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Disciplines: Biogeography, Communications, Ethnobiology
Region: Seri
Chapter: Tucson
Taking direction from two Comcaac youth participants, and in collaboration with a Comcaac- Prescott College initiative to protect critical habitats – mangrove, ironwood, and mesquite – I will accompany three trips to explore and conduct habitat sound recordings in coastal and uplands areas in the Comcaac territory of El Sargento, Cerro Pelón and La Piedrera. During these trips, the acoustic ecology team of three (including myself) will immerse themselves in the atmosphere of each zone and record its soundscapes – above and below the surface – employing an array of equipment, including hydrophones, contact mics, and programmable “audio traps”. To further hone our skills, we will accompany Comcaac cultural resource leaders alongside Dr. Laura Monti of Prescott College, assisting them with recording, trimming, and if possible, transcription of a vast knowledge-store contained in the ancestral songs and stories recounted by elders. Many of these songs are inextricably linked with elements of the ecosystems which Comcaac groups have traditionally moved through; our goal is to merge those concerning our areas of study in sound collage with the elders’ recitations, culminating in a presentation to the Comcaac community at large. Following our work’s completion, selected recordings of both songs and soundscapes will be released digitally, where they can be accessed by community members at their leisure for the purposes of education, pleasure, or incorporation into other projects.
