Western Folklife Center
Beyond Borderlands Project
Fieldwork Job Description

The Western Folklife Center seeks a Spanish-speaking fieldworker for an NEA funded project focusing on cultural traditions related to Mexican and Mexican-American ranch and vaquero (cowboy and horseman) culture in the U.S. Fieldwork will identify artists and artforms with historic or contemporary connections to this ethnic occupational community. Artforms might include handcrafted horse gear (saddles, bits, spurs, reins, ropes, belts), traditional music and songs (especially corridos), cooking, visual art, poetry, dichos, and other occupational ranch skills and folklife.

Fieldwork will take place in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada, with guidance from WFC staff and colleagues. Parallel fieldwork is taking place in Sonora and northern Sinaloa. Finding connections between communities in these Mexican states with communities in the western U.S. is of interest though should not be a limiting factor in the scope of work.

The results of fieldwork will benefit future work of the Western Folklife Center and regional colleagues and organizations, including but not limited to:

1) The production of two corrido contests and corrido workshops in Summer 2007 in Idaho and possibly Oregon or Nevada. These events will serve as a mechanism for identifying and honoring local corrido singers and to encourage the writing and performance of corridos. Fieldworker will assist in identifying corrido singers, judges, and corrido teachers appropriate for these contests.

2) The identification of a small group of artists (from Mexico and the western U.S.) to be invited to the 2008 National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, to perform and participate in cross-cultural exchanges (January 26 – February 2, 2008).

3) Produce fieldwork photographs and other documentation, and identify artifacts that can be used in an exhibition to open at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in January 2008. Work will also provide content for program book entries and other media. All documentation will provide the basis for a permanent collection for future research in the Western Folklife Center’s archival collection.
Fieldwork will take place in Spring/early Summer 2007 and contract should be fulfilled by June 30, however some exceptions may be possible. Funding allows for three weeks of work including two weeks of fieldwork and seven days preparation and reporting time. Fieldworker fees are $300/day x 21 days. In addition, the Western Folklife Center will pay travel and per diem expenses and provide fieldwork supplies. Fieldworker must have experience in ethnographic fieldwork with strong audio and photographic documentation skills.

Please express interest in this position by contacting Meg Glaser at 775-738-7508 x225 or mglaser@westernfolklfe.org by April 6, 2007.

The mission of the Western Folklife Center is to enhance the vitality of American life through the experience, understanding, and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the American West. Please visit our website at www.westernfolklife.org

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