Ethnography

Ethnography

November 16, 2014

It's a Fiesta

Mama Kangaroo- not usually pictured- sat around with Fierce Face and Mr. Zebra, along with Minnie, and the others usually pictured.
This was in a home setting, with homemade food. And the postures were far more relaxed than they usually are with office chairs propping up our spines.
Minnie was sitting on the floor, after she had been standing up and eating and joining in with the banter. Mama Kangaroo had encouraged everyone to make themselves at home, and it seemed that everyone was comfortable enough to do that. She had made sure that everyone had at least tried that food that she had made for all of us.
Fierce was standing caddy corner to the table, leaning up against the wall. She was mostly propagating a negative stream of talk against superiors. Mama kangaroo and Minnie- even round face- had plenty to say on the subject. They seemed to gain volume from what each other were saying; they gained speed and wind power on the negativity of each other.
Mr. Zebra was also standing against the wall and eating, and didn't have very much to say, besides a few more fueling things. But, though most of the talk was negative, it had a very uniting effect on all its patrons: they seemed to be softer and friendlier throughout the session.
There was also What's his Face standing against another wall and making more comments about the subject. An interesting thing to note was that when someone had said something positive on the subject, it had a stupefying effect- the crowd got quiet.
And once another person had agreed to it, the rest quietly acquiesced, but then resolved to go back to what they were saying.
The subject did not vary during any part of my observance- this is also an interesting thing to note.
And though the tones and expressions were mostly smiles, the subject- of course- did inflict the common grimace and foul expletive.
It is very interesting the warmth between the people though, of not wanting to off-put the host (a very common cultural courtesy). This was seen in nobody wanting a chair to be gotten for them, we all seemed content leaning on the wall or sitting on the floor.

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