While doing researchers, many anthropologists use the tool of ethnographic fieldwork. Instead viewing a culture from a bird's eye perspective, anthropologists insert themselves into the culture they wish to study. This is known as participant observation. However, when entering an unfamiliar culture and encountering unknown people, anthropologists first have to gain the trust of the people around them to learn about their lives. This is called creating rapport. In both The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down and Waste Away, but Anne Fadiman and Joshua Reno, respectively, have to work very hard in order to build a relationship with the people they wish to study. In 1988, journalist Faidman arrives in Merced, where she hears the story about
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To gain the Lees’ trust, Fadiman tried to make things as comfortable as possible for the Lees; for example, she used a tape recorder instead of a pen and paper which made them uncomfortable. They grew so close that Foua began referring to Fadiman as mi Anne (dear little Anne) and Foua and Nao Kao urged Fadiman to call them tais (maternal grandmother) and yawm twiv (maternal grandfather)(page 99). As they grew closer to Fadiman, the Lees granted her access to all of Lia’s medical records at MCMC and the Children’s Hospital. Instead of answering only her questions, Foua and Nao Kao explained to her what they wanted the doctors to understand about their culture and beliefs. Fadiman went from being an outsider, to someone the Lee’s trusted. She allowed herself to see and learn about the ways in which the Hmong viewed the …show more content…
As he worked in the landfill, he lost nearly 20 pounds, gained tanned skin and light hair, developed calluses and blisters, just as the other laborers in the landfill had done before him (page 11). The longer he stays at the landfill and the more he is changed, the more the workers around him accept him. Eventually his co-worker’s banter turns more friendly and Reno realizes their jokes are a subtle way of accepting him into the culture surrounding the landfill (page 60). He builds rapport with learning about the adventures within the landfill, such as Eddy’s slide down the northeast slope, and also their lives outside of the landfill (page 22). He speaks with the workers about what they want for their children and why they chose a life in the landfill. Some of them even turn back to him involving questions about college for their children. Instead of being an outsider to the inner workings of the landfill, he begins to become one with
To gain the Lees’ trust, Fadiman tried to make things as comfortable as possible for the Lees; for example, she used a tape recorder instead of a pen and paper which made them uncomfortable. They grew so close that Foua began referring to Fadiman as mi Anne (dear little Anne) and Foua and Nao Kao urged Fadiman to call them tais (maternal grandmother) and yawm twiv (maternal grandfather)(page 99). As they grew closer to Fadiman, the Lees granted her access to all of Lia’s medical records at MCMC and the Children’s Hospital. Instead of answering only her questions, Foua and Nao Kao explained to her what they wanted the doctors to understand about their culture and beliefs. Fadiman went from being an outsider, to someone the Lee’s trusted. She allowed herself to see and learn about the ways in which the Hmong viewed the …show more content…
As he worked in the landfill, he lost nearly 20 pounds, gained tanned skin and light hair, developed calluses and blisters, just as the other laborers in the landfill had done before him (page 11). The longer he stays at the landfill and the more he is changed, the more the workers around him accept him. Eventually his co-worker’s banter turns more friendly and Reno realizes their jokes are a subtle way of accepting him into the culture surrounding the landfill (page 60). He builds rapport with learning about the adventures within the landfill, such as Eddy’s slide down the northeast slope, and also their lives outside of the landfill (page 22). He speaks with the workers about what they want for their children and why they chose a life in the landfill. Some of them even turn back to him involving questions about college for their children. Instead of being an outsider to the inner workings of the landfill, he begins to become one with