Taking a photo is more than just capturing a moment for Katelyn Henson ’15.
It is documenting a different way of life that can be shared with others and valued for its differences.
Henson, a Linfield College mass communication and anthropology double major from Camas, Wash., spent last summer in Peru documenting the North Peruvian Ethnobotany Project (NPEBP), which is researching curandismo, a traditional North Peruvian medical system using medicinal plants and rituals in healing. NPEBP is an ongoing multi-institutional, multidisciplinary study of the medicinal properties and people’s uses of plants to cure ailments that Peruvians might normally cure with Western medicine. The project is a mix of medical anthropology – collecting knowledge of ancient peoples as well as current practices and understandings – and studying the biological and chemical effectiveness of the plants in the lab. The work has helped Peruvians become more knowledgeable about traditional medicines, and may benefit those who cannot afford expensive Western cures.
One of the project’s goals is to share information with a wider Peruvian audience and expand production so these plants can be domestically grown, help stimulate local economies, and provide cheaper, healthier alternatives to Western pharmaceuticals.
Henson learned about the project from Tom Love, professor of anthropology and coordinator of Latin American studies at Linfield. Although five other Linfield students have participated in the past, Henson was the only Linfield student involved this year, joiningstudents from across the U.S. Henson worked under the direction of Love and Douglas Sharon, the former director of both the San Diego Museum of Man and the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California at Berkeley.
Henson served as photographer on the project, documenting the work of students in the laboratories and anthropologists in the field to create a better record of traditional curandismo and native farming practices. In addition to helping with the fieldwork, she is also creating a much-needed website and an online presence for the project.
The project allowed her to combine her interests in anthropology and mass communication, when she documented her experience on her blog and photo archive.
As a photographer, Henson was able to capture aspects of everyday Peruvian life and step out from behind her lens to experience it as well. At one point, she volunteered in a local clinic in Huanchaco, the beach town where she lived.
“Initially, it was really hard for me to find things to talk about with the patients. However, as I learned the language and became more comfortable in the environment, I began to enjoy it,” said Henson. “This was all because I immersed myself in the language and culture. In doing so, I learned how to thrive in situations where I wasn’t entirely comfortable.”
During her stay in Peru, Henson also became proficient in Spanish and learned that people’s differences make life distinctive.
“The most rewarding part of my internship was learning the language. By the end, I was able to express my thoughts and converse with Peruvians completely,” said Henson. “I loved talking to people because they gave me an insight into what it’s like to grow up in such a different culture. Learning the language helped me accept and love people who were different than me.”
Linfield helped prepare Henson for work in Peru by providing her with a well-rounded education. She specifically pointed to Amy Orr, the George A. Westcott III Distinguished Professor of Sociology; Susan Currie Sivek, assistant professor of mass communication; Brad Thompson, associate professor of mass communication; Love and Sharon for helping her discover an interest in higher education.
“Rather than specializing in one field, I have been able to take Spanish, ethnobotany, photography and anthropological methods courses — all of which come from different departments,” she said.”This experience helped me prepare for my professional life.”
After graduation, Henson hopes to attend graduate school and study gender and media studies within a sociology Ph.D. program. Her goal is to one day work as a sociology professor at a liberal arts school similar to Linfield.
“I have had a wonderful academic experience here, and many of my professors have inspired me to follow in their footsteps and teach in higher education,” said Henson. “I really want to teach other people what my professors have taught me: that the world and mankind are absolutely fascinating, and to think critically about these things and to study them is the most amazing and eye-opening experience anybody could have.”
