about 4 km from the station, I heard something emerge from the woods alongside me. I figured it was a pecari, one of the wild pigs that run rampant around La Selva. I turned, and found myself staring into the eyes of a puma. I could have reached out and touched him. He was bigger then me and was now on the concrete pathway, advancing right behind me.

Decision time. Will he pounce? Should I get down and cover my face? Should I run?
I didn't make a sound and never stopped moving. He ran after me as I sprinted. For the first time the rainforest was silent. All I heard was my ragged breathing. Each time I looked over my shoulder I was gaining distance between us, until the puma finally disappeared into the darkness.
I reached the station and emerged into the fading light. I wasn't sure if I was about to cry or laugh or fall over. A butterfly flitted by my face and I had to stifle a startled scream. I hadn't even thought to scream before. I had never run so fast or made such a primal choice: fight or flight.
I couldn't sleep that night.

Even now, when I think about the puma, it feels like someone else's story. That night, and all of my other (albeit less exciting) days and nights in La Selva will always feel like something that I might have dreamed.

Abigail Mahoney

Out from the Comfort Zone: Into Nature






















We had only been at La Selva for a few weeks when the announcement came that we would be adventuring to an indigenous community for three-days and there would be no electricity, a three-hour hike, and a high possibility of chiggers. Let me begin by saying, I was feeling more than a little bit nervous and outside of my comfort zone. Nevertheless, the day we departed, I boarded the bus with an open-mind; as a result, I returned to La Selva a few days later with a new appreciation of different cultures and ways of life, and changed perspectives on what being interconnected with nature and the forest can truly mean.

The journey began as we piled out of the OET bus, and then sprayed and armed ourselves with bug spray and DEET for our hike up the mountain with our guide Sebastion. It was extremely hot, muddy, and tiring, but the hike was an excellent opportunity to learn new plants, insects and animals, and was the beginning of my realization of all that the forest can hold.

At the top, we arrived at a beautiful wooden house that was truly located in the center of the rainforest. The house had been built by Sebastian, his brother and only one other person, and was for students and researchers. I enjoyed our time there and especially the first night. We listened to Sebastian tell the history of the Bribri people as the sun set around us, it was fascinating and enlightening as I learned more about their people, the struggles they had faced and were overcoming, and their resourcefulness.

My constant amazement at how resourceful the indigenous people were was definitely a theme for me throughout the trip. The next day in the Bribri community, one of the leaders made a comment that truly stuck with me; he said the forest gives them everything they need, that it can be, “a supermarket, hardwood store, pharmacy, and source of water.” As I listened to the community healer, the Awa, speak in their native language, I also realized religion and their God, Sibu, are also linked to nature and the environment. To further our first-hand experience we then immersed ourselves in some aspects of their lifestyle: throwing arrows, visiting a sacred spiritual location in the forest, mashing corn with a stone, and completed the day by eating lunch on a leaf folded into a bowl! I found the communities interconnectedness and reliance on nature and the wild truly remarkable, and such a refreshing contrast to my way of life at home. 

On the bus back to La Selva, I felt privileged to have had such a unique opportunity, and was already looking forward to my next experience in Costa Rica that pushes me outside of my comfort zone.

Symone Stephens

Eating Leaves and Finger Painting: An Ethnobiology Lesson






















While we were at La Selva I saw so many animals and insects and plants on dozens of hikes and ventures out into the forest. We learned more species of medicinal plants than I can remember, but I think my favorite part of this time at La Selva was when Jaime lectured to us about these many many natural medicines. Jaime is really funny and an excellent speaker. He jokes about everything and understands what his audience wants to hear. We listened attentively while he showed us leaves that he and his niece and nephew gathered from the land around them. He told us how one leaf when steeped into tea can help you sleep. Another was good for digestion, though to be fair half of the leaves seemed to be good for digestion. He showed us this lipstick plant, a spiky red seed pod that has highly pigmented red seeds inside. We painted our arms with the seeds and then Jaime taught us how to use a fern to make a temporary tattoo on the red. We all were beyond thrilled with that.

