Today is September, 12th, the fourth day in field
school. Even though I have been educated and practiced how to do field work in
my hometown, China, everything in quidi vidi is so different for me. I believe
that through these days’ exercises, I can do investigation and research more
skilfully.
Atlantic Ocean Towards the View of Spear Shore |
This is my first time to do field work in a totally different
situation. You know, I do research in Tibet or Inner Mongolia, I need translation
actually, but I never feel uncertain like this. Because they are Asian and I
have some familiar friends accompanying with me. However, in Quidi Vidi, it’s
wholesome starting point and challenge to me. Meanwhile, I feel strong because
all your dependable partners with me.
Sitting in landrock. Thanks to the shoot of generous John |
We take courses in Quidi Vidi Village Plantation. There are
some handicraft shops upstairs. I learned some interesting handicraft technics
in the interval of courses. For example, the smoked ceramics. Neither two
pieces are same. One artist is learning how to carve ice in glass in
Ireland…Too awesome. Another one is pattern copy in cloth by model and pigments.
But it is not simple as it seen. Some patterns have different colors like grape
and its leaves, so designer makes three layers of model to separate the process
of copying. Many tourists take rest in the building and always wander these
shops.
This kind of commercial method is good model to China. China
has two extreme handicraft markets. One is full of low-quality tourism products
that camouflaging handicrafts. Another is only serves high-level market and
normal people have not the chance to approach. Moreover, update of technics and
self-improvement is not enough to Chinese craftsmen.
In morning’s class, we studied how to use professional
methods to record interview, especially the recorder and microphone. I was
hounded by the doubt of microphone from the day before yesterday. It's not
micro I think. I ever cannot get the point that why we need use the big long
stick to interfere our interviewees. But in the end of the class, I got that.
In my own experiences, interviewee will feel tense and not
natural even say something false when they meet the recorder or other
equipment. Actually, there are two different types of interview. First, it is
formal interview. You must take your best equipment and pursue best quality. I
think this type is similar worldwide. But second type, informal one, shows some
differences between Western and China. In China, many investigators do their
research just by producing a simulated natural talking situation. But in
Canada, even if a general talking, if you want to record, you cannot do that
secretly. Jerry told me that you must acquire people’s permits when you record
them! I think western field interview looked formal, honest and professional,
Chinese style looked natural, friendly and no interference… In class, we were
divided into 4 groups to imitate interview concentrating on a topic of
first job’s experience. I found that microphone is essential actually. As an
interviewer, I must speak louder so that the microphone can collect my voice;
after that I will not influence the whole quality of records.
One exciting thing happened to us occasionally was that we
observed whole process of fishermen filleting cods. Cods are delicious, plus I grew up inland,
this experience is fresh to me. First, Wade Blagdon showed us the whole process
of filleting. Then, Johnny and Noel joined him. They filleted 300 pounds cods- their fishing accomplishments today. Johnny is very cool, he can
fillet one fish just in 40 seconds. I think he may be the fastest one in
village. So he had much time to show his leisure- smoking and drink cola-
reflecting his skills. That is very interesting. Noel gifted me a toothed bone
that getting out from cod’s head. It is hard like iron, they said… very
precious. I picked up videos of whole process . Totally exciting experience to
me.
Noel is filleting the cod from its backbone |
|Johnny is sharpening the fillet knife |
Wade is separating the skin and meat skillfully |
Enjoying leisure in labor- cool beer |
They only kept liver, lower jaw (very tasty), and the meat
that scraped bones in bucket. The bones, head and visera all were thrown in
lake directly. Something magic is that the head and bones connected very
completely. It’s part of skills to fisherman. Specifically, there is a perfect
biological chain in the process. When the fishermen throw out the useless parts
of cod in the lake, you can find that so many sea gulls are waiting for to eat
them… The circle of life conducts. So harmonious. Quidi vidi and its fishing economy
are so expressive to me. I think I will learn more in the period of field school.
Sea gull is rushing into water surface to eat the abandoned fish |
I get it! Tasty! |
Pro. Pocius & students are observing and communicating with fishermen |
(All of the photos are captured by Wang Xuan except the second one)
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