University of California, Berkeley

Graduate Student, Anthropology

Thesis Title: Power and perdition: The transformation of identity, daily life, and resistance in the colonial obraje of Pomacocha, Vilcashuaman (Tentative)

About

Dissertation focuses on the archaeology and history of late colonial Ayacucho, Peru—specifically the role of obrajes, or textile workshops, in identity transformation.

I am also currently working on the following dissertation-related projects and would welcome collaboration or discussion:
1. The great Andean epidemic of 1720-24's effect on social cohesion and migratory patterns in the colonial Andes.  I am currently analyzing censuses for mortality rates and migrations in the colonial province of Vilcashuaman.
2. Conopas and chancas (household fertility deities most often made of stone), and their role in identity transformation and revolt in the colonial period.  I am currently writing up a paper about a collection of probable conopas of the Chincha culture.
3. The transformation of Quechua food terms through the colonial period.  I wrote a paper a couple of years ago analyzing food terms from Holguin's early colonial Quechua dictionary and a modern Ayacucho Quechua dictionary to show fundamental differences in thinking about food preparation.  Especially intriguing is the strong materiality of food items evident in early colonial Quechua vocabulary. I still need to analyze an 18th century food and games vocabulary list of probable Ayacuchan Quechua to fill in the gap between early colonial and modern Quechua.