Jaime also showed us raw ginger and had us taste it. It was incredibly spicy and most of us could barely let it sit on our tongue for more than a few seconds. Nearly every leaf he gave us he made us try. He would say before we bit into each one “Arriba! Abajo! A centro! Adentro” while we all repeated his chant. Some of the leaves tasted like, well, leaves. Others tasted oddly sweet. And still others were incredibly bitter. Jaime laughed at us when we nearly spit the bitter leaves out.

We ended our lecture when Jaime sliced up coconuts for us and had us drink them. The entire afternoon was spent learning traditional medicinal methods. It was fascinating to learn how these natural resources lent themselves to being more effective treatments than even modern pills can be. I think this experience was an excellent example of how this program expands your mind. I had always known that many medicines were originally derived from plants but never before had I realized that these were not only methods used by shamen, but also by everyday people who understood their inherent value. It was an excellent lesson by an excellent teacher, one of my favorite times at La Selva.

Marcela Zegarra-Ballon

Dengue for Science
















During these past three weeks in Costa Rica, the most interesting instructions I have received so far are “don’t wear bug spray.” In the rainforest, they expect me not to wear bug spray? I’m a good sport, so on an overcast day at 8:30 in the morning, seven of us trooped out to the local town and a pineapple plantation sans bug spray. Our goal? To capture Aedes mosquitoes, which are known for carrying a disease called dengue that is a pretty big problem in Costa Rica. The no bug spray idea is sounding worse and worse.

A little background. We were conducting a Faculty Led Project (FLP) with an invited faculty member named Amanda. We were looking at the presence of Aedes mosquitoes in different areas around La Selva, including a nearby town, a pineapple plantation, and the rainforest itself. In order to catch these mosquitoes, Amanda had gone out a few days earlier and set up traps in order to catch both larval and adult forms of this mosquito. There were a few methods for catching them, but my personal favorite was the flashlight aspirator. They had basically repurposed a few flashlights and made them in to fans that were able to suck up adult mosquitoes in to a container so that we could take them back to the lab. They were really fun to use, even if I wasn’t very good at it. We had to look for the adult mosquitoes and quickly use the aspirators to catch them. This is where the “no bug spray” command came in to play.

In order to actually catch any mosquitoes, a few of had to roll up our sleeves and hold our arms out so that the mosquitoes would land on us so that they were easier to see and catch. This worked very well, and I am convinced that mosquitoes like Gringa blood a lot more than Tico blood. Although we were able to catch a decent amount of mosquitoes this way, most of the time the people with the aspirators didn’t move quickly enough. I got more than my fair share of mosquito bites. But all in the name of science!

Even though I didn’t appreciate the bites, it was still so much fun to sacrifice my body and blood for a good cause. We didn’t find any significant results, but we were able to catch a few Aedes adults using the aspirators and look at them under a microscope. Definitely worth the momentary pain.

And don’t worry, it’s been a while since then and I am not showing symptoms of dengue. But I’ll definitely wear bug spray next time.

Emily Leytham

Do We Learn Through Results or Processes?





















My education has always been in a lecture format; therefore, I was excited to discover that the education here is experiential based. Each experience leads to a lesson learned and knowledge gained. The knowledge I am gaining is through processing the experiences, which involves observing, questioning, and discussing.

During our various walks in the forest with guides including Alex, Orlando, and Kenneth, they grabbed plants and easily identified the type, its uses, and history of it; they would also scan their surroundings and find tiny amphibians such as the blue jean frog. Unfortunately, rather than truly observing and absorbing the knowledge, I focused on writing down descriptions and imagining how to memorize all of these facts (typical of what I do in school). Then I realized this is not the way I will be able to learn here. So, with the more walks I take, the less notes I write, and the more observant I become.

I can go for a walk in the silence now, observe nature as a living and breathing object around me, and truly see the differences of the plants and animals. While I may not know names or uses yet, I see them as living, therefore making it much easier to remember their unique characteristics.

From this, I have learned the value of questioning. Rather than simply noticing that two plants share similar characteristics, I choose to ask if my observations are correct and how I can further identify them. My aim is not to guess the correct name, but to understand the “how” or the process of determining the plant. Not only am I learning how to ask questions that lead to more questions, but also how to question respectfully. I realized I feared that I would seem ignorant if I asked about someone’s culture, but I was wrong. Bribri clan members, for example, appreciate the curiosity and want people to learn about their culture because it shows that others value communities different from their own.

