Now that it is November, I finally get to dedicate all my time to my research, enjoying Arica, and living with friends! Through the SIT abroad platform, we get a month at the end of the program to pursue any project related to the public health theme in any part of Chile. I decided to come back to Arica since I already had connections in the public hospital and want to work with the Aymara population that is most concentrated here.
I have already started getting a few things in order. For my research, I need to identify Aymara ascendance from the birth records in the hospital. I have already been in touch with people from CONADI (National Corporation for Indigenous Development), as they have a ongoing research project identifying these last names in the region of Arica and Parinacota. I was able to get my hands on this precious book and photocopy it so now I have just been going through my data identifying which names could be Aymara! The Aymara keep their father and mothers’ last names, so it is easy to see the Aymara lineage as it is passed down generation to generation.
I also was able to be part of a birth last night in the hospital! A woman had recently given birth to a premature but healthy baby girl when I arrived at the hospital, and since there weren’t going to be any more births last night, my advisor quickly rushed me in to watch the process the mother goes through post-birth of removing the placenta, etc. I won’t go into too many details but it was really interesting to be able to watch and ask questions while the nurse-midwife was with the mother. Afterwards, I watched as they prepared the baby to be with her mother- literally enveloping her in 4 layers of clothing while she was still under a hot lamp. The baby reached her tiny hand to try to grab mine while the nurse and her aunt clothed her.
Email me if you have any questions! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa
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