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Steve Torgerson
Masters Student in Landscape Architecture
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Today, I picked up the photos
which I had taken on the assessment in Monkey River. It is one of the
hidden joys of having to fill an every hungry camera. The surprise is
revealed in the development process. As I opened the packages one by
one, I was instantly brought back to the Beach of Monkey River. I was
reminded of sunsets, stars, dancing, and the people that call the
confluence of Monkey River and the Ocean home.
Many of my perceptions about the people of Monkey River and the way
they interacted with their environment changed over the course of my
wanderings. Though completing readings and studying books from afar
is a start, there is little that trumps the actual one-on-one
interaction with people and culture. It was the art of people
watching where actions, information and stories were combined to
construct a better understanding. At times, I almost felt ashamed and
intrusive as we looked in and attempted to become part of this small
community. Yet I was amazed at my own feelings of understanding and
ownership in just a few short days.
While observing, and conducting interviews I found several things come
to light which had not previously understood during the research
phases of the project. These included the different roles and
perceptions from each gender in the community, the resiliency of the
populous to a possible dangerous and harsh environment, the extent of
family ties within the community, the perceived extent and dislike of
the government and other agencies, and finally, the importance of the
surrounding environment to the economic stability of the Village.
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