Finally, discussing ideas or concepts that I may not necessarily agree with also challenges me and further expands my knowledge. In the indigenous community there are clearly defined roles for women, such as preparing the cacao drink. While I understand this does not undermine women, it does however confine them due to their gender. Being open to hearing how the roles are understood in the culture has allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for why the system is set up in this way. In my journey thus far, I have found myself truly enjoying experiential learning and becoming more focused on gaining my education through the process than by the result.

Morgan Drew

A Taste of Ethnobiology
















“Ariba, a bajo, al centro….. al dentro!” Jaime sung out as we dropped a small, green, seemingly unimportant leaf into each of our mouths. Flavors of fresh citrus exploded inside my mouth. It is called bitter orange, or naranja adria, and is used by local Costa Ricans to make “tranquillo” relaxant teas. This plant is one of many used by local and indigenous communities for medicinal purposes. However, 10 minutes earlier, if I had seen this leaf on a tree, I would not have thought there was anything special about it other than its nice smell. This was the beginning of our first Ethnobiology lecture and was followed involved a vast demonstration of many plants people use for medicinal and practical purposes. Just a few of the names of plants we learned about were chiyote (makes natural red dye), lemongrass (used for teas), ginger (aids in stomach secretions), basil (cures earaches when combined with garlic), gavilana (cures stomach illness and elephantiasis), and quasia almata (cures stomach parasites). One of the most fascinating was called "piper" and acts as a natural anesthetic. Jaime instructed us to chew a leaf before we knew this however, and instantly our tongue and lips became numb and tingly! It was such an experience being able to touch, and smell and taste all these plants that could cure almost any simple illness you could think of. It made me wonder how many other natural products there must be all over the world that people use as remedies in their every day lives. To me they were just plants, but to Jaime, they were a way of life.

I left the lecture that day with a sense of awe about this whole new world of biology I never learned about in my cellular and biochemistry classes. Every plant has a story and purpose, no matter how small. To think I’ve walked past thousands in my life without ever giving them so much as a second glance. Ethnobiology encompasses so much more than just scientific knowledge. It encompasses an entire culture’s interaction with the environment around them. I believe that this first lecture was only a small “taste” of all we will learn about Costa Rica’s rich history of ethnobiology.

Stephanie Hynes

The Mono-Cropping Monster

















Growing up in a rural farming community in Vermont, I've seen first-hand the benefits of small farms. I've known intuitively that local farms produce better produce for consumers and better outcomes for the farmers and their workers. In my house, “factory farms” is a curse word used to describe the evil corporations who are financially ruining our friends, harming our health, and suing our state. I've always felt this way, but I'd never actually seen these monstrosities until our visits to the plantations.

Finca Sura, the organic pineapple plantation, was idyllic, as evidenced by the reactions of my classmates. It was astonishingly beautiful, the samples were divine, and we all seemed to walk around in a daze of happiness. It's obvious when one tastes such produce that there is a difference in product quality based on how far food travels.

A few days later, when we went to the large-scale banana plantation, I heard utterances of shock all around me. We drove past miles and miles of banana trees with no plant diversity in sight. Each bunch of bananas was surrounded by a bag of chemicals and more chemicals were being sprayed from an airplane. We ended up moving our talk into the bus because the chemical plane was coming closer and we were concerned about inhaling...yet we eat these crops every day. Later, during our faculty led project, we stopped at a large pineapple plantation and watched a tractor spraying the fields. We debated whether it was spraying water or chemicals, because it seemed like way too much substance for it to be chemicals, until the scent hit us and it became clear that it was definitely not water.

I know it's unrealistic in our world today to eliminate food produced on a large-scale from our diets, but I have to admit that I was very struck by these experiences. It's one thing to have talked about it my whole life in an abstract sense; it's totally different, and much more powerful, to see it in action. As scary as it was to acknowledge these realities about our foods, I'm glad we did. It's too easy these days to ignore where our food comes from, yet I think it's an important factor to consider. We are putting these things into our bodies; it doesn't get much more personal than that. We have a right to know what we are consuming, but we also have a responsibility to care. For the sake of our health, our futures, and our planet, we have a responsibility to look at what we are growing and eating and think about the implications.

Krcmar Rachel