Samuel van der Swaagh

House 2, Cohort 2

09/24/12

Ethnographies of Work I

Journal Response #2

            During our last Ethnographies of Work I session, we watched a documentary called “Side-Walk” that not only changed the way I thought about homeless people, but also ethnography. The movie focuses on street homeless vendors, at least for its segment on Greenwich Village. During the opening part of the report, the ethnographer sets the scene by showing the hip areas of NYU and Greenwich. The ethnographer gives his audience a tour of Greenwich Village’s famous jazz, concert, or gallery venues. Also, the ethnographer leads his viewers through the place’s wealthy demographic and culture. Through the first five minutes of the movie, it becomes quite clear that Greenwich Village is predominantly gentrified. However, as the ethnographer draws our eyes back to the streets, our attention changes to the dungy side-walk street culture.

            Strangely enough, although the homeless culture is constantly before us, we often miss the beauty of this culture, esp. its street vendors. Too often we become disgusted with the homeless lifestyle that we ignore the vigorous and passionate activity within the community. According to the documentary, the daily routine of a homeless man/woman street vender involves the following. First, a smart street vendor will often wake up at six in order to jump start the day. If a homeless person wants first dibs on the sellable garbage, he/she must rise up earlier than his homeless competitors. Secondly, homeless street vendors must also compete for hot locations. In addition, it is also important for street vendors to connect with each other because a support team is essential when it comes to hunting for valuable items in the trash (e.g., books), searching for food, and having company. Lastly, after a long day, the homeless vendors seek shelter. Some sleep in the streets with their collected items, and some find enclosed areas in subways.

            Another aspect of the homeless lifestyle that is discussed in the documentary is public character. When people think about the homeless presence on the streets, the common view is either one of sympathy or disgust. That is, people will either offer money to the homeless or they will become offended by the “invasive or littering” nature of homeless people. However, people frequently forget that some homeless people (e.g., street vendors) do earn a living. Homeless people can also positively contribute to their surrounding community. Take for instance, the testimonial of a mother who recounts the story of a homeless man that takes her son under his wing (i.e. making sure he walks to school on time). Also, take for example, the street vendor who finds valuable books in the dumps, and redistributes the books almost at no cost. Also, consider how the homeless people and street vendors promote community spirit. Throughout the documentary, the ethnographer reports several incidences where street vendors develop strong rewarding relationships with their locals. In addition, the ethnographer also notes from his informants (i.e. the street vendors) that people, who frequently passed by their stand, started to recognize them as great members of the community. In the end, the documentary shows us that the homeless are not only committed to survival, but are also committed to blending in and contributing to society.

            I guess, in order to wrap up “Side-Walk,” I must also comment on its well-rounded methodology, and its balanced use of the emic and the etic. Throughout the documentary, the ethnographer gathered his research from newspaper, interviews, videos, anecdotes, photos, and music. The ethnographers had an enormous variety of techniques to aid and support his research. Also, the ethnographer’s report seemed credible because the reporter rarely, if at all, romanticized his field work site. The ethnographer presents his research in a factual manner, despite the personal element of the documentary.

            Here are some questions though that came to mind as I watched the movie: Are the informants representative of the Greenwich Village/NYU homeless community? Where are the less successful homeless street vendors? What is the culture or lifestyle of the less fortunate homeless street vendors? Are the answers to these questions significant to the message of the ethnographical report?

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Submitted Version of 09/24/12:

Ethnographies of Work I Journal Response #2.docx